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How to Make a Better Homework Schedule for Your Family

Verywell / Zackary Angeline

Why Homework Schedules Are Effective

  • Developing a Schedule

Other Considerations

Do you frequently have homework struggles with your child or teen? Or, does your student procrastinate doing their work? Maybe they even fail to turn in assignments. If any of these scenarios resonate with you, a better homework schedule may help.

A regular homework schedule establishes predictable times when homework is to be completed. Once the homework schedule has been in place for a few weeks, you may even find your child will begin doing their homework without needing to be reminded—although you may still need to monitor their work progress.

If you're struggling with homework completion in your household, or if you're having daily battles about allotting the appropriate amount of time to homework, you're not alone. That's why educators recommend developing a homework schedule—with input from your kids.

Once you set a homework schedule, then there are no questions about when the work will be done. It also communicates clear expectations; having a homework schedule helps kids understand what is required of them. And following the schedule encourages them to develop a good work ethic.

Schedules also help prevent procrastination and instill good habits like completing work on time. Homework routines also improve study skills and encourage kids to plan ahead.

Other benefits include developing your child's work ethic and organizational abilities. By helping your child complete their work at regular intervals, you are modeling how to manage time and projects in the future. When you send them off to college , they will know how to pace their work so they can avoid all-nighters at the end of the semester.

How to Develop a Homework Schedule

To develop a homework schedule, start by talking with your kids. Get their input on how they would like to manage their time and incorporate their homework into their daily routine. A successful homework schedule allows kids to finish their work and also have some free time.

Give Kids an Option

If you ask kids when they want to do their homework, their first answer might be "Never" or "Later." But if you dig a little deeper, your child may tell you what matters to them as they plan their schedule. This information will help you avoid scheduling homework during their favorite television program or when they usually get online to play games with friends.

When you include your child in the decision-making process, you also will get more buy-in from them because they know that their concerns were heard. You don't have to give them their way, but at least considering what they have to say will let them feel included. After all, this homework schedule is about them completing their homework.

Allow for Free Time

Some kids can step through the front door and buckle down on their homework right away. When this happens, they reap the reward of getting their work done early and having the rest of the evening to do what they want. But most kids need to eat and decompress a bit before tackling their assignments.

As you develop your homework schedule, keep in mind your child has already spent at least six hours in class. And this time doesn't include getting to and from school or participation in extracurricular programs . Allow kids some free time before beginning their homework if that's what they need to unwind.

Establish a Timeline

Generally, you can expect about 10 minutes of homework per grade level of school. This means that a third-grade student will need about 30 minutes to complete homework. However, the amount of time needed can vary dramatically between students, teachers, and schools.

Find out how much time your child's teacher expects homework to take each evening. If your child takes a lot of time to complete their work or struggles with homework , talk with the teacher. Your child may need extra instruction on a task or tutoring assistance—or fewer homework assignments.

Pick a Homework Spot

Designate a comfortable and efficient spot for your kids to do their homework. This workspace should be well-lit, stocked with supplies , and quiet. The workspace should allow you to provide some supervision. 

If you have multiple kids trying to complete their homework at one time, you may want to find a separate location for each child. Sometimes kids can complete their homework together at the kitchen table, but other times having siblings around can be distracting. Do what works best for your family.

Put It All Together

Now that you know what your child's needs and concerns are for finding a time to do homework, you need to come up with the actual plan. Creating a homework routine is really just one piece of creating a daily school year routine .

For the homework time itself, get it down on paper so you can see exactly what they will be doing and when they will be doing it. Do this for each day of the week if you have different activities on different weekdays. Students who are assigned larger projects will need to review their homework plans regularly to make adjustments as needed.

Expect your child to work consistently throughout the assigned time. Avoid having multiple homework sessions, such as one before dinner and a second one after dinner. Starting and stopping may mean children may spend more time getting into what they are doing than working continuously.

Be Consistent

Once you have decided on a time to do homework, stick to the plan! It usually takes about three weeks for most children to really get into the habit of their new schedule.

If your child or teen has difficulty maintaining concentration for the length of time that their homework should take, then you may want to carefully consider breaking up the work to take advantage of the time when your child can focus.

This added step is especially important for children and teens with depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They may benefit from multiple smaller work sessions and more frequent breaks.

Even though the idea behind creating a homework schedule is to get your child to work consistently and independently, you may need to look over their work when they are done. This is especially important for younger children.

Make sure they understand their assignments and that they completed a reasonable amount of work during the homework session. If you find your child is having trouble actually working during their homework time, troubleshoot to find out what might be the issue. Sometimes kids need extra help and other times they simply need more motivation to get their work done.

If you find that your child continues to struggle with homework even with a schedule in place, you might need to dig a little deeper. Consider discussing your child's issues with their teacher or pediatrician.

Sometimes kids are reluctant to complete their homework because of undiagnosed learning disabilities. It could be that your child struggles with reading comprehension or has a processing disorder. Or it could be that your child is struggling with a mental health issue like anxiety .

A Word From Verywell

Establishing a homework schedule allows children to build some important life skills that will help them as they navigate high school, college, and eventually the workforce. Practice is important when kids are learning new skills. So, having a nightly homework routine enhances your child's learning. Just be sure you aren't requiring homework time at the expense of being a kid. Having time to play is just as important to a child's development as learning new material.

National Institute of Mental Health. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder .

By Lisa Linnell-Olsen Lisa Linnell-Olsen has worked as a support staff educator, and is well-versed in issues of education policy and parenting issues.

6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

by: Janine L. Nieroda-Madden | Updated: December 9, 2019

Print article

6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

Homework. Whether you’re a fifth grader or a freshman in college, the mere thought of homework can be overwhelming. And actually doing homework can be quite difficult. But homework doesn’t have to be something your child dreads.

As a former high school English teacher and researcher who specializes in what it takes to make it through college — and a co-author of a forthcoming revised edition of a book about academic success — I’ve studied homework since 2010. Here are six ways I believe homework can be made more manageable and valuable, whether your child is in elementary school, middle school, high school, or graduate school.

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Create Good Homework Habits With This 3-Step Plan

Motivate your child to finish their schoolwork successfully..

If your elementary schooler doesn’t like reading or doing homework without resistance, you’re not alone. 

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to spark your child’s interest in learning outside of the classroom. Creating structure in your child’s day with an after-school schedule will help them stay focused and avoid homework fatigue.

Here are tips to help your child use their after-school time well and ease some of the stress you both may be experiencing.

1. Set Up a Schedule 

Agree on a “lights out” time and work backward. Here's a sample homework schedule to help you with your planning. This schedule is designed for a child who dislikes doing homework, so it allows multiple breaks throughout the evening. (It’s worth noting, however, that some children do their best work right after school, when energy levels are still high.)

  • 4:00 p.m.  Rest, relax. Kids need space and downtime in their schedules.
  • 4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.  Sports, art, and other planned activities.
  • 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.  Homework time! Have your child do theirs in the kitchen or somewhere close by while dinner is being prepared, so they don’t feel isolated and can ask questions. If your child has a dedicated “homework nook,” be sure to pop in often to see how they’re doing and offer words of encouragement.
  • 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Dinner and quality family time.
  • 7:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m.  Homework wrap-up (if needed).
  • 8:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Free time! If your family typically watches TV in the evening, you might consider switching on a streaming series or documentary that complements your child’s classroom instruction.
  • 8:30 p.m.– 9:00 p.m. Nightly read-aloud! This is the time to get your 20-30 minutes of daily reading in for stronger literacy skills. (Here’s some benefits of reading to your elementary schooler nightly .)

2. Talk to the Teacher 

Your child’s teacher can tell you how much time students should be spending on homework nightly. Generally, students in elementary school should have between 10 and 15 minutes of homework for each grade year. This means a child in 4th grade may have between 40 and 60 minutes of homework a night; often this includes some reading.

Teachers will also have ideas for motivating students who are disinterested in doing homework. When you speak with your child’s teacher, raise any concerns you have about at-home learning, like if your child struggles to do their homework, since these may be signs of a learning disability .

Your child’s teacher will be able to discuss in-class performance, and together the two of you can create a day-to-night plan that promotes your child’s success.

3. Develop the Homework Habit

Once you establish a schedule that works for you and your child — including any limits on TV and tech time — be sure to stick to it. Consistency is key to developing good homework habits.

These are valuable years for teaching your child how to keep schoolwork, play, fitness, and other activities in balance. You’ll be helping them with an important life lesson — and hopefully establishing a little more harmony at home.

Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, teacher tips, homework strategies for parents , and more resources for a successful school year. 

Shop workbooks to support your child’s skills below. You can shop all books and activities at The Scholastic Store .

For more quick tips and book recommendations, sign up for our Scholastic Parents newsletter!

You'll also get 10% off your first order at the Scholastic Store Online.

The Waldock Way

The Ultimate Guide To Homeschooling Fourth Grade

Time is flying by I can not believe we are talking about fourth grade already?!?! It seems like just yesterday I was homeschooling a preschooler and teaching her alphabet letters and numbers. But none the less, here we are!

Please keep in mind that this is the plan and we all know nothing ever goes according to plan. That being said, I always do a mid-year and end-of-the-year update video on my YouTube channel . Make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss it.

4th grade homework routine

Table of contents

Everything you need to homeschool your fourth grader, language and math for homeschooling fourth grade, fourth grade geography, history, and science, our one thing for the fourth grade year, our fourth grade homeschool routine, subscriptions and memberships to help you homeschool fourth grade, read alouds, independent reads, keeping track of what we read, top 15 games for fourth grade, yes, you can homeschool fourth grade, related blog posts.

I have compiled everything we used throughout Emily’s fourth grade year to give you a comprehensive look at homeschooling fourth grade. As always, please remember that this is what works for us. Your child may need some tweaks and adjustments and that’s ok!

This is simply a place to start and get you excited for your child’s fourth grade homeschool year!

4th grade homework routine

Fourth Grade Homeschool Curriculum and Resource Picks

These educational resources reflect our continued shift to play based and interest led learning. But, please keep in mind that we will be dabbling in these resources and not necessarily completing all of them in their entirety. We choose to use multiple resources to teach language arts and math goals. While following our daughters interests for the other subjects.

The base of our math will be Teaching Textbooks and we will also be incorporating tons of living math books and tons of fun math games .

The base of our language arts will be creative writing this year. We will be doing this through mail time , journaling , and exploring poetry together each week. We will also be incoporating tons of living langauge arts books and tons of fun language based games .

Emily wants to continue to learn cursive this year so we will be using the Handwriting Without Tears books that focus on cursive writing .

Additional resources I am planning to use for math and language arts include educational apps such as the Xtra Math app for math fact fluency and Cursive Writing app for handwriting practice.

For history we will be doing at least one Who Was Unit Study a month. I love that we can choose these based on what we are currently learning or I can just let Emily pick someone she is interest it. It makes history fun for us all!

For geography we will be using a combination of Traveling the Parks and Traveling the States . We are planning to visit some new to us National Parks this school year and I love that we can tie our studies into our experiences as a family.

For science we will be using unit studies I create based on Emily’s interests. Such as Survival , Space , Moon, Human Body , and Ocean . Unit studies are so amazing for interest-led learning and I love that we can all dive into them together as family.

4th grade homework routine

Each school year I choose one thing to focus on. I find that by prioritizing one thing for a year it becomes a habit by the end of the year. We have focused on things like reading aloud , gameschooling , and poetry teatime in the past.

This year we will be focusing on field trips by request. Because we were stuck home so much last school year we are all determined to get out and actually experience as much as possible. We want to go and do and enjoy the freedom that homeschooling offers us.

While we don’t follow it exactly I also really love having What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know on hand for references.

4th grade homework routine

My plan for the upcoming school year is for us to maintain the same general routine to our day that we spent so long last year perfecting. We are still using these adorable magnets from LoveyList that I easily display on the fridge for a visual reminder of what each day will hold Emily.

The routine we loosely follow is:

  • Morning Basket
  • Lunch + Educational Show
  • Afternoon Online Classes or Activities/Projects

If you would like to see what that looks likes like in action be sure to check our Our Homeschool Routine: A Day in the Life .

