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 and amount of time
read in a certain book. For example…
Monday, August, 17
Frog and Toad Together 20 minutes
Tuesday, August, 18
Romona Forever 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 Friday mornings. If 4 nights of reading are not completed,
your child will attend Study Hall on Friday 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.