I know that I can always use premade lesson plans when I am running short on ideas. Here are a few sites that are great resources for lesson plans. Enjoy!

The Academy Curriculum Exchange - This website has a wealth of resources for grades K - 12. They have curriculum for langauge arts, mathematics, miscellaneous, science, and social studies. The lessons here are very detailed and consise but they require alot of sifting through pages.

Lesson Plans and Reproducibles - This site is made by Scholastic and this particular section is the most valuable: hundreds of lesson plans ranging from elementary to intermediate ages, in 100 different categories. This site could keep me busy for days.

Lesson Plans - This site has over 3,500 free lesson plans. There is lessons for all ages and subjects.

Marc Sheehan's Lesson Plans - This site has a small collection but includes theme units, lesson plans and links to other lesson plan sites.

Stay tuned as tomorrow I will finish posting the lesson plan sites that I have found.

I was looking for free online reading lessons for my youngest son, and came across a site from Montessori Home. This site has the first 55 words a child should learn in order to read. The lessons are absolutely free. This is a phonics based reading program. My son is 6 and he really enjoyed this and I plan on continueing this until all the lessons are done. When you first get to the webpage you can view the demo of what the lessons look like. This site does require you to reigister in order to use the lessons.

   This year we have been trying very hard to create and stick to a regular schedule for lessons. This can be very challenging at times when you consider the fact that Jon has a part time job (a great benefit of homeschooling are the flexible hours that the student is available to work), and the extracurricular activities that at times overlap our schedule.
   I have found that the easiest way around scheduling issues is to do lessons around the jobs and extracurricular activities instead of vice versa. This allows our family a stressless approach to learning without playing beat the clock with their education. Some days require earlier start times, some evening lessons, and others require teaching twice a day to accommodate two separate planned activities.
   I know some homeschool parents that would find this to be a bit of an annoyance or exhausting, but it really has proven to be a calm and peaceful way to mix school with the opportunities that teens need to help build their self-esteem, confidence, and understanding of the real world. 
 

The Power Points I am going to share with you today are completely made and ready to use. You can add them to your lesson plans and current curriculum as visual aids. The grades range from kindergarten to 12th grade. They are all free and each of these sites have many different categories for the subjects itself. Next to each link I will list just some of the many categories to give you an idea what is at these sites. I hope you enjoy them.

Free Physcial Education and Health Presentations in Power Point Format - This site has many different categories. Just to name a few of them: throwing and catching, movement, dance, and aerobics and anaerobics.

Free Langauge Arts Presentations in Power Point Format - This site contains figurative langauge power points. Just to name a couple examples: hyperbole, simile and metaphor.

Math Power Points - This site covers a wide variety of math topics. A couple of the categories are algebra, integers, laws of exponents, and again many more.

Free Math Presentations in Power Point Format - Just to name a few categories of the power points at this website: telling time, multiplication, addition, measurement, problem solving and logic and many more.

Free Science Presentation in Power Point Format - The categories here are general science, earth science, pysics, nanoscience, biology, ecology and environmental science. Each categories has many subcategories listed.

Free Social Studies Presentations in Power Point Format - There are 16 different categories here for social studies. Just to name a couple: 50 states, world history, U S Government, and economics.

We continue to enjoy our series on "The States", a 3 disc series made by the History Channel.  If you missed part one, please read here:  "The States" - Part 1

I am blogging about this series in several parts, because it is so vast and is one of the best pieces of curriculum that we have added to our home-school library. We are on disc one, and this next section covers Texas, Massachusetts, Arkansas, Iowa, and Delaware.  My children are really enjoying this whole series and learning so much from each section.  Let me highlight a few of the interesting facts on each State:

Texas - Texas is big, and so is it's pride, learn about the 3 large cities in Texas, each having over a million citizens, Texas and it's football frenzy, their bbq's and their oil. My pick for future lesson plan out of Texas: The Alamo

Massachusetts - "The States" covers the Irish history, the 4 U.S. Presidents that have come out of Massachusetts, the Boston drivers.  Massachusetts firsts?  Try the first University and the 1st Subway system.  My pick for future lesson plan out of Massachusetts - The History of Harvard.

Arkansas - This state is full of history, "The States" does a wonderful job explaining the rich and sometimes troubled past of Arkansas.  They have an interview with one of the "Little Rock Nine", and the woman literally brought me to tears.  We plan on studying more on the "Little Rock Nine", and the people involved in the history making event.

