What to Do When You Really DON'T Have Homework...

There actually might BE days where "I don't have any homework today," is true and not just an excuse. But, that is NO reason to stop being a learner! Use those opportunities to be a risk-taker and try something new!

  1. Read a book! Try a classic, a Newbery or Printz award winner, or some non-fiction. (There are book reviews on my website...)

  2. Make some art.

  3. Learn some words and phrases in other languages. Duolingo is a great app.

  4. Play FreeRice.com.

  5. Write a story. Make it a novel!

  6. Go for a walk.

  7. Learn the names of some clouds and see if you can identify them. Keep a cloud journal.

  8. Read to a younger relative or neighbor.

  9. Play a board game with your family.

  10. Visit a museum or zoo. Check out the Bakken Museum or the Museum of Russian Art for something local and unusual. The public library may have passes you can "check out." Lots of museums have reduced prices if you have a student ID.

  11. Find a recipe and make a new food. Even better, make a food using a new ingredient or from a different part of the world (and then learn something about the culture!)

  12. Watch a documentary on something you don’t know anything about.

  13. Try identifying the trees or birds in your neighborhood.

  14. Jump rope.

  15. Volunteer.

  16. Check out the library.

  17. Plan a fundraiser for a charity you have researched.

  18. Memorize a poem.

  19. Make origami.

  20. Watch a Vi Hart fun math video (http://www.khanacademy.org/math/vi-hart)

  21. Take a virtual tour of the Smithsonian. (http://www.mnh.si.edu/panoramas/)

  22. Memorize the first 20 digits of pi.

  23. Call a friend or relative who is at least a generation older than you and talk to them about what life was like when they were your age.

  24. Write a Thank You note to someone who has helped you.

  25. Clean something around the house.

  26. Play Sudoku.

  27. Watch the news.

  28. See how far back you can make a family tree.

  29. Write a play.

  30. Teach yourself to knit or crochet (lots of helpful YouTube videos.)

  31. Learn to play cribbage and teach a friend.

  32. Create a book club and share a book with some friends.

  33. Find a political issue you care about, research it, and write a letter to your congressperson outlining what you think should be done. (You can find addresses here: http://www.contactingthecongress.org A real letter with a stamp works better than an email.)

  34. Collect something.

  35. Take a picture. Make a photo journal or photo-collage.

  36. Get a pattern and sew something.