Homeroom Process Writing Fix It Art Drama Centres Bulletin Boards Classroom Management Reflections Social Studies Math Equity Homework = Borrow~A~Book + Choose~A~Chart + Poem of the Week + Home Learning Projects

Choose-A-Chart is part of my homework program that has four components

1. Poem of the Week 2. Borrow-A-Book 3. Choose-A-Chart 4. Monthly Home-Learning Projects

Choose-a-Chart is a program I began about 8 years ago. Students borrow charts on which I have written activities (primarily language and math).These activities are based on what we have been learning in class. They are intended as extra practice and a form of communication with parents about the classroom program and the curriculum expectations for grade three.

I have used Choose-a-Chart with junior kindergarten to grade 4 students and found it to be highly successful. 1. It is based on work we have already done in class. Students know how to do the activities and very little parental assistance is required to complete them. 2. I follow a strict routine of borrowing and returning charts daily (except Monday nights when Poem of the Week work is done for homework). By sticking to this routine parents know when there will be homework, what the homework looks like, and generally how much time will be needed to complete it. There are NO SURPRISES. 3. Written on large chart paper, the activities appeal to primary and junior students who normally do not bring chart paper home from school. Younger brothers and sisters are also intrigued by the charts.

As a teacher, Choose-A-Chart is effective because: 1. Once a class set is made to start off the year, very little thought and preparation are required to sustain the program. I add new charts as skill and concepts are learned in class. Some weeks no new charts are added which means no preparation is required for any homework that week. Other weeks, only a few minutes are required to make up new charts and this can be done anywhere. I keep a supply of chart paper and markers a home and make charts up when I get an idea, sometimes while watching T.V 2. Very little time is required to mark homework. I take about five minutes each day to quickly flip through homework books and initial students' work. Only if I notice glaring errors will I mark the work or speak to the student - which happens very rarely 3. Very little class time is required to distribute homework. A student is appointed the Homework Clerk each week and during the afternoon he/she asks students to choose a new chart and to put their homework and communication books and reading records in their backpacks. During this time they also choose a new book for Borrow-a-Book. All of this is done in an organized fashion because all communication and homework books are easily organized by the Homework Clerk because they have been numbered and the numbers correspond to the class list in alphabetical order. 4. Students get a tremendous amount of extra practice from doing activites based on what has been taught and learned in class. Many students experience greater success in school because of this extra practice and also feel better about themselves. This has a tremendous impact on the classroom. 5. The home-school connection is strengthened and parents are supportive of the teacher because they are constantly kept aware of what is being taught in the classroom. 6. Choose-a-Chart is fun for the teacher and much more interesting than creating photocopying and marking worksheets.

Choose-A-Chart Tracking Form Choose-A-Chart FAQ Click one of the stars at the top of the page to see pictures of some of the charts

[Homeroom] [Process Writing] [Fix It] [Art] [Drama] [Centres] [Bulletin Boards] (Classroom Management) (Reflections) (Social Studies) (Math) (Equity) Homework = Borrow~A~Book + Choose~A~Chart + Poem of the Week + Home Learning Projects