Iowa - Home of the artist who painted the "American Gothic"....rumored to be the artist's sister and dentist!  Iowa is also this nations leading corn crop growers.  Lesson plans can include "American Gothic" in popular culture.

Delaware - Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, and is home to half of the Fortune 500 companies, "The States" does a fantastic job on explaining how Delaware became the "money" State.  It is also the home of Dupont and the State with the first self-governing black church.

These are just a very few of all the history, facts and events that "The States" touches on.  It is done all so well that your children don't even realize how very much they are learning, because it is so entertaining to watch.  I myself am amazed at how much I am learning myself.  To order directly from the History Channel: "The States"

   Have you ever wondered what happens when you take some of those old plastic army men (you know the ones) and put them in a frying pan on your stove set at high heat? Well, aside from the obvious, they will create a smell in your home like you have never smelled before and it will linger for days! This courtesy of our 2 boys and that ever popular spark of learning that drives the homeschool process.
   After detecting the first hint of the plastic (probably toxic) smoke, I ran into the kitchen (aka the lab) to see what was happening only to discover the boys gleefully watching the little green men melt into a puddle of nothingness. Rarely have I been so grateful for Teflon.
   All of this to find out just how big the plastic puddle would be after the melting process was complete. Amazing, a simple question turned itself into a miniature science/math experiment...and our house into a stinky domain that required open windows on one of the coldest, windiest days of the year. Oh the joys of homeschooling! ~GRIN!~

As the new year sits just around the corner, many parents are adding to their list of resolutions the job of homeschooling for the first time. Just like any job, homeschooling requires commitment and the ability to follow through. If you live in a state that requires accountability to your school district or school board, please be diligent in adhering to the requirements. Many states require a letter of intent, notifying your district or school board of your home education endeavor. This is not to be taken lightly. Students not accounted for are considered truant, and the responsibility lies with the parents.

There was a story in the news last week about a Utah homeschool family ordered by a judge to enroll their children in public school or face jail time, all because of a lack of communication between the parents and the school district. (Read the entire story here: http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/12/judge_threatens_homeschool_mom.php )

It pays to follow up on any communication sent to a government office to make sure it was received. One simple way to do this is to send documents via Certified Mail with Return Receipt. This provides a paper trail in case there is any question later about whether the document was received, or even WHEN it was received. If the parents in that Utah family would have done that, no judge would have ever had the case cross his desk.

No matter how many accolades and kudos homeschoolers receive each year, there are still many nay-sayers and downright enemies of home education. Those people watch and wait for any opportunity to prove parents unfit to teach their own children. That puts tremendous pressure on the homeschool community to be upstanding, accountable citizens exhibiting responsible behavior in all walks of life. And when it comes right down to it, isn't that the kind of example we want to set for our children anyway?

We all need a little help and encouragement as homeschoolers.  Sometimes it can feel like you are the only one with a particular problem in your day-to-day teaching or you just feel like you cannot possibly plan one more lesson plan without bursting.  That is what makes homeschool forums so great.  They let homeschooling families all over the globe stay in touch and talk about anything from coming up with a homeschool schedule, to finding where the best math lesson plans are on the web, to ways find homeschool games, etc.

The downside of having homeschool forums are that they are everywhere on the web.  You don't want to get caught up in the habit of signing up for every forum that you come across.  Most of your day will be spent responding to conversations, and you will wonder where the rest of your day went.  It is best to find perhaps two to four forums and stick with that.

You will find that some forums are geared for homeschooling in general, while others are narrowed to particular subjects such as Christian homeschooling, Montessori homeschooling, forums specifically for encouragement or new homeschoolers, to talk about your gifted child, etc.  If you find a great forum to talk about Christian subjects, then you probably don't need to join another one with the same topics.

Here is a list of some rather well-known and active homeschool forums that you might be interested in checking out.  Most forums do require you to register, but is generally free of charge.

*Veg Source Homeschool Forums

*CHF Web Interactive- Christian Homeschooling

*Homeschool World

*Gift Homeschoolers Forum

There are many, many more forums on the web.  You can find them by simply typing in "homeschool forum" in your search engine.  You can even be more specific, like "Christian homeschool forum."  So, I hope you will get in touch with some fellow homeschoolers today, and make new friends and find out great tips and tricks that only those in the trenches are able to give you!

