Homework Snapshot
Your child will need to have a Homework Folder that s/he brings back and forth to school daily. Inside the folder you should find a Homework Planner (copied on bright paper). Homework Planners are given out on Mondays (or the start of the week) and turned in on Fridays. The planner should live in your child's Homework Folder, coming home each night and returning to school each day. As part of our dismissal routines, students will log any daily assignments given in class (in addition to their weekly homework routines which will already be printed on the planner). On Thursday nights your child should ask you to sign his/her planner, before turning it in on Fridays. You may also write comments for me in the space provided. Please help your child develop organizational routines by keeping him/her accountable to the Homework Folder and Homework Planner. If you child has questions about how to complete an assignment, s/he may circle it and write me a note or ask me in class. Asking clarification questions and developing self help strategies are an important part of helping your child prepare for middle school.
Homework Snapshot:
● Reading: 20-30 minutes nightly. Yes-- every night!
● Math: A math packet will be assigned on Mondays (or the start of the week) and due on Fridays (or the end of the week).
● Word Study: Word Study work is a combination of spelling pattern exploration, vocabulary instruction and writing fluency practice. Your child will be assigned a word list on Mondays. Each night s/he will complete a short assignment in a Word Study Notebook and turn-in the notebook on Fridays. This work may be done in class sometimes, but will often be assigned as homework.
● Occasional assignments will be logged on on the Homework Planner
Expect around 15-30 minutes of homework a night, plus nightly reading. Please contact me if your child is struggling with the homework load. Your child should never spend more than an hour on nightly homework. Homework should be at a level that s/he can complete independently, but because it should also include some learning challenges, it will be enhanced by your involvement and support. It is extremely beneficial for your child to have opportunities to engage in conversations about his/her homework. Try to be near your child while they work. A simple conversation starter may be: Tell me about your work.
Word Work
4th Grade Weekly Word Study Homework Routine
Monday: Word Sort
1. Cut out the words from your spelling word sheet.
2. Sort all of the words into categories.
3. Write each spelling category in a different column at the top of the page.
4. Copy your spelling words in the appropriate columns, so they are in the correct category.
5. At the bottom of the sheet, explain what you learned about the words during this sort.
Example
Non Example
Tuesday: Writing Choice
Choice #1: Sentences-- Write five sentences using at least 1 spelling word per sentence. Underline your spelling word in each sentence. Make these sentences good quality! (Correct example: I bumped my knee on the corner of our white plastic patio chairs.) (Incorrect example: My knee hurts.)
Choice #2: Story-- Write a short story using at least 5 of your spelling words. Underline your spelling words in the story. Make this story at least five sentences long.
Choice #3: Use five of your spelling word in figurative language (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification).
Choice #4: Definitions-- Choose five spelling words to define, in your own words. Underline your spelling word in each sentence. Make these sentences good quality! (Correct example: A smock is a type of shirt you wear over your clothes to protect them from getting messy during an art project.) (Incorrect example: A smock is a shirt.)
Wednesday: Word Hunt
Find at least three to five words that follow the same spelling pattern. I recommend looking for these words during your reading throughout the week (write them down on a sticky note as you come across them). For example, if your spelling words were sorted by the ending of ant and ance, you could add the words defiant and defiance (if they were not already your spelling words). Or if you had words with the Greek root eco, you could add ecology, economy, ecosystem, or ecotype.
Thursday: Thoughtful Writing
You can do any type of thoughtful writing in your word study notebook, as long as you use at least 5-10 of your words for the week. You could write a letter to a friend or a book/movie character, write a persuasive essay, or simply complete a reflective journal entry or Free Write.