- Kindle $9.59
- Hardcover $37.10
- Paperback $1.55 Used
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
- Kindle $11.99
- Hardcover $8.02 Used
- Paperback $11.99
- Kindle $9.19
- Hardcover $12.05
- Paperback $18.97 Used
- Kindle $10.79
- Hardcover $12.07
- Paperback $1.86 Used
- Fans of books in the I Didn't Do My Homework Because . . . series
- Fans of Benjamin Chaud
- Fans of Edward Gorey, Maurice Sendak, and Mo Willems
- Appreciators of aliens and all things outer space
- Lovers of clever stories with wild and wacky humor
- Anyone looking for funny kids' books to delight reluctant readers
- Hardcover $10.99
Related to this series
Customers who bought from this series also bought
Report an issue with this series
Is this series page incomplete or incorrect? Tell us.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
No customer reviews
Benjamin Chaud is the author and illustrator of The Bear's Song, The Bear's Sea Escape, and Farewell Floppy, and he is the illustrator of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School. . . , I Didn't Do My Homework Because. . . , and I Didn't Do My Homework Because Doodle Book of Excuses. He lives in the South of France.
- Amazon Newsletter
- About Amazon
- Accessibility
- Sustainability
- Press Center
- Investor Relations
- Amazon Devices
- Amazon Science
- Sell on Amazon
- Sell apps on Amazon
- Supply to Amazon
- Protect & Build Your Brand
- Become an Affiliate
- Become a Delivery Driver
- Start a Package Delivery Business
- Advertise Your Products
- Self-Publish with Us
- Become an Amazon Hub Partner
- › See More Ways to Make Money
- Amazon Visa
- Amazon Store Card
- Amazon Secured Card
- Amazon Business Card
- Shop with Points
- Credit Card Marketplace
- Reload Your Balance
- Amazon Currency Converter
- Your Account
- Your Orders
- Shipping Rates & Policies
- Amazon Prime
- Returns & Replacements
- Manage Your Content and Devices
- Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
- Conditions of Use
- Privacy Notice
- Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
- Your Ads Privacy Choices
Search This Blog
Books4yourkids.
CHILDREN'S BOOKSELLER // BOOK REVIEWER // ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARIAN = WORKING WITH CHILDREN & CHILDREN'S BOOKS SINCE 1995
I Didn't Do My Homework Because . . . by Davide Cali, illustrated by Benjamin Chaud
Popular posts from this blog
Fox + chick: the sleepover and other stories by sergio ruzzier.
Be a Tree! by Maria Gianferrari illustrated by Felicita Sala
Reading Levels: A Quick Guide to Determining if a Book Is Right for Your Reader
I Didn't Do My Homework Because...
Buy from other retailers, what's this book about.
How many excuses are there for not doing homework? Let us count the ways: Giant lizards invaded the neighborhood. Elves hid all the pencils. And then there was that problem with carnivorous plants…. The excuses go on and on, each more absurd than the next and escalating to hilarious heights. Featuring detail-rich illustrations by Benjamin Chaud, this book is guaranteed to amuse kids and their parents, not to mention anyone who has experienced a slacker student moment—and isn’t that everyone?
What Kind of Book is .css-1msjh1x{font-style:italic;} I Didn't Do My Homework Because...
Book lists that include this book.
The Creatives Behind the Book
Davide Cali has published more than 40 books, including When an Elephant Falls in Love, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School …, and I Didn’t Do My Homework Because …, which has been translated into 21 languages. He lives in France and Italy.
Benjamin Chaud is the author and illustrator of New York Times Notable Book The Bear’s Song, The Bear’s Sea Escape, and The Bear’s Surprise. He is also the illustrator of A Funny Thing Hap- pened on the Way to School …, The Truth About My Unbelievable School …, and I Didn’t Do My Homework Because …, for which there are 21 foreign editions to date. He lives in the South of France.
What Has Davide Cali Said About This Book
Nothing yet! Let Davide Cali know that you want to hear from them about their book.
What Has Benjamin Chaud Said About This Book
Nothing yet! Let Benjamin Chaud know that you want to hear from them about their book.
More Books From These Creatives
Other Books You Might Enjoy If You Liked This Book
Book Details
Contribute to this page.
This page is starting to look fantastic!
Just the barebones.
- Help Center
- Gift a Book Club
- Beautiful Collections
- Schedule Demo
Book Platform
- Find a Book
- Reading App
- Community Editors
Authors & Illustrators
- Get Your Book Reviewed
- Submit Original Work
Follow Bookroo
I Didn't Do My Homework Because...
