Happy Thanksgiving!

Remember to work on your President's Reports over the weekend, if possible. I would like to see letters A-R done by the time homework is due. Also, 6 to 8 pictures need to be drawn and colored!

Have a great five-day weekend, students! Enjoy your Thanksgiving and I will see you on Monday!

Homework for November 24-Week 14

Homework for November 24-December 8 (You have TWO WEEKS to finish this homework assignment. Happy Thanksgiving!)

1) Spelling List
a. Do NOT do spelling dictation

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary
a. defend, viewpoint, position, perspective

4) Daily Paragraph Editing
a. Fable, “Maui and the Sun”

5) Daily Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Geography
a. Mountains and Deserts of the U.S.

8) Tic Tac Math
a. Solve ALL problems

9) Daily Math Practice
a. Do not do Monday problems #2, 4
b. Do not do Tuesday problems #1, 4
c. Do not do Wednesday problem #2, 4
d. Do not do Thursday problem # 1

10) Reading Log
a. Choose a book and read every day. Log your ideas.

INTERNET HUNT: Work on your Presidential Report. You should be finished with letters A – R. If you are finished with your letters through R, work on your pictures for your report.

How Important is Homework?

HOW IMPORTANT IS HOMEWORK?

Assigning homework serves various educational needs. It serves as an intellectual discipline, establishes study habits, eases time constraints on the amount of curricular material that can be covered in class, and supplements and reinforces work done in school. In addition, it fosters student initiative, independence, and responsibility and brings home and school closer together.

Homework is defined as out-of-class tasks assigned to students as an extension or elaboration of classroom work. There are three types of homework: practice, preparation, and extension.
Practice assignments reinforce newly acquired skills. For example, students who have just learned a new method of solving a mathematical problem should be given sample problems to complete on their own.

Preparation assignments help students get ready for activities that will occur in the classroom. Students may, for example, be required to do background research on a topic to be discussed later in class. Extension assignments are frequently long-term continuing projects that parallel classwork. Students must apply previous learning to complete these assignments, which include science fair projects and term papers.

Research in the last decade has begun to focus on the relationship between homework and student achievement and has greatly strengthened the case for homework. Although there are mixed findings about whether homework actually increases students' academic achievement, many teachers and parents agree that homework develops students' initiative and responsibility and fulfills the expectations of students, parents, and the public. Studies generally have found homework assignments to be most helpful if they are carefully planned by the teachers and have direct meaning to students.

How Can Parents Get Involved?

• Share any concerns you may have regarding the amount or type homework assigned with your child's teacher or principal.
• Encourage your child to take notes concerning homework assignments in case questions arise later at home.
• Provide a suitable study area and the necessary tools (for example, paper and books) to complete the homework assignments.
• Limit after-school activities to allow time for both homework and family activities.
  Monitor television viewing and establish a specific homework time.
• Plan a homework schedule with your child. Allow for free time when assignments are completed.
• Praise your child's efforts. If questions arise about the assignments, and your child asks for help, ask him or her questions or work through an example rather than simply providing the answer.
• Younger children need more parental assistance with homework than older children. Go over homework assignments with your child. Do several problems or questions together, then observe your child doing the next one or two.
• If your child is in elementary school, check completed assignments. At all levels, ask to look at homework once it has been marked and returned.
• Ask your child's teachers about their homework policy and specific assignments.

How Much Time Should My Child Spend on Homework?

• According to some researchers, two ways to increase students' opportunities to learn are to increase the amount of time that students have to learn and to expand the amount of content they receive. Homework assignments may foster both these goals. Reforms in education have called for increased homework, and as a result, reports show that students are completing considerably more homework than they did a decade ago.
  
• According to statements by the National PTA and the National Education Association (NEA), the following amounts of homework are recommended:

1. From kindergarten to third grade, no more than 20 minutes per day.
2. From fourth to sixth grade, 20 to 40 minutes per day.
3. From seventh to twelfth grade, the recommended amount of time varies according to the type and number of subjects a student is taking. In general, college-bound students receive lengthier and more involved homework than students preparing to enter the workforce immediately after graduation.

Why Should Parents Be Concerned About a School Homework Policy?

• Lack of an established homework policy may place either insufficient or unrealistic demands on your child. Students may not be expected to work to capacity; alternatively, they may receive too many assignments from different teachers on the same evening.
  Schools with homework policies tend to set guidelines for teachers to correct, grade, and return homework systematically to their students, thus reinforcing learning.
• Schools with homework policies generally provide specific guidelines regarding what is expected from parents.
• Schools with homework policies tend to carefully design and provide homework assignments appropriate to each grade level.
• Students may not always view homework as a pleasant experience, but if the assignment serves a good purpose and parents reinforce the completion of the tasks, students will benefit by gaining higher grades, better study habits, and a more positive attitude toward school and learning.
• Homework assignments give parents insight into the school curriculum and offer a greater opportunity for student learning to occur.

