Please check the website regularly to see what we have been working on in class. Guidelines for the core academic subjects are described below. Please note that there are several resources available for students to get extra help outside of school time with their homework. Access information for online homework help will soon be forthcoming. Our local secondary school, W.F. Herman also traditionally offers free after-school homework assistance in their library for elementary school student. I encourage students to take advantage of these resources whenever they are able.
Literacy
Independent reading at home is always recommended. It is important that students read books that spend time reading books that are at the right level for them, in order to help them improve the use of the reading strategies (e.g., making inferences) that are taught in school. Once during each five-day cycle, students are responsible for writing about what they have read in their Reading Response journals. In this way, I am able to assess each student's use of the reading strategies. A complete reading response should be approximately one single-spaced page, consisting of (1) a summary of what was recently read and (2) a reflection of the thinking that the student has done before, during, or after reading the summarized portion.
It is not necessary to summarize every chapter or event from the story that is being read. Only the portion being commented on for the reading response is required. Reading should not be viewed as an onerous task. It should be enjoyable for students, which is part of the reason that they are only required to complete one reading response per week.
The bulk of writing assignments will usually be completed at school. It is important that I am able to see the processes of brainstorming, writing, revising, and editing in action. At times, students will have the option to type up a good copy of a piece of writing, but typing is not always necessary. If a typed final copy is required for an assignment, the option to use computers at school will always be given.
Mathematics
On some days, work will not be completed in class and should be finished at home. In other cases, practice questions will be assigned to help reinforce concepts that have been taught in class. The textbook provided to each student will help them with repetitive practice with these concepts. While the textbook work is not considered as part of the overall final grade of the student, it will be critical for the success of many students. Answers to odd-numbered questions can be found in the back of the textbook. When homework questions are assigned, students are encouraged to work through them independently as best they can before asking for assistance from others. Returning to school with inquiries about the homework questions and any challenges encountered is strongly encouraged.
Students will have access to a "Key Ideas" book when writing tests in Math. This books can include anything written down by the student that s/he will find helpful, such as a definition, a formula, or an example of how to solve a particular type of question.
It is expected by Grade 8 that students will proficient in mentally multiplying numbers from 1-12, without reliance on a calculator. We have found in recent years that this is often not the case. Therefore, independent practice at home with learning multiplication facts for those who need to do so is highly recommended. Multiplication is a foundation for most of the concepts that will be taught in Grade 8 and beyond. It is important for students to not have to overcome an additional hurdle when tackling difficult Mathematics problems.
Science, Geography, and History
An organized notebook is critical to students' success in these subject areas. Open-notebook quizzes will sometimes be given in order to assess students' understanding of the concepts that have been taught. These quizzes are not simply the regurgitation of facts; if students do not understand what is in their notebooks, it will be difficult to be successful. Therefore, in addition to review questions or projects that may be assigned in these subjects, continuous review of notebooks is extremely important. An accurate table of contents will greatly assist students in managing their notes. Students should also ensure that they catch up on any notes that they may have missed while absent from school.
