The resource folder will be sent home this week. It provides information about ways to connect to the curriculum at home. This is a very important part of this year’s homework. Individual on-line subscription account information is also included. Please review the contents and let me know if you have any questions.
As discussed at Curriculum Night, homework will be structured in the following way:
Reading is an important part of everyday routines. I do not like to specify an amount of minutes, however, this may be a helpful strategy for some students. A minimum of 30 minutes daily is appropriate for independent daily reading at this age. Thoughts about reading were provided at curriculum night, sent home in the first group email update and are posted on my blog. I have included this update on the next page as well. If you did not receive this information electronically please send me an email so I may add you to the group list.
Trick word/Word Work and Reader Response (writing about reading) worksheets will be given most Mondays and are due Friday. A Fundations (word work) test will be given at the end of each unit. I will send a copy of these home so you can see progress. I will base my small reading group and individual student conference instruction on this assessment, classroom observations and other reading assessment results.
Math worksheet activities will come home as they arise in the curriculum and will have a due dated listed. Other math activities and games instructions are outlined in the resource folder. As new games are taught materials and directions will come home and should be stored together and practiced and modified based on individual needs. Your child’s own reflections about progress are an important source of understanding practice needs. Each time a new math unit is introduced the family letters will be sent home in a packet for review. They are also a resource for home support and often include math activities that should be engaged in frequently.
Science and Social Studies activities will be embedded in the Language Arts and Math curriculum. They will also be the source of content for occasional homework/project assignments. Students are always welcome to bring in additional work and research results from projects, experiments and experiences they create/had based on interests and connections they are making to our curriculum while outside the classroom. You are also invited to share any expertise with our class! Just let me know and we can schedule a visit.
Homework, in my mind, is a habit of mind…whatever work your child is doing to be a happy, healthy and productive learner and contributor to our world is important work.
Please contact me with any questions.