4th grade homework routine

We love adding subscriptions to our homeschool. They always feel like a special prize or gift when they arrive each month! Because of that we receive quite a few different ones that help enrich our homeschool each month.

Subscriptions and memberships we will be utilizing include Writings from the Wild , Letters from Afar , Heritage Letters , Universal Yums , MEL Chemistry , MEL Physics , KiwiCo Tinker Crate , Around the World Stories , SQUILT , No Sweat Nature Study , Chalk Pastel , Yellow Spot Sun , and Masterpiece Society .

4th grade homework routine

Read Alouds And Independent Books For Fourth Grade

Our homeschool is  largely  comprised of  books and games . Reading aloud plays a very crucial role in our homeschool. Most of our days begin and end with me reading aloud to Emily.

These are the books we enjoyed throughout her third grade year.

I will be specifically sharing the chapter books we enjoyed throughout the year. But, we also read a lot of picture books in addition to chapter books. The majority of the picture books we read each year can be found on Read Aloud Revival’s  a year of picture books  list.

A  very large  portion of what we read was book series. We tend to get invested when the story keeps going and we were more excited to race through a book knowing there was another one waiting.

It seems like there is a mourning period (at least for us) when a book ends. So maybe we just like series because there is less mourning that way.

                       

AND A LOT OF WHO WAS BOOKS!

Emily loves to read. her favorite spot in the whole house is her little book nook corner. She loves when her cat Nala comes and curls up with her for story time.

                                               

If you are looking for a way to easily keep track of the books you read in your homeschool, I highly suggest the  GoodReads  app.

GoodReads let you have as many “shelves” as you’d like. I have one for every homeschool year so far. You can scan the books and add them to your shelves with ease.

4th grade homework routine

Games For Fourth Grade Learning

To say we  play a lot of games  in our homeschool would be an  understatement .

We are what you would call gameschoolers  for sure. I make it a point to incorporate games into our days as much as possible. One way I do that is to use them in place of busy work.

Instead of learning about something Emily is uninterested in out of a boring textbook we can do something like play a fun hands-on game while we learn more about one of her favorite things: cats. Plus while we play we’d be connecting too.

Because I know we’re not alone, and many of you would love to add games to your days as well, I have put together a list of our most played games during our first grade year.

Play On Words Card Game –  Put your thinking cap on and enjoy this hands-on and engaging all-ages card game. This highly-versatile game meets players right where they’re at with spelling, resourcefulness in word making, and vocabulary. The no-rush format also allows for lots of creativity and conversation during game play.

Mad Libs The Game – Players use the Word Cards, along with the Sentence Card in play, to make the most appropriately inappropriate sentences possible All players vote and the silliest sentence wins the round. The first player to win three rounds wins the game With Mad Libs: The Game, the fun is ADJECTIVE and ADJECTIVE, and everyone will quickly be VERBing their NOUNs off.

Word on the Street – Shift into the fast lane to fun with Word on the Street, the hilarious tug of words road race! Players take turns flipping category cards and racing the clock to come up with an answer.

     

Adsumudi Math Game – Sharpen Mental Math Skills: Provides a fun alternative to math workbooks to help kids practice math facts.

Math Rush 2 – Think fast in Math Rush, a cooperative math game where up to five players must properly sequence math equations before the timer runs out. Crunch the numbers in a hurry and rack up more points; make an error and miss your goal.

SMATH – SMATH is the game that makes math fun! Players take turns using the tiles in their racks to build their own crossword style equations. For beginners, start off with addition and subtraction. For the math whiz, step it up to multiplication and division! Each tile has a point value that is earned once it’s played. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins!

Genius Games Periodic – In this scientifically accurate and cerebrally strategic board game, players race around the periodic table by choosing to spend or gain energy to activate one or more periodic trends. By navigating trends like atomic number and atomic radii, players can research elements and score points. 

Virulence: an Infectious Card Game – Virulence is a blind bidding game where players take on the roles of viruses, competing to infect a host cell. Players use their bidding hands to win (replicate) viral components cards in order to either score points, or to build the strength of their virus (their bidding hand) increasing their odds of winning critical bids later in the game.

Covalence: A Molecule Building Game – Covalence is a cooperative game – one player has knowledge of the secret molecules and must silently gives clue cards to all other players, who then attempt to accurately construct their secret molecules using their element tiles. Build all your secret molecules before the guess tokens run out and everyone wins!

CHRONOLOGY – Think you know which came first – the invention of mayonnaise or decaffeinated coffee? Lincoln’s Gettysburg address or John Deere’s first plow? Test your knowledge with Chronology by Buffalo Games – the game of all time! In Chronology, each player builds his or her own timeline of cards. On your turn, someone will read you a historical event from a card. You decide where that event falls in your timeline. If you are right, you keep the card and your timeline grows. 

Sweep the World Card Game – Introduce your kids to the beautiful countries of our world and let them discover every continent in the most playful way. With each card that lands in their hand, they will have the chance to absorb all these great educational facts without even trying. 

Gamewright in a Pickle – Can a giraffe fit in a phone booth? Does a sofa fit in a shopping cart? It all depends on how you size it up in this game of creative thinking and outrageous scenarios. Try to win a set of cards by fitting smaller things into bigger things – There’s some juice in a pickle, in a supermarket, in a parking lot. Play the fourth word card to claim the set, unless one of your opponents can trump with a larger word. 

Poetry for Neanderthals – Poetry for Neanderthals is a family-friendly party game similar to Taboo where players earn points by getting their teammates to guess words and phrases. The catch is that the “Neanderthal Poets” are only allowed to use single syllable words. If they use any words with more than one syllable, the other team gets to bop them with a 2-foot inflatable club.

Dragonrealm – Dare to venture beyond Dragon wood! Collect sets of adventurer cards in order to roll dice, which you will use to explore the mystical lands of dragonrealm. Sneak into the switches cabin, search the ogres’ tree house, or Storm The Isle of Dragons! Place the majority of adventurers on a location to claim its treasure. But beware of meddling goblins, who pop up to snatch the spoils! Gather the most gold and become ruler of the Realm!

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – Keep these  5 crazy words  in mind. As soon as there is a match between a card and a spoken word, race against each other to slap your hand on the central pile of cards. The last one to do so must take them all.

The reality is that I questioned myself all the time during our fourth grade year. Most homeschooling moms do!

But, I want you to know that homeschooling fourth grade is not only an educational option, it’s a wonderful approach to your child’s education.

4th grade homework routine

Watch this fourth grade homeschool playlist to see a indepth look at how our fourth grade homeschool year went.

  • The Ultimate Guide To Homeschooling Kindergarten (2021)
  • The Ultimate Guide To Homeschooling First Grade (2021)
  • The Ultimate Guide To Homeschooling Second Grade (2021)

One Comment

Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge. It is really awesome to hear about your year. I have a son who is starting 6th grade in the fall. I cannot believe it! Your blog posts and YouTube videos help SO much. I have weaved games from all subject areas into our homeschool day. From your blogs and videos I have learned to go at my son’s pace and to listen to what he likes to learn about to tailor the curriculum I buy or create. You really do so much for us fellow homeschooling moms and dads. Thank you for sharing all of your amazing knowledge!

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Confessions of a Homeschooler

4th Grade Homeschool Lesson Plans

4th Grade Homeschool Lesson Plans

Good morning! Today I’m releasing my 4th Grade Daily Homeschool Lesson Plans !

While some times people prefer to be spontaneous, other times I think it’s better to have a plan to follow so things don’t get missed or left behind!

Planning ahead is especially important if you’re a new homeschooling. Having a good plan will help make your days less chaotic and stressful, while giving you the comfort of knowing you’ve done everything you need to do on a daily basis. And having a good plan will also allow you to be more flexible when something fun arises!

It’s my opinion that if we can conquer each day, then we’ll conquer each week. If we conquer each week, then we can make it through the month without getting off track. And eventually, by making it through each day, week, and month, we can finish the year strong knowing we’ve completed everything we need to do to move our child on to the next grade level with confidence!

4thGradeLessonPlans_promo

I always get requests for our exact lesson plans for different grade levels, and so I’m so excited to be sharing my homeschool lesson plans with you all!  And YES, I will be releasing lesson plans for more grades coming soon!

I’ve done all of the hard work of planning and organizing your day for you, all you need to do is print them out and follow along!

These plans use the exact curriculum that we’ve used for our children, and hopefully they’ll be able to help you too! Most importantly I’m hoping my pre-made homeschool lesson plans will help you save time and stress by having all of the planning done for you!

We’ve been homeschooling for over 11 years now, and as you can imagine we’ve tried just about everything. I’ve complied our favorite curriculum in these lesson plans to help make your life a little easier and enjoyable!

What is included?

My daily lesson plans include everything you need to do to complete an entire year of fourth grade homeschooling including daily assignments for 34 full weeks of homeschool. They include daily learning activities for Art, Bible, English, Handwriting, Math, Phonics, Reading, Science, History, Spelling, Typing and Writing .

I know my exact curriculum may not work for all of you, so I’m also releasing an editable version for those of you who would like to use my lesson plans as a backbone, but be able to edit them to fit your own specific needs as well.

**These plans include main subjects to complete fourth grade level work with your student. That said, you’ll want to check with your local state homeschooling requirements to make sure you are following their requirements as states can vary.

4thGradeLessonPlans_inside

What curriculum is used?

These lesson plans utilize the resources listed below which must be purchased separately . For your convenience I have written them out in daily lesson plan format for ease of use. You can then print the assignment booklets for you and your students to use each day, and just follow along. It’s as easy as that!

Note: You will want to keep your curriculum’s teacher’s manuals handy as a more detailed guide if there are special projects or activities included.

  • Optional: Daily Learning Notebook (Elementary level cursive version)
  • Art: Homeschool Art Studio DVD Grade 4
  • Bible: Word of Life Challenger Quiet Time
  • English/Grammar: IEW Fix It Grammar Robin Hood Book 2
  • Handwriting: BJU Cursive Handwriting 4 (Since students are doing more writing this year, you can opt out of handwriting if you feel like it is too much for your student.)
  • History: Time Travelers U.S. History Study : **The Civil War, The Industrial Revolution/Great Depression, World War II, Activity-Pak: Make-A-State (Most states require a specific state study for your state in fourth grade. You will use the Make-A-State unit to research and learn about your own state! **NOTE: I have scheduled history 3 times/week which may be a bit too much for some students. If you find that is too much you can reduce it to two times per week spreading out the lessons accordingly. If you do twice/week you will only get through two of the units above. I also suggest choosing the activities that suit you best rather than trying to do every single activity they provide.)
  • Literature: Classical Literature Units
  • Reading Comprehension: Abeka 4 Read & Think Skill Sheets
  • Math: Math U See Delta
  • Science/Health: Abeka 4th Grade & COAH Scientist units
  • Spelling: Spelling You See Level F
  • Typing: Typing Web
  • Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing Group A Continuation SWI

Tips for use:

I suggest printing the lesson plans, then having them spiral bound at an office supply store. Then students can highlight activities as they’re completed. You can also print a copy for yourself if you would like!

4thGradeLessonPlans_inside2

–>> Get my COMPLETE HOMESCHOOL DAILY LESSON PLANS for 4th Grade here !

4thGradeLessonPlans_IG

**PLEASE NOTE: These plans include main subjects to complete 4th grade level work with your student. That said, you’ll want to check with your local state homeschooling requirements to make sure you are following their requirements as states can vary.

I’m having a hard time finding the state activity and when I click on the art it takes me to a 3rd grade art dvd… any help would be great thanks so much

Hi Angela, when you click the history link, click the US Study one: https://store.homeschoolinthewoods.com/collections/time-travelers-u-s-history-studies

For the art sorry about that! Here is the correct link: https://www.officialhomeartstudio.com/fourth-grade1.html and I’ve updated the post, thanks!

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4th grade homework routine

Collecting Homework in the Classroom

Tips and Ideas for Collecting Homework

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The purpose of homework is to help reinforce what was taught in class or to have students gather extra information beyond what was demonstrated in class.

Homework is one part of daily classroom management that can cause many teachers problems. Homework must be assigned, collected, reviewed and assessed. That amount of work means homework must be designed to serve an academic purpose, otherwise, the results may be a great waste of student and instructor time.

