Kids often struggle to complete projects: they often wait until the last-minute then come to mom or dad and say, “I just remembered I need to complete and turn in a project about “global cooling” tomorrow.  Can you help me?”  To avoid late nights and help your child complete projects on time, teach them these steps:

Step 1: Plan and Prioritize

• Read, re-read, and understand the assignment instructions.
• Set reasonable due dates for steps 1- 6.
• Using your planner or calendar, write down the date your project is due.
• Count the number of weeks or days between the current date and the due date.
• Divide this number by six: this is the number of weeks or days between each due date.
• Record the due dates for each step on your calendar.
• Consider the purpose for the project/paper(description, cause/effect, compare/contrast, persuasion, etc.)
• Identify Your Topic: Determine what you want your project to be about.
• Use your imagination to brainstorm ideas.Make a list of ideas you think about while you are brainstorming.
• From these ideas, narrow it down to the topic you are most interested in.

Step 2: Do Your Research!

• Research sources at the library/on-line.
• Identify two more resources than you think you will need.
• Organize thoughts and supporting details (use bibliography sheets or another form of organization).

Step 3: Prepare the First Draft

• Consider using a graphic organizer or software to make sure your ideas match the purpose for your project of paper(see examples from www.inspiration.com)
• Focus on organizing your thoughts and ideas into an appropriate sequence depending on the purpose.
• Use a word bank of transition words to make your written work more interesting and descriptive.
• Focus on getting your ideas on paper without being overly concerned with spelling, grammar, and punctuation during this step.

Step 4: Revise the Draft

• Read through your project or paper aloud at least one time to help clarify your ideas.
• Read and listen to ensure that the sequence is logical and that it says what you really want it to say.
• Rearrange, reword, and modify as needed.
• Add, cut, reorder, and replace sentences and paragraphs.

Step 5: Proofread and Edit

• Carefully proofread your revised draft, rereading for errors in grammar, sentence structure, and sentence meaning.
• Examine your revised draft for errors in spelling and correct errors.
• Check punctuation and capitalization.

Step 6: Finalize the Project or Paper

• Emphasize the appearance of the written product.
• Check margins to make sure it meets the criteria outlined by your teacher.
• Review your title, title page, and bibliography for accuracy.
• Plan for several drafts if required.
• Attend to grammar, semantics, syntax, and style.

Go for it!  Turn your project in to the teacher on time!

Need help applying these concepts?  Call 817.421.8780 to learn about Student Success!
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