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An Age-By-Age Guide to Helping Kids Manage Homework

Do you ever wonder whether homework is gauging the child’s ability to complete assignments or the parent’s? On one end of the spectrum, a parent might never mention homework and assume it gets done independently; on the other end are the parents who micromanage to be sure every worksheet is absolutely perfect.

Being too laissez faire about homework might deny a child the support they need to develop executive functioning skills, but being too involved could stifle their independence. So how much parent participation in homework is actually appropriate throughout a child’s education?

Basic homework tips

According to Scholastic , you should follow these rules of thumb to support your child during homework (without going overboard):

Stay nearby and available for questions without getting right in the middle of homework.

Avoid the urge to correct mistakes unless your child asks for help.

Instead of nagging, set up a homework routine with a dedicated time and place.

Teach time management for a larger project by helping them break it into chunks.

Child psychologist Dr. Emily W. King recently wrote about rethinking homework in her newsletter. King explains at what ages kids are typically able to do homework independently, but she writes that each child’s ability to concentrate at the end of the day and use executive functioning skills for completing tasks is very individual. I talked to her for more information on how much parental involvement in homework completion is needed, according to a child’s age and grade level.

Kindergarten to second grade

Whether children even need homework this early is a hot debate. Little ones are still developing fine motor skills and their ability to sit still and pay attention at this age.

“If a child is given homework before their brain and body are able to sit and focus independently, then we are relying on the parent or other caregivers to sit with the child to help them focus,” King said. “ Think about when the child is able to sit and focus on non-academic tasks like dinner, art, or music lessons. This will help you tease out executive functioning skills from academic understanding.”

Elementary-age children need time for unstructured play and structured play like music, arts, and sports. They need outside time, free time, and quiet time, King said. For children who are not ready for independent work, nightly reading with another family member is enough “homework,” she said.

Third to fifth grades

Many children will be able to do homework independently in grades 3-5. Even then, their ability to focus and follow through may vary from day to day.

“Most children are ready for practicing independent work between third and fifth grade, but maybe not yet in the after-school hours when they are tired and want to rest or play. We need to begin exposing children to organization and structure independently in late elementary school to prepare them for more independence in middle school,” King said.

Neurodivergent kids may need more parental support for several years before they work independently.

“Neurodivergent children, many of whom have executive functioning weaknesses, are not ready to work independently in elementary school. Children without executive functioning weaknesses (e.g., the ability to remain seated and attend to a task independently) are able to do this somewhere between third and fifth grade, but it’s very possible they can work independently at school but be too tired to do it later in the afternoon,” King said. “We need to follow the child’s skills and give them practice to work independently when they seem ready. Of course, if a child wants to do extra work after school due to an interest, go for it.”

For students who are not ready to work independently in middle school, it is better to reduce the amount of homework they are expected to complete so they can practice independence and feel successful.

Middle school

In sixth grade and later, kids are really developing executive functioning skills like planning, organizing, paying attention, initiating, shifting focus, and execution. They will still need your encouragement to keep track of assignments, plan their time, and stick to a homework routine.

“Middle school students need lots of organization support and putting systems in place to help them keep track of assignments, due dates, and materials,” King said.

High school

By this point, congratulations: You can probably be pretty hands-off with homework. Remain open and available if your teen needs help negotiating a problem, but executing plans should be up to them now.

“In high school, parents are working to put themselves out of a job and begin stepping back as children take the lead on homework. Parents of high schoolers are ‘homework consultants,’” King said. “We are there to help solve problems, talk through what to say in an email to a teacher, but we are not writing the emails or talking to the teachers for our kids.”

What if homework is not working for them (or you)

There are a number of reasons a child might not be managing homework at the same level as their peers, including academic anxiety and learning disabilities.

If your child is showing emotional distress at homework time, it might be a sign that they have run out of gas from the structure, socialization, and stimulation they have already been through at school that day. One way to support kids is to teach them how to have a healthy balance of work and play time.

“When we ask students to keep working after school when their tank is on empty, we likely damage their love of learning and fill them with dread for tomorrow,” King wrote in her newsletter.

King said in her experience as a child psychologist, the amount of homework support a child needs is determined by their individual abilities and skills more than their age or grade level.

“All of these steps vary for a neurodivergent child and we are not following these guidelines by age or grade but rather by their level of skills development to become more independent,” she said. “In order to independently complete homework, a child must be able to have attended to the directions in class, brought the materials home, remember to get the materials out at home, remember to begin the task, understand the task, remain seated and attention long enough to complete the task, be able to complete the task, return the work to their backpack, and return the work to the teacher. If any of these skills are weak or the child is not able to do these independently, there will be a breakdown in the system of homework. You can see why young students and neurodivergent students would struggle with this process.”

If you and your child have trouble meeting homework expectations, talk to their teacher about what could be contributing to the problem and how to modify expectations for them.

“Get curious about your child’s skill level at that time of day,” King said. “Are they able to work independently at school but not at home? Are they not able to work independently any time of day? Are they struggling with this concept at school, too? When are they successful?”

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7 North America Worksheets (Free Geography Printables)

North America worksheets offer an engaging way to dive into the continent’s wonders.

Designed for both classroom and homeschool settings, these resources make learning about North America’s geography, culture, and languages both educational and fun.

Activities range from map labeling and detailed fact sheets to flag matching and lessons on greeting in 10 different languages.

All are aimed at familiarizing students with key locations and enhancing memory skills.

Additionally, word search and scramble games enrich vocabulary, making these free printable geography worksheets a comprehensive tool for exploring the diverse beauty of North America.

**There may be affiliate links in this post. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.**

Table of Contents

Fun facts about North America for kids

Fun and interesting facts about North America that kids might enjoy:

• The world’s largest indoor water park, Kalahari Resort, is located in Sandusky, Ohio, USA.
• The shortest river in the world, the D River, is located in Lincoln City, Oregon, USA. It’s only 121 feet (37 meters) long!
• The largest snowflake ever recorded fell in Fort Keogh, Montana, USA, in 1887. It was 15 inches (38 centimeters) wide and 8 inches (20 centimeters) thick.
• The world’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa, is located in Hawaii, USA. It stands over 13,000 feet (3,962 meters) tall and covers an area of over 2,035 square miles (5,271 square kilometers).
• The highest tides in the world occur in the Bay of Fundy, located between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada. The tides can rise up to 50 feet (15 meters)!
• The world’s smallest desert, the Carcross Desert, is located in Yukon, Canada. It’s only 640 acres (260 hectares) in size.
• The Great Barrier Reef, located off the coast of Australia, is the world’s largest coral reef system. However, the second-largest coral reef system is actually located in North America, off the coast of Belize in Central America.
• The world’s first commercial oil well was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania, USA, in 1859.
• The tallest mountain in North America, Mount Denali, is so high that it creates its own weather patterns, including its own clouds and storms.
• The largest city in North America by population is Mexico City, with over 21 million people living in its metropolitan area.

North America map worksheet

There are 23 different countries in North America.

There are 2 different maps of the continent of North America. One with the countries on the side to make it a little easier, and one with no country names.

The students can either color in the different countries or add the names to the correct country.

I also recommend these North American maps . The 100 infographic maps featured in this unique atlas reveal a wealth of new discoveries that will make you feel like North America is the most fascinating place on earth. Regardless of how well you thought you knew it before.

Add mapology world map game to this unit study.

North America fact sheet

There are 10 questions about the continent of North America. Plus the top 10 countries by population, by land area, and the top 10 cities by population in North America.

• How many countries are in North America? 23
• How big is the continent of North America? 9.54 million square miles.
• What is the total population of North America? 579 million people.
• What is the tallest mountain in North America? Where is it? Mount Denali, Alaska
• What is the lowest point in North America? Where is it? Death Valley, California
• What oceans are in North America? Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans.
• What is the biggest river in North America? Where is it? Mississippi River, USA.
• What is the most famous landmark in North America? Statue of Liberty (see our free Statue of Liberty worksheets )
• What is the smallest country in North America? Saint Kitts and Nevis.
• What is the largest desert in North America? Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico.

Top 10 countries by population in North America

• United States
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador

Top 10 countries in North America by land area

• United States 
• Panama 

Top 10 cities in North America by population

• Mexico City, Mexico
• New York City, USA
• Los Angeles, USA
• Chicago, USA
• Washington DC, USA
• Boston, USA
• San Francisco, USA
• Toronto, Canada
• Philadelphia, USA
• Dallas, USA

For even more fun learning about the world, I highly recommend the World card game .

