1. Homework in Westmere Middle School A survival guide…

2. In This Survival Guide… What we expect What we provide Why we do homework- and sometimes why we do not… Tips about the basics: –Spelling Fun activities –Basic Facts Fun activities –Reading Ideas for reading (we already know reading is fun, right?!) The Homework Sheet

3. What we expect… Spelling- 5 to 10 minutes Basic Facts- 5 to 10 minutes Reading for 15 minutes

4. What we provide… Spelling words Opportunities to learn basic facts and spelling at school, so that they can use these skills at home Encouragement to those who do homework A weekly homework sheet with a variety of activities The option to do extra if your family enjoys it

5. Why do homework? To help children review what they have learnt To be involved in your child’s learning There is an expectation at Westmere that children do attempt to improve their recall of facts and spelling for a few minutes each day Reading mileage is important for developing readers

6. When not to do homework: If you don’t understand it If your child can not complete the task, they have not learnt it at school and should not be doing it If it creates unnecessary stress for you and your family, it may put your child off learning

7. IMPORTANT NOTE: Your child will not be punished for not doing homework. They will be rewarded for attempting it, not just through the teacher but in their personal progress Please talk to your child’s teacher if you have concerns

8. Spelling Your child will have ten words per week Five will be from the Westmere List Five will be from their own writing or topic words

9. Fun Activities for spelling Make the words with play doh Cut the words out of magazines Create a wordfind Make a long sentence using all of them Spell them on the wall with a torch http://spellingcity.com = GAMES!http://spellingcity.com http://www.spellingcity.com/vashti/ = the Westmere lists already onlinehttp://www.spellingcity.com/vashti/

10. Basic Facts Maths at Westmere is based on the numeracy project Number knowledge is what children need to learn new STRATEGIES Basic facts help develop number knowledge

11. Basic Facts By Stage: Stage 2/3 –Counting up to 20 and back –Up to ten Addition and Subtraction no more than ten 1+4=5, 4+1=5, 5-4=1, 5-1=4 –Patterns to ten 1+9=10, 9+1=10, 10-1=9, 10-9=1

12. Basic Facts by Stage Stage 4 –Counting up to 100 and back, skip counting in 2s, 5s, 10s –Up to ten Addition and Subtraction no more than ten 1+4=5, 4+1=5, 5-4=1, 5-1=4 –Patterns to ten 1+9=10, 9+1=10, 10-1=9, 10-9=1 –Doubles Facts and Halves 5+5=10, 10-5=5 –Multiplication 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 11 x tables

13. Basic Facts by Stage Stage 5 –Counting up to 1000 and back, skip counting in 2s, 5s, 10s –Up to ten Addition and Subtraction no more than ten 1+4=5, 4+1=5, 5-4=1, 5-1=4 –Patterns to ten 1+9=10, 9+1=10, 10-1=9, 10-9=1 –Doubles Facts and Halves 5+5=10, 10-5=5 –Multiplication 3, 4, 6 times tables

14. Fun Basic Facts Ideas http://www.tutpup.com – GAMES!http://www.tutpup.com Flash cards- win cards by getting it right, get five wrong and stop Adding up numbers on licence plates Counting up and back Making up songs/raps about basic facts

15. Reading Read for 15 minutes per day If the book/story is too hard, read it to them. If they don’t have a reading book, choose one you like

16. Reading Ideas Break down tricky words together and stick them on post it notes Talk about what you already know about the ideas in the book Look up ideas/authors on the internet or in your own books, on TV, on DVDs, at the library or in the news Story time with a torch Turn it into a play I read one, you read one Read the menu/tv guide/ newspaper Words are everywhere! Look for little words inside big words

17. The Homework Sheet A way of providing more variety so children are still motivated to learn Comes out every Friday Comes back the next Friday Usually is stuck in a homework book Can be emailed if you request it (and if we remember!) You can use http://learningstuff.wordpress.com instead to find links to maths and spelling activitieshttp://learningstuff.wordpress.com