- 3.7 • 11 Ratings
Publisher Description
How many excuses are there for not doing homework? Let us count the ways: Giant lizards invaded the neighborhood. Elves hid all the pencils. And then there was that problem with carnivorous plants.... The excuses go on and on, each more absurd than the next and escalating to hilarious heights. Featuring detail-rich illustrations by Benjamin Chaud, this book is guaranteed to amuse kids and their parents, not to mention anyone who has experienced a slacker student moment—and isn't that everyone? Plus, this is the fixed format version, which will look almost identical to the print version. Additionally for devices that support audio, this ebook includes a read-along setting.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY DEC 23, 2013
Chaud's crabbed pen-and-ink drawings give a distinctly Gothic sensibility to Cali's (The Bear with the Sword) sly collection of homework excuses. The narrator, a boy dressed in a suit and tie, negotiates with his teacher. "An airplane full of monkeys landed in our yard," he tries. Chaud (The Bear's Song) draws an army of monkeys invading the boy's study, swinging from the light, mussing his hair, and scattering his papers. "Elves hid all of my pencils," he offers. Things look good at first the boy is in his place at his desk, his book open in front of him but closer inspection reveals two giddy elves underneath the desk with pencils sticking out of their ears and noses. "Giant lizards invaded my neighborhood," the boys says, as a huge alligator holds a school bus in its jaws, and a lizard nabs the boy's homework with its sticky tongue. The other 20 or so excuses and their illustrations are equally entertaining. Even children who don't yet have homework will long to try out a few of these wild explanations for themselves. Ages 6 9.
More Books Like This
More books by davide cali & benjamin chaud, customers also bought.
- Find a Library
- Browse Collections
- I Didn't Do My Homework Because...
By Davide Cali
Add Book To Favorites
Is this your library?
Sign up to save your library.
With an OverDrive account, you can save your favorite libraries for at-a-glance information about availability. Find out more about OverDrive accounts.
9781452125510
Davide Cali
Chronicle Books LLC
04 March 2014
Find this title in Libby, the library reading app by OverDrive.
Search for a digital library with this title
Title found at these libraries:.
- Kindle £6.99
- Hardcover £9.99
- Paperback £14.21
By clicking on the above button, you agree to Amazon's Kindle Store Terms of Use
Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
- Kindle £6.39
- Hardcover See all buying options
- Paperback £32.13
- Kindle £5.99
- Hardcover £7.67
- Paperback £12.21
- Kindle £7.99
- Hardcover £28.96
- Hardcover £3.51
- Fans of books in the I Didn't Do My Homework Because . . . series
- Fans of Benjamin Chaud
- Fans of Edward Gorey, Maurice Sendak, and Mo Willems
- Appreciators of aliens and all things outer space
- Lovers of clever stories with wild and wacky humor
- Anyone looking for funny kids' books to delight reluctant readers
- Kindle £8.50
- Hardcover £8.95
Related to this series
Report an issue with this series
Is this series page incomplete or incorrect? Let us know.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
No customer reviews
Benjamin Chaud is the author and illustrator of The Bear's Song, The Bear's Sea Escape, and Farewell Floppy, and he is the illustrator of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School. . . , I Didn't Do My Homework Because. . . , and I Didn't Do My Homework Because Doodle Book of Excuses. He lives in the South of France.
- UK Modern Slavery Statement
- Sustainability
- Amazon Science
- Sell on Amazon
- Sell on Amazon Business
- Sell on Amazon Handmade
- Sell on Amazon Launchpad
- Supply to Amazon
- Protect and build your brand
- Associates Programme
- Fulfilment by Amazon
- Seller Fulfilled Prime
- Advertise Your Products
- Independently Publish with Us
- Host an Amazon Hub
- › See More Make Money with Us
- Instalments by Barclays
- Amazon Platinum Mastercard
- Amazon Classic Mastercard
- Amazon Currency Converter
- Payment Methods Help
- Shop with Points
- Top Up Your Account
- Top Up Your Account in Store
- COVID-19 and Amazon
- Track Packages or View Orders
- Delivery Rates & Policies
- Amazon Prime
- Returns & Replacements
- Manage Your Content and Devices
- Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
- Amazon Mobile App
- Customer Service
- Accessibility
- Conditions of Use & Sale
- Privacy Notice
- Cookies Notice
- Interest-Based Ads Notice
- ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN
I DIDN'T DO MY HOMEWORK BECAUSE...
by Davide Calì ; illustrated by Benjamin Chaud ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 4, 2014
Ultimately, “list” books wear thin, and this is no exception. It will likely be passed around, but repeated readings are not...