Say hello in North America’s most spoken languages

English and Spanish are the two most widely spoken languages in North America. English is the dominant language in the United States and Canada (approx 334 million speakers). And Spanish is widely spoken in Mexico, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean (approx. 200 million speakers).

But there are other languages you will hear when visiting North America.

French is spoken in Canada and Haiti (approximately 18 million speakers)

Chinese is spoken in the USA, Canada, and Mexico (approximately 5 million speakers.)

Tagalog, which is a language spoken widely in the Philippines, has about 2 million speakers in North America, making it the fifth most-spoken language on the continent.

Nahuatl an indigenous language spoken in Mexico has about 2 million speakers.

Vietnamese is spoken by about 1.5 million people in North America. 

Mayan languages are another indigenous language spoken in Mexico with about 1.5 million speakers.

Next up is German with about 1.3 million speakers in North America. 

Approximately 1.3 million people speak Arabic

There are 10 ways to say hello in 10 different languages, and the children need to label the correct greeting with the correct language.

Hello in North American languages:

• Hello – English
• Ni hao – Chinese
• Bonjour – French
• Xin Chao – Vietnamese
• Hola – Spanish
• Kamusta – Tagalog
• Hallo – German
• Ba’ax ka wa’alik – Mayan
• Assalam Waleykum – Arabic
• Niltze Tialli Pialli – Nahuatl

Match the North American flag worksheet

This match the flag worksheet is a lot of fun. The children need to research what colors to color in the maps of 10 North American countries.

When they have colored them in correctly, they need to add a line to the correct country.

The country flags included are:

You will also enjoy the 100 pics card game . Can you identify the countries from the flag?

North America word search

The North American countries and cities can be found, horizontally, vertically, diagonally, frontwards, or backward! Just to make it that much more difficult.

I have also added the word search answers, as some of the words are a little tricky to find!

Tip: I recommend either using a highlighter pen or circling around the letters. Do not cross the letters out if you have found a word, as it may be used in another word!

The 17 North America countries to find are:

• Saint Lucia

Free word search printables  are an excellent school activity for when the kids just need a break. They are educational, but more importantly, they are fun.

North America word scramble

There are no clues in our free word scramble, other than the 12 countries are all in the continent of North America.

The 12 North American countries to find are: (I have included an answer sheet with the download.)

This free word scramble printable  is great either for the classroom, the library, or homeschooling.

WANT ALL OF THE CONTINENTS WORKSHEETS NOW?

Books about north america for kids.

These are the best geography books for kids :

• National Geographic Bird Guide of North America
• Native people of North America for kids
• Native American stories for kids
• US Road Trip Atlas
• National Geographic Kids Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture

You will also enjoy our seven wonders of the world worksheets .

Other free North American geography printables

These free North American geography printables offer a range of the best homeschooling resources for students to explore the geography, culture, and history of North America, particularly the United States.

• American landmarks worksheet : These worksheets introduce students to some of the most famous landmarks in the United States, such as the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, and the Golden Gate Bridge. They provide information about these landmarks and often include fun activities.
• State facts worksheet : Explore interesting facts about different states in the United States with this activity sheet. Students can learn about state capitals, geography, and historical tidbits.
• 50 States coloring pages printable : These coloring pages feature various symbols, cities, and capitals from across the United States. They provide a creative way for students to engage with and learn about their country.
• Statue of Liberty worksheets : Delve into the history and significance of the Statue of Liberty, an iconic symbol of freedom and democracy. These coloring pages include information about its construction, symbolism, and more.
• Continent worksheets : Broaden your understanding of North America by using continent worksheets. They cover topics like geography , countries, and important landmarks within the continent.
• Canada Day worksheet , use this fill in the blank history worksheet with younger kids to learn more about the history of Canada.

Need to print later? Add this to your Pinterest board or share it on Facebook. You’ll have it handy whenever you’re ready to use it!

Download the free printable North American worksheets

This continent of North America worksheet is free to print but is for personal or classroom use only.

To get your free printables for kids , simply add your name and email address to the form below.

Last Updated on 8 August 2024 by Clare Brown

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Helping Kids with Homework: 11 Easy & Do-Able Tips for Parents

Tips for Smart Parenting 09/21/2021 11 minute read

Homework is the bane of every student, as it is for the parents.

As a matter of fact, homework is not even necessary in the first place.

Before you react, there are countless studies to validate this claim. But even if we go on a hard-fought, well-thought, debate on whether homework is important or not, homework is here to stay. 

That said, helping kids with their take-home assignments is a duty we have to fulfill. But how exactly do we do it?

Below are actionable parenting tips to help your kids with their homework without doing it for them!

You might be interested:  How to Support Kids Learning Science and Why it Matters?

Parenting Tips on How to Do Homework with Kids

We used to believe that parental availability and support while kids do their assignments is key for their class success. "The more involved parents are, the better off they would be," so to speak. 

But that is a misconception and sometimes may even be counterproductive. As Kathleen Reilly said:

“When parents are overly immersed in homework, they deny kids the chance to become more independent and confident. Worse, it can breed anxiety along the way.” 

Helping kids with homework means that you offer your support but never treat the assignment like it's your responsibility. It's challenging, but kids need to do homework on their own because the assignments deal with lessons already discussed in class. Plus, answering homework by themselves is a good way to teach independent learning .

With that in mind, here are the homework tips for parents:

1. Work Out a Working Routine

Believe it or not, children love routines because they create structure .

This helps children feel more secure because they know what to do and what's expected of them.

Face it, nobody likes homeworks. But make it easier for your kids to do their's by doing routines such as below:

What time should they start? Set a definite time when they should do their homeworks. Will it be right after they arrive from school? Should they play for an hour first? Would they do it after shower time or after dinner?

Where is their homework place? The place they choose is likely the area they feel most comfy working in. That element adds extra help when doing homework. Find a place and stick with it.

If you have multiple kids, distinct routines for each are fine. What matters is that you enforce discipline and commitment to the schedule. Write the details on a sheet of paper and post their routines on the wall!

2. Make a Homework Plan

The routine simply tackles the when and where kids do their assignments. A homework plan focuses on how they do it. 

Doing homework needs to be systematic , both for you and the child. Approach homework from a systematic point of view and you save yourselves time and whine.

The example below is the system I found most suited for my children. You can follow it or fashion your own process, whichever works best. Here's what my kids do:

Read  the directions of the homework, twice.

Determine the goal and the steps needed to achieve it.

Divide the assignment into several chunks (if logically possible).

Set time limits for each portion and mark each as complete when finished.

Helping kids with homework is not about giving them all the answers. It's about  strategizing on how to finish the homework effectively and efficiently.

3. Monitor, Don't Correct

Let's get back to basics .

What is the purpose of homework?

Homework allows teachers to gauge what the students understood in class. That said, mistakes are welcomed.

But since most parents dread the idea of making mistakes, they try to  correct each flaw too often all for a perfect remark.

Word of advice: Teachers are well-aware of how your kids perform in class, so they know the truth.

My point is, remove the notion of absolute perfection from your kids.

It's okay to make mistakes, as long as they learn how to correct them on their own ! There should be no pressure on them to avoid mistakes at all costs. Encourage an atmosphere of growth. But, make it clear to your kids they should resolve their mistakes the next time around, once they understand the correct answer.

Do this instead:

Allow your kids to ask you up to 3 questions on their homework. But, be stingy on answering their questions right away.

When they ask, reply to them something like "I can help you once I finish my chores" or "Read it again, I'll be back in a sec."

You might not realize it, but this is one subtle way to help kids with homework. When you delay your aid, you gently force them to reread the directions and rework the problem on their own.

Monitor and ask them probing questions on the reason behind their homework answers.

4. Set an Example to Imitate

Helping kids how to do homework can also mean modeling the behavior to them. This is a parenting hack that most parents fail to practice.

It can be a good motivating factor for the kids if you do chores like budgeting or computing household expenses at the same time they do their assignments.

This is one indirect way to teach kids how to do homework. Set a good example and you'll find them following your footsteps.

5. Don't Sit Beside Them

Sitting and closely monitoring your kids as they answer homework is not at all helpful.

Behind the scenes, it sends a message to their brains that you might think they can't do the work without direct supervision.

Would you like that? Of course not!

Helping kids with their homework should also tap into the emotional aspect of learning. Show them that you trust their brains by letting them do their assignment on their own. Otherwise, you shatter their self-confidence leading to feelings of inferiority.

