best homework for 2nd grade

2nd Grade Homework

• The general rule is 10 minutes of homework for every grade level.  That would be 20 minutes for 2 nd grade.  I don’t include reading at home when I’m talking about homework.  So I expect 20 minutes (or so) of homework and 20 minutes of at-home reading.
• I only assign homework Monday-Thursday (again reading is not included in this).
• No parent assignments.   If it’s a project that parents are going to have to orchestrate it’s not helping the kids.
• The kids should be able to complete it as independently as possible.  I love the idea that parents sit with their children and help them finish their work each night, but with many families at our school that never happens.
• Nothing on the homework is new material.  If I haven’t taught it, it doesn’t belong on a homework page.  The purpose is to reinforce what’s already been taught and to show parents what’s happening in class.  If a child is struggling on the homework (with content that should have been mastered) it’s a sign to parents and me that the child needs some support.
• I don’t do a lot of worksheets in class.  This homework gives my students exposure to the format of many end-of-year test questions.
• If they come to school without their homework, they finish it during morning recess.  They almost always finish it with at least 5 minutes to spare, so I know the assignments don’t take longer than 10-15 minutes.

But what does the research say?  Harris Copper, a psychology and neuroscience professor at Duke University and the nation’s leading expert on homework (what a boring job!), reviewed 100+ homework related studies from the past decade.

His findings?  Well, apparently homework in the elementary grades does little to help student achievement.  Kids who do their homework aren’t necessarily going to outperform their non-homework doing classmates.  In high school, it’s a different scenario, but for the little ones it isn’t that crucial.

“However, we support assigning homework to younger elementary-school children due to its potential long-term developmental impact,” Dr. Cooper says, “It helps elementary students develop proper study skills which, in turn, influence grades.”

And from Cathy Vatterott (former teacher, associate professor of education at the University of Missouri—St Louis, and author of Rethinking Homework) we find that the value of homework is in “reinforcing or practicing skills already learned and giving (teachers) feedback to check for understanding.”

Alright, well I’m not totally out in left field.  So what do I do?

On Monday 3 things go home:

• Timed 1 minute fluency story (more about this here ).  This is the only homework that can’t be done without a parent or older sibling helping.  If it doesn’t come back to school at the end of the week, there is no consequence for the student because this is a parent that has dropped the ball, not the child.
• Spelling practice (read about it here ).  To be completed a little at a time or all on Thursday night.  If this doesn’t come back to school on Friday morning, they must practice their spelling words 2 times during morning recess (it takes less than 5 minutes).
• What we call a “half-sheet” because it’s a half-sheet.  Clever, right?  🙂   It’s a half-sheet of paper with language arts practice on one side and math on the other.  Some of my coworkers send all 3 half-sheets on Monday and give them the week to do it.  I send them one at a time and expect it back the next day.

We do 3 half-sheets a week (or less if it’s a short week).  I don’t send it home on Thursdays so they have time to finish up the spelling practice.

There are 5 main strands for language arts.

The emphasis is on practicing vowel sounds, but there are also some consonant skills.  The sequence of phonics skills aligns with our morning work book practice.

Comprehension

Covering topics from the common core like contractions, plurals, past tense, etc.  I also toss in some sight word review if it will fit on the page.

Sometimes the students are composing the writing.

A lot of times students are asked to edit writing because that’s a big part of our end-of-year test and no matter how much writing we do in-class, the transfer of skills to the test format doesn’t happen automatically.

This strand is pretty eclectic.  There’s practice with compound words and synonyms.  There’s also some word analogies, glossary practice, and collective noun review.  Sometimes they learn new words (using a modified Frayer model graphic organizer).

These 5 language art strands cycle through every 5 days of the homework.  It’s the same with math.

Place Value

This is huge in the 2 nd grade common core for a reason.  A firm understanding of our base-10 system and how to use it to understand and solve problems is essential for more complex mathematics.  ESSENTIAL!

In the homework pages, the sequence of these skills follows the outline from Singapore math and the Learning Trajectories .  Are you familiar with the Trajectories?  A fabulous book!  Assuming you have $45 to spend (!!) it will change the way you teach math.

Anyway, the place value pages build on those ideas.  There’s practice of building numbers within ten.  Working with ones and tens, making numbers with hundreds, and using place value patterns to problem solve.

What you won’t find are any pages with problems like this:

462                                                                                                                                                -209

I debated this for a while.  I used to have problems like that.  But here’s why I decided against it.

The common core says this for 2 nd grade:

Add and subtract within 1000, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction…

It says nothing about using the algorithm.  And while the algorithm (step-by-step adding the ones , regrouping a ten if necessary, adding the tens, etc.) isn’t the enemy, teaching it too early stops the development of deeper thinking.

So when students see problems written like this:

And, more importantly, when parents see problems written like that, the reaction is to follow the algorithm regardless of a student’s readiness or understanding.   I found that when I sent home problems like that, all of the amazing, creative thinking and problem solving perseverance that I’d nurtured like a rare orchid was crushed under the booted foot of, “Look what my mom showed me!”   No longer were they interested in how the solved the problem or why their strategy worked.  They just wanted to follow the steps and be done.