Here are a few tips and ideas that can help you create an effective method for collecting homework every day.

Physical Homework

New teachers find out very quickly that day-to-day instruction is made much more effective when there are organized daily housekeeping routines. In developing these routines, if there is homework to collect, the best time to collect it for use in instruction is at the beginning of the period.

Methods you can use to accomplish this include:

  • Station yourself at the door as students walk into your room. Students are required to hand you their homework. This greatly reduces the time it takes to complete this task because it is mostly finished before the bell even rings.
  • Have a designated homework box. Explain to students how they are to turn in their homework each day. To keep track, you might remove the homework box after the bell rings and class begins. Anyone who does not get it in the box will have their homework be marked late. Many teachers find it a good idea to give students a three to a five-minute window after the bell rings to avoid possible confrontations and to keep things fair.

Digital Homework

If the technology is available, in school and at home, teachers may prefer to give a digital homework assignment. They may use a course platform like Google Classroom, Moodle, Schoology, or Edmodo.

Students may be asked to complete homework individually or collaboratively. In this cases, the homework will be time-stamped or a digital student is associated with the work. You may use that time stamp to show the homework has been completed on time.

Digital homework may include programs that provide immediate feedback, which will make assessing much easier. On some of these platforms, there may be an opportunity for a student to repeat an assignment. Digital platforms allow teachers to keep an assignment inventory or student portfolios to note student academic growth.

You may choose to use a “flipped classroom” model. In this model, the instruction is assigned as the homework in advance of class, while the hands-on practice takes place in the classroom. The central idea with this kind of digital homework is similar. In a flipped classroom, the homework serving as the teaching tool. There may be videos or interactive lessons to provide the instruction that happens in class. A flipped learning model allows students to work through problems, suggest solutions, and engage in collaborative learning.

Homework tips

  • When it comes to daily housekeeping chores like collecting homework and taking roll, creating a daily routine is the most effective tool. If students know the system and you follow it every day, then it will take up less of your valuable teaching time and give students less time to misbehave while you are otherwise occupied.
  • Come up with a quick system to mark an assignment as late. You might have a brightly colored highlighter which you use to make a mark on the top of the paper. You could also mark it with the number of points that you will be taking off the paper. Whatever your method, you will want to make it something you can do quickly and efficiently. See How to Deal with Late Work and Makeup Work
  • Return homework within 24 hours for optimum effect.
  • The flipped homework in class as part of instruction. The homework is not assessed, but the students are.

Ultimately, it is not the assigning or collecting of homework that is important. What is important is understanding the purpose of homework, and that purpose can help you determine the kind of homework, be it physical or digital, that works best for your students.

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  • Teacher Housekeeping Tasks
  • Methods for Presenting Subject Matter
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  • Classroom Rules for High School Students
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  • Topics for a Lesson Plan Template
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How to Create a Homeschool Schedule (with 10 Sample Schedules & Template)

Jeanne faulconer, m.a..

As a homeschool evaluator in Virginia and a homeschool mom for 20 years, I've worked with hundreds of kids in families who have used all kinds of weekly homeschool schedules.

In this post, I will explain some of the many different types of homeschool schedules that families have successfully implemented, including examples and a template for you to use to create your own.

As you read over the many different ideas below, keep in mind that homeschoolers sometimes find families have to change their approach and their expectations or do things a different way. Adapting to what works best for your family is part of the wonderful flexibility of homeschooling.

How to Create a Homeschool Schedule

Tips for Creating a Homeschool Schedule

10 example schedules & template printable, homeschool schedule faqs, the effective homeschool schedule.

Creating an effective weekly schedule can look different for each family. Some families have schedules that look like school schedules, but most families use the flexibility of homeschooling to create a weekly schedule that is customized for them. How do you make a homeschool schedule that works?

Here are some tips that will help you to avoid pitfalls as you create your family's schedule.

  • Start with a broad view of your typical weekly and monthly activities. With a firm grasp of those basic commitments and the needs of your family in mind, you can develop a good plan for an effective homeschool schedule.
  • Before you start thinking about your typical homeschool schedule for the week, put your weekly and monthly commitments and kids' activities on the calendar so you can take them into consideration. Then focus on a creating a basic homeschooling schedule for your week around the basic commitments and responsibilities.
  • Include your household weekly/daily routine in the basic commitments you include on your calendar. You will need the cushion in your schedule for these non-homeschooling responsibilities.
  • Evaluate whether consistency in your daily homeschool schedule is important to you. Some of the options result in each daily schedule being different, while others may look the same each day of the week.
  • After deciding on the basic schedule that will work best for your family, keep your initial planning and work assignments to a month or less until you see how the schedule is working for you. If you need to switch gears, you haven't wasted time on schedules that will need to be reworked.
  • Do not plan to start off in high gear. Doing too much, too fast, and for too long often results in burnout—your kids' and yours. Instead, invest in the process of deschooling before jumping into a new schedule with both feet.
  • Consider starting with one academic subject at a time and adding in more over days or weeks. Many experienced homeschoolers even do this when transitioning to each new school year.

Here are some of the different schedules I have seen work to create a productive homeschooling week. I have included pros and cons for each type of homeschool schedule, and we've put together a free printable with sample homeschool schedules since seeing an example of each schedule type can be helpful.

The Traditional Five-Day Week Schedule

Pros: Works well with pre-planned curricula

Cons: Does not take advantage of the flexibility homeschooling offers

Yes, many follow a homeschool schedule that looks similar to a school schedule, doing five or more academic subjects each day for all five week-days. This can feel familiar, and many curricula make the assumption that this is the schedule you'll follow, so if you're big into pre-planning and use a formal curriculum, the five-day school week may be the schedule for you.

Screenshot of an example 5 day per week homeschool schedule

The Four-Day Week Schedule

Pros: Leaves a free day for other activities; the homeschool day closely matches the public school day of other neighborhood kids

Cons: May require adjusting pre-made lesson plans

Some families do traditional academics Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and leave the fifth day free. This often morphs into "Field Trip Fridays," either as families or members of the same homeschool group or co-op plan field trips for the end of the week. Even though some families may not take a field trip every Friday, they leave that day open for errands, appointments, library day, and a head start on weekend trips. Some curricula offer both four- and five-day plans, built right into their materials.

Screenshot of an example 4 day per week homeschool schedule

The One-Subject-a-Day Schedule

Pros: Allows more in-depth study and less time refocusing

Cons: May require review due to longer time between covering subject material

Other families divide their learning into traditional school subjects and address one subject each day. For example, they might do math on Mondays, English on Tuesdays, science on Wednesdays, social studies on Thursdays, and electives or "anything else" on Fridays (art, music, foreign language, etc.). The order  might vary from family to family, but the idea is to focus on one subject more thoroughly and in-depth on each day.

Screenshot of an example one subject per day homeschool schedule

The One-Subject-a-Day- Plus Schedule

Pros: Allows more in-depth study and less time refocusing but allows for more repetition where needed

Cons:  May require review on less frequented subjects; some kids resist repetition of more frequented subjects

The parents and/or kids in families using this type of homeschool schedule like delving deeply into one subject per day, but they also want to do some of certain specific subjects every day. The "plus" is commonly math practice, memory work practice, and/or language arts, so they'll spend time  every  homeschooling day doing those added ("plus") things, followed by one other subject.

For example, on Mondays they might do math and spelling, followed by science. On Tuesdays they might do math and grammar, followed by history. On Wednesdays they might do math and writing, followed by geography. And so on.

For a younger child, the language arts portion might be a reading lesson or reading practice each day. For a child who wants to write or who needs practice, it might be writing each day.

Memory work, which is an approach some families might take for learning facts like state names and locations, multiplication tables, geologic time periods, or U.S. presidents, is obviously something that works better when revisited frequently.

In any case, homeschool parents using this kind of weekly homeschool schedule may have several things that are done daily because they are seen as the priority or because they are "practice-oriented," while they designate other subjects for each day to give time for real exploration. If science can take up more time on Tuesday instead of switching from subject to subject every 45 minutes to an hour, then you have time to watch a documentary, read a passage, and do an experiment, all related to the same scientific concept. You will be building a lot of context for that science learning all within the same day, making it easier for a child to make connections rather than shifting gears constantly.

Screenshot of an example homeschool schedule based on one subject per day plus some subjects every day

The Co-op-Driven Schedule

Pros:  Helps families be more realistic about the amount of time a co-op commitment takes

Cons:  Can sometimes squeeze out time at home and relaxed learning opportunities

Some families belong to academic co-ops that meet on a regular schedule, commonly once per week. While some co-ops are self-contained, with the kids doing enrichment learning at co-op with no expected follow-up, other co-ops have the core academic subjects. Students are expected to do assignments at home and study for tests given by co-op teachers.

Parents will arrange their weekly schedules at home to help their children prepare for the coming classes at co-op. In my homeschooling life, I've been involved in Monday co-ops, Wednesday co-ops, and Thursday co-ops, some of which had homework expectations and some which did not, driven by the type of learning situation my kids wanted. If the co-op has the core academic classes a parent or child wants covered, then other academic interests that are independent of the co-op are also worked in around co-op homework, spread throughout the other days of the week.

Screenshot of an example co-op driven homeschool schedule

The University-Model Schedule

Pros:  May cover all subjects with teachers who are experts in their fields

Cons:  Not a good fit for kids who are not traditionally academic or have poor executive function skills

In some states, there are university-model homeschool co-ops where classes meet twice a week, using the same type of scheduling you'd commonly find on college campuses. A student might attend four classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and have Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to complete homework at home. At other such co-ops, a child might be in the classroom four days a week, with a Monday/Wednesday set of classes and a Tuesday/Thursday set of classes.

Yes, this really does become somewhat more like a private school (and some private schools do operate this way), but in some cases, the kids really aren't there more than several hours per day and don't have access to the kind of comprehensive services that a school offers. Their education continues to be directed by their parents, and there is no official diploma awarded by the co-op.

Obviously, this kind of co-op has a lot of the same kind of scheduling and homework challenges that attending school has. On the other hand, it may give students access to teachers who are more expert in their fields or to a more structured type of learning that they want or that the parent is seeking.

These kinds of co-ops may sound like a dream come true for someone who has recently taken a child out of school in order to homeschool ("They cover all the subjects!"), but don't be fooled; using a co-op as a replacement for school does not always work well, especially immediately following withdrawing from school. Instead, consider deschooling first.

Some families use this kind of block scheduling at home without attending a University-Model school. Implementing this model at home is more flexible for students who are not working on the same grade level in all subjects and for families who like the block scheduling but don't want to (or can't) participate in a co-op.

Screenshot of an example University Model co-op schedule

The Shift-Work Schedule

Pros:  Can tag team homeschooling between parents; kids see more of their employed parent(s)

Cons:  Odd schedules can make sports, activities, and social time more difficult to arrange; hard to homeschool when neighbor kids want to play after their school

Some families have a parent who is working a more unusual shift or schedule, such as a hospital nurse or a firefighter who works three or four days on with three or four days off. Homeschooling can be coordinated to take place while  the parent is working -- if the other parent is an at-home parent doing the homeschooling. This way time off can be maximized with togetherness rather than worries about academics.

Another approach may be scheduling the academics purposely during the off shift. This way, in a two-parent family, both parents can participate in the homeschooling, or in a single-parent family, the homeschooling can take place during time off with child care covering the work hours.

You can definitely create a homeschool schedule that takes your work schedule into account.

Screenshot of an example homeschool schedule for a family working shift work

The Extracurricular and Class-Driven Schedule

Pros:  Can increase commitment to specific priorities like sports or a special class

Cons:  Easy to over-schedule and leave too little time at home

In a large or busy family, extracurricular activities, sports, volunteering, and classes in the community go on the weekly schedule first. For example, the local science museum may be offering an eight-week class in archaeology on Tuesdays, and all three kids go for piano lessons on Thursdays, followed by library story hour. Fridays may be the day that your family volunteers at the animal shelter or at the food pantry.

Families who make liberal use of these kinds of resources work other academics around these outside activities. I have known many families who have found that their kids took off with Scouts and 4-H projects to the extent that they actually became a large part of their academic learning, so prioritizing them made sense.