Who doesn’t want to learn new excuses for unfinished assignments?
That’s just what this title offers—26 outlandish solutions to that “What to say?” dilemma. When a boy is questioned by his teacher about the missing homework, he thinks fast. The ideas fire in rapid succession, from being attacked by Vikings and hiding escaped convicts in his bedroom to giving his pencils to Robin Hood and sacrificing workbooks to heat his home. Chaud’s ink-and-watercolor scenes vary from single- to double-page spreads, with simpler compositions than in The Bear’s Song (2013), although there are some crowd scenes, as when the “famous director asked to use my bedroom to shoot his new movie.” Cowboys, Indians on horseback and glamorous women make themselves at home, surrounded by the railroad track and film crew. Shades of red and green dominate the palette, lending a sense of uniformity to an otherwise diverse range of settings and characters. The combination of the boy’s formal attire—a dark suit and bright red tie—and his long, unruly hair casts uncertainty as to his veracity, until the teacher pulls out the book from behind her back to reveal the same one in readers’ hands; the game is up.
Pub Date: March 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2551-0
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2014
CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
Share your opinion of this book
More by Davide Calì
BOOK REVIEW
by Davide Calì ; illustrated by Benjamin Chaud
by Davide Calì ; illustrated by Emanuele Benetti ; translated by Angus Yuen-Killick
by Davide Calì ; illustrated by Claudia Palmarucci
TALES FOR VERY PICKY EATERS
by Josh Schneider & illustrated by Josh Schneider ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2011
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
More by Josh Schneider
by Josh Schneider ; illustrated by Josh Schneider
I WISH YOU MORE
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal ; illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2015
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Christy Webster ; illustrated by Brigette Barrager & Chiara Fiorentino
by Tom Lichtenheld & Amy Krouse Rosenthal ; illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal ; illustrated by Mike Yamada
- Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
- News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
- Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
- Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
- Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
- More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
- About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
- Privacy Policy
- Terms & Conditions
- Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Popular in this Genre
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
Please select an existing bookshelf
Create a new bookshelf.
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
Please sign up to continue.
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Almost there!
- Industry Professional
Welcome Back!
Sign in using your Kirkus account
Contact us: 1-800-316-9361 or email [email protected].
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.
Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )
If You’ve Purchased Author Services
Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.
Review: I Didn’t Do My Homework Because… by Davide Cali
January 8, 2014 by Travis Jonker Leave a Comment
CLICK IMAGES TO SEE LARGER VERSION (WHEN AVAILABLE)
Filed under:
I Didn’t Do My Homework Because… By Davide Cali Illustrated by Benjamin Chaud
Chronicle books.
ISBN: 9781452125510 $12.99 Grades 1-3 In Stores March 4, 2014
ADVERTISEMENT
Find it at: Schuler Books | Your Library
Kids will go to great lengths to avoid homework. I Didn’t Do My Homework Because… is a little book that celebrates this near-universal truth. Scores of young readers will relate. They will also laugh.
“So why didn’t you do your homework?” I didn’t do my homework because…
Thus begins the tall tale telling as a boy tries convince his teacher that his missing homework is not his fault. Each turn of the page reveals a new absurd scenario, from runaway reptiles to viking invasions. But the teacher has the last word – she’s read the same book and knows all the excuses. Busted.
This book resembles nothing as much as a sort of a picture book in miniature. But the subject matter, page count (44), and humor are definitely more likely to hit home with a slightly-older-than-the-typical-picture-book crowd. So where to shelve it? I’m leaning toward the fiction section, where I see it getting some reluctant reader attention.
It’s a tweener of a book that has charm to spare. Once readers pick it up, it’s unlikely they’ll put it down until it’s finished. Especially if there’s homework to be done.
Review copy from the publisher
Read an excerpt online
Filed under: Reviews
About Travis Jonker
Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at [email protected], or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.
Related Posts
Slj blog network, review of the day: benji zeb is a ravenous werewolf by deke moulton.
by Betsy Bird
Exclusive: Lost in the Future | News and Preview
by Brigid Alverson
Mock Newbery Suggestions Round 4
by Steven Engelfried
Navigating the High School and Academic Library Policy Landscape Around Dual Enrollment Students
by John Chrastka
Developmental Needs of Middle Grade Readers, a guest post by Sarah Lariviere
by Amanda MacGregor
‘You’re really tall’ – SPEED ROUND w/ Peter Brown, Dashka Slater, Chris Baron, and Jarrett Lerner
by Travis Jonker
Related Articles on SLJ
Let’s Talk Periods: Middle Grade Books About Menstruation
Author LaDarrion Williams on YA Debut 'Blood at the Root' | 5 Questions and a Rec
Exclusive Excerpt: Serena Kaylor's New YA Novel 'The Calculation of You and Me'
Social Media + Disability + Picture Books = Friendship! | Interview
Basketball Legend LeBron James on What Inspired His Latest Picture Book
Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.