So, no more.

• Recognize what they’ve mastered and
• Figure out how to master the rest.  Strategies, strategies, strategies!  All those great strategies we’ve learned in class (doubles +1, make a ten, etc.) get practiced here.

Problem Solving

Each problem solving page has 3 problems and plenty of work room.  Topics cover addition, subtraction (1 and 2-step problems), comparisons, multiplication, division, money, and writing their own story problems.

Even though there aren’t any 3-digit addition pages, there are plenty of story problems using 2 and 3-digit numbers.  Why?

Well, using larger numbers helps students solidify their base-10 understanding.  If they have to decompose 186 into 100+80+6 in order to figure out a problem, you can bet they’re really thinking about the numbers and how place value can help them find the answer.  Also, in a problem solving format, students are more likely to solve it in a way that makes sense rather than following meaningless steps.

There’s a great article here if you’re curious about why I sometimes have kids write their own math problems.

Students get a chance to practice tally charts, bar graphs, pictographs, line graphs, data tables, and line plots.

I hadn’t done much with line plots before they were in the core.  I really enjoyed making some up for these homework pages.

This is where you’ll find questions about telling time, counting coins, even and odd, greater than/less than, geometry, even more place value, measurement, and fractions.

If you’re interested in learning more about our 2nd grade homework, you can get the table of contents here .  It goes through each day by topic and content.

At our Teachers Pay Teachers shop you can download a 10-page sample (pages 61-70).  That’s a preview of 2 weeks worth of homework!

I hope you find this as useful in your 2nd grade as my team does!  A little bit of review every day pays big dividends in the end!

Note: We have created a 40 page add-on pack of homework for those who have requested more days. Find the add-on pack here. 

• Read more about: 2nd grade , homework , Spiral Review , teachers pay teachers

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13 Fun Homework Ideas: The Best Ways To Make Homework Fun For Kids Quickly & Easily

Sophie bartlett.

Figuring out how to make homework fun can be a tricky task for parents.

Does it feel like you’re constantly nagging your kids to do their homework? If your answer is yes, know that we’ve all been there! It’s natural for parents to want their children to progress and do well in school, but after an entire day of paper, pencils, and books many youngsters will resist getting on with their homework – and that’s putting it mildly!

Top Tips To Make Homework Fun:

1. work together, 2. use rewards and incentives, 3. make them a snack, 4. make it visual, 5. try different learning apps, 6. set up a homework play date, 7. go outside, 8. turn it into a game, 9. let them play teacher, 10. use a timer, 11. create a special homework space, 12. remember to be positive, 13. get help if you need it.

Thankfully, there are ways of making homework less boring and that are a little bit more fun for your child. Whether they need to practice spelling, learn their times tables or revise for an important exam, our top fun homework ideas will help you magically take the ‘work’ out of homework.

Adults often work best in the company of others, and the same can be said of kids, so why not sit with your child while they’re studying and get on with some of your own work or life admin?

Whether you’re returning emails or doing your online banking, creating a shared workspace and modeling focused work is a great way to spend quality time together while they complete their homework. Win-win!

Quick win : While your child is tackling their fractions homework, you could sit down with them and take a look through your finances.

Rewards and incentives are great when it comes to getting your children to follow your household rules and routines, and homework is no different. Things like stickers or the promise of time on their iPad or games console for slightly older children can all work wonders in getting them to do their homework without a battle.

Quick win: For every few questions they answer they could get a minute of screen time!

Let’s face it: A hungry child is an unfocused, unmotivated and unhappy child.

Most children come out of school ravenous, so let them nibble on a nutritious after-school snack while they get on with homework; things like popcorn, apple slices, grapes, or crackers and cheese are all great snack options.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, Active for Life has a list of healthy after-school snack ideas and recipes to try.

Quick win: One of the best brain foods for kids is a nice and crispy apple! So when your child is craving something sweet just cut up an apple and let them munch away.

Help to eliminate the late night ‘Oh, I forgot to do that’, and create a weekly homework chart so your child can see what they have to do each day and check off each ‘to do’ task as it’s been completed.

Again, Pinterest has some great free printables to help keep kids organized. Get them involved by letting them color it, or decorate it with their favorite stickers, and pin it up somewhere at their height, where they will see it easily every day as a reminder. Some exciting new stationery and colorful pens might help too.

Quick win: An easy way to make homework fun is to grab a piece of paper and get your child to draw out and decorate a ‘homework chart’ consisting of 5 days. Stick it on the fridge and add a sticker to each day after they’ve done their homework, when they’ve collected 5 stickers they get a treat!

If your child prefers to be online, there are some great online apps around that children will have fun using, yet encourage learning too. Here are our favorite free math websites for example. Speak to your child’s teacher too and see which apps the children use in school so you can support what they’re doing at home.

Quick win: One of our favorite websites that makes homework fun is Tang Math !

Holding a homework playdate where your child can invite one of their best school buddies over to do homework together can be a great way for them to learn and make sure the work gets done, especially older children in elementary school.