Just as a matter of practicality, outside activities aren't going to bend to your personal schedule unless you are the organizer, so putting outside commitments on the calendar first is just a reality, especially as children get older.

Sometimes the "other things" on the calendar really do drive your homeschool schedule, and that's okay!

Screenshot of an example extracurricular and class driven schedule

The What-We-Need-to-Do and What-We-Want-to-Do Schedule

Pros:  May help develop executive function, planning skills, and creativity if parent partners with child or teen

Cons:  May be easy to leave kids on their own without resources they need for their studies and projects

Families who use project-based homeschooling , interest-based homeschooling , unschooling , unit studies, and interdisciplinary homeschooling may not find school subjects or community activities to be the most compelling aspects of their weekly schedule. Instead, their homeschooling may revolve around where the project or interest or study leads . Their days of the week are organized around what they need and want to do to follow up on interests or projects.

That might mean a day at home to research and plan and make lists. This might be followed by a day out to shop for supplies and materials. Then a day at home to build and create the project, along with more list-making and research for another round of resource-gathering. There might need to be a day to visit with a mentor or go to the library for books, or a day to wait for help from Dad or Aunt Janie.

Homeschooling parents using one of these approaches may keep their weekly schedules fluid and ever-changing with each project, or they may have designated days that they know they will "stay home" or "be out," and they tack on what is needed for the week's learning to certain days. That way, material gathering will always be done on Tuesdays -- a designated "out" day, while kids can look forward to help and undisturbed time for working on projects on Wednesday -- a designated "home" day.

Screenshot of an example what you want to do and what you need to do homeschool schedule

The Alternating Home/Out Schedule

Pros:  Balances time at home with time going to classes, sports, co-op, and errands

Cons: Outside activities may not fit your out days; packing so much into "out" days is challenging with babies and young children

In fact, many homeschooling families, especially those with young children, find that a mainstay of organizing their homeschool schedules is that alternating pattern of home- and out-days. A big day of errands, lessons, grocery shopping and volunteering needs to be followed by a slower paced home-based day to give everyone time to recover and have time for reading, playing, exploring, and helping with home maintenance. This may especially be true for people living where there are a lot  of activities available to homeschoolers, so they have to be careful not to over-schedule.

However, it can also be a wise rhythm for families who live in rural areas who have to drive long distances to activities: scheduling firm home days can be a relief from being in the car too much and valuing outside activities over home-based ones.

The home/out alternating schedule also provides relief for both your extroverted children and introverted children -- who can look forward to having time to recharge with the level of interaction that helps them function best.

Screenshot of an example Home/Out homeschool schedule

How do I create a homeschool schedule?

  • Put high priority weekly and monthly activities on a weekly schedule worksheet first—things like library days, homeschool co-op, music lessons, sports practices, and grocery day.
  • Consider grouping some regular “out-of-the-house” activities on the same day. 
  • Look at days without outside activities and the time between commitments.Those days and those blocks of time are the time you can help your child learn at home. 
  • If you are using curriculum, space lessons out in the available time, leaving time for meals and breaks. If you are using an interest-led or project-based approach, you’ll want a more fluid schedule that includes time to gather resources or meet with mentors. 
  • If shift work and employment are part of your picture, you’ll account for work schedules, so you can homeschool around work commitments. 

We have example schedules in this post for many different scenarios, and our free printable with example homeschool schedules includes blank worksheets you can customize with your activities.

How many hours a day should I spend homeschooling?

There are two factors when deciding how long to homeschool each day: what’s effective and what’s required . 

Most states do not have any required hours while a few states require homeschooling parents to log hours in writing. Homeschoolers in your state can give you tips for meeting requirements. If it’s not required in your state, you do not need to meet a certain number of hours “just in case,” and your homeschool day does not need to look like a school day. 

Remember, you aren’t teaching a large “class” of students, and your children are also learning when you are not actively teaching. You may formally work with a kindergartener or first grader for an hour, spread out during several parts of the day because of short attention spans. 

A six year old may have an attention span as short as eight to ten minutes! But lots of things count: following a recipe while cooking with Mom or Dad, listening to a bedtime story, watching a dinosaur documentary, gathering wild flowers and talking about how they need sun, earth, and rain to grow.

As kids grow older, homeschooling can expand to fill more hours of the day. Remember that insisting on completion of a lesson, chapter, or complete problem set may not be as effective as stopping after a certain amount of understanding or effort. You’re homeschooling—you can meet the needs of your child rather than your curriculum. 

How many days a week should I homeschool?

Homeschool for the number of days each week that creates a positive experience for you and your kids. 

Many curricula assume five days a week or have a second option for four days a week. However, you can spread lessons over more or fewer days depending on what works for your family. This may vary from year to year and even from child to child and subject to subject! 

Some homeschoolers homeschool year round and don’t worry about a certain number of days each week. Some homeschoolers do not separate “homeschooling days” from “non-homeschooling days,” since learning happens all the time. That five-day-a-week “schedule” originates with schools rather than families and may not apply to your family. That’s especially true if you’re using resources rather than a paced curriculum or if you are homeschooling through projects or your child’s interests. 

Check your state law to see if there are requirements for tracking hours or days of homeschooling, and learn how homeschoolers in your area meet the requirement. There is often more flexibility than you expect.

What does a homeschool day look like?

While many families start with a schedule planned to the clock, a flexible approach is to start with a rhythm or routine, often organized around meals, snacks, the baby’s naps, afternoon walks, or other “anchors” to the day you choose. This way, you and the children always know, after breakfast, you gather to read aloud and have “morning time” discussions. Then math. After math, a snack and time to walk the dog. Then a music listening activity or science documentary during lunch, and so on. 

Homeschool days vary so much depending on the ages of children in the family, how many outside activities they are involved in, and whether parents are employed outside the home. One family’s days may involve theater rehearsal twice a week at 1 pm. Another family may do farm chores before breakfast. 

While some parents structure their days so all homeschooling is done in one block, other parents may discover that after 45 minutes of concentration, the kids do better if they play outside for an hour and then resume homeschooling. If you could peek into the homes of a hundred different homeschooling families, you’d see a hundred different homeschool days, most looking not very much like school schedules. You can structure your homeschool day so it works for you and the kids. 

How do I loop a schedule for homeschooling?

To create a loop schedule, list all the homeschool subjects and activities you’re planning to do. Begin with the top item on the list, and then spend time each day working on “what’s next” on the list. 

If you get through three subjects on Monday, then on Tuesday, begin with the fourth subject on the list. Perhaps you get through just two things that day, so on Wednesday, start with the sixth item, and so on. When you get to the end of the list, loop back to the beginning, no matter what day it is.

You can have “repeats” in your list intentionally, so you hit those activities or lessons more often. You can also mix and match looping with one of the other approaches to scheduling. Commonly, parents might do math and language arts every day, but create a list of looped studies or practices for history, science, music, art and interest-led learning.

Looping might be activity-based rather than subject-based, too. Instead of listing English, math, science, history and so on, you might list activities such as read aloud, nature walk, handcraft/art, project time, etc.

You can fit “what’s next” on your looping list into specific hours of the day (which gives you a good stopping time each day), or you can keep your hours open ended so you stay with a project that is engaging the kids, knowing you can pick up on other priorities on a different day. Start with the next thing on your list! 

The truth is, most homeschooling parents have to consider many of these things in creating a strong homeschool schedule for their week.

They may participate in a co-op, have regularly scheduled outside activities, do shift work,  and  use a curriculum alongside interest-based learning and projects. Or, they may be unschoolers whose kids nonetheless participate in a co-op and a lot of community activities, service work, and time with mentors.

Everyone also has to figure in time for grocery shopping, meal preparation , laundry, home maintenance, and appointments, and many have to include part-time or full-time work.

An effective homeschool schedule takes these things into consideration, along with time for the student to do independent work and for the homeschooling parent(s) to take a break and pursue their own interests .

You might find some kind of weekly planner to be a useful tool in scheduling your homeschooling and as something you can post on the fridge to keep your whole family aware of the regularly occurring weekly events (TheHomeSchoolMom has a free homeschool planner here ).

In any case, thinking not only about your homeschool year but also your weekly homeschool schedule can be valuable in preparing for your upcoming season of homeschooling. Rest assured that not everyone follows a school pattern for their homeschool schedule, and you can flex your week to meet your family's needs—and your own.

How to Create a Homeschool Schedule

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What about a 2 subject a day schedule? Monday to Friday, then Saturday Physical Education? What are the pros and cons? I was planning 2 hours a day, since I work from 1:30pm to 5:30pm so it would be from 6pm to 8pm. My son is 3 years old, he's very physical, easily distracted unless I put his hands on something, then he pay attention, hyper and speech delayed, taking speech/occupational therapy on mornings, I'm a book freak, I prefer planned things, checklists, organization, etc.

-What are the pros and cons of 2 subjects a day schedule? -Can I make it work for my boy needs (Speech delay, kinesthetic learner)? -Will we crash together as a textbooks freak, organized, schedule mom vs kinesthetic learner, hyper, speech delayed kid?

Great article. Detailed and simplified for first time homeschoolers looking for schedule options to explore for their homeschool.

I'm glad you found the article helpful, Tiffany. There are so many ways to arrange homeschool days and weeks. That said, it seems like specific examples help newer homeschooling parents really comprehend the amount of flexibility they have.

Thanks for commenting! Jeanne

I'm making a few prints of some of the documents from the Master Planner pages. There is a Menu-To Do List-Chore Chart page that has B L D S labels and slots for entries. What's the S?

Hi Theresa - The S is for Snack.

I'm wondering how single/divorced parents work out a homeschool schedule. My children are old enough to be home alone while I work but aren't keeping up with the schedule I planned. The goal was that they'd work independently while I'm at work and I could pick up on more difficult lessons when I get home but that's more of a dream than reality. I don't have any family or friends who could "oversee" them and am having difficulty finding a sitter or tutor who would work 3-4 hrs a day to keep them on task. I'm not sure I can keep up with spending all my time after work and on weekends homeschooling without burning out pretty quickly. Any advice?

Hi Anonymous,

Sounds like your kids are old enough to be home alone, but not ready to be home alone and responsible for school work of the type you are expecting. I hear that your goal of them working at home and then you helping with difficult things at night is not working out.

It's pretty common for homeschooling not to work out the way people hope. Many people find they have to change their homeschooling approach and their expectations or do things a different way.

You don't say what type of homeschooling they are expected to do while you're gone, but it's really not unusual for kids not to be able to work independently, especially if a program is not engaging them.

My suggestions are to try something that is more engaging for them, that they want to work on while you are out. This could be a different approach to homeschooling altogether or a different curriculum.

You might also try flipping the timing - with them doing homeschool work in the evenings when you are home. They may gradually become more independent, partly in an effort to get their evenings more free - or they may really need the assistance to stay on task, which would not be unusual. Many people who work do indeed homeschool at night and on weekends to make things work.

You might also try finding another homeschooling parent who needs to earn extra money, who might be interested in having your kids several days a week and helping them with what they're learning. A university student might also be a good option, if you have a university near you. We have an article called Can Somebody Homeschool My Kids that explains some of the possibilities.

I would also suggest that you find and network with other employed parents who are homeschooling, so you get support and ideas about how they are working things out.

While many employed parents do make homeschooling work well, there are a lot of variables that can make it easier or harder in some families. Some kids are just compliant about doing expected work, or they so strongly desire to learn at home that they are willing to do it while a parent is away. However, many of us don't have those kids, and we have to find other ways to help them learn - a different schedule, a different program, a different setting, etc. Some people find they are able to take kids with them to the office or work part-time from home to make it work. Some check in using Facetime or Skype to help kids keep things on track.

When something isn't working, homeschoolers tweak and change to try out new ideas. Good luck in finding something that will work for your family!