 

Florida Virtual School a Homeschooling Public School Option

 

It may seem a misnomer, but trust me your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you.  I live in Florida and about ten years ago, Florida began a new program called Florida Virtual School.  This was a public school that consisted of interaction between homeschooled students with public school teachers.  In fact, the homeschool actually uses public school curriculum and when students graduate, they receive a public school diploma from their county.  All of this occurs while the child is technically “home schooled”. Since Florida Virtual School is a public school program, it is free.

 

Florida Virtual School went on to become very successful and what began with 77 students in Florida has now grown to embrace students throughout many states. This expansion has been termed, “Florida Virtual School Global Services” and allows students from other states to receive public school education online, while taking classes at home. 

 

Florida Virtual School and Florida Virtual School Global Services offers advanced middle school and high school courses.  All of the courses are accredited and are taught by state certified teachers.  Students take courses and are assigned a teacher whom they converse with through tools such as Email, Chats, and Forums.  They may also telephone their teachers as well.

 

Many students discover that they have more interaction with their teacher through the virtual school program than they did in a conventional public school setting.  Though students may access their courses at any time, they are required to work at a minimum pace, however there is plenty of room for students to work ahead of schedule and complete their courses in an expedited manner.

 

 

Here are some Important Links Regarding Florida Virtual School

 

FLVS Course Demos

 
Information for Florida Students

 Requesting Courses Video

 

Florida Virtual School Coverage Area

 

Florida Virtual School Course Offerings

 

Computer Requirements for Florida Virtual School

 

Remember, if you live in a state outside of Florida that your child may enroll through Florida Virtual School Global Services

 

 

We are currently watching "The States", a DVD Collection from the History Channel, that covers all 50 States of the Union.  This series is so well done, so packed full of information, history, personal experiences, dotted with interviews from famous people who hail from the individual States, it is the best we have ever seen to date on the States.  I would personally recommend this as a number one choice to add to your curriculum or home-school library.

As I was watching this series, I had to grab a pen and paper, because ideas for future lesson plans swam in my head.  I decided to blog about this series in several parts, because it is so rich in information.  My 12 year old daughter, who loved this break in her curriculum, kept asking to watch the next part.  Rarely do you find a DVD series that keep children wanting more!

The first States covered in "The States" are California, North Carolina, Kansas, New Hampshire, and West Virginia.

California - Very funky look at California, guest celebrity was Randy Newman. California is the home to many firsts, including the first motel.  History includes the Gold Rush and San Francisco earthquake.  My future lesson plan choice: San Francisco Earthquake

North Carolina - takes a look at Nascar (who I learned started as moonshiners running from the law), and gold mining, and the story from this State that I would like to learn and teach more about:  The story of the first blacks who dared to sit down at the counter in Woolworth's, a riveting story!

Kansas - I was expecting a "bore snore" from this State, but it really surprised me. It touched on subjects like tornadoes, the horse "Commanche", which is stuffed at the University of Kansas and on display, and history on Dodge City, all wonderful candidates for future lessons.

New Hampshire - How relevant is this State with the primaries coming up?  "The States" goes through the process without going over your head. This State is also a State of many firsts, including the first astronaut.

West Virginia - This beautiful State is profiled explaining it's split from Virginia, goes through the "coal confrontation", and highlights special places such as the coal house, made completely out of coal.

"The States" is fun, funny (we laughed out loud), packed full of learning, and never boring, in fact it keeps you wanting more of it.  By the way, this DVD series is not just for children, adults will thoroughly enjoy this series if they have only a sliver of interest in history or geography, it truly is that enjoyable.  It is so affordable too, take a look a The History Channel Store

When contemplating homeschooling, it may seem difficult to decide upon which method is right for your family.  Part of the reason is that there are so many methods to choose from, and it can be hard to differentiate between them.  My hope is to let you know what the different methods entail, to help answer your questions about homeschooling as it pertains to the methods available.

I'll be honest with you...the way you homeschool your children may require some trial and error until you find the best method that fits your child's learning style.  You may even find that one method that works for one child will not work with another.  But, that's the beauty of homeschooling...you can tailor it to fit a child's direct needs.