Where Can Parents Find Out More About Homework Guidelines?

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
805 West Pennsylvania Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801-4897
(217) 333-1386.

National Education Association
1201 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 822-7214.

The National PTA
700 North Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611-2571
(312) 787-0977.

Homework for November 17-Week 13

Homework for November 17- November 24/Week 13

1) Spelling List
a. Do NOT do spelling dictation

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary
a. defend, viewpoint, position, perspective

4) Daily Paragraph Editing
a. Personal Narrative, “My Favorite Music”

5) Daily Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Geography
a. A Physical Map of Washington

8) Tic Tac Math
a. Solve ALL problems

9) Daily Math Practice
a. Do not do Monday problem #4
b. Do not do Tuesday problems #2, 4
c. Do not do Wednesday problem #2
d. Do not do Thursday problems # 1, 3

10) Margaret Bourke-White
a. Read and complete crossword

11) Reading Log
a. Choose a book and read every day. Log your ideas.

INTERNET HUNT: Work on your Presidential Report. You should be finished with alphabet letters A – H. If you finish working on your alphabet letters through H, draw your pictures for your report.

How to Help Your Child with Homework

Families play a vital role in educating America's children. What families do is more important to student success than whether they are rich or poor, whether parents have finished high school or not, or whether children are in elementary, junior high, or high school.

Yet, for all that common sense and research tell us, family involvement often remains neglected in the debate about American school reform. To focus more attention on this important subject, the U.S. Congress recently added to an initial list of six National Education Goals another that states:Every school will promote partnerships that will increase parental involvement and participation in promoting the social, emotional, and academic growth of children.

We know that children who spend more time on homework, on average, do better in school, and that the academic benefits increase as children move into the upper grades. But the value of homework extends beyond school. We know that good assignments, completed successfully, can help children develop wholesome habits and attitudes. Homework can help parents learn about their children's education and communicate both with their children and the schools. And it can encourage a lifelong love of learning.

In addition to helping with homework, there are many other important ways that parents can help their children learn. Parents can encourage children to spend more leisure time reading than watching television. They can talk with their children and communicate positive behaviors, values, and character traits. They can keep in touch with the school. And they can express high expectations for children and encourage their efforts to achieve.

Indeed, family involvement in education is crucial if we want our children to succeed in school and throughout life.

-Sharon P. RobinsonAssistant SecretaryOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

Homework for November 10-Week 12

Homework for November 10- November 17/Week 12

1) Spelling List
a. Do NOT do spelling dictation

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary
a. complicate, complicated, complication, complex

4) Daily Paragraph Editing
a. News Article, “New Baseball Record Set”

5) Daily Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Geography
a. The St. Lawrence Seaway

8) Tic Tac Math

9) Daily Math Practice

10) Addition and Subtraction Page

11) Crossword Puzzles
a. Disappearing Frogs

11) Reading Log
a. Choose a book and read every day. Log your ideas.

INTERNET HUNT: Search for the planet Mercury. Write four paragraphs about what you discover.

Chevy's Night!

Chevy's Night is TONIGHT AT STONESTOWN! Please pick up a flier from Ms. Marcy and come join us for dinner! A portion of each bill will be donated to Sutro Elementary School. See you then!

Chevy's Stonestown

4:30-8:00 p.m.

Bring your flier and add it to your final bill!

DeYoung Museum Field Trip

The DeYoung Museum field trip was a huge success. The kids enjoyed the day out of the classroom, and especially the fish pond, where we enjoyed our home-made lunches.

The very capable docent led us around the museum and towards the Colonial period, which concentrated more on the status and symbolism of the clothing and decadence of the time. The paintings were realistic and there was a strong use of shadowing and shading. This came in handy when the students were shown upstairs for their art activity.

The activity concentrated most on the aforementioned shadowing and shading. The kids saw some items on a tablecloth...cups, saucers, vases...and they were asked to draw them in clear light with lead on white paper.

Then, the shades were drawn and the room darkened. The art instructor turned on two lamps on each of the tables, and the shadows emerged very clearly. The kids then drew on black paper with white chalk to emphasize the highlights made by the light on the darkness. It was a very interesting lesson on the contrast of dark and light, shadow and shape.

They did a wonderful job, and I was very pleased with their interest in art. We will definitely be looking forward to the next field trip in 2009!

Homework for November 3-Week 11

Homework for November 3- November 10/Week 10

1) Spelling List
a. Do NOT do spelling dictation

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary
a. refer, reference

4) Daily Paragraph Editing
a. Directions: “How to Build a Sand Castle”

5) Daily Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Geography
a. Picturing the World

8) Tic Tac Math

9) Daily Math Practice

10) Problem Solving

11) Crossword Puzzles
a. The White House

12) Reading Log
a. Choose a book and read every day. Log your ideas.

INTERNET HUNT: Search for the planet Venus. Research the planet, take notes, and prepare for Wednesday computer lab where you will write a 4 paragraph essay.