I would say, maybe try giving them incentives to finish their work. Give them a schedule to follow, and as soon as they finish their core subjects, they can have a hour or two of free time (a movie/documentary, video games, or hobbies) and a snack. As soon as they are done they can check in with you (call or text) and you can give the okay for their free time. You can help them with whatever they had issues with when you get home. If they don't fulfill their responsibilities they lose privileges. If they do, then they maintain or gain privileges. If there is anyone who would be willing to give them a call or stop by to check on them, this can be helpful too, to hold them accountable. Maybe the other parent if he or she is still involved. I'm going to say a prayer for you right now. I'm sorry you are going through this difficult situation. I was a single mother of 4 once, so I understand. I pray that you will have a blessed homeschool journey and that you will find the resources and people who will support you along the way.

As I’m sitting here contemplating our 6th year.. can’t believe it’s been 6 years.. I’m considering how to adjust our schedule for the changes that inevitably come with growing kiddos. Your article was a huge relief for me to read. We do not only a 4 day week but have a field trip Friday! Also, I had never considered a subject per day. With the kids getting older the subjects become more in depth. This is my solution subject per day plus! Love it. Thank you so much for writing this article. Even though we have our RE we still stay ahead of the PS curve 🙂

Jen, the "one-subject-per-day-PLUS" is a really workable solution. Many people find they are "almost" doing it, but their brain hasn't quite freed up that idea that they could have Science Mondays, History Tuesdays, Art Wednesdays and so on - but do their math and language arts every day. I love how this option allows for deep dives.

And enjoy those Field Trip Fridays!

Well done! I have only been home schooling my kids for 5 years, but find this info to be on point with what I have observed. We do the 4 day method and reserve the 5th day for a co-op that does the fun, elective type stuff like art and gym. Next fall we are also looking at adding homeschool partnership classes...drums, piano, and swimming lessons. I get overwhelmed wondering how I will pack it all in, but every year can look different...so I know I can change it up if it gets go be too much. Anyway, thanks for the great article! I enjoyed reading it.

Glad you found the info to be on point. You are right that homeschooling changes from year-to-year. That's one reason why we want parents to be aware of the many ways they can schedule their weeks.

There are lots of great options for scheduling, and homeschoolers' schedules don't have to look like school schedules.

Good luck adding in the new activities. You'll find your rhythm!

I really love this article. You explain the different schedules so well. Thank you!

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4th grade homework routine

9 Great Morning Work Ideas for Upper Elementary

Are you looking for some great morning work ideas? Establishing a morning routine that includes morning work can help create a consistent routine, help set the tone for the remainder of the day, and is a great time to reinforce learning.

morning work ideas

Mornings can be such a busy time of the school day. If your school is like mine, students trickle into the classroom each morning. Beginning at 7:30 the school doors open and car riders and bus riders filter into the classroom until the tardy bell at 7:55.

But what do we do with our students during this time?

First of all, it is important to establish a morning routine. Students should know morning expectations such as putting away lunch boxes and backpacks, sharpening pencils, gathering supplies, etc.

Once students have completed these morning routines, then what? There may still be 5, 10, or even 20 minutes before the bell begins the school day. Morning work is a great solution!

Whether you choose seatwork to help begin a relaxing and calming day, or you prefer a more active, hands-on approach to morning work, there is no wrong choice. Choose a type of morning work that fits the needs of your classroom. Here are 9 great morning work ideas for your classroom.

Morning Work Ideas

9 Great Morning Work Ideas for Upper Elementary

Read a Book

Begin each morning with independent reading. If you are looking for a way to establish a calm routine to begin each day, beginning with students reading a book is perfect. This is also a great choice if you have trouble finding time during your day for independent reading.

One added benefit to using reading a book as morning work is that it is truly no prep!

Before my classroom was 1:1 with technology, I would often begin my day with morning work that I called board work. This was usually grammar review or math review problems and questions that I would write on the board. Students then completed the work in a morning work journal. Even with technology, this is still a good choice if you are looking for a morning work routine that provides students an opportunity to practice skills that they have learned.

Computer Time

Another great way to begin the day is with computer-assigned work. One of my favorite websites to use for morning work is Readworks . I love using their ‘Article-a-Day’ during morning work. These short 10-minute articles help students to build background knowledge and vocabulary. My favorite sites and computer activities include:

  • typing practice
  • Wonderopolis

Daily Grammar

Finding time to squeeze in grammar during the school day can be difficult. By creating a morning work routine that centers around grammar review, you can rest assured that your students will have time each day to practice their grammar skills.

My 4th Grade Daily Grammar Bundle can provide your students with a fun way to begin their school day. Each packet is jammed full of monthly grammar puzzles and coloring pages to help your students practice their grammar skills.

Students love these fun pages! Click on the image below to find out more about this year-long seasonal grammar bundle.

Just look at what teachers have said, “These grammar packs are great for morning work during the holiday times. They think it is a break from their normal stuff and since it is all themed with the holiday it seems to keep their interest just a little more.”

4th grade homework routine

Click HERE for my 3rd Grade Bundle.

Daily Edits

Students often struggle with grammatical errors in their writing. Give your students opportunities to find and edit grammatical errors with daily edits. Find free edits for every month HERE.

Brain Teasers

If you are looking for a fun way to begin your school day, brain teasers might be for your classroom. Try a variety of types of brain teasers to get your day off to a great start.

  • brain teasers
  • logic puzzles
  • jigsaw puzzles
  • word searches

Soft Start Morning Work

I have had some classes that were simply not morning people. I can personally relate. I am not a morning person, and it takes me a while to get going. For these students, a soft start can be a good way to start the day. Soft start morning work simply consists of easy tasks that students can choose to settle into the classroom before academics begin. Soft start assignments may include:

  • coloring pages
  • listening to books
  • directed drawings
  • activity tubs

Complete Morning Tasks

Finding time to complete tasks that need to be done can sometimes be challenging. Students can complete these tasks as part of their morning work. I always struggled with finding time to allow students to go to the classroom library that wouldn’t be a disruption to the others in the classroom. Eventually, I realized morning was a perfect time.

Other tasks that students might complete during morning work:

  • visit classroom library
  • complete attendance chart
  • complete classroom jobs
  • turn in homework
  • fill out planners

Listen to Music

Add music to your mornings! While is not ‘work’, it is a fantastic way to set the tone and rhythm of your day. From fun upbeat tunes to calming sounds, music can add so much to your mornings.

I love using playlists from Spotify for classroom music. Here are a couple of my favorite classroom-friendly places to find great playlists on Spotify.

  • MissBensko Playlist – Miss Bensko has the ultimate list of music for your classroom!
  • Jim Brickman The Disney Songbook – If you love Disney music and are looking for calming music, this is a great choice. This set of piano tunes are beautiful and calming.
  • Vitamin String Quartet – instrumentals
  • White Noise – can also be a good option if you and your students like relaxing sounds
  • The Piano Guys – This is one of my personal favorites because I play the piano and love piano music.

Please keep in mind that unless you have a Spotify subscription, commercials will be played periodically, and some of those commercials may not be suitable for your classroom. (I am not an affiliate, but am simply sharing classroom ideas.)

Remember when choosing an activity for morning work, what works for one group of students, may not work as well for another group. Choose a morning routine that works for both you and your students.

I hope you found some morning work ideas that will fit your morning routine! For even more ideas on classroom routines, check out my blog post HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a blessed day!

Kelly Benefield

  • Read more about: behavior management , Uncategorized

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This free PowerPoint is a powerful visual and learning tool that will help your students understand and identify subjects and predicates and is perfect for grades 2-5!

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These Fourth Grade Classroom Management Ideas Will Make Your Teacher Life Easier

All the best teacher-proven tips and tricks.

Fourth Grade Classroom Management

By the first day of fourth grade, most students are pretty much old pros at the whole school thing. They know the basic dos and dont’s, how they should behave, and what their teacher expects. Plan to give them a good amount of freedom, but continue to guide them on their respective responsibilities. Here are some of the best teacher-tested ideas for fourth grade classroom management.

1. Teach values, not rules

Fourth Grade Classroom Management

Fourth graders know what they should and shouldn’t do in a classroom, but it’s still good to establish your expectations at the beginning of the year. Guide them through a discussion to establish a set of class values, and ask everyone to agree and sign their name to them. This is a terrific way to give kids a feeling of ownership right from the start.

Learn more: Building Brilliance

2. Practice the 7 Habits

4th grade homework routine

Try making the 7 Habits part of your fourth grade classroom management system. Read Sean Covey’s The 7 Habits of Happy Kids , and talk as a class about how you can all apply those habits every day. Many schools have tried this system, and they’re finding these simple ideas give kids the tools they need to be successful learners and citizens.

Learn more: Perry’s Primary Paradise/Instagram

3. Post a Focus Wall

Fourth Grade Classroom

Kids tend to be more focused and ready to learn when they know what’s coming. Post and update your Focus Wall each week to let students know the topics you’ll be covering, and what they’ll be expected to learn and do. This is a good way to keep yourself on track with standards and objectives too.

Learn more: Ashleigh’s Education Journey

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4. Establish a morning routine

4th grade homework routine

Though flexibility is important, your fourth grade classroom management plan should include lots of regular routines. Calm the morning madness by having kids follow the same steps each day when they come into school. This will vary based on your own school set-up, of course, but make sure your routine includes time for kids to put away their belongings, hit the restroom, check themselves in for attendance/lunch count, and turn in any work or parent notes. If kids can handle these things on their own, it gives you time to deal with the inevitable last-minute stuff.

Learn more: Young Teacher Love

5. Use an end-of-day routine too

Fourth Grade Classroom

Don’t get caught out by the bell at the end of the day. Instead, plan a routine that includes time to wrap up, clean up, and talk over what kids learned and did that day. ( Find more ways to calm the end-of-day chaos here. )

Learn more: Adrienne Teaches/End-of-Day Routine

6. Let others know where you are

4th grade homework routine

Sometimes it seems like you spend half the school day going from one place to another, right? Use a simple sign to let others know where your class is throughout the day. Changing the pointer makes an excellent classroom job.

Learn more: Suburban Snow White

7. Simplify your classroom jobs

Fourth Grade Classroom Management

Speaking of classroom jobs, you’ll definitely want to have some as part of your fourth grade classroom management system. But there’s no need to complicate things. Create a few basic jobs with multiple responsibilities, and change them up regularly. We love this system that uses Experts and Apprentices so kids can train each other on the duties of each position.

Learn more: Crockett’s Classroom

8. Work toward weekly rewards

4th grade homework routine

Behavior management is a big part of any fourth grade classroom management system. Giving your whole class goals to work towards together fosters a sense of community and teamwork. Make your rewards effective by asking kids what they’d like to earn; that gives them increased incentive to behave.

Learn more: The Animated Teacher

9. Try a credit/debit system

Fourth Grade Classroom Management

It’s important to reward individual behavior too. A classroom economy system takes a little work, but it can teach kids a lot of real-life money skills. If that’s more than you can handle, give brag tags a try instead. And don’t forget the power of a simple hand-written note to make a student’s day a little brighter.

Learn more: Tanya Yero Teaching

10. Help students self-assess

Fourth Grade Classroom Management

By fourth grade, students should be starting to assess their own behavior. Try using a basic assessment at the end of the day on Friday. Send it home for a signature over the weekend, and bring it out Monday morning to help kids decide what they want to focus on improving during the week ahead.

Learn more: Notes From the Portable

11. Keep unfinished work organized

4th grade homework routine

One key to fourth grade classroom management is deciding how you’ll manage unfinished work. This clipboard system is simple; just have kids add their unfinished assignments to the boards. When they’re done with another activity early, they can pull out their boards to finish up any leftover work.

Learn more: Adrienne Teaches/Managing Unfinished Work

12. Save your voice with a doorbell

Fourth Grade Classroom

In the last few years, teachers have discovered the magic of wireless doorbells, and they’ve been singing their praises ever since. Use them for transitions, to signal the end of individual or group work, and so much more. Get all the tips and tricks for using a wireless doorbell in your classroom here.

13. Help them when they struggle

4th grade homework routine

Fourth graders are definitely too old for time outs, but they still need a safe place to cool off sometimes. Calm Down Corners have become a popular tool; provide some fidget toys, calming books, and suggestions for how to overcome their current mood. You can send them there as needed, or let them choose to spend a few minutes there when they’re struggling.

