Philosophy

The purposes of homework are:

1. Provide students opportunities to practice and reinforce acquired skills. These should be skills that are understood by students and within their ability to complete assignments using these skills with minimum supervision and frustration.
2. Develop personal study habits and responsibility.
3. Give parents an opportunity to talk with their child about current learning and thus foster ongoing communication about school activities.
4. Provide additional time for students to complete assignments and projects.

Time Guidelines

The following guideline is offered as an average for typical students and most days. Occasionally, students may have more homework due to unusual circumstances.

1. Kindergarten - Up to 15 minutes a day.
2. First Grade - Up to 30 minutes a day.
3. Second Grade - Up to 30 minutes a day.
4. Third Grade - Up to 40 minutes a day.
5. Fourth Grade - Up to 50 minutes a day.
6. Fifth Grade - Up to 60 minutes a day.
7. Sixth Grade - Up to 75 minutes a day.

Typical Activities

The following lists of activities are examples of typical work expected by teachers. Completing some or a variety of these activities on a daily basis will help to ensure your child will reach their full potential and help your child to meet the challenges of junior high school and high school.

 

Kindergarten:

1.  
2. Read to your child daily
3. Practice the alphabet (be sure to say the letters clearly and distinctly)
4. Use letter flashcards to help your child practice letter recognition (later as sounds are introduced by the teacher, practice the sounds)
5. Play number games
6. Practice writing their name, letters and numbers
7. Practice your address and phone number
8. With your child, review the papers brought home (discuss the papers as appropriate giving praise and reinforcement)

 

First Grade:

1.  
2. Do the Open Court Reading Homework (this includes site word practice, mini-books, vocabulary and spelling)
3. Complete Saxon Math Homework (this is typically a practice sheet based on the daily lesson and a basic fact practice sheet)
4. If time permits read with your child (as your child begins Accelerated Reader, read and discuss books together)

 

Second Grade:

1.  
2. Do the Open Court Reading Homework (this includes vocabulary and daily spelling work)
3. Complete Saxon Math Homework (this is typically a practice sheet based on the daily lesson and a basic fact practice sheet)
4. If time permits read with your child (as your child begins Accelerated Reader, read and discuss books together)

 

Third Grade:

1.  
2. Complete any assignment not completed in school that is due the next day (this could be math, reading, spelling, social studies or science activities)
3. Study spelling words
4. Practice your basic math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to 9)
5. Spend up to 30 minutes reading independently
6. Practice cursive writing during the second half of the year

 

Fourth Grade:

1.  
2. Complete any assignment not completed in school that is due the next day (this could be math, reading, spelling, social studies or science activities)
3. Study spelling words
4. Practice your basic math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to 12)
5. Spend up to 30 minutes reading independently
6. Have your child orally summarize the book they are reading
7. Practice cursive writing

 

Fifth Grade:

1.  
2. Complete any assignment not completed in school that is due the next day (this could be math, reading, spelling, social studies or science activities)
3. Study spelling words
4. Study the current social studies chapter being read at school. Ask your child comprehension questions about the chapter
5. Occasionally, review your basic math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to 12)
6. Spend up to 45 minutes reading independently
7. Have your child orally summarize the book they are reading and occasionally have your child write a short summary paragraph
8. Occasionally, practice cursive writing

 

Sixth Grade:

1.  
2. Complete any assignment not completed in school that is due the next day (this could be math, reading, spelling, social studies or science activities)
3. Study spelling words
4. Study the current social studies or science chapter being read at school. Ask your child comprehension questions about the chapter
5. Occasionally, review your basic math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to 12)
6. Spend up to 45 minutes reading independently
7. Have your child orally summarize the book they are reading and occasionally have your child write a short summary paragraph
8. If needed occasionally, practice cursive writing
9. As needed, work on the required research projects

Please do not try to complete all the activities each day. Work down the list as time permits. If on a regular basis, your child is having trouble completing the expected work in a reasonable amount of time (no more than twice the recommended time); please contact your child's teacher. Homework activities should strengthen the partnership bond between home and school. Adjustments may need to be made for some students. Working together, school and home can help your child to reach their full potential.

Other Activities:

The following is a brief list of activities parents could do with their children if the parent is looking for other academic related activities:

1. Keep a journal of daily activities, or news events or other areas of interest
2. Read books from the list at the end of this policy. These are books that are appropriate for a particular grade level and in many cases correspond with our reading series, Open Court.
3. Play math games with your child using estimation and precise calculations.