Todd Lederman

Grace Oliver

Upper Elementary Mt. Sopris Room

Todd.Lederman@jeffco.k12.co.us

MPA: 303-972-2627 x 209

2023-2024 Homework Policies


Dear Parents,

These are our homework policies for the 2023-2024 school year. They are similar to the previous school year, but not identical, so please read through. 

4th and 5th Graders

Reading 7 nights per week, 40-50 minutes per night. They may also choose 1-2 other works from among writing, math, word-study and science homework. With the exception of reading, these opportunities are meant to be options. They may spend as much or as little time as they like. We also ask them to keep a Weekly Planner in which they write a 2- or 3-word description of each of their one to three works. To describe their reading, all they need do is write the title of the book and the page numbers they read.

For example:

Tiger Rising pages 25-38

Excel Math: Homework Lesson 6


Or, as they learn more about note taking and using self-invented abbreviations, they may write something like this:

Tiger 25-38

Excel H6


For reading, children should choose a book that is easy to read without help. They should open the book or article to any page, read the whole page, and keep track of how many words “stump” them for more than a few seconds. If more than two words stump them from the same page, the material is too hard, which is likely to frustrate them. They should choose something easier to read at home. We have them read more difficult material at school. In that environment, we can help them with new vocabulary and other words that are tough.

Help keep your children accountable by looking at their homework and signing their Planner each night. This tells us you have seen the description of the homework they worked on. We look at these planners every morning. If you want to send a note about their homework, their efforts, or their struggles, you can write directly in their planner.

6th-Graders

Required: Reading 60 minutes, 7 nights a week. Children should choose something they enjoy reading, or they can choose to complete a specific reading assignment given in class.

Required: They also must complete two works from among their math, social studies, writing, word studies, keyboarding, or science assignments.  Sixth graders are learning about the U.S. Constitution.  We use a study book called We the People.  On the nights they are supposed to read a lesson, they also write complete answers to the "Review the lesson" questions at the end of each chapter.  They write these in a History Journal they keep in a spiral notebook.  They are allowed to count this work as their reading AND one other work, so on these nights they need only complete one additional work.

6th graders must also write a brief description of each of their three completed works in their Weekly Planners.  They should show you their planner each night (or next morning) and have you sign.  Please always sign, but if you believe your 6th graders are not giving their best efforts, feel free to jot a note in the planner. We check their planners every morning. We will see your note. If 6th graders do not complete their homework, they may be required to finish the work during the next day's recess.

Sincerely,

Todd Lederman

P.S. When students do not complete a classroom assignment, if possible, we send the assignment home to be completed. This does NOT count as part of their required homework. This is extra, though not really, because the work should have been finished in school.