Author/Illustrator Blogs
- Erin Stead Illustration
- Hey, Rabbit!
- James Preller's Blog
- MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
- Mo Willems Doodles
Book Blogs I Like
- A Book and a Hug
- A Kids Book a Day
- A Year of Reading
- Abby (the) Librarian
- Awful Library Books
- Becky’s Book Reviews
- Better Book Titles
- Book-A-Day Almanac
- books4yourkids.com
- bookshelves of doom
- Bottom Shelf Books
- Calling Caldecott
- Caustic Cover Critic
- Chad C. Beckerman
- Charlotte’s Library
- Cheryl Rainfield
- Chicken Spaghetti
- CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
- Collecting Children’s Books
- educating alice
- Finding Wonderland
- For Those About to Mock
- Good Show Sir
- Great Kid Books
- Hi Miss Julie!
- Jen Robinson’s Book Page
- Maria T. Middleton Design
- Nerdy Book Club
- Neverending Search
- Nine Kinds of Pie
- One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
- Out of the Box
- Oz and Ends
- Reading Rants!
- Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
- ShelfTalker
- so tomorrow
- The Children's Book Review
- The Miss Rumphius Effect
- Uncovered Cover Art
- Waking Brain Cells
- Watch. Connect. Read.
Library Blogs
- Blue Skunk Blog
- librarian.net
- Stephen's Lighthouse
- Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
Follow This Blog
Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.
This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.
Worlds of Words
International collection of children’s and adolescent literature, i didn’t do my homework because.
- Descriptors:
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
- Publications
The University of Arizona
- PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
- EDIT Edit this Article
- EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
- Browse Articles
- Learn Something New
- Quizzes Hot
- This Or That Game
- Train Your Brain
- Explore More
- Support wikiHow
- About wikiHow
- Log in / Sign up
- School Stuff
How to Excuse Yourself from Unfinished Homework
Last Updated: December 13, 2023
This article was co-authored by Alicia Oglesby . Alicia Oglesby is a Professional School Counselor and the Director of School and College Counseling at Bishop McNamara High School outside of Washington DC. With over ten years of experience in counseling, Alicia specializes in academic advising, social-emotional skills, and career counseling. Alicia holds a BS in Psychology from Howard University and a Master’s in Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology from Chestnut Hill College. She also studied Race and Mental Health at Virginia Tech. Alicia holds Professional School Counseling Certifications in both Washington DC and Pennsylvania. She has created a college counseling program in its entirety and developed five programs focused on application workshops, parent information workshops, essay writing collaborative, peer-reviewed application activities, and financial aid literacy events. This article has been viewed 891,213 times.
Ideally, you will always be ready for class and have your homework completed. Sometimes, however, life gets in the way and you aren’t prepared. There are several methods for developing an excuse to give your teacher for why you don’t have your homework ready, ranging from honest to deceptive.
Inventing an Elaborate Excuse
- Crumple and tear a paper assignment. Then you can tell the teacher that it flew out the window and got run over or trampled on.
- Smear dirt and water on your assignment and claim it fell in a puddle. Make sure to write a few words (bonus points if it relates to the homework assignment) so that it looks believable.
- Spill something dark (like juice or ink) on the assignment so that it is illegible.
- For instance, if you have to save work to a USB drive, you can claim to have a problem with the file.
- If you are asked to email or otherwise electronically send a homework file, you can “accidentally” send a different assignment, or the “wrong” draft (which could have just your name and the first part of the assignment, for instance). You might even be able to purchase corrupted files.
- Be aware that your teachers can be tech-savvy and know all of these tricks, so you might have to get creative. [2] X Research source
Buying Time and Stretching the Truth
- If the missed homework is for a class late in the day, you might be able to do the work before school, during another class, or during lunch or a break.
- You can hand in the wrong assignment—such as one from another class—or an old one from the same class. By the time your teacher notices the mistake, you will be able to complete the real homework, or just turn it in the next day and say you are sorry about the mix-up.