So, here are some of the methods used:

Unschooling Method:  This method is used not so much as a learning method, but as a way of life.  Unschooling means that you do not teach using textbooks and workbooks, but rather personal experiences.  It is taking advantage of every day situations to use as learning points.  A great book about unschooling and its successfulness as a way of teaching is How Children Learn by John Holt.

Montessori Approach:  This way of teaching is designed to let children learn at their own pace.  Textbooks and manipulatives are not suited for age groups, but rather just by skill level.  It is thought that when a child can learn when they are ready to absorb new information, they will have learned it for the rest of their lives.

Charlotte Mason Method:  This method is based on teaching the arts, nature, and the love of books.  In fact, the "living books" that support this method of homeschooling are written to open a child's senses and give them a feeling of being part of the stories they are reading.  Children learn the basic skills, such as science, math, etc., but in a natural setting and through stories.

Christian Homeschooling:  This method of homeschooling is based on teaching children biblical principles as their first priority, while catering to their need to learn basic skills.  Subjects such as history are taught to show how the Bible relates to historical events.  Science proves that God is the creator of everything, and backs this up with biblical principles.  Daily Bible reading is a part of many Christian homeschooling families.

Secular Homeschooling:  This type of teaching is based primarily on what traditional schools are teaching children.  Secular homeschoolers use many of the same textbooks as public schools, or may even use some of the methods mentioned above.  They do not have "religious" reasons for homeschooling, but want to have the right to teach their own children at home.

As you can see there are numerous methods for teaching your children what they need to know.  People have different opinions on how homeschooling should be taught, but it is because they found something that really works for their family.  There is no right or wrong way to homeschool your children, as long as you know in your heart you are providng them with the best education that you can.

Everyone who homeschools their children may feel a bit of a rebel. They are taking their children’s education into their own hands and often are going against the well-meaning advice of at least one person. Whether it is a concerned grand parent, a friend, or the neighbor who lives down the street, you can rest assured that everyone has their own opinion and viewpoint regarding homeschooling.

The first question that many people continue to ask (even though homeschooling has been in the mainstream for the past ten years) is whether or not homeschooling is legal.

Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states, however the amount of government control and requirements for legally homeschooling your children vary from state to state.

There are certain states that have very little requirements or government control. In these states parents may not be required to notify county officials that they are homeschooling. Some of these states actually have the provision for homeschooling written in their state constitutions.

Here is a list of states that have very limited state laws and a description of the requirements within those states.

• Alaska
• Connecticut
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Michigan
• Missouri
• New Jersey
• Oklahoma
• Texas

And the United States Territories

• Guam
• Puerto Rico

Just because these states are homeschool friendly does not mean that you should not review the laws or requirements. What this means is that each state has several options that parents may select from to create their home school. By stating that these states are homeschool friendly or require no notice means that one of the chosen options as stated by the legal requirements means that you do not need to notify the state that you are homeschooling. However, this does not mean that every homeschool family in that state chooses this option. Here is information regarding all of the homeschool options for each of the above-mentioned states and U.S. territories.

Alaska Homeschool Laws

 

HSLDA Alaska

NHEN: Alaska Homeschool Laws

Alaska Legislature

 

 

Connecticut Homeschool Laws

 

HSLDA Connecticut

NHEN: Connecticut Homeschool Laws

Connecticut General Assembly

 

 

Idaho Homeschool Laws

 

HSLDA Idaho

NHEN: Idaho Homeschool Laws

Idaho Legislature

 

 

Illinois Homeschool Laws

 

HSLDA Illinois

NHEN: Illinois Homeschool Laws

Illinois Legislature

 

 

Indiana Homeschool Laws

 

 

HSLDA Indiana

NHEN Indiana
Indiana General Assembly

 

 

Michigan Homeschool Laws

 

 

HSLDA Michigan

NHEN Michigan

Michigan Legislature

 

 

Missouri Homeschool Laws

 

 

HSLDA Missouri

NHEN Missouri

Missouri General Assembly

 

 

New Jersey Homeschool Laws

 

 

HSLDA New Jersey

NHEN New Jersey

New Jersey State Legislature

 

 

Oklahoma Homeschool Laws

 

 

HSLDA Oklahoma

NHEN Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Legislature

 

 

Texas Homeschool Laws

 

HSLDA Texas

NHEN Texas

Texas State Legislature

 

Guam Homeschool Laws

HSLDA Guam

Puerto Rico Homeschool

HSLDA Puerto Rico

 The first area to consider when beginning your homeschool journey is to comply with the homeschool laws that are applicable for your state. You may be amazed to discover that each state sets their own laws and these vary in degrees of requirements. Some states grant parents the right to homeschool their children with very little government supervision, while others may require testing and annual review of your school portfolio. Understanding the laws that are enforced in your state will ensure that you begin your homeschool journey on the right foot and in full compliance with your state's local laws.