Plus, it’s likely that their parents will be delighted!

Younger children may need a bit more support and guidance but can still gain a lot from the experience of learning together with a friend – think of this as a mini-educational play date for them.

Quick win: Let your child and their friend play for a while, and then get them to work through their homework with the incentive of a yummy ‘ice cream party’ when they’ve completed all of their homework.

If the weather allows, create a comfortable outside study space and allow your child to do their homework outdoors.

The fresh air can help kids with their concentration if they’ve been stuck in a classroom all day, and studies also show that being outside, closer to nature, can increase productivity. The reward of a quick game of Frisbee or a kick-around of a soccer ball between tasks will help them stay motivated too.

Who said home learning had to be boring? If children enjoy what they’re learning, they’re more likely to remember what they’re being taught, so turn their learning into a fun game. Using sweets like Smarties to help with math and number work can turn the experience from a chore into a treat. If they get the right answer, they get to eat some!

Another trick that you can use when your child is learning spellings is to write them in shaving cream or in magnetic letters. It sounds simple but we can guarantee that it will make homework a lot more fun for your child.

These math games for kids and times tables games are a great place to start.

Quick win: If you’re looking for some fun homework ideas then check out this simple multiplication activity you can do at home, it’ll even get in one of your child’s five a day!

Make another fun homework game by creating your own mini-classroom and letting your child step into the role of teacher.

Have your child explain a concept to you as a teacher, as you, or their sibling, play the role of the student. This game works particularly well with subjects that require theory, like Science for example, as it will improve their understanding of the concept and build logic and reasoning skills.

Quick win: Make homework fun by getting your child to choose their favorite teddies and toys and setting them up in their own mini- classroom. Start off with registration, ‘mom’ ‘present’, ‘mr teddy’ ‘here’ etc. You’ll soon notice that your child is growing in confidence regardless of the topic as children love playing teacher!

Some children may have difficulty working for prolonged periods of time without a break, so using a timer can be great for getting them to complete homework without whining. For example, if your child is given 20 math problems for homework, you can say “Complete the first 10 questions, then we’ll take a 5-minute break, then complete the next 10 questions”.

Many children will need a mental break and will work more effectively when given the opportunity to take one. At the end of the task, they get to pick an activity of their choice. If your child gets easily distracted, a timer game can work well to keep them focused on the task in hand.

Quick win: Put the timer on your phone so that your child can see the countdown while they’re working.

A special study space can make homework more fun and help motivate your child to get it done! Choose a space in your house that’s least likely to distract your child, and create simple, organized, and kid-friendly homework.

You could hang up some of their artwork above the desk, and have all their school essentials nearby so everything is close to hand.

Quick win: Make sure that they aren’t surrounded by things that will distract them. Televisions and iPads are a no go at homework time!

Remember to always be upbeat and positive about school and the importance of their homework. Give your child lots of praise and encouragement about how well they’re doing to help them stay motivated and on track.

Quick win: After every homework session, spend five minutes talking through what your child has accomplished. If you’re running out of activities to do, have a look at our list of home learning packs – all free to download.

Homework can be frustrating if your child doesn’t understand the material or gets bored easily. If your child is struggling, get them some expert help!

Quick win: Third Space Learning has plenty of advice on learning math for kids and parents but if you need more support, our primary school math tutors are easy to organize and very affordable.

Do you have students who need extra support in math? Give your students more opportunities to consolidate learning and practice skills through personalized math tutoring with their own dedicated online math tutor. Each student receives differentiated instruction designed to close their individual learning gaps, and scaffolded learning ensures every student learns at the right pace. Lessons are aligned with your state’s standards and assessments, plus you’ll receive regular reports every step of the way. Personalized one-on-one math tutoring programs are available for: – 2nd grade – 3rd grade – 4th grade – 5th grade – 6th grade Why not learn more about how it works ?

The content in this article was originally written by primary school teacher Sophie Bartlett and has since been revised and adapted for US schools by elementary math teacher Christi Kulesza.

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26 Teacher-Approved Second Grade Workbooks

Additional practice for reading, math, social studies, and more!

If you’re looking for the best second grade workbooks, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of the most engaging, best-reviewed, curriculum-aligned resources to help second grades in specific subject areas or to avoid the summer slide.

Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!

Best Math Second Grade Workbooks

Introducing math grade 2.

This workbook provides a comprehensive overview of second grade mathematics with instruction, practice questions, and answer explanations along with free digital access to videos.

Real revie w: “Great resource, it is divided into chapters/topics with explanations of the material first, then questions. At the end it has a mix assessment with questions covering all topics. Great help with 2nd grade math.”

2nd Grade Common Core Math: Daily Practice Workbook – Part I

This is one of the best second grade workbooks for helping students practice and master skills while becoming very familiar and comfortable with the state math exam and common core standards. 

Real review: “Easy way fun to study each weekday with a child. Broken into 5 daily assignments for a week. Tip of the day is very helpful.”

2nd Grade Common Core Math: Daily Practice Workbook – Part II

This workbook comes with 20 weeks of daily free response, weekly assessments, state-aligned Common Core curriculum, and an end-of-the-year assessment.

