Mrs. Hawkins

Visit the TeacherWeb® videos to learn about the features, modifications, and customizations available on your website. Click here to learn more.

Cactus Ranch has established homework policies for each grade level.  
Throughout the year in second grade your child will bring home three things 
each week:  a homework agenda for reading homework, a spelling paragraph, and 
a math review sheet.  All homework assignments will be sent home on Fridays 
and should be returned the following Thursday.  There will be positive 
rewards for homework turned in on time and a day of grace given to turn in 
late assignments with no penalty.  However, if homework is not completed or 
turned in by Friday, students will miss recess that day and attend Study Hall 
instead. 
 
1. Reading Homework:
Students will be required to read four evenings a week for a minimum of 20 
minutes each time.  The purpose of the homework agenda is for the student to 
record daily reading assignments by writing down the title, author, and 
amount of time read in a certain book.  For example… 
 
Monday, August, 17
Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel for 20 minutes 
 
Tuesday, August, 18
Romona Forever by Beverly Cleary for 30 minutes

Please sign or initial next to the book title.  This is to ensure that your 
child is reading texts on their level.  Agendas will be checked for reading 
signatures on Thursday mornings.  If 4 nights of reading are not completed, 
your child will attend Study Hall on Thursday to make up reading time. 
 
2. Spelling Homework: 
Spelling this year will be taught in the form of a paragraph.  Each Friday a 
new paragraph of three to five sentences will be passed out to the students.  
On Friday, as a class, the students will read the paragraph and pick out 
words that they feel may be difficult or tricky.  These words will be circled 
in the paragraph, recorded into their student agendas, and given extra 
practice and attention throughout the week.  Although these tricky or 
difficult words are picked out and recorded in a special spot, the student is 
responsible for learning all of the words and punctuation of the paragraph 
for the test the following Thursday. 
 
To help practice and prepare the students for the test they will be given 
three homework assignments each week to go along with the in-class 
activities.  These three assignments will need to be turned in and attached 
to the math homework sheet on Thursday of each week to receive credit.  The 
test will be taken on Thursday and a new paragraph passed out on Friday to 
repeat the process. It is the responsibility of the student to ask for 
another paragraph if theirs is lost.

The paragraph will be taken from a reading selection studied and discussed 
previously in the week.  The children will recognize and connect the 
paragraph to a previous learning experience. This allows for a more whole 
language approach and also teaches spelling words in their context.  By using 
the same paragraph we will also be able to teach many grammar points, 
spelling patterns, science and social studies vocabulary as well as enhance 
creative writing and improve students’ penmanship.  Students may find this 
process challenging at first, but please encourage your student.  The rewards 
of this system are great! 
 
3. Math Homework: 
Math homework will be a one page sheet sent home every Friday.  The sheet 
with have 20 boxes printed on the front and back.  Each box with contain a 
review math problem.  Students are responsible for completing all of the math 
problems using a separate sheet of paper to show work if necessary.  Math 
homework should be turned in attached to the three spelling assignments every 
Thursday. 
 
It is crucial your child complete their homework as well as read on a weekly 
basis, as this will allow for practice and extension of what your 2nd grader 
is learning in class.  Homework for other subjects will be given as a review 
of what we have already learned in class or it will be given as practice when 
needed.  More specific information about our curriculum will be discussed at 
the second grade parent night on September 3rd at 6:00pm in my classroom.

Cactus Ranch Elementary Grading Policy

RRISD Grading System (Student Handbook p.21)
In Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade, student progress is reported 
using a developmental continuum representing the knowledge and skills 
appropriate for the age level of the student. In grades 3-5, students receive 
numerical grades. According to the following scale: 
	A = 90-100
	B = 80-89
	C = 75-79
	D = 70-74
	F = Below 70
Teachers follow grading guidelines approved by the principal (listed below) 
that have been designed to reflect each student’s academic achievement for 
the grading period, semester, and year. District Policy (EIA Local) states 
that grading guidelines shall ensure that grades reflect a student’s relative 
mastery of an assignment and that a sufficient number of grades are taken to 
support the grade average assigned. 
Consistent with grading guidelines, a classroom teacher shall provide a 
student a reasonable and fair opportunity through re-teaching options and to 
make-up or re-do a class assignment or examination for which the student 
earned a failing grade. 
State law provides that a test or report card issued by a teacher cannot be 
changed unless the Board determines that, the grade was arbitrary or contains 
an error or that the teacher did not follow the District’s grading policy.

Cactus Ranch Elementary Supplemental Grading Policy for 3rd -5th grade 
•	Grades will be entered within 7 days (of collection), however larger 
projects may take up to 14 days. 
•	A minimum of 9 grades will be taken per nine-week period. 
•	One grade cannot be more than 30% of the overall grade.
•	Grading categories will be determined by the grade level and will be 
consistent across the grade level. 
•	Academic dishonesty is grounds for an automatic zero on that 
assignment, with no opportunity to retake or redo that particular assignment. 
•	Extra credit assignments are at the teacher’s discretion. 
•	Students will have one opportunity to redo a failing assignment. Make-
up assignments must be turned in at least one week before the nine-week 
grading period ends. 
•	Late assignments will automatically be deducted 10 points. 
•	Homework will count as no more than 10% of the student’s overall 
grade. 
•	Progress Reports are required for students with 70 or below grade 
average.

Revised 8/22/11

Automatically clean input to optimize for the web.

Or, would you like to view and optionally restore one of these previous versions?

Password: Forgot your password?

TeacherWeb.com

Content on this site is the responsibility of the Subscriber. Additional information is available in the TeacherWeb Terms & Conditions