Homework
Reading: Research has proven time and time again that students who read at home, from books they choose, on a regular basis, perform at higher levels in the classroom, than students who do not read at home. In the past, I have sent reading logs for homework.. However, I felt these became a daunting “chore” for many students and did not give me much information about what students are reading and thinking. This year, instead of requiring a log and a set number of minutes to be read each week, I am asking students to reflect on their reading through projects. These projects will be spread out throughout the year. There are many ways students can reflect and ideas will be shared with students throughout the year.
I am also challenging students to read 40 books this year. This is approximately one book a week. Books read in school will also count toward this challenge. Students were given a recording page to document the books they have finished. These pages will be returned when completed, which could take a couple of weeks. The completed pages will be part of the homework responsibilities students have.
Other Projects: I will also incorporate projects aligning with work done in the classroom (mostly math but may include other skills across subjects). These projects may vary from 1-5 weeks. Each project will be sent home with steps and due dates. They may be done at the student’s own pace. I intend these projects to be done mostly independently with some assistance needed for some projects. I will help provide materials to students who do not have the materials at home. Students may collaborate with other students if they can work it into their schedules with parent approval. My goal with projects is to provide students meaningful practice while connecting real world applications to the content we are learning in class.
Friday folder: Friday folders will be sent home on the last school day of the week. Included in these folders is important information from school and the classroom (flyers for opportunities for students to participate, weekly reading reflection pages, and project descriptions at the beginning of each new project). It is very important for families to check these folders every week and for students to return the folder by the first school day of the following week. When folders are not returned, papers can easily get lost and important information (such as conference times, field trip dates, etc) can be missed.
Additional Work: On certain occasions, there may be additional pages or work sent home. These are to be completed and returned the following week.
I am also challenging students to read 40 books this year. This is approximately one book a week. Books read in school will also count toward this challenge. Students were given a recording page to document the books they have finished. These pages will be returned when completed, which could take a couple of weeks. The completed pages will be part of the homework responsibilities students have.
Other Projects: I will also incorporate projects aligning with work done in the classroom (mostly math but may include other skills across subjects). These projects may vary from 1-5 weeks. Each project will be sent home with steps and due dates. They may be done at the student’s own pace. I intend these projects to be done mostly independently with some assistance needed for some projects. I will help provide materials to students who do not have the materials at home. Students may collaborate with other students if they can work it into their schedules with parent approval. My goal with projects is to provide students meaningful practice while connecting real world applications to the content we are learning in class.
Friday folder: Friday folders will be sent home on the last school day of the week. Included in these folders is important information from school and the classroom (flyers for opportunities for students to participate, weekly reading reflection pages, and project descriptions at the beginning of each new project). It is very important for families to check these folders every week and for students to return the folder by the first school day of the following week. When folders are not returned, papers can easily get lost and important information (such as conference times, field trip dates, etc) can be missed.
Additional Work: On certain occasions, there may be additional pages or work sent home. These are to be completed and returned the following week.