Real review: “Very good book with a lot of exercises to practice … All of them are divided by weeks and days. Tip of the day gives brief explanations to exercises for better understanding.”

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Star Wars Workbook: 2nd Grade Math

It’s okay to look for fun second grade workbooks, right? Kids will use the Force while comparing number values, addition and subtraction, word problems, second and third-dimensional shapes, and getting ready for multiplication.

Real review: “The Star Wars workbooks are a perfect compliment to our online curriculum. They venture beyond grade-level standards in our local schools.” 

Word Problems Grade 2

This workbook introduces students to word problems dealing with multiple-digit addition and subtraction.

Real review : “I love this practice book. I am a teacher and bought this for our daughter who has a very difficult time with word problems. These problems start out fairly simply and move to much more difficult, multi-step problems.”

Best Reading Second Grade Workbooks

Scholastic success with reading comprehension, grade 2.

These second grade workbooks give students targeted, skill-building practice with more than 40 ready-to-reproduce pages. 

Real review : “I’ve always liked Scholastic’s educational products and these don’t disappoint.”

The Big Book of Reading Comprehension Activities, Grade 2

Kids will learn how to identify a story’s message and make connections between plot, structure, setting, characters, and more. This workbook contains 120 activities and progressive lessons. 

Real review : “Excellent. Best practice reading comprehension books on the market!”

Grade 2 Reading

This workbook provides grade-level appropriate vocabulary exercises including elements of both phonics and whole language instruction.

Real review : “The content is attention catching for young readers, and it’s just enough to exercise their skills without getting boring.”

Reading Comprehension Grade 2

This resource helps students master skills in mathematics, penmanship, reading, writing, and grammar. 

Real review : “Wonderful! So simple – story on the left, questions on the right. Many questions require thought, not just reading back for the answer word for word.”

Spectrum Reading Workbook 2nd Grade

This second grade workbook focuses on practice for reading comprehension including letters and sounds, word recognition, theme, integration of knowledge and ideas, main idea, story structure, summarization, key ideas, and details. 

Real re view: “This is a great book for the kids to get better at reading as well as learning how to write response. An amazing book for the money!”

Best Writing Second Grade Workbooks

Grade 2 writing.

This workbook will introduce students to second grade vocabulary and writing skills in a step-by-step manner. 

Real review: “I love these books. They teach and reinforce what you’ve already learned in such an ingenius way. So much fun with bright colorful pages.”

Scholastic Success With Grammar, Grade 2

Each workbook includes more than 40 ready-to-reproduce practice pages of activities that correlate to state standards. 

Real revie w: “I’m using these books in the ESL classes that I teach (as well as for tutoring) and they are perfect as extra worksheets for in-class review and for homework.”

Star Wars Workbook: 2nd Grade Writing

You won’t need to go to a galaxy far, far away to encourage kids to love writing. This exciting Star Wars workbook covers sentence and story construction, spelling and vocabulary, creative writing and story prompts, practice cursive writing skills, and aligns with common core standards.

Real review: “This series works well. They are full of great lessons, and our kids are entertained by them enough to keep working. We call them their ‘fun books.’”

Writing for Minecrafters: Grade 2

Kids love Minecraft, and they’ll enjoy this workbook featuring the video game characters and concepts to make second grade writing practice fun! 

Real review: “This book made homeschooling so much fun for my son. He will literally do 4 to 6 pages at a time.”

180 Days of Writing for Second Grade

This easy-to-use resource provides second-grade students with practice in writing opinion, informative/explanatory, and narrative pieces while also strengthening their language and grammar skills.

Real review: “As a preschool teacher, I bought these for my daughter and I love them. Very educational and still fun to do.”

Scholastic Success with Writing, Grade 2

Each workbook contains activities designed to meet state standards and includes more than 40 ready-to-reproduce practice pages. 

Real review : “This is a great writing book for your second grader. It is really helpful and helps keep them sharp. It’s also great for homeschooling and makes teaching that much easier.”

Best Science & Social Studies Second Grade Workbooks

180 days of science: grade 2.

This second grade workbook helps students analyze and evaluate scientific data and scenarios, improve their understanding of science and engineering practices, answer constructed-response questions, and increase their higher-order thinking skills. 

Real review: “Super happy with the content and how this book is laid out.”

Science, Second Grade: Learn and Explore

Kids can practice with exercises on liquids, solids and gases, global weather patterns, life cycles of living creatures like frogs, jellyfish, and locusts, and more.

Real review: “They have large lettering that is easy to read, and appropriate for a 2nd grade level.”

Geography, Second Grade: Learn and Explore

This workbook contains curriculum-aligned exercises on topics including familiarity with the compass, map grids, physical and political maps, and the concept of hemispheres.

Real review : “This workbook gets them talking about geography, making their own maps and legends, and interested in learning more. No fights to get this done.”

180 Days of Social Studies: Grade 2

Each week’s activities will cover a topic within one of the four social studies disciplines: history, economics, civics, and geography. Students will analyze primary sources, answer text-dependent questions, and improve their grade-level social studies knowledge. 