- Copy answers from a friend so you have something to turn in. Make sure your friend is ok with helping. This also only works for assignments where it is expected that students will have the same or similar answers. In some schools, even copying something like homework can merit a suspension. Remember to evaluate the situation and make a good decision as to whether or not you will copy homework off of a peer.
- A dangerous move, you can forge a note from a parent explaining why you couldn't do your homework.
- If you decide to forge one, be warned that your teacher might know it’s a fake. If you are caught, you face punishment from both your parents and teacher.
Telling the Truth
- You might say something like "I am really sorry, but I got behind on things and wasn't able to finish my homework. Could I be excused just this once? I'll turn it in tomorrow and I won't be late again."
- Keep things simple and direct, rather than annoying your teacher with long, rambling excuses.
- This means saying something like: "I know there's no excuse, and I accept full responsibility. I should have done my work. I'm sorry that I'm not prepared, and it won't happen again."
- Doing so will display maturity and your teacher might respect your honesty.
- Perhaps you are overworked and stressed (this is especially persuasive at exam time).
- If circumstances beyond your control, like an illness or death in the family, have prevented you from doing your work, say so.
- You can also explain that you didn’t understand the assignment, or struggled with it, or felt rushed, and needed to give it more time.
- Your teacher is more likely to accept the excuse if you don’t spring it on him or her at the last minute.
- You might also be able to ask for an extension so that you can turn the homework in later.
- Know your teacher’s personality, and how flexible and forgiving he or she is. When you talk to your teacher, look sad, serious, agitated, etc. depending on your excuse.
Community Q&A
- The best approach is to try to do your work on time rather than be tempted by an excuse. Don’t attempt to make excuses too often. This way, when you actually need to use one, your teacher is more likely to accept it. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
- Turn in your work, even if you have to make an excuse and submit it late. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
- If you are able to do any of your homework, even a small amount or poor quality work, consider turning it in anyway. Having something prepared can be better than having nothing, and sometimes teachers will give you partial credit for partial work. You can also explain to your teacher that you would like to do a better job and turn it in later, if you want. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
- Be prepared to face the consequences if you get caught for using a deceptive excuse. Talk to your teacher in a mature way, explaining that you have a problem with procrastination, or feel overworked, or struggled with the assignment, etc. Thanks Helpful 52 Not Helpful 8
- Try not to lie, a bad conscious can easily come from repetitive lying. Thanks Helpful 42 Not Helpful 11
- If you get caught lying, it may lead to severe consequences with your teacher and parent/guardian. Thanks Helpful 23 Not Helpful 8
You Might Also Like
- ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/08/30/british-lecturer-compiles-best-student-excuses
- ↑ https://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/the-computer-ate-my-homework-how-to-detect-fake-techno-excuses-2/7207
About This Article
To excuse yourself from unfinished homework, try to make your excuse as believable as possible, like saying you were sick last night. If your homework was on a computer, claim your laptop crashed or your files were corrupted. Another thing you can try is handing in an old assignment. Then, do your actual homework before your teacher realizes. When they ask you about it, say that you accidentally handed in the wrong homework, and then give them the homework that was actually due. Even if you think you have a good excuse, your teacher’s probably heard it a dozen times before, so consider being honest with them and apologizing for falling behind. For example, say, “I’m sorry, but I wasn’t able to finish my homework this week. I had a lot of things to deal with. Is it okay if I turn it in tomorrow?” If you decide to be honest, try to tell your teacher at the beginning of class or even earlier in the day, which will make your excuse more realistic. For more tips, including how to pretend you lost your homework, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
- Send fan mail to authors
Reader Success Stories
Jul 12, 2016
Did this article help you?
Isabella Jayne
Oct 3, 2017
Feb 27, 2017
Feb 25, 2017
Sep 13, 2018
Featured Articles
Trending Articles
Watch Articles
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell or Share My Info
- Not Selling Info
Get all the best how-tos!
Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter
Homework Excuses
by Miss Corson
Project 1: I didn’t do my homework because … Les élèves de 4e ont travaillé sur l’ouvrage « I didn’t do my homework because… » , qui énumère des excuses farfelues pour justifier le fait de ne pouvoir présenter son travail en classe. Voici celles qu’ils ont... More
Project 1: I didn’t do my homework because … Les élèves de 4e ont travaillé sur l’ouvrage « I didn’t do my homework because… » , qui énumère des excuses farfelues pour justifier le fait de ne pouvoir présenter son travail en classe. Voici celles qu’ils ont inventées… Less
Project 1: I didn’t do my homework because … Les élèves de 4e ont travaillé sur l’ouvrage « I didn’t do my homework because… » , qui énumère des excuses farfelues pour justifier le fait de ne pouvoir présenter son travail en classe. Voici celles qu’ils ont inventées…
I didn’t hand my homework in because ... a rocket left to space with my homework! ( By Océane)
I didn’t do my homework because… my dog ate my school bag ( by Margaux)
I didn’t do my homework because … the sun fell on me ( By Timothée)
I didn’t do my homework because … There were lightning which burnt my book ! ( By Fantine)
I didn’t do my homework because … A storm destroyed my house! ( By Clémence)
I didn’t do my homework because … I played “Belote” with a dragon ! (By Ilona)
I didn’t do my homework because … A big turtle bit me ! (By Maëlle)
I didn’t hand my homework in because … Aliens took my homework and lost it! (By Tom)
I didn’t do my homework because … Naruto stole my notebook (By Louka)
I didn’t do my homework because … My notebook met the president and it stayed with him in Paris (By Louka)
I didn’t do my homework because … Batman was in my house last night, so I didn’t hand in my homework (By Tidjane)
I didn’t do my homework because … Monsters ate my school bag (By Dimitri)
I didn’t hand my homework in because … My fish ate it (By Lenya)
I didn’t hand my homework in because … The king cooked it (By Marina)
I didn’t hand my homework in because … Queen Elizabeth ate it (By Silya)
I didn’t do my homework because … A lion ate it ! (By an anonymous author)
I didn’t hand my homework in because … I forgot my homework on the plane (By Victor)
I didn’t hand my homework in because … My dog ate my homework (By Lorik)
I didn’t hand my homework in because … A bird ate my head (By Eliott)
I didn’t hand my homework in because … The president forbid us to do our homework (By Mathys)
THE END Miss C. September 2020
- Related publications
- Add to favorites
- Our Mission
The Case Against Grading Homework
When homework is meaningful and contributes to their learning, students are more likely to complete it.
As a middle school teacher, I sometimes spot students huddled up in the school hallway before class frantically copying homework. A teacher can stop to intervene, as I have done dozens of times, but we all know that they’ll just find a new place to copy the work away from the observant eyes of the adults at school. This is clearly academic dishonesty, and it’s easy to point the finger at the students. But what is the root cause of this dishonest behavior?
The student who is copying their homework either didn’t have time to complete it, forgot to do it, or doesn’t care to do it. They are copying the work so they can earn, most likely, a completion grade on the assignment. Students know the drill—if it looks like they did the assignment, then that’s good enough for a completion check mark in the grade book.
Is the student concerned that it’s imperative to review and practice this material in order to do well on the subsequent assessments in class? Is the student concerned that they will be found out during a rich conversation about the exercises in class? Probably not, or else the student would not resort to simply copying the work.
What are we doing as teachers to make homework worthwhile for the students beyond the typical completion grade?
3 Ways to Motivate Students to Do Ungraded Homework
1. Make assignments meaningful. Teachers and students alike know that practice is necessary to perform well. It would be hard to argue with an athletic coach that going to practice is not necessary, and instead, it’s fine to just show up to the game and wing it.
”Practice > scrimmage > game” is a helpful metaphor that the educators at Adlai Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, use to describe their school’s homework/assessment grading structure. Like team practice, homework is assigned for the purpose of practicing and reviewing—and to further the metaphor, practices are not graded, of course. Scrimmages can be compared to quizzes or other lower-stakes assessments. Lastly, the game is the culminating summative assessment such as a project or test.
Using this metaphor borrowed from athletics, it’s clear that students must practice and review to perform their best for the big game.
Beyond sharing this metaphor with your students, sometimes it takes explicit explanation from the teacher for the students to see this connection. “Tonight you are assigned 15 various conjugation exercises to help you prepare for your mock job interview project. Both partners will need to be proficient with simple past tense to conduct the interview.” If a student wants to engage appropriately in their upcoming French interview project, they will be motivated to review their passé simple conjugations.
2. Feedback doesn’t have to be a grade. A sixth-grade student once told me that she completed all her math homework, but she never knew if she did it right. If I were in her math class, I would be unmotivated to do any of my homework.
Beyond providing an answer key so that students can self-check that they are on the right track with their work, teachers can also engage in meaningful feedback on homework. This might look like students randomly posting problems and their work on the board, students discussing problems in small groups, or providing time in class for students to ask about any questions they were unsure about. (Read more about how to create a mistake-friendly classroom here .)