Here are my suggestions:

Stay nearby, do chores, balance your checks, wash dishes. Basically, just be there for them, without literally sitting beside them.

6. Establish the No-Nonsense Responsibility

Make the duties of each member in the family clear.

Of course, both you and your partner have work responsibilities, and so do the kids! They're expected to be diligent with their responsibilities:

Attend classes

Work with their teachers

And of course... do their homeworks

Once they agreed to a working routine and a homework plan , then there is no turning back. Tell them to buckle their seats until they finish their tasks. Discipline matters just as much as intellect and system when dealing with homework.

7. Teach Them Time Management 

Time management is the one of the most important tools for productivity.

Once your kids learn the benefits of being in control of their time, they position themselves to a life of success. Time management is not only relevant for homework. Instilling this behavior is a must from the get-go.

One tip is using an old analog wall clock and coloring in the hour when they should do answer their homework. Once the short arm reaches it, teach them to take initiative to do their tasks.

Help them in sorting the time out too, especially, if there are multiple homework in one seating.

8. Positive Reinforcement is a Great Hack

They say the best way to man's heart is through their stomach. Well, the best way to a child's heart is through snacks and treats . (I made that up)

Instead of threatening them to limit their TV watching time or call their teachers, why not compensate their efforts with some good ol' sweets? 

Reinforcing their diligence pushes them more to do it. Scare tactics are not as good as rewards to encourage a behavior. Although, do the positive reinforcement practice sparingly.  

Appreciating their efforts is another way to help kids with homework as this motivates them. You can do this by:

Posting their aced assignments or exams

Displaying their art projects on the fridge

It showcases how much you value their efforts and how proud you are of them.

9. Walk Away Once the Whine Fest Starts

How does walking away help kids on how to do homework? Well, it doesn't. It's more for your benefit than them.

Having a rough day at work is physically and mentally exhausting . Add another layer of whining because kids don't want to do their assignments, and you enter a whole new level of stress .

If they keep on complaining, check their homework progress.

If they are only being grumpy even when they can do it, then try to motivate them. Tell them that the sooner they finish, the more time they'd have to watch their favorite TV shows .

If the homework is indeed truly difficult, then lend them a hand.

Ask their teacher about it, especially if the homework is beyond the kid's level of understanding. Inquire if it's appropriate to give kids complex problems. Their teachers would love to hear feedback from parents, on top of that, to aid the pupils with their homework!

10. Let Them Take the Lead

Their Homework is not only a test of one's learning but also of a kid's sense of responsibility .

Their answers should be theirs and they must own up if they fail to do it. If they left their homework at home, then parents shouldn't bail their kids out by bringing their assignments to class.

Matt Vaccaro, a first-grade teacher, says that he makes students do their assignment during recess if they forget to do it at home.

According to him "Once she starts missing playtime, she gets the message."

This seemingly harsh yet rightful way to deal with their negligence actually motivates the kids to be responsible in the succeeding homework. 

Helping them how to do homework is as necessary as teaching them to be responsible for it.

11. Keep Your Composure and Carry On

Homework meltdowns do occur, so be ready!

These are children's ways of saying they're overwhelmed . And sometimes these kids are indeed struggling so bad. 

Parents, please keep your composure. Breathe and stay calm . You risk compromising their progress if you too burst out in frustration. Remember that homework is an opportunity to cultivate better parent-child relationships .

Here are ways to address homework meltdowns:

A simple hug might do

Speak words of affirmation like "we'll figure it out"

Let them vent out to you while you listen calmly

Sometimes, kids just need to blow off some steam. Catering to these needs are subtle ways of helping kids with homework. See the mood change after they've burst the bubble.

If ever you did lash out (although we hope not). Apologize immediately and tell your child that you both need a timeout for 10 minutes. They can play for within that period and resume working on the homework once the time is up.

Helping kids with homework is a dual purpose. You make homework accomplishment more manageable for them and you make life easier for you. Consider the above homework tips next time your kids have assignments.

The How-to-do-Homework Hack!

Some kids might still see learning as a chore, and that's okay. I mean, who likes to wake up early and be in class when they can play at home all day?

Making the most out of their curiosity helps transform their perception of learning — from a tedious and boring chore to a fun and interactive learning experience. We believe that the way to encourage kids to do their homework is by making them see the fun in learning.

The best way to do this is using educational toys! 

The STEMscope portable microscope is a good tool to cultivate your child's curiosity. This handheld science gadget is an all-around partner for your kid's best learning! 

Once they activate their curiosity, they develop the insatiable desire to learn, after that, they will see homework as fun learning opportunity!

Check out our complete catalog of science toys to find the best toy for your kid!

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Northern Lights Facts & Worksheets

The northern lights, known as aurora borealis, are bright “dancing” lights of the aurora in the north. the lights are a result of the sun’s electrically charged particles colliding and entering the atmosphere of planet earth., search for worksheets, download the northern lights facts & worksheets.

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Table of Contents

The Northern Lights , known as Aurora borealis, are bright “dancing” lights of the aurora in the north. The lights are a result of the sun’s electrically charged particles colliding and entering the atmosphere of planet Earth . The lights can be viewed above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres . The lights appear in various colors but pink and pale green are the common colors.

See the fact file below for more information on the Northern Lights or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Northern Lights worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

• The word “aurora” comes from Aurora, the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn.
• Aurora announced the coming of the sun as she travelled from east to west.
• Aurora is also the Greek term for north wind .
• The word aurora was first used as a literary device by Ancient Roman poets to refer to dawn and the colored lights against the dark sky.
• The lights seen in the northern hemisphere is called Aurora borealis meaning “dawn of the north”.
• The lights in the southern hemisphere are called Aurora australis meaning “dawn of the south”.
• The features of the aurora borealis and the aurora australis are almost identical and they change simultaneously too.
• The lights appear in various forms: from scattered clouds to ripples of curtains, from shooting rays to light patches.

CAUSE OF NORTHERN LIGHTS

• Simply put, the lights are caused by excited electrons and the Earth’s magnetic field.
• The color of the lights depends on the type of gaseous particles colliding.
• The most common color of the lights is pale green which is produced by oxygen molecules approximately 60 miles above the Earth.
• Red auroral lights are rare and produced by oxygen located up to 200 miles above the Earth.
• Blue or purple auroral lights are produced by nitrogen particles.
• A suspected potential connection between the northern lights and sunspots was made in the late 1800s.
• Research done in the 1950s confirmed that the lights are from the electrons and protons from the sun .
• The sun’s extremely high temperature causes explosive and recurrent collisions between gas molecules.
• When the sun rotates, the charged particles are “thrown” off the sun’s atmosphere and through holes in the magnetic field.
• The electrons and protons are then blown by the solar wind towards the earth then deflected by the Earth’s magnetic field.
• Because of the relatively weak magnetic field of the Earth’s poles, the charged particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere and collide with gaseous particles.
• The end result is the emission of lights that appear to “dance.”
• The lights generally extend from 80 kilometers up to 640 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

LIGHTS LEGEND

• Aurora, the goddess of dawn, is popular in Roman mythology but many other legends about the lights exist.
• In medieval times, the light displays were perceived as signals for imminent famine or war.
• The Maori of New Zealand and northern people of North America and Europe believed that the lights are reflected from campfires or torches.
• The Inuit people of Alaska shared a belief that the lights are actually the spirits of the animals they hunted and killed.
• Other aboriginals believe that the lights are spirits of aboriginal people.
• In Wisconsin, the Menominee Indians believed that the lights indicated the location of spirits of great, giant hunters called Manabai´wok.

WHERE TO WATCH THE LIGHTS

• The lights occur near the magnetic poles.
• Both the auroras can be viewed in the northern or southern hemisphere.
• The lights are often seen as an irregularly shaped oval over each magnetic pole.
• Research has shown that most of the time, the northern and southern lights are mirror images of each other.
• The northern and southern lights occur at the same time and with similar colors and forms.
• The best locations to watch the lights are Iceland, southern Greenland, northern Norway , northwestern Canada , Alaska, and northern Siberia.
• They can also be viewed as far south as New Orleans in the western hemisphere.
• The aurora australis is concentrated around Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean so they are not seen as often as the aurora borealis.
• An area where there is light pollution is not the best place to watch the lights.

