Second Grade Homework
Homework should serve an educational purpose. It should provide the student with the opportunity for independent practice and reinforcement of skills and concepts from classroom instruction. The homework assigned in second grade will generally stay the same throughout the year. Your child will bring home a spelling list (regular or challenge based on their spelling pretest) on Monday. Other than a spelling list, you will not usually see paper homework come home with your child. The only papers that need to be returned daily will be the Behavior Calendar and Guided Reading Log.
Homework is not intended to be stressful! The length of time needed to satisfactorily complete the assignment will depend upon the individual child. If the homework begins to require an excessive amount of time (more than about 30 minutes), the parent is asked to notify the child’s teacher.
Second grade homework will include:
1. Behavior Calendar- It is the student's responsibility to get his or her Behavior Calendar initialed by an adult each night. This will help ensure constant communication between school and home.
2. Guided Reading- Reading is a skill that MUST be practiced both at school and at home! Students are expected to read out loud for at least 20 minutes each night. After your child has read, please sign your child's Guided Reading Log and return both the log and the book to school. The purpose of Guided Reading is to develop the students’ strategic reading skills. Although accurately reading text is important, it is more important that the students understand the meaning and build their fluency. Your child will be bringing home Guided Reading books that he or she has already read at school. There may be times when your child may be bringing home a book that seems relatively easy for him or her. This will help the students build fluency and develop confidence in reading. Rereading familiar texts also allows students to practice and apply reading strategies that may be new to them. On this website, you will be able to find additional resources to help your child succeed in reading!
3. Spelling- Spelling lists will be posted each Monday on this website. You will also be able to find a variety of activity ideas for practicing the spelling words and spelling patterns. Students will be able to choose their own activity to practice their spelling words. Spelling practice does not need to be returned to school. It is the child's responsibility to practice his or her spelling words before the spelling test. Spelling tests will take place each Friday. These tests will be graded and reflected on Report Cards. Encourage your child to apply the spelling patterns we have learned (even after the spelling test) in his or her reading and writing at home. This is also a time for students to focus on correct letter formation and handwriting. You will find that there are many different and exciting ways to practice and master second grade spelling patterns!
4. Math- Students will be able to access the XtraMath website at home. This website is a wonderful tool to help your child master basic math facts. Please contact your child's teacher if you are unsure how to set up your account from home. We will also include math activities in the Second Grade Newsletter each week. You will be able to find ideas for how to help reinforce current (or past) math concepts at home. We will include fun ways for students to practice and apply what we are learning at school in real world situations!