I find that when I follow homework with a rich discussion the next day, students are more likely to complete their assignments. They know they cannot fully participate in the discussion unless they have their work with them at that moment. When homework is followed with feedback, students can close the loop on how they are performing with a concept, without having to be assigned a grade.
3. Students are still held accountable even if homework isn’t graded. Cathy Vatterott, author of Rethinking Homework , writes for the Association of Middle Level Education , “Teachers who don’t grade homework still monitor completion of assignments and communicate with parents about missing work. They just don’t count it as part of the student’s grade.” Teachers can keep a record of homework completion to inform conversations with parents and caregivers.
A teacher might share this information with a parent: “Emma struggled with simplifying fractions on her recent quiz. She was assigned two practice assignments on this topic last week, but she only brought one to class. It is important that she keep up with the daily practice to improve with this concept.”
There are several ways to keep a record of student work without assigning a grade. Laila I. McCloud, director of the MEd in Higher Education Program at Grand Valley State University, writes in the article “ Keeping Receipts: Thoughts on Ungrading from a Black Woman Professor ,” “I keep receipts in the following ways: having students engage in peer review of their work, providing detailed feedback, and using course engagement reflections.”
Instructional coach Tyler Rablin suggests a team-style game to get students engaged with the previous night’s homework or allow the students to use their homework (with feedback) as an aid on a future assessment. “Accountability doesn’t just have to mean an added consequence, but it can be a much more authentic and natural consequence (both positive or negative) for the homework.”
There will always be pushback from teachers, administrators, and parents who claim that students will not complete the assignment if it’s not graded. To counter this argument, there will always be students who won’t do the assignment whether it’s graded or not. When homework isn’t graded, a student’s average in the class reflects only what they know and can do in class—a more equitable reflection of a student’s progress .
With meaningful assignments and robust feedback, students may be more motivated to engage with practice and review. Reflect on ways you can shift your students’ perspective on homework. If students are regularly not completing the work you’re assigning, ask for feedback on how the assignments can become more meaningful and beneficial to their learning.
A lot of teachers are working on new approaches to homework in an attempt to guide students to focus on their learning rather than grades . If you have strategies you’ve had some success with, or if you have questions that other educators might be able to help with, please share them in the comments.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Read AloudHow many excuses are there for not doing homework? Let us count the ways: Giant lizards invaded the neighborhood. Elves hid all the pencils. And th...
I Didn't Do My Homework Because.. Children's Stories Read Aloudby Davide Cali & Benjamin Chaud You can get the hardcover/paperback from Amazon - https://amz...
The latest book in Davide Cali and Benjamin Chaud's internationally acclaimed I Didn't Do My Homework Because . . . series is out of this world! It's a race to do homework—in space! But first, there's a spaceship jam. Then there's the moon detour, the Mars alien exploration, and a stop on the gravity-defying International Space Station.
No more do you need the old line - "The dog ate my homework.". This book is stuffed with new and exciting reasons why you didn't do your homework! In this book you'll find creative answers for non-homework doing. Like: "I didn't do my homework because…". giant lizards invaded….
Once readers pick it up, it's unlikely they'll put it down until it's finished. Especially if there's homework to be done."—Travis Jonker, 100ScopeNotes, a School Library Journal blog" Even children who don't yet have homework will long to try out a few of these wild explanations for themselves."—Publishers Weekly"
at the start of I Didn't Do My Homework Because . . . our hero (and his really is the hero of the book for calling forth such amazing excuses) replies, "An airplane full of monkeys landed in our yard." He quickly moves on to, "A rebellious robot destroyed out house," and "Elves hid al of my pencils." While I love the robot, I especially love ...
Davide Cali has published more than 40 books, including When an Elephant Falls in Love, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School …, and I Didn't Do My Homework Because …, which has been translated into 21 languages. He lives in France and Italy.
Chaud's crabbed pen-and-ink drawings give a distinctly Gothic sensibility to Cali's (The Bear with the Sword) sly collection of homework excuses. The narrator, a boy dressed in a suit and tie, negotiates with his teacher. "An airplane full of monkeys landed in our yard," he tries. Chaud (The Bear's Song) draws an army of monkeys invading the ...
Davide Cali is an illustrator, cartoonist, and children's book author. He has published more than 40 books including The Bear with the Sword, I Can't Wait, and A Dad Who Measures Up. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He lives in Milan, Italy. Benjamin Chaud is a well-known French author and illustrator of more than 60 ...
I Didn't Do My Homework Because... ebook By Davide Cali. Read a Sample. Sign up to save your library. With an OverDrive account, you can save your favorite libraries for at-a-glance information about availability. Find out more about OverDrive accounts. Save Not today. Format. ebook. ISBN. 9781452125510. Author. Davide Cali ...