BEST TIME TO WATCH

• Winter in northern areas is a good season to view the northern lights.
• During winter, the nights are longer and the sky is clearer, which provides a better atmosphere for the lights to be seen.
• Midnight is the best time to watch the dancing northern lights.
• Scientists and astronomers have learned that the activity of the auroras is cyclic.
• The activity of the auroras peaks approximately every 11 years.
• The last peak period was in 2013.

Northern Lights Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Northern Lights across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Northern Lights worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Northern Lights, known as Aurora borealis, which are bright “dancing” lights of the aurora in the north. The lights are a result of the sun’s electrically charged particles colliding and entering the atmosphere of planet Earth. The lights can be viewed above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. The lights appear in various colors but pink and pale green are the common colors.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• Northern Lights Facts
• Quick Questions
• Legends of the Lights
• Northern Lights Crossword
• Aurora Formation
• Best Places To Watch
• Aurora or Not?
• Best Time To See
• Light Pollution Dictionary
• Northern Poem
• Lights Collage

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Strategies to make homework go more smoothly.

Routines and incentive systems to help kids succeed

Writer: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Clinical Experts: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP , Karol Espejo, LCSW

Here is the best guide to helping kids do homework successfully that we’ve seen, published by the National Association of School Psychologists on their website, NASPonline.org . Our thanks to NASP for sharing it with us.

There are two key strategies parents can draw on to reduce homework hassles. The first is to establish clear routines around homework, including when and where homework gets done and setting up daily schedules for homework. The second is to build in rewards or incentives to use with children for whom “good grades” is not a sufficient reward for doing homework.

Homework Routines

Tasks are easiest to accomplish when tied to specific routines. By establishing daily routines for homework completion, you will not only make homework go more smoothly, but you will also be fostering a sense of order your child can apply to later life, including college and work.

Step 1. Find a location in the house where homework will be done. The right location will depend on your child and the culture of your family. Some children do best at a desk in their bedroom. It is a quiet location, away from the hubbub of family noise. Other children become too distracted by the things they keep in their bedroom and do better at a place removed from those distractions, like the dining room table. Some children need to work by themselves. Others need to have parents nearby to help keep them on task and to answer questions when problems arise. Ask your child where the best place is to work. Both you and your child need to discuss pros and cons of different settings to arrive at a mutually agreed upon location.

Step 2. Set up a homework center. Once you and your child have identified a location, fix it up as a home office/homework center. Make sure there is a clear workspace large enough to set out all the materials necessary for completing assignments. Outfit the homework center with the kinds of supplies your child is most likely to need, such as pencils, pens, colored markers, rulers, scissors, a dictionary and thesaurus, graph paper, construction paper, glue and cellophane tape, lined paper, a calculator, spell checker, and, depending on the age and needs of your child, a computer or laptop. If the homework center is a place that will be used for other things (such as the dining room table), then your child can keep the supplies in a portable crate or bin. If possible, the homework center should include a bulletin board that can hold a monthly calendar on which your child can keep track of longterm assignments. Allowing children some leeway in decorating the homework center can help them feel at home there, but you should be careful that it does not become too cluttered with distracting materials.

Step 3. Establish a homework time. Your child should get in the habit of doing homework at the same time every day. The time may vary depending on the individual child. Some children need a break right after school to get some exercise and have a snack. Others need to start homework while they are still in a school mode (i.e., right after school when there is still some momentum left from getting through the day). In general, it may be best to get homework done either before dinner or as early in the evening as the child can tolerate. The later it gets, the more tired the child becomes and the more slowly the homework gets done.

Step 4. Establish a daily homework schedule. In general, at least into middle school, the homework session should begin with your sitting down with your child and drawing up a homework schedule. You should review all the assignments and make sure your child understands them and has all the necessary materials. Ask your child to estimate how long it will take to complete each assignment. Then ask when each assignment will get started. If your child needs help with any assignment , then this should be determined at the beginning so that the start times can take into account parent availability. A Daily Homework Planner is included at the end of this handout and contains a place for identifying when breaks may be taken and what rewards may be earned.

Incentive Systems

Many children who are not motivated by the enjoyment of doing homework are motivated by the high grade they hope to earn as a result of doing a quality job. Thus, the grade is an incentive, motivating the child to do homework with care and in a timely manner. For children who are not motivated by grades, parents will need to look for other rewards to help them get through their nightly chores. Incentive systems fall into two categories: simple and elaborate.

Simple incentive systems. The simplest incentive system is reminding the child of a fun activity to do when homework is done. It may be a favorite television show, a chance to spend some time with a video or computer game, talking on the telephone or instant messaging, or playing a game with a parent. This system of withholding fun things until the drudgery is over is sometimes called Grandma’s Law because grandmothers often use it quite effectively (“First take out the trash, then you can have chocolate chip cookies.”). Having something to look forward to can be a powerful incentive to get the hard work done. When parents remind children of this as they sit down at their desks they may be able to spark the engine that drives the child to stick with the work until it is done.

Elaborate incentive systems. These involve more planning and more work on the part of parents but in some cases are necessary to address more significant homework problems. More complex incentives systems might include a structure for earning points that could be used to “purchase” privileges or rewards or a system that provides greater reward for accomplishing more difficult homework tasks. These systems work best when parents and children together develop them. Giving children input gives them a sense of control and ownership, making the system more likely to succeed. We have found that children are generally realistic in setting goals and deciding on rewards and penalties when they are involved in the decision-making process.

Building in breaks. These are good for the child who cannot quite make it to the end without a small reward en route. When creating the daily homework schedule, it may be useful with these children to identify when they will take their breaks. Some children prefer to take breaks at specific time intervals (every 15 minutes), while others do better when the breaks occur after they finish an activity. If you use this approach, you should discuss with your child how long the breaks will last and what will be done during the breaks (get a snack, call a friend, play one level on a video game). The Daily Homework Planner includes sections where breaks and end-of-homework rewards can be identified.

Building in choice. This can be an effective strategy for parents to use with children who resist homework. Choice can be incorporated into both the order in which the child agrees to complete assignments and the schedule they will follow to get the work done. Building in choice not only helps motivate children but can also reduce power struggles between parents and children.

Developing Incentive Systems

Step 1. Describe the problem behaviors. Parents and children decide which behaviors are causing problems at homework time. For some children putting homework off to the last minute is the problem; for others, it is forgetting materials or neglecting to write down assignments. Still others rush through their work and make careless mistakes, while others dawdle over assignments, taking hours to complete what should take only a few minutes. It is important to be as specific as possible when describing the problem behaviors. The problem behavior should be described as behaviors that can be seen or heard; for instance, complains about h omework or rushes through homework, making many mistakes are better descriptors than has a bad attitude or is lazy.

Step 2. Set a goal. Usually the goal relates directly to the problem behavior. For instance, if not writing down assignments is the problem, the goal might be: “Joe will write down his assignments in his assignment book for every class.”

Step 3. Decide on possible rewards and penalties. Homework incentive systems work best when children have a menu of rewards to choose from, since no single reward will be attractive for long. We recommend a point system in which points can be earned for the goal behaviors and traded in for the reward the child wants to earn. The bigger the reward, the more points the child will need to earn it. The menu should include both larger, more expensive rewards that may take a week or a month to earn and smaller, inexpensive rewards that can be earned daily. It may also be necessary to build penalties into the system. This is usually the loss of a privilege (such as the chance to watch a favorite TV show or the chance to talk on the telephone to a friend).

Once the system is up and running, and if you find your child is earning more penalties than rewards, then the program needs to be revised so that your child can be more successful. Usually when this kind of system fails, we think of it as a design failure rather than the failure of the child to respond to rewards. It may be a good idea if you are having difficulty designing a system that works to consult a specialist, such as a school psychologist or counselor, for assistance.

Step 4. Write a homework contract. The contract should say exactly what the child agrees to do and exactly what the parents’ roles and responsibilities will be. When the contract is in place, it should reduce some of the tension parents and kids often experience around homework. For instance, if part of the contract is that the child will earn a point for not complaining about homework, then if the child does complain, this should not be cause for a battle between parent and child: the child simply does not earn that point. Parents should also be sure to praise their children for following the contract. It will be important for parents to agree to a contract they can live with; that is, avoiding penalties they are either unable or unwilling to impose (e.g., if both parents work and are not at home, they cannot monitor whether a child is beginning homework right after school, so an alternative contract may need to be written).

We have found that it is a rare incentive system that works the first time. Parents should expect to try it out and redesign it to work the kinks out. Eventually, once the child is used to doing the behaviors specified in the contract, the contract can be rewritten to work on another problem behavior. Your child over time may be willing to drop the use of an incentive system altogether. This is often a long-term goal, however, and you should be ready to write a new contract if your child slips back to bad habits once a system is dropped.