Real review: “Geography, Civics, Economy, and History are all included in this. I’d recommend it.”

Second Grade Essentials for Social Studies

These engaging activities cover continents and oceans, cardinal and intermediate directions, hemispheres, holidays and symbols, culture, money and barter, consumers and producers, and more!

Real revie w: “Just the supplemental resource I needed!”

Best Overall for Summer Second Grade Workbooks

Summer brain quest: between grades 2 & 3.

This workbook is designed to bridge the gap between second and third grades. Activities include reading comprehension, writing opinions, adjectives versus adverbs, place value, word problems, life cycles, map skills, and more!

Real review : “This is the third time I have done summer workbooks and these summer brain quest ones are perfection!!”

Summer Bridge Activities – Grades 2 – 3

With activities designed to take just 15 minutes a day, this workbook focuses on subjects including math, writing, reading, science, social studies, fitness and character building. 

Real review: “Simply put, this is a great activity book to help your child stay mentally active when out of school for the summer.”

Summer Blast: Getting Ready for Third Grade

This standards-based tool provides nine weeks of engaging and relevant lessons that support content learning in social studies, writing, reading, science, math, and art. 

Real review: “This is perfect, other books were teaching completely new stuff, this was a good review with a bit of new stuff at just the right level.”

Daily Summer Activities, Grade 2-3

Over 10 weeks, kids can work through activities to practice essential skills across subject areas, including reading, math, writing, spelling, and geography.

Real review: “This is a great workbook to keep skills fresh over the summer. We do one page each day, and the included achievement stickers are a nice motivator.”

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Homework Ideas for Elementary Teachers: Save Time and Make Learning More Purposeful for Students in 2024

What’s the first word you think of when I say “homework?” It’s one of those hot topics that people feel very strongly about one way or another. However, more often than not, it’s a requirement. As a result, I am here to share homework ideas that will make your life as an elementary teacher a little bit easier.

I used to send homework home nightly, but found it to add chaos to each and every day. I would spend many lunch periods copying an assignment for that night. Kids would forget to take their copy home. Parents would call or email to get clarification on what the assignment was for that night.

Then I switched to a weekly packet. The packet included all of the pages for the week along with a cover sheet that listed spelling words and assignments. This was an improvement, but still not ideal.

Last year, I started using a separate folder just for homework. This is one of the best homework ideas I have come up with. The folder includes the homework calendar and all of the printables they will need for the week. I sent home a Paragraph of the Week assignment each week. The consistency was outstanding. We really felt like we hit gold because the kids were all working on something meaningful with a purpose. The parents liked it because it was easy for them to understand and help with. I began experimenting with a monthly homework packet. And let me tell you…

It. Was. Awesome! 

We placed everything into a homework folder for the month and included an assignment calendar. The folder stayed at home and the students returned their completed work each morning in the communication folder . Learn about some of my best homework ideas for elementary teachers below!

7 Benefits of Assigning Homework

Do you question the importance of homework? Are you one of the many teachers or parents who feel homework should be banned? The idea of homework just doesn’t make sense to you. If you are part of the growing number of people questioning if the reasons homework is bad outweigh the benefits to homework, then you might find this to be helpful. 

I’m going to be honest, as a teacher (and especially as a parent), I am in the camp of not liking the idea of homework at the elementary level. However, each of the districts I have taught in has required teachers to assign nightly homework in addition to reading for 20 minutes. It often felt like a waste of time and paper.

For some teachers, the word HOMEWORK brings about pangs of dread. Others see it as a necessary evil of learning. For many, it merely represents having to fulfill a district requirement. In many districts these days, homework is not counted towards a student’s overall grade. The debate over homework has been waged for years. The question is: What’s a teacher to do?

No matter where you stand on the topic of homework, here are some ideas related to homework that will make you feel better about assigning homework. They may even make you feel good in some cases! I am hoping the 7 benefits listed below will ease the guilt some teachers feel about burdening their students and their families with tasks to complete at home.

1. Prepares Students for the Next Day’s Learning

A great way to use homework is preparation for an upcoming lesson, whether it’s doing some reading ahead of time, or looking over other assigned material, there’s no doubt that preparing for an upcoming lesson is a beneficial way to assign homework.

2. Increases Responsibility

When a student has a task that they MUST do rather than WANT to do, they learn to be responsible. Homework is the “You do” in the learning model of “I do, We do, You do.”.  It gives the learner a chance to practice what was covered in class and take responsibility for their own learning.

3. Advances Problem-Solving Skills

If the student can’t find an answer to something in their homework, (or even where to look for information to find an answer), what steps will they take to solve this problem? Will they look in a dictionary, online, ask a friend, or go to a library? Homework gives students a chance to flex their problem-solving muscles.

4. Offers Review Practice

Whether it’s a new math skill, or spelling/vocabulary words, homework that involves reviewing material covered in class will help students to remember it and is a very useful assignment.

5. Teaches Time Management

For students with an active extra-curricular life, homework teaches them how to manage their time. This helps them learn to prioritize schoolwork.

