How to Record Field Trips on a Homeschool Transcript

Many states require parents to write homeschool transcripts of their children's education. These transcripts are not only proof that your child is learning the appropriate subjects, they can be useful for college applications when your child is older. Recording curriculum can be done by simply listing textbooks and topics covered, but how do you record field trips? This article outlines how to record field trips on your homeschool transcript.

Homeschool Transcript: The Location

The first thing to do when recording a field trip in your homeschool transcript is to name and describe the location you visited. When the location or event has a particular name, this is easy: Smith Museum, a play's name, the title of an orchestra, etc. For field trips that are not already named, come up with a name. Any outing can be a field trip for homeschool, even the supermarket or bank.

After giving your field trip a name for the homeschool transcript, you need to describe it. One or two paragraphs about the event or location should be enough. Make sure to focus on the educational aspects of the trip. For example, if you use the supermarket as a field trip, do not mention how you shopped for canned beans. Instead, focus on a particular lesson, such as where the food comes from, or economics.

Homeschool Transcript: Educational Subjects

Since your homeschool transcript is designed to highlight the educational subjects that your child is covering, you must also include these for field trips. First, check your state requirements for what subjects must be covered. Next, list the ones that are covered by the field trip on the homeschool transcript. For example, if you visit an American Revolution museum, you would list American History: Revolutionary War as your subject covered.

For every subject you list on your homeschool transcript, write one or two sentences explaining how that subject was satisfied. To use the example of the Revolutionary War museum, you might write something about studying maps of George Washington's advance, or examine the differences in uniforms, or study historical weaponry.

Including field trips on your homeschool transcript requires two things: knowledge of your state's laws and guidelines concerning homeschool transcripts, and basic information about the event or location. Pay attention to the education subjects required by your state or homeschooling laws. Include mentions of any maps, brochures, or other items of interest collected on the field trip. And always be precise and correct with your accounts of what you learned. Recording a field trip on your homeschool transcript can be easy.