I believe homework is an important part of school, allowing students to learn and practice both responsibility and accountability. In theory, it should be work which can be done independently. In reality, I know that homework can be a stressful part of the day for kids and adults alike.
Last year, I attended a film screening of Race to Nowhere. While the film had many worthy messages, it helped to confirm my belief that I should be re-thinking homework. So, the Homework Menu was born!
Each week, your child will continue to have one 2-sided math sheet to complete. Cursive papers will continue once a week until we make our way through the alphabet. The remaining evenings will be filled with Homework Menu options.
.
All students should be spending 20 minutes reading (or being read to) and practicing math facts for 5 minutes. They can then choose an item from the menu to complete. Please choose a different item each night during the week and sign the box your child completed. Feel free to jot me a note if you’d like, as I love hearing what you’re up to!
Get a PDF copy of our homework menu HERE: homework menu
I hope parents will look at the menu as an opportunity for their kids to practice skills needing improvement. Whether that is responsibility, communication, math, writing, reading, cooperation or becoming more active, there should be several good choices for every child.
Last year, the Homework Menu was very successful, and is now being used in other 3rd grade classrooms. As always, keep me posted if you have any questions, or suggestions!
We have two field trips coming up pretty soon. One is the afternoon of October 26th, when we head to Coonamessett Farm. We will leave Mullen-Hall at 12:00 and return about 3:00. This is a driving field trip, so volunteer drivers must have a current CORI and have filled out a driver’s log.
Our other field trip is to Plimoth Plantation on November 7th. It is a bus trip and it will last all day. The charge for parents is $15, and the charge for students will be $5.00. Field Trip notices will come home for you this week. Let me know if you can help!
Dream Big!!
LOVE the homework menu! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome, Stacy – glad you like it – and you’re very welcome! ~Suzy
I like this option. I will mention it in tomorrow’s blog post. http://www.homeworktrap.blogspot.com, and on my facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/thehomeworktrap.
Thank you, Kenneth! I’ve been using it for a year, now, and love it. My other 3rd grade teachers and I have been talking about either adding more squares, or revamping it halfway through the year for some variety. It’s been a big hit with families. Thanks for including it and for leaving a comment!
Take care,
Suzy
The link to your blog and my comments are on my facebook page and blog now.
Hi Mrs. Brooks! I haven’t seen you in a long time. I like the homework menu in the blog. I can’t wait to go to the seashore. I miss having a teacher like you who was super nice. How do you like your class this year? I hope at least a few times after school this year. Morse Pond is great, I hope I can do the Turkey Trot. School has been so fun with Mrs. Peterson and Mr. Briggs. I do more science and I’ve already done my first science project, which was to build a 3-D model of an animal or plant cell. I did an animal cell. It was so fun. How many kids do you have in your class?
I miss you so much. Love,
Alexis