6. Strengthens Persistence and Grit

There have been many studies done recently that show a lack of persistence and grit in today’s students. Developing the fortitude to complete homework assignments also helps develop a student’s capacity for grit and persistence. These are necessary for success in many areas of life, not just academically.

7. Promotes Self-Esteem

Students will develop a sense of pride when they learn the value of a job well done and take ownership of their work. This carries over into their personal development as well. It is for this reason that homework should always be a review of skills already taught.

5 Problems with Assigning Traditional Homework

These were five of the problems I faced in my 3rd grade classroom. No matter which grade you teach I’m pretty sure you can relate. The good news is I managed to find a solution that saved me time and reduced my stress each day. Not only that, but my students’ math skills were strengthened and their families were less burdened with random assignments each night. Read on to learn about the problems I had and how I solved them.

1. Mandated to Give Homework

My school required we give homework 4 nights per week. It was a mandate, so my personal feelings made no difference. I had to send it nightly.

2. Emails and Calls from Parents

I often received emails and phone calls from confused parents. They often said they didn’t understand the homework or told me that their child said that they had “never seen this stuff before”. Let’s be honest, our time is so limited. We do not want to spend the afternoon or start the morning returning messages explaining directions or convincing someone that you did, in fact, teach it in class.

3. Wasted Class Time Every Day

I needed to spend some of our instructional time every afternoon going over the instructions because each assignment varied.

4. Drop-In Visits from Parents

I frequently had a parent and child return to my classroom because the homework never made it into the backpack. This often resulted in an unplanned conference at a time when I needed to prepare for the next day.

5. Students Forgot what was Taught

Unrelated to homework, I consistently faced a different problem. I often would teach a concept, the students would demonstrate proficiency…and then they didn’t.

How often do you have students who forget what odd and even (or a prime and composite if you teach higher grades) numbers are, not remember how to round to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000, or sit like a deer in headlights when asked to write a number in expanded form in the spring when they were rock stars of that skill in the fall when it was taught.

This is especially troublesome if you teach in a grade that takes standardized testing at the end of the year because you then need to set aside a lot of class time for review and test prep.

How to Grade Homework

Determine if correcting homework is an effective use of your time. Teachers don’t know how much assistance a child had with an assignment so it isn’t always an accurate representation of their abilities. Checking the homework for effort and general understanding may be sufficient. If you are assigning worksheets, consider selecting a few questions to go over in class.

Homework Incentive Ideas

Homework should be completed because it is an expectation and not to receive a trinket. However, some teachers do find that extrinsic rewards are motivational to their students. If you choose to make those a part of your homework procedure, here are a few easy-to-manage suggestions:

Students earn a ticket when they complete an assignment. Have them place the tickets into a container. Draw one ticket a week to win a No Homework Night Coupon.

Certificate

Honor perfect homework efforts with a certificate. This could be done monthly or by marking period.

Offer a “No Homework Coupon.” These are like gold!

Ideas for Homework Consequences

First, check with your school and district to see if there is a policy in place. Next, determine a plan for how you will handle homework that is incomplete, missing, poor quality, etc. and be consistent. Be cautious about using recess as a punishment for not doing homework. Often the kids who are not doing their homework are the ones who most need recess .

10 Homework Tips for Elementary Teachers

Below are homework tips for elementary teachers to consider. You are bound to find some helpful homework ideas on this list that you can implement.

1. Assign Tasks Students can do Independently

The first tip on this list of homework ideas is to strive to find easy-to-manage, yet effective assignments. Although it is true that you shouldn’t be sending home tasks that students can’t complete on their own, you also need to be careful not to give them “busy work” either.  Having them complete an assignment for a skill they are proficient in also creates unnecessary work for the teacher. Time is a teacher’s greatest obstacle so be careful not to spend it copying, correcting, managing, chasing, etc sheets of paper that students are not gaining anything from. 

2. Keep Homework Assignments Consistent Across the Grade Level

The second tip on this list of homework ideas is to strive to be consistent with your grade level colleagues. Ideally, the assignments and policies should be identical.

3. Collaborate with Your Team

The third tip on this list of homework ideas is to save time by teaming up with the other teacher(s) at your grade level. Alternate prepping the packet for the week or designate different subjects to different teachers.

4. Communicate Expectations with Your Students’ Families

Communicate your expectations with parents from the beginning. Discuss them at open house and make a hard copy available for students who may transfer in later in the year.

5. Change the Way you See Homework

Use homework as an opportunity to teach organization and responsibility. While homework may not always be a reflection of a student’s abilities, it can be a valuable learning tool for time management and work habits.

6. Keep a Simple and Consistent Format

Design a simple and consistent format for homework. It could be reading and a math page every night or you may have students work on a different subject each night.  When I taught 2nd grade I used to do Math Monday (computation), Teacher Choice Tuesday (a spelling activity), Word Study Wednesday, Thinking Thursday (word problems).

7. Create a System for Collecting It

The seventh tip on this list of homework ideas is to create a system for collecting it. It’s important to have some sort of turn-in system and procedure so students know what to do with their homework each morning.