Click here to download the homework planner and incentive sheet .

Frequently Asked Questions

To help homework go more smoothly, e stablish a routine that includes a time and place where it will be done, a planner that lists each assignment, scheduled breaks when some of the work is done, and a reward system for kids who are not motivated by good grades alone.  

Set a good homework routine following these steps: Find a location in the house where homework will be done. Set up a homework center stocked with needed materials . Establish a homework time. Use a daily homework planner so that your child has everything in writing.  

One tool that can make homework go more smoothly i s a Daily Homework Planner , which lists each assignment, how long it should take to complete, and what rewards may be earned for completing each assignment.    

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Homework: A New User's Guide

Cory Turner

If you made it past the headline, you're likely a student, concerned parent, teacher or, like me, a nerd nostalgist who enjoys basking in the distant glow of Homework Triumphs Past (second-grade report on Custer's Last Stand, nailed it!).

Whoever you are, you're surely hoping for some clarity in the loud, perennial debate over whether U.S. students are justifiably exhausted and nervous from too much homework — even though some international comparisons suggest they're sitting comfortably at the average.

Well, here goes. I've mapped out six, research-based polestars that should help guide you to some reasonable conclusions about homework.

How much homework do U.S. students get?

The best answer comes from something called the National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP . In 2012, students in three different age groups — 9, 13 and 17 — were asked, "How much time did you spend on homework yesterday?" The vast majority of 9-year-olds (79 percent) and 13-year-olds (65 percent) and still a majority of 17-year-olds (53 percent) all reported doing an hour or less of homework the day before.

Another study from the National Center for Education Statistics found that high school students who reported doing homework outside of school did, on average, about seven hours a week.

If you're hungry for more data on this — and some perspective — check out this exhaustive report put together last year by researcher Tom Loveless at the Brookings Institution.

An hour or less a day? But we hear so many horror stories! Why?

The fact is, some students do have a ton of homework. In high school we see a kind of student divergence — between those who choose or find themselves tracked into less-rigorous coursework and those who enroll in honors classes or multiple Advanced Placement courses. And the latter students are getting a lot of homework. In that 2012 NAEP survey, 13 percent of 17-year-olds reported doing more than two hours of homework the previous night. That's not a lot of students, but they're clearly doing a lot of work.

Source: Met Life Survey of the American Teacher, The Homework Experience, 2007. LA Johnson/NPR hide caption

That also tracks with a famous survey from 2007 — from MetLife — that asked parents what they think of their kids' homework load. Sixty percent said it was just right. Twenty-five percent said their kids are getting too little. Just 15 percent of parents said their kids have too much homework.

Research also suggests that the students doing the most work have something else in common: income. "I think that the debate over homework in some ways is a social class issue," says Janine Bempechat, professor of human development at Wheelock College. "There's no question that in affluent communities, children are really over-taxed, over-burdened with homework."

But the vast majority of students do not seem to have inordinate workloads. And the ones who do are generally volunteering for the tough stuff. That doesn't make it easier, but it does make it a choice.

Do we know how much homework students in other countries are doing?

Sort of. Caveats abound here. Education systems and perceptions of what is and isn't homework can vary remarkably overseas. So any comparison is, to a degree, apples-to-oranges (or, at least, apples-to-pears). A 2012 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development pegged the U.S. homework load for 15-year-olds at around six hours per week. That's just above the study's average. It found that students in Hong Kong are also doing about six hours a week. Much of Europe checks in between four and five hours a week. In Japan, it's four hours. And Korea's near the bottom, at three hours.

Source: OECD, PISA 2012 Database, Table IV.3.48. LA Johnson/NPR hide caption

How much homework is too much?

Better yet, how much is just right? Harris Cooper at Duke University has done some of the best work on homework. He and his team reviewed dozens of studies, from 1987 to 2003, looking for consensus on what works and what doesn't. A common rule of thumb, he says, is what's called the 10-minute rule. Take the child's grade and multiply by 10. So first-graders should have roughly 10 minutes of homework a night, 40 minutes for fourth-graders, on up to two hours for seniors in high school. A lot of of schools use this. Even the National PTA officially endorses it.

Homework clearly improves student performance, right?

Not necessarily. It depends on the age of the child. Looking over the research, there's little to no evidence that homework improves student achievement in elementary school. Then again, the many experts I spoke with all said the same thing: The point of homework in those primary grades isn't entirely academic. It's about teaching things like time-management and self-direction.

But, by high school the evidence shifts. Harris Cooper's massive review found, in middle and high school, a positive correlation between homework and student achievement on unit tests. It seems to help. But more is not always better. Cooper points out that, depending on the subject and the age of the student, there is a law of diminishing returns. Again, he recommends the 10-minute rule.

What kinds of homework seem to be most effective?

This is where things get really interesting. Because homework should be about learning, right? To understand what kinds of homework best help kids learn, we really need to talk about memory and the brain.

Let's start with something called the spacing effect . Say a child has to do a vocabulary worksheet. The next week, it's a new worksheet with different words and so on. Well, research shows that the brain is better at remembering when we repeat with consistency, not when we study in long, isolated chunks of time. Do a little bit of vocabulary each night, repeating the same words night after night.

Similarly, a professor of psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, Henry "Roddy" Roediger III , recommends that teachers give students plenty of little quizzes, which he says strengthen the brain's ability to remember. Don't fret. They can be low-stakes or no-stakes, says Roediger: It's the steady recall and repetition that matter. He also recommends, as homework, that students try testing themselves instead of simply re-reading the text or class notes.

There's also something known as interleaving . This is big in the debate over math homework. Many of us — myself included — learned math by focusing on one concept at a time, doing a worksheet to practice that concept, then moving on.

Well, there's evidence that students learn more when homework requires them to choose among multiple strategies — new and old — when solving problems. In other words, kids learn when they have to draw not just from what they learned in class that day but that week, that month, that year.

One last note: Experts agree that homework should generally be about reinforcing what students learned in class (this is especially true in math). Sometimes it can — and should — be used to introduce new material, but here's where so many horror stories begin.

Tom Loveless, a former teacher, offers this advice: "I don't think teachers should ever send brand-new material that puts the parent in the position of a teacher. That's a disaster. My own personal philosophy was: Homework is best if it's material that requires more practice but they've already received initial instruction."

Or, in the words of the National PTA: "Homework that cannot be done without help is not good homework."

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Mayflower and Mayflower Compact

The journey.

Would you have liked to travel on a small ship with more than 100 other people, all of their belongings, and possibly some farm animals – for 66 days? That’s what the Pilgrims did in the year 1620, on a ship called Mayflower.

Mayflower set sail from England in July 1620, but it had to turn back twice because Speedwell , the ship it was traveling with, leaked. After deciding to leave the leaky Speedwell behind, Mayflower finally got underway on September 6, 1620. In the 1600s, the ocean was full of dangers. Ships could be attacked and taken over by pirates. Many ships in the 1600s were damaged or shipwrecked by storms. Passengers sometimes fell overboard and drowned or got sick and died.

Although Mayflower did not sink, a few of these things actually did happen! Mayflower wasn't taken over by pirates -- the ship sailed on a northern path across the Atlantic to avoid them -- but she was damaged by a bad storm halfway to America. The storm cracked one of the massive wooden beams supporting the frame of the ship. Fortunately, the passengers had brought along a “great iron screw,” which helped raise the beam back into place so the ship could continue. In another storm, a young passenger, John Howland, was swept off the deck of the ship and into the ocean! He was saved because he grabbed onto one of the ship’s ropes (or lines) and was pulled back onto the deck.

Although many people were seasick on the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, only one person died. He was a sailor who had been very mean to the passengers and taunted them about their seasickness. The colonists believed he died because God was punishing him for being cruel.

One baby was born during the journey. Elizabeth Hopkins gave birth to her first son, appropriately named Oceanus, on Mayflower . Another baby boy, Peregrine White, was born to Susanna White after Mayflower arrived in New England. It must have been very challenging to give birth on a moving ship, with so many people and so much seasickness around. After more than two months (66 days) at sea, the Pilgrims finally arrived at Cape Cod on November 11, 1620. A few weeks later, they sailed up the coast to Plymouth and started to build their town where a group of Wampanoag People had lived before (a sickness had killed most of them). The Pilgrims lived on the ship for a few more months, rowing ashore to build houses during the day, and returning to the ship at night. Many people began to get sick from the cold and the wet; after all, it was December! About half the people on Mayflower died that first winter from what they described as a “general sickness” of colds, coughs and fevers.