Visit Amazon's I Didn't Do My Homework Because... page and shop for all I Didn't Do My Homework Because... books. Check out pictures, author information and reviews of I Didn't Do My Homework Because...
How many excuses are there for not doing homework? Let us count the ways: Giant lizards invaded the neighborhood. Elves hid all the pencils. And then there was that problem with carnivorous plants.... The excuses go on and on, each more absurd than the next and escalating to hilarious heights. Featuring detail-rich illustrations by Benjamin Chaud, this book is guaranteed to amuse kids and ...
Chaud's ink-and-watercolor scenes vary from single- to double-page spreads, with simpler compositions than in The Bear's Song (2013), although there are some crowd scenes, as when the "famous director asked to use my bedroom to shoot his new movie." Cowboys, Indians on horseback and glamorous women make themselves at home, surrounded by ...
My thoughts: I Didn't Do My Homework Because... is engaging in that the humor creates an expanding effect that makes one want to read to the end to see what the teacher will do with the boy. To some degree, I felt like it became repetitive, almost expected, which caused some fatigue in the telling. What really makes this little book shine, and ...
How many excuses are there for not doing homework? Let us count the ways: Giant lizards invaded the neighborhood. Elves hid all the pencils. And then there was that problem with carnivorous plants.... The excuses go on and on, each more absurd than the next and escalating to hilarious heights. Featuring detail-rich illustrations by Benjamin Chaud, this book is guaranteed to amuse kids and ...
I didn't do my homework because…. Thus begins the tall tale telling as a boy tries convince his teacher that his missing homework is not his fault. Each turn of the page reveals a new absurd scenario, from runaway reptiles to viking invasions. But the teacher has the last word - she's read the same book and knows all the excuses.
I Didn't Do My Homework Because… by Davide Cali & Benjamin Chaud (il.), 9781452125510, Chronicle, 2014. A young boy gives his skeptical teacher increasingly ridiculous reasons he didn't do his homework.
Late work penalties are almost always noted in the syllabus, and it's hard to fight a grade reduction when things are clearly laid out in writing well before the homework is due. You can try ...
Teachers are familiar with many excuses, and can often recognize outlandish ones as untrue. [1] 2. Mutilate your assignment so you teacher can't tell you didn't actually do the work. Turn in the illegible or destroyed assignment, so that you can show your "proof" of your excuse. Crumple and tear a paper assignment.
Batman was in my house last night, so I didn't hand in my homework (By Tidjane) I didn't do my homework because … Monsters ate my school bag (By Dimitri) I didn't hand my homework in because … My fish ate it (By Lenya) I didn't hand my homework in because … The king cooked it (By Marina) I didn't hand my homework in because …
hand in forget blow up chew masticate give not remember explode Number in the correct order. LE PRÉTÉRIT Observe les phrases suivantes . I didn't hand my homework in because I forgot it. I didn't hand my homework in because my dog chewed it up. > Surligne les verbes et sauligne les marques du prétérit. Souviens—toi de la règle . Verbes ...
I didn't hand my homework in because it blew up on the way to school. I didn't hand my homework in because my dog chewed it up. I didn't hand my homework in because my mum couldn't do it. I didn't hand my homework in because..... honest! Poetry Through Humour and Horror By Chris Webster.
I didn't hand my homework in because it blew up on the way to school. I didn't hand my homework in because my dog chewed it up. I didn't hand my homework in because my mum couldn't do it. I didn't hand my homework in because..... honest! I DIDN'T DO MY HOMEWORK BECAUSE... => Reorder the pictures: => Match the words and the synonyms: Hand in ...
3 Ways to Motivate Students to Do Ungraded Homework. 1. Make assignments meaningful. Teachers and students alike know that practice is necessary to perform well. It would be hard to argue with an athletic coach that going to practice is not necessary, and instead, it's fine to just show up to the game and wing it.
512 reviews and 2177 photos of MERCADO GONZALEZ NORTHGATE MARKET "First off, let me just get this out of the way: WOW! Dropped by on a rainy Wednesday night to see if they were soft open, and they sure as heck were. I've never seen lines like this anywhere on a weekday outside of Disneyland. If you're not familiar with Northgate, they're a local chain of Mexican grocery stores known for an ...
But the world I was entering felt all too familiar. My peers pursuing investment banking, consulting and early-stage tech startups were working all hours, day and night, grinding on M&A deals, and ...