8. Implement an Efficient Routine for Checking Homework

Consider implementing an efficient routine for checking homework. If you are just going to check for completion and spot check the homework you could have students place it on their desk while they do morning work and you can circulate and check the pages.

9. Communicate Homework Progress with Parents

Determine how you will communicate homework progress with parents. In general, no news is good news, but I do have a homework alert that gets sent home as needed. It needs to be signed by an adult at home so the families know if they are not meeting the expectations.

10. Consider Creating a Menu of Optional Homework Activities

The last tip on this list of homework ideas is to create a menu of optional homework activities. Some parents find homework to be a burden and others want more. One way to make everyone happy is to send home a basic assignment that is required for all students and a list of optional enrichment choices for those who want additional assignments.

How I Implemented Homework in My Classroom

There are tons of homework ideas out there, but this is what worked for me.

As a public school teacher, I was required to give out nightly homework to my third graders. I found myself spending a lot of time picking out assignments, making copies, communicating directions, answering emails and phone calls from parents who did “not understand the new math” (aka the math workbook pages), distributing, collecting and correcting what essentially was just busy work sent home to meet a requirement I did not agree with. 

My biggest concern was (and continues to be) that many of the assignments from the workbook included 10-20 of the same type of problem. That meant that if a student was struggling with subtraction with regrouping and completed 20 problems incorrectly, that misconception and error became so much harder to fix. 

Parents were signing reading logs, but the kids weren’t actually reading.

I was frustrated by feeling like my time, the students’ time, and the parents’ time was being wasted. I knew there had to be a better option, so I set out to fix the problem. I’m thrilled with the results I must say.

I began creating spiral review math pages for each day for my own 3rd graders. These pages proved to be important and meaningful work. This resource is best if not one of the best homework ideas I have ever come up with.

What are the Spiral Review Math Pages?

The spiral review math pages are a tool for teachers to use to ensure students are having continued practice with previously taught skills. They are available for 1st-5th grade. The spiral review packets were designed to have 25 pages per month, which gives you the flexibility to assign them for homework every night plus have extras. The 1st grade version is set up a little differently, but still has 180 pages so you’ll be covered for the year.

Each of the spiral review pages follow the same daily format, cover skills from each area (e.g. computation, measurement, geometry, data, and word problems) and continuously spiral previously taught skills. This consistent format of 10 standards-based questions focused on topics we’d already covered provides an important spiral review of all the grade-level skills. This helped students to retain previously taught skills. The added benefit was that students who had not demonstrated proficiency earlier in the year had the opportunity to do so over time through repeated practice and instruction.

Using these spiral review math pages makes homework more purposeful and easier to manage. My students became much stronger in all math concepts, the parents expressed gratitude for the consistent format, and the phone calls and emails asking for assignment clarification completely stopped. It was so effective that it completely eliminated the need for any test prep in the spring. My students’ test scores were even much higher than previous years.

These worked so well for myself and the other 3rd grade teachers who were using them, that (by request) I created them for 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade too. Each was designed in consultation with and piloted by experienced teachers in those grade levels. They have since been used the past few years by thousands of teachers who have reported great success as well. I most recently added first grade.

This is one of my favorite ideas for homework of all time!

What’s Included in the Spiral Review Math Resources?

The 2nd-5th grade packets all have monthly/seasonal themes. September targets many of the skills that were required at the end of the previous grade level. It was designed to be used as a review for the new year and to pinpoint important foundational skills that your students must be proficient in before moving on to new standards. The following months build in a systematic, sequential order with lots of spiral review built in so that students retain important concepts. They include the following resources:

• 250 print and go pages (plus 10 bonus pages) that will cover you for the full school year
• answer keys to make grading quick and easy for you
• 2,500 review problems (plus 100 bonus problems) based on the Common Core, which will help you rest easy knowing your students are practicing the math concepts and skills they need to
• 250 Google Forms so students can access them digitally from home or in school
• Recording sheets for students to show their thinking
• Item analysis data trackers to make it easy to see which students need to be pulled for small groups or if it would be beneficial to reteach the concept to the entire class
• Projectable answer keys so students can check their own work

The first grade version is a little different. It’s format has only 5 problems to better meet the developmental needs of our younger learners. It has 180 printable pages instead. In addition, this resource does not include seasonal pages, which allows you to use them at any time of the school year.

Learn more about the spiral review math resources for your grade level below.

• 1st grade spiral review math activities
• 2nd grade spiral review math activities
• 3rd grade spiral review math activities
• 4th grade spiral review math activities
• 5th grade spiral review math activities

Where Can I Learn More about Spiral Review Math?

You can learn more about spiral review in this post: Spiral Review Math .

The Benefits of Using Spiral Review Math Pages

There are tons of benefits to using the spiral review math pages for homework.