You should also be aware of the fact that many states and local school districts are offering parents the ability to homeschool through their public school district. Some states, such as Florida provide homeschool covering to students residing in other states. Basically, there are numerous ways to homeschool and your homeschool journey consists of finding the method that best meets your needs. However, your local state and school board is where you can begin to map out the educational course that best fits your children’s needs.

 

The best way to begin determining your state’s homeschool laws as well as your local county’s position on homeschooling is to review the actual law itself and visit your local school district’s website. For example, some school districts will allow children to participate in extra curricular activities on the school campus, as long as they are registered with their local county. These rules vary from state to state so it is vital to stay well-informed.

 

It’s also important to realize that homeschool laws are not set in stone and are subject to change. If you are making the commitment to homeschool your child or children, you must be aware of the local laws and stay up to date with any current changes.

 

A great place to begin researching the homeschool laws for your state is the Home School Legal Defense Website. You can access it here:

 

HSLDA State Laws

 

By using their interactive map, you can easily locate the laws as they apply to your area.

 

Choosing a homeschool curriculum for your child is exciting and overwhelming.  When you see the choices that are available to you, it is mind boggling how you will ever pick the one that works best for your child.  On top of that, if you are a Christian homeschooling family, the task becomes even more daunting, as you want to be sure to provide your child with accurate information as it pertains to the Bible in subjects like science and history.

We know dinosaurs were not around for billions of years.  We also know that rocks and volcanoes were not around that long either.  And, even more importantly, we know that we were created by God who loves us and cares about us.  So, teaching your child about evolution is definitely not an option.

So, how do you know that a curriculum is everything you hoped it would be.  Here are a few tips:

• Pray about it.  God is thrilled that you want to homeschool your child.  The Bible says, "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not foresake your mother's teaching." Proverbs 1:8 (NIV)  Let Him guide you.
• Ask friends who are homeschooling and share your beliefs what they are using.  Then, go to the website of those companies and check them out thoroughly.  See if you agree with their scope and sequence.
• Since women tend to be emotional buyers, it is a good idea that you get your husband's advice when go through multiple curricula.  He may have a more objective point of view about what to choose, and he is part of the family, too!
• Depending on the laws in your state, there may be different options that mandate what you are required to teach your child (i.e., language arts, math, etc.).  Always know your states laws and regulations.  Most Christian curricula adheres to the standards required for language arts and math, but it is best to be very sure before you make a firm decision on a curriculum.

Always remember that if something is not working out for your family, you can switch to something different at any given time.  You are never truly stuck to the methods you are using.  Of course, buying a homeschool curriculum can be quite an investment, so my advice is to not jump in to buying something without researching about it first.

I would recommend that you start with buying a curriculum that covers all of the subjects you want to teach before branching out and creating anything on your own.  But, I do have some great ideas for creating your own unit studies, if you want to check them out.

On to the list...

Here are some of the more popular Christian curriculum publishers, many of which are accepted to be comprehensive and able to provide your child a sound education.  Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive, just the most popular.

• Abeka
• Alpha Omega Publications
• Bob Jones University
• Christian Liberty Press
• Five in a Row
• Sonlight Curriculum

 What it all boils down to is that the market for homeschool curriculum is too much, so don't think you have to do everything out there.  Find a curriculum that offers your basic instruction, have fun with your kids, and when you feel like you've got this homeschooling thing down pat for your family, then branch out and try new things.  Just stay with the basics until then.

Have fun!

There are as many different reasons for homeschooling as there are homeschoolers, so what brought you to this point isn't really important. But everyone seems to share the same level of apprehension when it comes time to put the rubber to the road. After all, you are about to make a huge impact on your child's future and you don't want to screw that up! Chances are though, if you care enough to worry about your child's future, you won't mess it up. Staying organized and staying flexible...those are the keys to managing your child's education.

