Summer Homework

Do you send homework home with your kiddos over the summer?

 

Usually I just put together a hodge-podge packet of extra copies and send that home.  But this year I wanted something a little more put together.

 

So I purchased this Kindergarten Summer Homework set from Mrs. Jones' Creation Station.  Check it out here.

 

I really liked how she included a monthly calendar so that the kids and parents could check off each assignment and that there were homework helpers: an alphabet chart, sight word list, parent letter, etc.

 

But the best part is that this set is editable!!

 

This made it functional for me because I was able to change out sight words or other things on the pages to fit my class perfectly!

 

First I edited the folder labels with all of my student's names and printed them on sheet size sticker pages.  I love these ones from Avery because I just put the sheet in my printer, print, and then cut them out.

Then I put the labels onto these folders.

 

Now you definitely don't have to put the homework packets in folders, I never have before, but I have a zillion of these 3-prong folders because I always go a little crazy in August when they're on sale. 

 

So I decided it was time to quit hoarding and use them!

When opening the folder, this is what the students and parents will see.

 

I put the June calendar and homework pages in the left pocket.

 

I used 2 sheet protectors for the parent note, sight words (I edited this page to go with the sight words from our Wonder Reading Series), an alphabet chart, and a phonics chart.

 

I forgot to copy these back to back, I'll make sure I do that next year, but I put them in the sleeves back to back so it worked out.

And then I put the July calendar and homework pages in the right pocket.

So here's what everything looks like.

 

I love that everything is editable, except the clipart of course, because I was able to change the year from 2014 to 2015 and update the dates under the weeks to fit the Mondays in June. 

 

I'm not sure if Mrs. Jones will update this file every year so that you don't have to update the dates and year, but I didn't mind at all because this way I wont have to re-download the file each year to get the updated dates.  Having things editable worked perfectly for me so that I can just do it myself!

There are 4 homework assignments each week, in addition to the parents reading to their children.  So the assignments are written out on the calendar page and then the actual assignments are on a separate page with Monday and Tuesday on one page and Wednesday and Thursday on another.  I copied these back to back so each week in one entire page with Monday and Tuesday on the front and Wednesday and Thursday on the back.  I also love how she labeled them week 1 or week 2 in case the pages fall out of the folder or get mixed up.

 

After the assignments are finished each week, the completed work goes back in the folder and the parents initial the box beside that week.

July follows the same format as June.

I love that she included so many different skills in this set and I'm thankful that I don't have to search through my copies or make tons more copies to cover all of these skills over the summer.

There is also an August calendar and homework set, but we go back school July 27, so I obviously didn't include it in my homework folder.



Then I tucked the summer homework folder down into the front pocket of my Year End Books so my parents won't miss it.

 

A few extra notes on this homework pack-

- If you copy everything back to back, except the calendar pages, it only uses 12 sheets of paper.  I'm positive that my past summer homework packs used way more paper than that.

- I'm using Mrs. Jones idea of giving the students a treat if they bring the completed homework pack back to me at the beginning of next year.  This is included in her parent note, which is editable, so you can take that part out if you want.  But I thought it was a great idea!

- If this summer pack goes well for my parents and students, which I'm sure it will, I will purchase her Kindergarten Homework Mega-Bundle at the beginning of next year. Which includes editable homework calendars and pages for the entire school year that follows the same format as the summer homework pack.

- There are also First Grade and Second versions of her homework mega-bundles and summer homework as well as a Kinder-Ready summer homework set for Pre-K students moving up to Kindergarten!

 

I'm really loving this set and hope my parents and students do too!