• The spiral review pages provide multiple opportunities for students to become proficient in a skill instead of just teaching it and forgetting it
• The repeated spiraling practice of foundational grade level skills ensures they were ready to build upon them when y ou introduce new skills.
• You’ll no longer need to waste hours of valuable class time on standardized test prep in the spring because the spiral review throughout the year ensure your students are always ready for the exam.
• It constantly shows you if there are skills you need to reteach either to the whole class or to a small group of students. 
• Students complete them with ease because the skills and the format of the pages are familiar to them.
• The variety of 10 different problems eliminates the risk of students cementing a misconception into their minds.

Why You’ll Love it as a Teacher

Not only will the nightly spiral review math pages provide your students with meaningful practice of important skills, increase their confidence as learners and make them stronger math students, they will also solve many of the problems you face as a teacher and make the parents’ lives easier too. It’s one of the best homework ideas I have ever come up with!

• You’ll longer needed to scramble to find homework for each night. Instead, simply print each month’s pages at the start of the new month and copy them all at once into weekly packets for the students.
• Your lesson planning will become much more intentional and focused because you are able to easily identify which skills your students need to work on more.
• You will no long waste valuable time correcting busy work. Instead, you’ll go over these important skills as a class.
• Parents will feel better about being able to help their students and became true allies and partners in their learning.
• Students and their families will be able to better enjoy their evenings together as a family because they know what to consistently expect for homework each evening.
• Distributing the week’s packet all at once enables students’ families to support my goal of teaching time management because they can work ahead when they know there is a busy night coming up on their calendars.
• Homework will be easier for you and more meaningful for your students.
• The homework assignments will be systematic and routine so parents and students will always know exactly what the expectations are and understand the instructions.
• You will constantly review all prior skills so that your student reach mastery over time. This will prevent students from forgetting what they learned earlier in the year.

How to Implement them in Your Classroom

I used a separate folder just for homework. It included the homework calendar and all of the printables they will need for the week. We placed everything into a homework folder for the month. The folder stayed at home and the students returned their completed work each morning in the communication folder .

I assembled the homework packets for the entire year in one afternoon and didn’t have to think about it again the rest of the school year. I sent them home on Friday afternoons.

The students simply completed one page each night beginning on Monday afternoons and returned only that one page to class in the morning. The other nightly pages remained at home. 

This meant I no longer needed to take any class time to explain the directions or check to make sure the papers made it into the backpacks.

The next morning I projected the answer sheet onto my smart board and reviewed each problem with them. This daily quick review made them accountable and reinforced all of the math skills regularly. Going over it in class sent the message that the work they did outside of school was purposeful and they would be accountable for it. They no longer felt homework was a waste of time so they demonstrated increased effort.

I also created data collection sheets to use either with one specific student’s page, or to examine the class as a whole. The pages were so easy to use and let me see at a glance where I needed to focus future instruction. 

How Can I Use the Extra Spiral Review Pages in the Packet?

There are 25 pages per month in each of the spiral review resources. Since you’ll never need to use all 25 for homework purposes, consider using the extra pages in the following ways:

• formative assessment to monitor progress
• morning work
• math center activity (“at your seat” activity during Guided Math Workshop )
• Emergency sub plans  activity

Where Can I Buy the Math Spiral Review Pages?

You can purchase the math spiral review pages from my Teachers Pay Teachers store . They are also available in my Elementary Math Resource Collection and grade level math clubs, which you can find below.

What Teachers Who Used these Packets Have Said

Thousands of teachers have used this homework idea in their classroom. Read some of the reviews below!

• “WOW! I’ve been teaching for 16 years and this has been the most useful thing I have used. My students really understand all of the skills and I loved knowing I wasn’t moving on without all my kids being proficient. The beautiful layout, structured format, and clear expectations made it so easy to make these become part of our daily routine. I highly recommend them to everyone.” (Thank you Jocelyn P.!)
• “I started using your monthly spiral review pages in October and never looked back. Not only did they provide us with quality daily work, but I just got my end of year scores back for the district math assessments and my entire class crushed it. I attribute their success 100% to these pages combined with your guided math book that opened my eyes to a whole new way of teaching. I can’t thank you enough. My administration has taken notice. I’m so proud of what we’ve done.” (Thank you Kerri K.!)
• My teammates and I had the opportunity to see you present about guided math and math workshop and excitedly jumped right in with your guided math format the next week! We have been using the spiral review pages as homework and in the “at your seat” station during our daily math workshop. OMG!!! We ALL agree that between the new teaching routines and the use of these pages, our students are consistently performing above average and truly understand the math. It’s not just our opinion either because we just received our test scores from last year and they were not only MUCH higher than ever before, but we outscored the district and student growth from the previous year was amazing. That was what prompted me to finally leave a review. I/we can not recommend these enough. Thank you for not only making our jobs easier, but so much more enjoyable as well. (Thank you Jessica R.!)
• These are absolutely wonderful for my students! I use them for a variety of things including review and homework. (Thanks Tony C.!)
• “Love the data sheets! Great way for me and my students to monitor their learning.” (Thanks Kelsey!)

In closing, we hope you found these homework ideas for teachers helpful! If you haven’t already checked out this post about spiral review math , please be sure to do so!

• Read more about: ELEMENTARY TEACHING , PLANNING ASSESSING AND TEACHING

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