The first step in organization is assessing your own authority as a parent. If the inmates are running the asylum, you won't get much teaching done! So having a good system of discipline in place is very important BEFORE you begin homeschooling. You don't want to be an evil taskmaster. But if your education program were a ship, you (and your spouse) should be at the helm.

The next step in organization is formulating a plan. Your plan can be for the week, for the month, or for the year. And that plan can, and probably will, change to some degree. That's where staying flexible comes in! Start by writing down the reason you want to homeschool your child(ren). That will usually prompt you to set a goal. If your child has been struggling in a classroom setting, you may have a goal of getting him or her up to grade level in a certain subject. From there you can begin to research curriculum choices and develop a strategy for meeting this goal. Think of your home education program as a business with you as the manager. Believe me. It's a full time job!

Now that you have a business plan, it's time to research the "market". Each state has different laws regarding home education. You can find a complete listing here: http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp

There are some states that have no regulation on home schooling. On the other hand, there are states that impose home visits on parents by state officials. Make sure you know the laws for your state before you begin. Once this homework is complete, you can start digging into the mountains of curriculum that every homeschool parent must sort through. We'll climb those mountains in the next article. Until then...Happy Homeschooling!

 

I'm part of a large homeschooling group and every now and then a potential homeschooler will come to a meeting. They are usually on a quest to discover if homeschooling is a good fit for their family.

Here are some tips that I have if you are wondering the same thing:

1) Go to as many homeschooling activities and field trips without your kids as possible! If you're concerned how your kids will manage without the socialization of other kids EVERY day, it's best to see how other kids are doing. Talk with the parents and get their advice. Chances are there are many who have been right where you are!

2) Join lots of homeschooling support egroups! Yahoo Groups has hundreds of eGroups dedicated to homeschooling. You can find local or national groups. Feel free to ask questions and most people are very willing to help. This is where I got my start when I began this journey for our family.

3) Read books and articles from your library or online about homeschooling!  Do your homework and you'll be better educated to make your decision.

4) Be prepared to make more sacrifices of your time and finances!   The lovely thing about homeschooling is the variety of curriculum plans there are out there. My kids use a distance learning program from Bob Jones University where all their classes for all their subjects are on an external hard drive for their computer. No matter what curriculum program you choose you will have to sacrifice finances and time.

5) Be prepared to obey your state's laws! The Home School Legal Defense Association has a fantastic site full of information regarding state laws and what is required of the homeschooling parent(s). Visit http://www.hslda.org/laws/ for more information on your state's laws.

Overall, homeschooling is a personal decision. If you feel it's right, your kids agree to it, and you don't mind making sacrifices it can be a very rewarding experience.

When you know that you need to begin making a transcript for your high school child, do you ever wonder exactly what information should be included on it?  This is probably one of the most frustrating things to a parent, but setting up a transcript is really not all that difficult.  Of course, states may have small variations on how to set up a transcript, but by and large the pertinent information that needs to be included is outlined below.

Most state homeschool organizations have sample transcripts on their websites, and may even have a blank transcript that you can download and fill in.  To find your state organization type in "homeschool (your state name)," in your search engine and the organization should be listed in one of the first three spots.

The most important information to remember is that you must include:

• Child's name
• Date of birth
• SSN
• Address, City, State, and Zip
• Home phone number

When listing your child's classes, be sure you are listing the course name, and not the title of the textbook used.  For example, you would not put down "Videotext - Algebra I," but rather "Algebra I."  If your teen is taking a unique class, such as learning to play the harp, be sure to find the right "course" category for this class, such as "Music Appreciation."

When listing science classes, it is a good idea to put "with labs" next to the course, if applicable, as a college would otherwise assume that your teen did not have any labs.

At the end of each year be sure to list your teen's total credits earned.  By the end of 12th grade, all of the credits should be equal to or greater than the required credits needed to graduate from high school.  Not sure how many credits your child needs in your state?  Check out your state homeschool organization website for this information as well, or call them for a copy.

Colleges are interested in a prospective student's activities and extracurricular activities, so be sure to list anything such as this that your teen has participated in.  This can include church events and outreach programs, volunteering, sports leagues, music lessons, etc.  This is your chance to have your teen shine, so list whatever is appropriate.

As you can see, setting up a transcript is rather simple.  There is no real mystery to how it should look or what it should include.  The hard part is getting your child to do the work that goes on the transcript (ha!).