Homework consists of 3 parts: a daily home reading envelope, a daily math facts envelope, and a weekly homework packet. Daily Home Reading Envelope: It is very important to have your child practice reading on a nightly basis. Please have your child practice the new minibook several times until he/she can read it fluently (like talking) and accurately. If your child requires less practice, you can supplement with reading at your child's independent reading level using the five finger rule. Please initial and date the reading envelope and return it to school daily with the current mini-book(s) inside. Your child will read the mini-book to a teacher or other adult at school. If he/she is able to read the book accurately and fluently, it will be stamped "I can read it myself." Books with this stamp that are returned home may be kept at home in a special book box for review. Reading and rereading text is the best way to increase fluency and automaticity. Books that do not bear this stamp require additional work and should be kept in the reading envelope and included in the nightly practice. Daily Math Facts Envelope: Please also make sure your child practices his/her math flashcards nightly. Focus should be on memorizing the new facts (usually 3-4 facts a night) with a small amount of time spent on reviewing older facts. When your child "passes" a math race level, he/she will color in a new box on his/her math envelope and receive new flashcards to cut out, write his/her name on, and practice that night. Please initial and date the envelope to show that your child completed his/her nightly practice and return the envelope containing all flashcards to school daily. Weekly Homework Packets: Homework packets will be sent on Friday and will be due back the following Thursday. They will include nightly spelling word practice and additional practice and review of concepts I have already taught in class. Please help your child get into a routine of completing a small portion of the packet each night rather than trying to finish the packet in one sitting. Thank you for checking your child's work each night, so he/she gets timely feedback at home. The spelling words are the most frequently used words in the English language. Many of these can not be sounded out. For example, your child may try to spell "was" w-u-z if he/she is sounding out. Please remind your child that these words must be memorized and encourage them to make up fun chants, songs, and tricks to remember the correct spellings as well as practicing writing them correctly at least twice every night (8-14 times per week minimum). If your child already knows how to spell all of the words, you can substitute writing sentences or stories using the spelling words. While your child is reading decodable stories, it is important for you to read books above your child's reading level to your child to build a love of good literature. Please be sure to record these titles on the reading log in the weekly homework packet. Thank you for all you do. Your partnership and support at home makes a world of difference in your child's learning.