Learn more: Rocky Mountain Classroom/Instagram

14. Send home a Friday note

4th grade homework routine

Your fourth grade classroom management plan needs to include regular communication with parents. Make things easy with a simple Friday letter you can send home in person or via email. Keep parents in the loop for the week ahead, and provide feedback on their student’s progress that week.

Learn more: Traci Clausen

15. Keep a parent communication log

4th grade homework routine

Experienced teachers recommend keeping a log of all personalized communication you have with parents. Set one up for emails, calls, meetings, and other contacts, and be sure to note the details and any parent response. These notes may come in handy if you need to answer questions from your administration about patterns of behavior.

Learn more: Teacher Karma

Get more fourth grade classroom management inspiration with these 50 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Teaching Fourth Grade .

Plus, the Ultimate Checklist for Setting Up Your Fourth Grade Classroom .

These Fourth Grade Classroom Management Ideas Will Make Your Teacher Life Easier

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Your Age-by-Age Guide to Homework

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Are you scared to look in your child’s book bag at the end of the day?

And I’m not talking about the forgotten sandwiches that migrate to the bottom of a full backpack.

I mean the dreaded homework assignments that loom within folders and binders, just waiting to be ignored and fought over for the rest of the evening.

Typically when parents think of the word “homework”, they quickly associate it with the term “fight”.

But homework doesn’t have to be a fight – a struggle at times, yes, but now a full out war.

Understanding what homework looks like at each grade level is a great start to helping support your child in completing their school work.

Also, the earlier you focus on creating an environment of learning and studying, the easier time your child will have as they progress through school.

Here’s your guide on setting up your child for academic success as well as what kind of homework to expect for each grade:

Setting Up For Success

From day one, homework is important in developing good study skills.

In order to encourage your child to complete their homework and take it seriously, you need to establish a proper homework environment .

Here are some tips for setting your child up for homework success:

  • Set a regular homework time. Homework should be done at the same time each evening to establish a routine. Just make sure you’re allowing your little one some time to decompress when they get home before jumping into more schoolwork.
  • Create a study area. Give your child a place to with proper lighting, materials and few to now distractions.
  • Keep an eye on their work. Involve yourself in the process not only by helping them with homework, but monitoring their progress as well.
  • Be a role model. While you may not have homework at this stage in your life, you can model good study habits by reading and pursuing your own learning opportunities.

You may think your child is a little Einstein when they start school, but the learning material will progressively get more difficult as they age.

Encouraging good study habits will give them the skills they need to continue their success through school.

Grade-by-Grade Homework Guide

Kindergarten.

4th grade homework routine

When your little one is in kindergarten, it’s likely they won’t have much for homework.

However, you may find the teacher sending home easy tasks such as practicing sight words, letters, numbers and working on patterns.

Since there shouldn’t be a lot of academic expectation from children this young, it’s easy to navigate the homework by making it fun and play-based.

Children learn best through tactile activities, so materials such as PlayDoh can be used to create numbers and letters as well as designing patterns using different colors.

A whiteboard is a great tool to practice what they are learning, especially sight words. Write out the word, have your child read it and let them erase it before moving on to the next one.

Kindergarten homework tends to be pretty repetitive, meaning that your child is likely going to practice the same material each night on a week-to-week basis.

Even if your little one is catching on quick to the material, it’s important to keep up with the homework habit. This is going to help them develop healthy studying habits as they move from grade to grade.

Elementary School: Grades 1 to 2

4th grade homework routine

Once your child moves from kindergarten into grade 1, the learning environment becomes less play-based and more academic.

This doesn’t mean you can’t continue making homework fun! At this age, their focus is still on playing, so you can keep using novel materials when doing homework.

The workload is likely not going to increase during these grades, but the material may become more challenging.

In order to keep homework from becoming too time consuming, you may have to mix straight-up review with play.

Use unique activities when it comes to concepts your child is struggling with and quick reviews for the learning objectives they have easily grasped.

By these grades, teachers typically encourage your child to be reading. This aspect of homework can be delayed until bedtime – which makes reading seem less like “work” and more like a leisurely activity.

Elementary School: Grades 3 to 5

4th grade homework routine

By the time your little one enters grade 3, and until they finish elementary school, they should begin to complete their homework independently.

While it’s important that you remain on standby to help them with difficult concepts, you should be able to set up each homework activity and allow them to complete them on their own.

During this time, students begin to progress from simply practicing basic skills and mastering them onto more complex skills.

This means that homework is going to become more challenging, which is why focusing on a good homework routine during these grades is very important.

If you find your child resisting their homework at this age, there’s nothing wrong with offering an incentive for completing it. Try to stay away from monetary rewards and focus more on fun activities they can engage in once homework is completed.

Remember to not make homework seem like a cumbersome chore – instead, cheer your child on as they work through it. Praise them for doing a good job.

Middle School: Grades 6 to 8

4th grade homework routine

Once your child hits middle school, they should be able to complete their homework assignments on their own.

Homework at this grade level is going to shift more heavily from practicing concepts to completing assignments such as essays and projects.

This is the beginning stages of the foundation of study skills they will need to succeed in high school as well as college or university.

During this time, students are beginning to rely more on technology to complete their assignments. Make sure your child has access to a tablet or computer they can use to conduct research as well as seek help for their homework.

However, it’s important for you to stay involved in their progress. Regular check-ins with their homework will not only help your child stay on track but it will also show them that you want to be involved in their education.

High School: Grades 9 to 12

4th grade homework routine

It’s in high school where a student’s homework load balloons and becomes more time consuming than it was before.

Luckily, kids at these grade levels are able to choose a portion of their courses, so they have a vested interest in what they are learning.

However, with all the changes they are experiencing emotionally and physically, this period of their lives can be extremely stressful.

Maintaining that homework routine is more important now than ever. Stressed-out teens may become overwhelmed with the workload and feel compelled on throwing in the towel on completing homework assignments.

Continue to be supportive by helping them plan and prepare for homework assignments as well as tests and exams .

While you may not be able to help them with the homework material (what is “new” math, anyway?), you can certainly lend a hand when it comes to time management and getting the homework done.

You Can Make the Difference

When left to their own devices, children can’t be expected to take their schoolwork 100% seriously.

It’s your job as the parent to support and guide them through their homework and assignments.

Building good habits now is going to make all the differences as your child progresses through school.

How do you deal with homework hurdles? Share your tips in the comments!

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7 Morning Meeting Activities 4th Grade Students LOVE!

Morning Meeting is the best part of the day in my 4th-grade classroom, and I want to share some of my fourth graders’ favorite morning meeting activities. These morning meeting activities are ones that we use all year to work on teamwork, classroom community, and just having fun building relationships together!

Inspector Bullfrog is one of our favorite morning meeting activities because it’s silly and fun! It also requires observation skills! Here’s how to play:

Everyone should start sitting in a circle. Choose one student to be the inspector and send him/her outside of the classroom for a second.

All students should close their eyes, and you tap one of them on the head or shoulder. That student is the bullfrog.

The inspector returns to the classroom and stands in the middle of the circle. S/he tries to figure out who the bullfrog is by looking at the students.

The bullfrog attempts to put the rest of the class to sleep by sticking out his/her tongue at them. But s/he has to make eye contact with the student, so the student knows it’s him/her who s/he put to sleep.

The student who is put to sleep by the bullfrog dramatically lays down on the floor to tell the inspector that s/he fell asleep.

The inspector has three guesses to try to figure out who the bullfrog is. S/he wins if s/he guesses correctly. The bullfrog wins if s/he puts the whole class to sleep before being caught or not being guessed by the inspector!

morning-meeting-activities-for-4th-grade

One of Our Favorite Morning Meeting Team Building Activities: Group Juggling

Okay, I have to warn you: this mornings meeting activity is tricky! I definitely would not recommend this for students below Third Grade because it takes a lot of attention and focus! But I love the challenge that this morning meeting activity required of my 4th-grade students. Here’s how it works:

Get a few dodgeballs or soft balls for this activity. You probably won’t need more than four at first, but may need more once students get better at it. Depending on your class size, you may choose to split your students into two groups,

Students stand in a circle, and each has a number (we use our class numbers, but you can choose whatever numbers you’d like). Mix up the numbers, so they aren’t all standing next to each other. Let them know which students have numbers before and after them. (Ex: You are 1, you are 2, you are 3, etc.)

Pass Student 1 the first ball, and s/he tosses the ball to Student 2. This continues through all of the numbers, and the last student passes the ball back to Student One. This repeats, and as the first ball gets about halfway around the circle, pass another ball to student one for him/her to start tossing too. Now students have to keep track of two balls in the circle. If they get the two balls juggling well, try to add a third one!

If a ball drops at any time, they have to start over with one ball at student 1. At the end of the time you have, note how many balls was the record so that next time you play, you can try to beat your record!

Group Juggling is a fantastic morning meeting activity to build teamwork, coordination, and focus! It’s not as easy as it seems! But my fourth graders love trying to work together to juggle more balls each time!

morning-meeting-activities-fourth-grade

Freeze Dance – One of those Morning Meeting Activities that is just plain fun!

I don’t know about you, but sometimes we just need a dance party! My fourth graders LOVE freeze dance just as much as my Kindergarteners did! (Did you know that I taught primary for three years before finding my true love of upper elementary!?) Freeze dance is perfect for those days when you don’t have a lot of time for your morning meeting. Here’s how to play:

When the music is playing, everyone should be dancing where you can see them. I encourage my students to dance around the room and have fun with it!

When you stop the music, everyone should freeze. If you catch people who are still moving, they are out and sit down until the next round starts.

Start the music again and keep playing until one student is left standing! He/she is the winner!

You can have the winner pick the next song to dance to, be the DJ and you play the game, or just celebrate them and play again.

For a challenge, once you’ve played a few times with your students, play opposite freeze dance and freeze when the music plays and dance when it stops. THAT is pretty hilarious!

morning-meeting-group-activities

STEM Challenges – Get Your Fourth Graders Thinking Outside the Box

I don’t do them often, but I will include a STEM or STEAM challenge in our Morning Meeting plans now and then! These Morning Meeting Activities encourage creativity and problem-solving. You can use any materials you have on hand or choose to do a specific challenge and make sure you have specific materials ready to go. Here are some of our favorites:

Tallest Tower Challenge: This one is so easy because you can prep it in 3 minutes or less! Grab some random supplies, divide them between groups of students evenly, and let them work together to build the tallest tower in 5 minutes! We’ve done this with index cards, tape and paper, manipulatives, and so much more!

Aluminum Foil Boats: Students create a boat out of foil that will float and carry as much weight (pennies) as possible! Then, test your creations and award a winner!

Book vs. Paper Challenge: Can a single piece of paper hold a book off the table/floor? The short answer: yes, it can! Challenge your students to see if they can figure it out!

Paper Plane Challenge: Set a specific and measurable goal/challenge for your paper airplanes to meet (goes furthest, stays in air longest, etc.) and see who can create a plane that meets the challenge!

This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to STEM Morning Meeting Activities for fourth Grade! Let me know your favorites in a comment below!

morning-meeting-activities-for-4th-grade

Math Baseball – Morning Meeting Activities with an Academic Focus

I usually keep my morning meetings focused on community-building, social-emotional learning, and warming up for the day, but I will occasionally incorporate some content review. Math Baseball is one of my students’ favorite games to play, and it’s easy to use for whatever standards you need to review! All you need is some flashcards and three chairs. Here’s how to play:

Line students up in two lines facing you. Put the three chairs around the classroom to look like a baseball diamond. Where the students are is home plate, then you’ll have a first, second, and third base.

Show the first two students (the first in each line) a flashcard and have them solve the problem and say the answer. Whoever answers correctly first advances to first base. The other student goes to the back of his/her line.

Keep playing and advancing students – the student on first base will move to second, etc. When students move to home base, they get a point (they keep track individually) and go to the back of a line. Play as long as you’d like!

If you want to play this while keeping your distance, have students stand further apart and just stand by the “bases.” You could play this with other content too – I think vocabulary baseball could be a great idea!

Active Tic-Tac-Toe – An Activity to Build Critical Thinking and Teamwork Skills

I picked up a tic-tac-toe board in the Target dollar spot, and it has been awesome to use in the classroom! This activity is a classic game with a twist that pushes students to think quickly and work as a team! I would say that this is best for 3rd Grade and up.