Finally, in March 1621, there were enough houses that everyone could live on land. After a long, hard voyage, and an even harder winter, Mayflower left Plymouth to return to England on April 5, 1621.

The Ship and Its People

Traveling on the ocean 400 years ago was a very different experience than it is today. Mayflower didn’t have private cabins with windows and beds for each person. There were no computers, televisions, air conditioners, fancy meals or swimming pools.

In the 1600s, most ships were merchant ships . They were made for carrying cargo, like barrels of food or cloth, large pieces of wood, and casks of wine, from one place to another to be sold. Before Mayflower sailed to New England, it had been sailing around Europe carrying wine and cloth. This cargo was probably stored in the lower decks of the ship in one large, open storage area. There were no windows on this deck because windows might let in seawater that would ruin the cargo. A little water would leak in anyway, though, so this area was always cold, damp and dark.

The storage decks had very low ceilings. They didn’t need to make the decks very high because barrels and boxes weren’t very tall. The ship had low-ceilinged decks to make it safer and to save space for the decks where the sailors lived. A ship that was too tall might tip over or sink.

The crew (sailors and officers of the ship) lived on the upper decks. In 1620, there were about 20-30 crewmembers on Mayflower . The Master , in charge of sailing the ship, was Christopher Jones. We would call him a “captain” today. He probably had his quarters , or living space, at the stern (the back) of the ship. This was the driest and most comfortable area on the ship. The common sailors , or regular workers, had their quarters at the front of the ship, or bow , in a room called the forecastle . The forecastle, or fo’c’sle, was not a pleasant place to sleep or eat. It was in a part of the ship constantly hit by waves, so it was always wet and cold. The sailors would have to get used to the swaying and pitching of the ship because it was at its strongest here. Also, most of the men would be going to the bathroom at the head , which was at the very tip of the bow, so the forecastle wasn’t very clean.

There were also officers on Mayflower . They were responsible for sailing and navigating the ship. They probably lived in the space between the Master and the common sailors. Their quarters weren’t as spacious or comfortable as the Master’s, but they weren’t as awful as the space for the common sailors.

Where did the passengers live on Mayflower ? The ship carried 102 men, women and children passengers on its only trip to New England. The passengers were the cargo, so they all had to live in the dark, cold cargo decks below the crew’s quarters.

Mayflower Compact

The 1620 agreement (first called the Mayflower Compact in 1793) was a legal instrument that bound the Pilgrims together when they arrived in New England. The core members of the Pilgrims' immigrant group were Separatists, members of a Puritan sect that had split from the Church of England, the only legal church in England at that time. Others in the group, however, had remained part of the Church of England, so not all of the Pilgrims shared the same religion.

When the Pilgrims left England, they obtained permission from the King of England to settle on land farther to the south near the mouth of the Hudson River (in present-day New York). Because they chose to remain where they landed in New England, they needed a new permission (called a patent) to settle there. On November 11, 1620, needing to maintain order and establish a civil society while they waited for this new patent, the adult male passengers signed the Mayflower Compact .

THE TEXT OF THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT :

In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together in a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620.

(William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation , ed. Samuel Morison, 75-6.)

• John Carver
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• Edward Winslow
• William Brewster
• Isaac Allerton
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• Samuel Fuller
• Christopher Martin
• William Mullins
• William White
• Richard Warren
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• Stephen Hopkins
• Edward Tilly
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The original document does not survive. It first appeared in Mourt’s Relation , a pamphlet about the first year of settlement at Plimoth. In 1669 Plymouth’s town historian, Nathaniel Morton, reprinted the agreement in his book, New England’s Memorial . Interestingly, he included a possible list of the men who signed it, even though these men’s names were not included in earlier copies of the Mayflower Compact . According to Morton, the document was signed by 41 of the male passengers – all but one of the freemen, three of the five hired men, and two of the nine servants.

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News from the 2nd Grade classroom

Just the mere mention of homework sends both shudders through students and parents alike.  Do the benefits outweigh the cost?  In a recent article by  Britannica ProCon.org  three pros and cons for homework were outlined and are summarized below.

1.  With homework, parents can be involved with their children’s learning by seeing not only the content of what is being assigned but strengths and challenges in doing the assignment.  Opponents however suggest that homework is a disadvantage to some groups of students, who might not have the proper supplies, time or parental help at home further pushing the academic equity divide.

2.  While it has been proven that homework improves achievement for older students, there is little to no evidence that homework helps to improve achievement for younger children.  As Temple University professor Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek, PhD, says “They’re learning way more important skills when they’re not doing their homework.”  That is of course assuming that they are not simply plugged in.

3.  Homework can help to reinforce the learning that happens at school through intentional practice. It also helps students to develop good study habits and life skills such as accountability, time management, and goal setting.  However it is important to remember that kids are still just that…kids.  Alfie Kohn, an education and parenting expert, said, “Kids should have a chance to just be kids and do things they enjoy, particularly after spending six hours a day in school. After all, we adults need time just to chill out; it’s absurd to insist that children must be engaged in constructive activities right up until their heads hit the pillow.”  (Strauss,  “Opinion: Your Kid Is Right, Homework Is Pointless. Here’s What You Should Do Instead.,” cnn.com, Jan. 28, 2020) As the second grader’s wrapped up their opinion writing unit, they shared their thoughts about homework.  Interestingly enough, it was about half for homework and half against it.

