Homeschool Writing Curriculum: Writers in Residence Review

It's so fascinating how the brain works. My youngest, who struggles with reading, loves stories. She listens to audio books all the time, and her mind just overflows with tales of her own. Last year, she was so inspired by an art project that she wrote the back story of the character she drew. We've been happy with our regular homeschool writing curriculum, but she's itching to expand her writing styles to include creative writing and short stories.

When I saw that Apologia published a new homeschool writing curriculum, I couldn't wait to try it. We've been loving their Readers in Residence curriculum, and the Writers in Residence pairs so nicely.

Writers in Residence Basics

Writers in Residence is Apologia's latest writing curriculum for 4th-8th graders by Debra Bell.

Your family will love this incredible curriculum because it includes:

❶      An integrated writing program including grammar, punctuation, and capitalization

❷      Simple and easy to use workbook that you can pull off of the shelf and dive in to

❸      A teacher's resource that includes tips for grading and evaluating your student's work

❹      A daily schedule for breaking the work out into simple tasks to be completed four days a week for thirty-two weeks

❺      Appropriate content for grades 4 through 8

❻      Lively and engaging tone, written to the student

❼      Full color printing with creative layouts, designed to guide your student through the lessons

❽       Inspiring interviews with favorite Christian authors

Connecting With Your Writing

We have loved getting started with Writers in Residence. The first assignment asks students to think back on memories of a favorite trip or event. Students are led step-by-step through the writing process. I loved how my daughter's face lit up as she recalled fond memories from "when she was young."

There is just something wonderful for my momma's heart to see my child who has struggled to read love learning and love working with words. As students work to cultivate the best sentences they can, they're also encouraged to connect with their audience. They work to paint clear pictures with their words and bring their writing to life.

How We're Using Writers in Residence

This year we're integrating what we're calling a "Reading and Writing Lab" into our schedule. The last hour of the day will be spent savoring good books and practicing becoming excellent writers. I have three kidos in my home school in the 4th - 6th grade level, so we will all get to enjoy working together.

I love calling it a lab because it encourages the kids that writing is a hands on activity. They're excited to learn from other authors and develop their own voice.

At the end of the year we'll put together an anthology of their writing. Publish or perish right?

Learn More about Writers in Residence

Learn more about this fantastic homeschool writing curriculum in this FAQ or by watching the video below:

There are certain companies that I just love, and Apologia is one of them. They consistently produce quality curricula that my family enjoys. Check out this fantastic FREE resource for the upcoming eclipse.

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