Before starting, make sure your students understand how to play tic tac toe. Split the class into two teams and have them line up in two lines on one side of the classroom. Give one team the X pieces and the other team the Os. Place the tic tac toe board on the other side of the classroom.

On your go, have the first student in each line run over to the board and place their piece in a square and run back to tag the next student. As they put pieces on the board, they are trying to get 3 in a row. If each team puts down all of their pieces without getting a tic tac toe, the next students in the lines go and move one piece into a different square. This continues until one team gets three in a row!

morning-meeting-games

Alibi – One of My Top Pics for Morning Meeting Activities in Fourth Grade

I love Alibi because it requires students to be creative and listen to each other! It doesn’t require any materials and is such a fun Morning Meeting game to have in your arsenal. Perfect for fourth graders who are working on justifying their answers too! Here’s how to play:

Choose one student to be the detective. S/he has to go outside for a second while you choose one other student guilty of committing the “crime.” The detective will have to determine who the guilty person is through questioning.

The detective reenters the room (everyone is sitting in a circle), and you make up an elaborate silly crime committed. (Example: I walked into my classroom this morning just like every other morning, and it was BOOBY-TRAPPED! Someone set traps up so I would be splashed with orange juice and fall into a pool of marshmallows before getting covered with chocolate sauce! Detective, can you figure out who did this?) 

Then, the detective goes around the circle, and everyone comes up with an alibi that tells why they couldn’t have committed the crime and were innocent. S/he asks everyone again, and all the students say the same answers except for the guilty student who changes his/her alibi.

If the detective guesses correctly, s/he wins!

I know that you have A LOT on your plate, and I want to help you spend less time planning outside of school. That’s why I created Morning Meeting Slides for the school year! Grab the bundle here , so you have all the Morning Meeting plans you need for the whole school year! 

What are your students’ favorite Morning Meeting Activities and Games? If you need Morning Meeting ideas for the first day of school, download mine here for free !

4th grade homework routine

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Tuesday, january 21, 2014, similes and metaphor activities on tpt and a freebie for you.

4th grade homework routine

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Free 4th Grade Daily Homeschool Schedule Template

Sample daily homeschool schedule template for 4th grade. Fully editable in Microsoft word and free to download! Customize it for any grade level.

You guys. I am NOT an experienced homeschool mom.

But due to the recent school closures, I have had to scramble to come up with a game plan to further my son’s education while also trying to work from home.

While his regular teacher has sent home worksheets for math and social studies, she has also mentioned that the goal during this time would NOT be it learn new material.

Instead, she will reinforce concepts and materials that have already been taught. 

I completely understand that this may be the easiest course of action with the least amount of strain on everyone involved with such an abrupt change.

But, I’ll admit, I’m concerned that this closure may last longer than the next two weeks and our students may fall behind.

How and why did you create this homeschool schedule?

So why did I decided to create a daily routine, a homeschool schedule for 4th Grade school year?

Because I feel this will not only help us accomplish our daily goals efficiently, but also reduce the number of arguments and whining.

free editable homeschool schedule template

Not knowing how he will react to being taught by Mom and Dad (some children can and will try to test you!) at home, I decided that with a set schedule to follow, there is no room for negotiations!

I searched online for sample homeschooling schedules and gathered a few of my favorites to recreate in an editable Word Doc.

Our 4th Grade Daily Homeschool Schedule template

This 4th Grade Daily Printable Homeschool Schedule template  also loosely mimics his existing schedule at school.

His school schedule is something he is already used and will be returning to, so it’s a good idea to try and keep them as similar as possible and have set subjects at a specific time each day.

4th grade daily homeschool schedule template

I also wanted to mix analog learning (worksheets from school + other printables I found online) with digital educational tools for our home school.

More on this below (see Adventure Academy section), but since I also work from home, the time spent with his digital “teacher” gives me time to complete my own work.

How do I get the free Homeschool schedule template?

Just CLICK THIS LINK —>> 4th Grade Daily Printable Homeschool Schedule template  to download the editable Word doc right now ;) Enjoy!

Free Printable Daily Writing Prompt Worksheet Template

I also created a free downloadable Daily Writing Prompt Worksheet Template to use each day. Although my son absolutely loves to read, he really dislikes creative writing (or any writing at all, actually).

I wanted to come up with a way to engage his creative thinking, while also making it something he might look forward to each day (fingers crossed!).

I am using some ideas from this 85 Interesting Creative Writing Prompts for Kids article to fill in the writing prompt , like “Write about what would it be like if you had an alligator as a pet.”

Free Printable Daily Creative Writing Prompt Template - homeschool schedule template - Free 4th Grade Daily Homeschool Schedule Template

After using this for a couple days, I shared the worksheet with another parent from school.

Her son, who is good friends with mine, took the “write a quick note to a friend” to heart and it became a really fun way for the kids to interact with one another.

They started incorporating each other into their creative stories and really looked forward to seeing what the other had written each day.

The other mom and I took photos of their sheets and texted them back and forth daily. It was an unexpected perk!

free editable homeschool schedule template

What other activities are you including in your homeschool schedule?

Be sure to add in breaks and fun activities your children can look forward to each day.

The sample schedule shows Arts and Crafts and some non-digital free time in our homeschool day, but I ended up adding in some music lessons and LEGO building workshops.

Be sure to mix in some of your own. The template is fully editable so you will be able to edit it to meet your needs.

Our “PE” activity each day will be something different – gardening with mom, playing soccer with dad, doing a family home workout with weights and a jump rope, etc.

Do what works for you and your family!

Chore Choice Board

I’ve also mixed in some chores towards the end of the day. I will be using the Neatlings Chore Chart System to manage this and create an opportunity for rewards.

chore choice board with reward system

Currently he is very motivated by having free time to play Minecraft.

While we try to limit digital time to just 2 hours per day, I do understand that Minecraft in it’s own way, encourages creativity and it’s a way for him to socialize while still distancing.

So his tickets can be redeemed for all sorts of things, but he mostly likes to use them to buy more digital time. It’s worked really well so far.

He does have certain must-do chores daily, but he is able to choose to do extras on his own to earn tickets.

This system has really turned him into a little helper around the house!

Adventure Academy

We just downloaded/installed Adventure Academy to supplement Whistler’s at-home learning and he’s really into it.

If you have an 8-13 year old that you’d like to get hooked on an EDUCATIONAL game that teaches things like vocabulary development, reading comprehension, essay structure, science, health, culture, history, social studies, common core math concepts (even fractions!), I highly recommend it! 

Adventure Academy is from the creators of the Award Winning ABCMouse (for ages 2-8). We have used the software and have posted several ABCMouse reviews here .

Adventure Academy screenshots

Having some of the lessons be virtual in a manner where your kids will WANT to do them without complaining and you can check progress is AMAZING.

The program is essentially an online gaming community so he can “play” with friends.

But don’t worry, you can also disable the chat function or limit it to pre-approved canned responses if you’d rather not have them interact with others.

Definitely check it out. One of the best parts of the program is that in order to “level up” you MUST complete the academic lessons and there is no skipping to the end or cheating!

They are offering a 60% off special at ju st $45 for a year (One account can be used by up to 3 kids!).

You can also choose to do their usual first-month free program, but then it’s $9.99/mo after which is not as good of a deal.

I think $45 for a year is a steal considering it will help continue his progress in school during this crazy time, as well as give me some much needed free time to get done what I need to do.

He practically begs to do the lessons so it’s a guilt-free way for me to let him get in his screen-time.

Do you have more free printables I can download for my child?

Yes, we do! I love creating free activities and printables for children of all ages – adults too. Some worksheets are educational and some just plain for fun.

Check out the Free Printables section of the blog and be sure to check back often as I try to add new free worksheets weekly.

We also just launched a Crafts and Printables blog dedicated to fun DIY crafts and printables for everyone.

You’ll find a variety of activities like sewing tutorials, home DIY projects, paper crafts, printable planners, educational worksheets, easy holiday crafts for kids and so much more.

2 thoughts on “Free 4th Grade Daily Homeschool Schedule Template”

I love your edited version but cannot find how to download it, am I missing something? Thanks!

OH MY! It appears my download plugin stopped working. I’ve corrected the issue. Please look for the blue buttons to download and let me know if you have any further problems!

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Stop the morning chaos: a strong morning routine that works.

A morning routine is a set of procedures that students follow each day as they enter the classroom. The procedures can be as simple as students knowing where to store their belongings, where to place completed homework assignments, or where to sit. Having a strong set of procedures that students can implement each morning is an extremely important component of a well-managed classroom. According to Doug Lemov of Teach Like a Champion , “it is about making a habit out of what’s efficient, productive, and scholarly after the greeting and as the students take their seats and class begins.”

A strong morning routine ensures that the day starts off on a positive note and focuses students’ attention on the day’s tasks and agenda. When you establish an effective morning routine, it can strengthen classroom community, students’ self-esteem, and students’ attitudes and behavior toward school.

4th grade homework routine

When you walk by my classroom each morning (before the bell rings!), you will see my students happily (and calmly) chatting with each other, turning in their homework, and sitting down to quietly begin their morning work. To an observer, my classroom looks like a well-oiled machine each morning. My students are happy, and they know exactly what’s expected of them. However, it’s important to remember it wasn’t always like this. It took me some time to realize the importance of these procedures and routines.

Now, unlike most teachers, the morning is my favorite time of the day. I get to enjoy my coffee and greet each of my students with a quick chat and sometimes a big hug. I don’t have to correct behaviors or nag them to get started on their morning work. They do these things automatically. How do students do these things automatically? Well, we spend time at the beginning of the year teaching, modeling, and practicing these specific morning expectations.

While every classroom is different, below is a list of the top 10 things you need to teach, model, and practice with your students in order to have a successful morning routine.

Morning Routine That Works

Notice that I wrote  Teach, Model, and Practice  in bold letters. This is extremely important because students have a lot of responsibilities in the morning. You must make those first few minutes of the day one seamless procedure. Your students need to know exactly what to do every single morning that they walk into your classroom. You have to teach your students the step-by-step procedures you want them to implement, you have to model how to do it correctly, and you have to let them practice these procedures until they can do them independently and with success.

For more information on how to explicitly teach, model, and practice procedures and routines, check out my blog post HERE :

4th grade homework routine

Again, it’s important to remember that every classroom and school is different. You may have 20 things your students need to do each morning or 5. Below, I’m sharing my step-by-step morning routine that has worked for me with 100% success.

Morning Routine That Works

Students don’t have a lot of time for breakfast, so it’s important that they skip their lockers and go sit down for breakfast first.

Morning Routine That Works

After breakfast, students walk back to our hallway to drop their personal belongings off at their lockers. I don’t let students interrupt learning to constantly go out to the hallway and grab forgotten items out of their lockers. Instead, I explicitly teach them what needs to stay in their lockers and what needs to come in the class with them. All outside gear and backpacks stay in their lockers. Things like school supplies, books, water bottles, a snack, etc. must come in the classroom.

In the past, I left a sign outside my door each day to remind students what they need to bring in from their lockers, but this became too much work for me to manage. Now, I explicitly teach my students what they will need at the beginning of the school year and through practice, they remember their items each day.

With this step, I also teach students how to properly shut their locker doors. It’s not fun when your class is trying to take a test, and the class across the hall is slamming their locker doors. It’s important to be considerate to the other classrooms around you. I also teach my students the importance of quickly dropping their personal belongings off at their locker and coming into the class. Before I did this, I had girls looking in mirrors and brushing their hair at their lockers for ten full minutes!

Morning Routine That Works

To repeat what I wrote above…YES, you need to teach this! In my first year, before I knew I was supposed to teach this, I had a student hurl their belongings like a professional basketball player across the room in hopes they would land on their desk.

Morning Routine That Works

Again, to repeat above, you NEED to teach this. In the past, I have had students attempt sword fights with chair legs and almost poke an eye out. You’d be surprised what they can do with a chair.

Also, see those multi-colored chairs below? You bet that without proper procedures in place, students would argue over those five light blue chairs each day!

Morning Routine That Works

It’s important to keep a lunch menu near this area, so students always know the options that are available to them.