At PNA, the homework assigned is fairly light, especially for younger students.  When homework is intentional and thoughtfully assigned, students do see the benefits of learning those life skills mentioned above and do further their achievement in their academics.  However, we also recognize and respect that kids need the chance to just be kids.  They need the space and time to be curious, engage in other interests and to just play, since that is the true work of childhood. Other recent 2nd Grade stories Joyful Journey Moving and Music Tell Me a Story – PBL version A Child Who Sings Is A Happy Child Physical Education and Health Goings On Norske og internasjonale forskningsnyheter Forskningsnyheter for unge Science news from Norway in English Meninger, debatt og blogger skrevet av forskere Forskning.nos stillingsmarked You might be looking for... THIS ARTICLE/PRESS RELEASE IS PAID FOR AND PRESENTED BY NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology - read more Is homework useful or necessary? An updated norwegian education act is currently being considered. several researchers are sceptical about the benefits of homework.. We are used to homework being part of a school’s learning programme, but homework is not mandated by the state and is only one of several options that schools have. The Education Act currently includes no clear authorisation for assigning homework. It is therefore up to individual municipalities, schools and teachers whether they want to use homework as part of the educational scheme. The Norwegian Ministry of Education believes that the new Education Act should specify that an individual school can require students to do assignments and homework outside of school hours. Researchers and teachers in the field of pedagogy in the university and college sector met to discuss and submit their response to the proposed new Education Act: “We wonder what knowledge the Ministry has based its statement on. A decision authorising homework would be a serious setback for the development of homework-free/homework-aware schools and especially for researching the topic.” More about their input is included later in this article. Changed opinion about homework usefulness Opinions about homework in school vary widely, and more research is needed on the effect that homework has on learning. A research project at NTNU on homework-free schools has captured interesting results. Per Egil Mjaavatn is a researcher and associate professor affiliated with NTNU. He previously supported homework as a positive tool for the learning outcomes of children and adolescents. During the course of the research project, he changed his mind. Need more knowledge The city council in Trondheim wanted to try out a homework-free project in some of the city’s elementary schools in order to gain experience with a different way of working in schools. NTNU’s Department of Education and Lifelong Learning was asked to evaluate the experiment. The purpose of the project was to improve the knowledge base about attitudes towards, and experiences with homework in primary school – and about the effects of homework. Although the homework-free project had to be scaled back and eventually discontinued due to the COVID pandemic, the researchers made several interesting discoveries. In the 2019/2020 school year, Flatåsen and Stabbursmoen schools were homework-free with two extra school hours a week, while Byåsen and Romulslia schools were homework-free with no change in the timetable. All four schools were in Trondheim municipality. Four control schools that gave traditional homework assignments as well as homework help at school were also involved in the trial project. Pupils in 5th through 7th grade participated. Homework-free option reduced family conflicts 90 per cent of the children in schools with no homework experienced having more time to spend with family and friends. They also found that the level of conflict at home was less, as did more than half of the parents. The parent of a child in a homework-free school with an extended school day said: “Fewer conflicts around homework, no need to fuss and follow up on whether homework was done. Better atmosphere in the home." Another parent said: “Good for the family, but little control over my child’s development." The parent of a child in a homework-free school with no timetable changes said: “There was less arguing about homework and when it had to be done. But I also think that the school hours should be extended if the no-homework policy continues next year." Does homework promote or inhibit motivation? A lot of students are tired of homework. A whopping 83.8 per cent of the pupils who took part in the trial project responded that they get bored with school because of homework. Fewer than half the teachers believed that homework helps make pupils more interested in their schoolwork. The majority of parents (79 per cent) and teachers (89 per cent) believed that giving pupils homework is primarily dictated by tradition in Norwegian schools. Some parents reported in their comments that pupils became more motivated about school and performed better during the homework-free period. Other parents said the opposite: the lack of homework made pupil motivation and performance worse. Parents with an immigrant background were more positive about homework than the general parent average. Girls missed homework Only 28 per cent of the pupils in the homework-free schools believed that homework is necessary for them to learn everything that is expected of them. 20 per cent responded that they missed homework, and especially the girls at the homework-free schools missed having homework. In the control schools with traditional homework, 70 per cent of the pupils would prefer not to have homework, yet 74.5 per cent of these pupils agreed with the statement that homework is necessary for learning. Mathematics seems to be in a special position: a clear majority in all three informant groups believed that mathematics homework is necessary to get enough problem-solving practice. Parents and teachers prefer different solutions More than half of the parents would like to have an arrangement of an extended school day and no homework. Such a solution would satisfy both their desire for no homework and less homework stress at home. A clear majority of the teachers preferred an ordinary school day with homework. A pupil at a homework-free school with an extended school day said: "Not having homework was great. I'd rather be at school longer than have problems with homework at home." Does homework contribute to increased inequality? One task of schools is to reduce social differences in society. A clear majority of parents (75 per cent) believed that homework leads to greater differences between children of parents with different educational backgrounds. The teachers disagreed with the parents in this regard. Only 39 per cent of the teachers believed that homework contributes to increased differences between children with different socio-economic backgrounds. Homework should be a repetition of familiar material. Nevertheless, 95 per cent of the pupils answered that they got help at home to do their homework in Norwegian and mathematics. “In other words, students aren’t able to do a lot of the homework that’s being assigned on their own, which seems demotivating. The pupils who had homework were less interested in these subjects than the pupils who didn’t have homework,” Mjaavatn says. 75 per cent of parents said they had to help their children with homework. “Parents have different levels of preparation for helping their children with homework, and this can result in different learning conditions for children,” Mjaavatn says. A majority of parents believed that homework also leads to greater differences between students’ academic levels. Here too, the parent responses differed from those of the teachers. Only a third of the teachers shared the parents’ opinion. How much time should children spend on homework? Parents expect more homework with increasing age. The parents’ responses differed significantly here, with fathers wanting more time per week for homework than mothers. Teachers’ homework expectations were slightly higher than those of parents in terms of what they perceive to be an appropriate amount of time spent on homework in a normal school week. On average, the teachers suggested 3.27 hours per week for 5th graders and 3.55 hours for 7th graders. Responses scattered The researchers write in their report that they do not have measures of the impact that can show whether the homework-free project had an effect on the pupils’ effort and learning. “But we’ve gained an understanding of the opinions held by pupils, parents and teachers on this issue. The answers vary widely, and we’ve concluded that the question of whether homework promotes learning and motivation depends on whom you ask.” New Education Act Now, back to the new Norwegian Education Act, which is out for review. Just over 30 pedagogical researchers and teachers in the university and college sector have gathered to craft a response relating to homework in particular. “The answer to the question of whether homework is useful and necessary depends on who is given it and for what purpose. Whose perspectives are taken into account when issues relating to homework are formulated? Homework is a complex phenomenon that involves a lot of different players,” Elisabeth Rønningen at NTNU says. She is one of the authors of the text. How teachers justify their views on homework A qualitative study that examined how and why teachers give homework in elementary school showed that teachers justify homework by saying that: homework provides more learning. pupils should make the learning their own. homework helps students develop good work habits. homework is a good way to collaborate with children’s homes. schools depend on parent participation to meet all the competency targets. homework gives students time and peace to reflect on, repeat and automate their basic skills. Thin knowledge base The problem is that the knowledge base for these justifications is very thin, the researchers write in their response. For example, research shows no clear connection between homework and learning. Australian school researcher John Hattie refers to 161 studies which conclude that homework has little or no effect on learning, least of all in primary school. The literature review on homework research from the Norwegian Directorate of Education and Training (2021) includes no reference to studies that can document a strong connection between homework and pupils’ learning. The review states that Norway showed no significant correlation between the time pupils spend on homework and their results in mathematics, according to the PISA survey. Homework can lead to poor work habits Nor does the research show any clear connection between homework and the development of good work habits in pupils. In Harris Cooper and colleagues' research summary, they found that homework can lead to developing bad work habits just as well as good ones. Homework can lead to rushing assignments, doing tasks with little commitment and care, copying from the internet or getting others to do the tasks for them. Stress and conflict-filled family relationships In the experts' response, they argue that there needs to be a clear connection between homework and the development of good work habits if it is to be used as an argument for the Education Act to authorise schools to be able to require pupils to do school work after school hours. The practice of giving homework assignments can be counterproductive . Holte’s research from 2016 showed that homework can contribute to destroying close and positive relationships between parents and children, because homework can lead to increased stress levels and conflict-filled relationships at home. In their response, the researchers and teachers propose that the wording of the new law be changed to: The school cannot require pupils to do assignments outside of school hours (homework). A formulation like this sets a clear boundary against a teaching practice for which no good evidence exists and which can have very negative consequences both at an individual and societal level. This formulation is most in line with what we know today, they write Read the full consultation response here (link in Norwegian). Harris Cooper et al. 'Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement? A Synthesis of Research, 1987–2003', Review of Educational Research , 2006. Abstract. K.L. Holte. Homework in Primary School: Could It Be Made More