The purpose for homework in first grade is to form good work habits at home. Please help your child to complete assignments and celebrate their successes!
Homework
· Take-home folder: Daily work will go home in your child’s take-home folder. It is very important to check your child’s folder every night. This will keep you informed of what your child is doing in class, upcoming events, and special homework assignments.
· Read at home: Students are required to read 10 to 20 minutes per night and record time read on the weekly homework sheet. Please make sure your child tracks each word while reading. *In a report of Good and Poor Readers for second grade, research states children who read for 65 minutes a day outside of school will rank in the 98th percentile on all tests.
· Read books to your child: Provide a wide variety of books in your home. Research indicates that the best readers read at home. Set the example and read while you are at the breakfast table, in bed, or waiting for the bus.
· Practice Spelling words.
· Complete weekly math homework packet.
· Practice D’Nealian handwriting.
· Write in a journal.
· Practice telling time to the hour and half hour (2:00, 2:30).
· Identify money and practice counting like coins: pennies, nickels, and dimes.
It is important to spend your child’s homework time together. Your involvement in giving feedback, showing interest, practicing reading, spelling, math facts, and handwriting is the key to success for your first grader. Please keep in mind, homework is not meant to be difficult but instead a review of work already modeled at school. If students are exceeding the recommended time of 30 minutes spent on homework or are consistently frustrated by it, please contact me. We will address ways in which to meet student’s individual needs. Notes will be accepted for those who need to turn in something late due to personal circumstances. Children will not be penalized for homework that is not turned in.
Homework Hall of Fame
If your child turns in his/her homework ON TIME, his/her name gets a mark by it on our Homework Hall of Fame Chart. At the end of the chart, 7-10 weeks or so, those students with a perfect record will get a special ice cream treat with their lunch AND lunch in the classroom. Your child will then receive a certificate for the hard work completed on their homework. Completing homework ON TIME is another future success tool your child will have learned.
Classroom Homework Talley
For the first five weeks in a row, the students get no reward; however, for each day after the five in a row that the class continues to complete each and every homework assignment, I cook something for them at night and give it to them at lunchtime. For example, on the sixth week I might have cookies, on the seventh week it might be brownies.