You can read more about my lunch choice station and set up in this blog post HERE .

Morning Routine That Works

I keep a morning message up on my projector screen each morning. On it, I write a simple good morning message, what is due that day, remind them what they need, and give them directions to start their morning work. It’s important to teach your students to read the entire morning message. I didn’t do that my first year and found that students were only reading the first sentence or two. Then, they were not prepared for the day!

Morning Routine That Works

You can watch a video about my homework management system HERE .

Morning Routine That Works

Before I did this, students would ask me all day long if we had gym or music and what we were doing next (even though the agenda was posted!). Now, I don’t get questions like this. Students know it is posted for them, and they can just look back to see what’s next.

Morning Routine That Works

The best thing I ever did was create my structured Morning Work resource that you can find HERE  (I currently have 4th grade and 5th grade versions available).

4th grade homework routine

These structured Morning Work  resources are fun, engaging, and rigorous. I simply post which page students are to work on that day, and students eagerly get started each morning. I include games, puzzles, and other fun activities, so this is something students really look forward to. Throughout the years, I had never found anything that would not only hit all the standards and include review, but also be really fun. So last year, I decided to create these myself, and my kids love them.

It’s also important to remember that depending on your students, you may need to model and practice more that just what I’ve listed. I’ve had years when I needed to model and practice how to walk in the classroom during our morning routine. I’ve had years when I needed to teach my students how to appropriately say the entire Pledge of Allegiance. Other things I’ve taught in the past include how to greet friends and other teachers in the hallways (it’s important to ask for a hug before just giving one). I’ve even had to teach students how to take off their winter gear in an appropriate manner! Trust me, nothing is off limits!

Most importantly, remember to start each day by greeting each one of your students with a smile (and sometimes a hug!). “Prime time in school is the first few moments in a class. If you blow these moments, you blow the impression, the sale, and the success of a class.”- The First Day of School by Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong

25 Comments

Looking forward to the 4th grade version of Daily Morning Work. Can’t wait to purchase it for my class.

Thanks so much, Jackie! I’m working on the final round of edits now! Fingers crossed it’s post some time this week! :)

Love your easy to implement ideas!! Very helpful and practical.

Thank you, Catherine! I appreciate your kind words!

I CANNOT wait for the 4th grade morning work to be up on your tpt store!!

I love your work! I am looping to 4th and am looking forward to using your version of Daily Morning Work! Thanks!

Thank you so much, Joelle! I hope to have it out this week!

Very good post. It’s so important to be very clear about our expectations and model, model, model what you want. Great reminders. Thanks.

Thank you so much!

Thank you for the reminder on modeling! It is so true that nothing is off-limits! [email protected]

I love the daily work idea.

Thanks, Cameron!

I love how you thought out and broke down all the steps one by one. I won’t be surprised if you have a great year!

My Bright Blue House

Thanks so much, Emma! Fingers crossed for a great year! ;)

You are so right about those routines and spending time getting them started. It’s always the first thing I address when mentoring new teachers. Your routines here are solid and well thought out. I always sit down with those new teachers and help them plan out similar things for every single time the kids come in the room (first thing in the morning, right after recess, right after lunch, etc….).

Thanks so much for your comments, Alicia. That’s awesome that you mentor new teachers. It’s especially awesome that you provide them with this information. I didn’t learn this valuable information until I had a class of my own and no mentor to help! I can’t imagine how different my first year would have been if I had someone mentoring me! Have a great year!

Great post. I just enjoyed reading this helpful post.

Thanks, next year I hope to have a better schedule in the morning to implement these ideas!

Thanks so much, Meaghan! If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask!

I love your morning work! I feel like sometimes I spend too much time on morning work though. Do you grade them together as a class or do you grade them yourself? How many minutes does your morning routine usually take?

Hi Monica- If you have my Morning Work, I include teacher directions to give you more ideas on how to grade these. There are times we grade them as a class, and there are even times that I leave out the answer key and student’s check their own work. This usually takes no time at all. I hope this helps!

I so wish you had a 6th grade version!

Thank you for the post. Do you have a third grade version?

Hi Ann! At this time, I do not.

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4th grade homework routine

IMAGES

  1. Weekly Homework Sheet 4th Grade

    4th grade homework routine

  2. Homework Worksheet For 4th Graders

    4th grade homework routine

  3. 4th Grade Homework Sheets

    4th grade homework routine

  4. Fourth and Ten: My Fourth Grade Homework Routine

    4th grade homework routine

  5. Weekly Homework Sheet 4th Grade

    4th grade homework routine

  6. Fourth and Ten: My Fourth Grade Homework Routine

    4th grade homework routine

VIDEO

  1. Eureka 4th Grade Homework Help: Module 1 Lesson 4 Question 3

  2. Eureka 4th Grade Homework Help: Module 1 Lesson 5 Question 1

  3. 4th class math, Homewoek Corner

  4. 4th Grade Homework #R4B

  5. 4th Grade InTo Math Homework Lesson 14.5 & Teaching Lesson 16.3

  6. What homework is like in 4th grade

COMMENTS

  1. Fourth and Ten: My Fourth Grade Homework Routine

    3-5 words missed- Earn fifteen points. 6+ words missed- Complete a five point activity nightly/daily. We also teach the students to use cover, copy, compare to give their own pretest, in case they aren't able to have someone at home to give him/her a pretest. I also utilize high school helpers for pretests as well.

  2. How to Make a Better Homework Schedule for Your Family

    Generally, you can expect about 10 minutes of homework per grade level of school. This means that a third-grade student will need about 30 minutes to complete homework. However, the amount of time needed can vary dramatically between students, teachers, and schools. ... Creating a homework routine is really just one piece of creating a daily ...

  3. 4th Grade Daily Schedule

    Morning Routines. First thing in the morning, we take care of jobs, attendance, pledge, and announcements. Homework Handlers check in homework from the hot spot, and the Planner Pro checks planners to make sure they're filled out and signed from the previous night. ELA. My school has the Houghton Mifflin Journeys reading basal.

  4. The 10 Best Ways to Help Your 4th-Grader Succeed in School

    Make math part of her everyday life. 4. Teach your child how to listen. 5. Support your child's teacher and the school rules. 6. Tell the teacher everything. 7. Make sure your child is ready for school.

  5. 6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

    Revisit goals and set new ones. At the start of each homework session, establish goals for completion of your child's tasks or assignments. Revisit the goals at the end of the session and acknowledge a sense of completion. This goal-setting process builds confidence over time and helps your child realize their potential even when faced with ...

  6. Grade 4 Morning Work Activity Ideas: Games, Discussions, Writing

    Maybe it is time to add to your 4th-grade morning work toolbox and include some more creative and hands-on ideas! ... but multisyllabic words and those with prefixes and suffixes are especially helpful for grade-level work in fourth grade. This morning work routine is easy to prep with only scrabble letters and a sheet of paper or morning work ...

  7. Create Good Homework Habits With This 3-Step Plan

    Generally, students in elementary school should have between 10 and 15 minutes of homework for each grade year. This means a child in 4th grade may have between 40 and 60 minutes of homework a night; often this includes some reading. Teachers will also have ideas for motivating students who are disinterested in doing homework.

  8. The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Fourth Grade

    Our Fourth Grade Homeschool Routine. My plan for the upcoming school year is for us to maintain the same general routine to our day that we spent so long last year perfecting. We are still using these adorable magnets from LoveyList that I easily display on the fridge for a visual reminder of what each day will hold Emily.

  9. How to Homeschool Fourth Grade

    We recommend following the steps below to start homeschooling fourth grade: Look up your state's homeschooling requirements. Select the ideal curriculum for your family. Create goals and figure out your schedule. Calculate your homeschooling costs based on your budget. Make sure to track your child's progress.

  10. 4th Grade Homeschool Lesson Plans

    My daily lesson plans include everything you need to do to complete an entire year of fourth grade homeschooling including daily assignments for 34 full weeks of homeschool. They include daily learning activities for Art, Bible, English, Handwriting, Math, Phonics, Reading, Science, History, Spelling, Typing and Writing.

  11. Ideas for Collecting Homework in the Classroom

    Station yourself at the door as students walk into your room. Students are required to hand you their homework. This greatly reduces the time it takes to complete this task because it is mostly finished before the bell even rings. Have a designated homework box. Explain to students how they are to turn in their homework each day.

  12. PDF 4th Grade Weekly Spelling Homework Routine

    4th Grade Weekly Spelling Homework Routine 1. At the beginning of the week you will take a pretest to see which of the weekly spelling ... You always have the option to do more than just the misspelled words for homework. 4. Spelling homework will be due on Thursdays. All homework will be done in your Spelling Journal, with the exception of any ...

  13. How to Create a Homeschool Schedule (with 10 Sample Schedules & Template)

    To create a loop schedule, list all the homeschool subjects and activities you're planning to do. Begin with the top item on the list, and then spend time each day working on "what's next" on the list. If you get through three subjects on Monday, then on Tuesday, begin with the fourth subject on the list.

  14. 9 Great Morning Work Ideas for Upper Elementary

    Finding time to squeeze in grammar during the school day can be difficult. By creating a morning work routine that centers around grammar review, you can rest assured that your students will have time each day to practice their grammar skills. My 4th Grade Daily Grammar Bundle can provide your students with a fun way to begin their school day ...

  15. The Best Fourth Grade Classroom Management Ideas and Tips

    Here are some of the best teacher-tested ideas for fourth grade classroom management. 1. Teach values, not rules. Fourth graders know what they should and shouldn't do in a classroom, but it's still good to establish your expectations at the beginning of the year. Guide them through a discussion to establish a set of class values, and ask ...

  16. Fourth and Ten: Let's Talk Homework

    When I changed grade levels/schools, I had to say goodbye to my homework routine. It was a sad, sad day. My grade level had been doing nightly homework for years and wanted me to do the same. It had a little bit of reading and a little bit of math and it was just and I was never a big, big fan. I liked the fact we split up the homework load ...

  17. Your Age-by-Age Guide to Homework

    Here are some tips for setting your child up for homework success: Set a regular homework time. Homework should be done at the same time each evening to establish a routine. Just make sure you're allowing your little one some time to decompress when they get home before jumping into more schoolwork. Create a study area.

  18. 7 Morning Meeting Activities 4th Grade Students LOVE!

    These morning meeting activities are ones that we use all year to work on teamwork, classroom community, and just having fun building relationships together! Use these Morning Meeting Activities 4th Grade in your classroom! One of the Most Popular Morning Meeting Group Activities: Inspector Bullfrog. Inspector Bullfrog is one of our favorite ...

  19. Fourth and Ten: Similes and Metaphor Activities on Tpt and a Freebie

    Similes and Metaphor Activities on Tpt and a Freebie for You. One of the things my sweet fourth graders have struggled with this year are similes and metaphors. Most time they can tell me the meaning of them in their context, which is great because that's what L 4.5a requires, however they have often have no idea what which is which on test ...

  20. Free 4th Grade Daily Homeschool Schedule Template

    Our 4th Grade Daily Homeschool Schedule template. This 4th Grade Daily Printable Homeschool Schedule template also loosely mimics his existing schedule at school. His school schedule is something he is already used and will be returning to, so it's a good idea to try and keep them as similar as possible and have set subjects at a specific ...

  21. Fourth grade math worksheets

    K5 Learning offers free worksheets, flashcards and inexpensive workbooks for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Become a member to access additional content and skip ads. 4th grade math worksheets: Multiplication, division, rounding, fractions, decimals , telling time, counting money, order of operations, factoring, roman numerals, geometry ...

  22. 29 Essential Classroom Procedures and Routines

    Set a timer for 10 minutes. Sit down with a blank piece of paper and a pencil. Go through a typical day in your classroom and list all the things students do throughout the day. Broaden it to a week. List things that students do 1-2 times a week. After ten minutes, take a break, walk, or do something else.

  23. Stop The Morning Chaos: A Strong Morning Routine That Works

    A strong morning routine ensures that the day starts off on a positive note and focuses students' attention on the day's tasks and agenda. When you establish an effective morning routine, it can strengthen classroom community, students' self-esteem, and students' attitudes and behavior toward school. When you walk by my classroom each ...