Child-Friendly? Studia paedagogica: Childhood , 2017. This article/press release is paid for and presented by NTNU This content is created by NTNU's communication staff, who use this platform to communicate science and share results from research with the public. NTNU is one of more than 80 owners of ScienceNorway.no. Read more here . Read more content from NTNU: Language affects how quickly we perceive shades of colour Cholesterol type can affect your heart attack risk New 3D models of the colon can help detect disease more rapidly 5 tips for if you get lost Artificial intelligence: Can we recreate the smell of ancient Rome from 2,000 years ago? Being young and beautiful can lead to risky behaviours Norway considers lung cancer screening: Researchers discovered the silent killer in Arne Larsen's lungs Many adolescents get far too little sleep. Researchers are now testing if starting the school day later might help This table is the cradle of Norwegian democracy New report: One in four 10-12-year-olds takes painkillers weekly How many adolescents are truly satisfied with their lives? Study links pregnant women's diet to autism risk in children Some wolverines travel great distances during their lifetime Remarkable find: Archaeologists in Norway discovered the remains of a gauntlet on the seabed 20th century literature shows that portrait photography has changed our understanding of each other Should you tailor your workouts to your menstrual cycle? Research suggests it may not be that straightforward Sea ice influences winter temperatures in East Asia How to find motivation to exercise The deep sea: Researchers found mud volcanoes and collected hundreds of small creatures Archaeologists' most exciting finds: Teeth marks reveal the everyday lives of ordinary people As Norwegians become more secular, their interest in the Bible grows. What’s the connection? New study: Norwegian Vikings were more barbaric than Danish Vikings Archaeologists' most exciting finds: Investigating graves from Europe's first oil adventure How much do 15-year-olds know about finances? Abortion, girl power, and young voters: This is how Kamala Harris plans to win the election New study: Masks reduce the risk of respiratory infections Archaeologists' most exciting finds: “It was as if I entered a time capsule from the Bronze Age” Why does pizza taste so good? A unique medieval boat has been given its own museum in Northern Norway No increased risk of birth defects for pregnant women after Covid-19 vaccination Español NEW Northern America facts for kids Quick facts for kids Northern America Area 21,780,142 km (8,409,360 sq mi) Population 364,295,996 (2018 est.) Population density 16.5/km (42.7/sq mi) GDP (nominal) $22.2 trillion (2018 est.) Countries Dependencies ( ) ( ) ( ) Languages English, French, , , , and various recognized Time zones (Danmarkshavn, Greenland) to UTC −10:00 (west Aleutians) Largest cities 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. UN M49 code – Northern America – – – Northern America is the northernmost subregion of North America . The boundaries may be drawn slightly differently. In one definition, it lies directly north of Middle America (including Central America , Clipperton Island , Mexico , and the West Indies ). Northern America's land frontier with the rest of North America then coincides with the Mexico–United States border . Geopolitically , according to the United Nations' scheme of geographic regions and subregions, Northern America consists of Bermuda , Canada , Greenland , Saint Pierre and Miquelon , and the United States (the contiguous United States and Alaska only, excluding Hawaii , Navassa Island , Puerto Rico , the United States Virgin Islands , and other minor U.S. Pacific territories ). Definitions Countries and dependent territories, demographics. Maps using the term Northern America date back to 1755, when the region was occupied by France , Great Britain , and Spain . The Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence of Northern America in 1813 applied to Mexico. Today, Northern America includes the Canada–US dyad , developed countries that exhibit very high Human Development Indexes and intense economic integration while sharing many socioeconomic characteristics. The World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions has "Northern America" as the seventh of its nine "botanical continents". Its definition differs from the usual political one: Mexico is included, Bermuda is excluded (being placed in the Caribbean region), Hawaii is excluded (being placed in the Pacific botanical continent) and all of the Aleutian Islands , Russian as well as American, are included. / (km²) (2018) (per km²) &&&&&&&&&&&&&053.20000053.2 62,756 1,275 &&&&&&&&09984670.&&&&&09,984,670 37,064,562 3.4 0 . 2,166,086 56,564 0.026 &&&&&&&&&&&&0242.&&&&&0242 5,849 25 Saint Pierre &&&&&&&&09826675.&&&&&09,826,675 327,096,265 32.7 Year Population of Northern America Canada population, % of Northern America U.S. population, % of Northern America 1950 172,603,000 — 13,733,000 8.0% 158,804,000 92.0% 1960 204,649,000 +18.6% 17,847,000 8.7% 186,721,000 91.2% 1970 230,992,000 +12.9% 21,374,000 9.3% 209,513,000 90.7% 1980 254,007,000 +10.0% 24,417,000 9.6% 229,476,000 90.3% 1990 279,785,000 +10.1% 27,541,000 9.8% 252,120,000 90.1% 2000 312,427,000 +11.7% 30,588,000 9.8% 281,711,000 90.2% 2010 343,287,000 +9.9% 34,148,000 9.9% 309,011,000 90.0% 2020 368,870,000 +7.5% 37,742,000 10.2% 331,003,000 89.7% This page was last modified on 9 August 2024, at 02:05. Suggest an edit . Local Politics Editorials & Letters Northern Kentucky National Politics School bus crashes, lands off road in Northern Kentucky A school bus crashed off the side of the road Wednesday afternoon in Hebron, Boone County dispatch confirmed. At approximately 4:15 p.m., Boone County police officers were dispatched to River Road near North Bend Road for a report that a school bus with children "possibly on board" crashed, officers said. The bus was 10 feet from the road, dispatch said. 18 elementary-aged students were on the bus during the crash, a spokesperson for Boone County schools said. When officers arrived, the children had boarded off the bus. No one was seriously injured or transported to a medical center, dispatch said. Dispatch could not confirm the cause of the crash. The Enquirer will continue to update this story as more information becomes available. Food & Drink Home & Design Things to Do Take the Survey Fitness & Beauty Education & Family Best of the Rest Top Attorneys Top Dentists Top Doctors Top Real Estate Producers Private Schools Ask the Experts: Seniors & Aging Builders & Architects Condos, Townhomes & Apartments Financial Professionals Home Experts Home Showcase Kitchen & Bath Showcase Look Good, Feel Good Real Estate Agents Senior Services Test of Time The Ones to Watch Women in Business Newsstand Locations Issue Archive Write for Us Job Openings How to Stop Fighting With Your Kids Over Homework Is homework a constant source of tension in your household? Students and education experts offer advice to well-meaning parents. Did you finish those math problems? Did you study enough for that big test? Why do you have a zero??!! Parents ask their kids these and dozens of other questions about homework weekly, if not daily. “Parents are very paranoid when it comes to homework,” says Rachel (not her real name)*, a freshman at Bishop O’Connell who, at the time of this interview, was still adjusting to the rigors of a new school. “They don’t always have enough trust in their children when it comes to getting their work done.” Rachel understands that her parents are concerned about her grades but says their frequent inquiries and checking of her school’s online portal only puts more stress on her. She wishes they had more faith in her abilities. “Loosen up and expect us to get done what we need to,” she says. It’s a common dynamic in Northern Virginia’s competitive landscape of high-achieving parents and high-achieving kids. “Often homework turns into a fight or a nagging situation or an attempt to overcontrol or micromanage,” says Miriam Liss, a professor of psychological science at the University of Mary Washington and co-author of Balancing the Big Stuff: Finding Happiness in Work, Family, and Life . It becomes a “negative cycle where parents nag, and children get frustrated and find homework to be stressful. Then they want to do homework less.” But what’s a concerned parent to do—particularly if their child seems to be struggling with schoolwork? We asked 15 local students, ages 13 to 18, and a handful of education experts for their advice. Here’s what they think you should know. Your child does care about school. Too often parents leap to the conclusion that Jack didn’t complete an assignment or Christina scored poorly on a test because they don’t care. That’s almost never the case, says Debbie Rosen, founder and co-owner of The StudyPro , a study skills and homework coaching center in McLean. What may be lacking is not the motivation but the strategy, says Rosen, whose own son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 7. Frustrated that the services in the area didn’t fully address his needs, she founded her company in 2016 when her son was 16. Some students simply need an initiation strategy to get started—such as reading the directions out loud, highlighting key words or pasting the prompt they have chosen to answer into a Google doc. The key is figuring out what works best for each student’s learning style. If you fear your child truly doesn’t see homework as important, consider having a family discussion about it, suggests Susan Kuczmarski, author of The Sacred Flight of the Teenager: A Parent’s Guide to Stepping Back and Letting Go . (Based in Chicago, she is also a professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.) Call a meeting to “come up with a family set of values that includes everyone’s interests,” she says. “Parents might think it’s obvious, but it may not be to the child.” While you’re at it, says Liss, ask your kids what they hope to achieve, grade-wise, so you aren’t the only one dictating what’s acceptable. “Make sure they have buy-in. They should have their own goals.” They don’t want you to do their work for them. In fact, you might not even know how. Some subjects, like math, are taught differently now than they were back in the day. “Sometimes when I’m doing math homework, my parents learned it one way and I’m learning it another,” says Ellie*, an eighth-grader at Dorothy Hamm Middle School. “So they can’t really help me.” If you’re tempted to do your kids’ homework with them (or, worst case, for them), know that this can backfire. Liss points to a 2018 Frontiers in Psychology study that followed 336 ninth-graders in China and tracked their math achievements. The researchers differentiated between “autonomy-oriented support” (i.e., paying attention to children’s ideas and encouraging their homework initiative) and “content-oriented support” (offering direct help on homework). The former approach, the study found, “resulted in higher subsequent achievement” on two standardized tests, whereas the latter led to “higher subsequent effort, but lower subsequent achievement,” regardless of gender. They may not realize it, but parents who step in and do the work are “communicating the message to children that they can’t do this, that they’re not competent,” Liss says. Such intervention can erode a student’s confidence in their own abilities. Kuczmarski kindly but bluntly urges parents to get out of the way. “My strong feeling is that homework is between the child and the teacher and not the child and the parent,” she says. “If the child or teen is having trouble with homework, they need to go to the teacher. The beauty of this is that it teaches responsibility very early on.” Kids can start self-advocating as soon as they’re comfortable doing so, she says—definitely by fourth grade. In the long run, it’s a critical life skill: “We don’t want them to go to college and call their parents and say, ‘I can’t do the homework.’ We want them to go to the faculty members and ask for guidance.” Arturo*, a ninth-grader at Wakefield High School, notes that many of his teachers allow students to start their homework in the last 10 minutes of class. That’s by design. “I definitely find it helpful, especially for classes like math,” he says. “My teacher’s there to support me.” The problem isn’t always what you think it is. Missing assignment? Bad grade? The issue may not lie in the material. Sometimes other factors are at play. For instance, parents might assume the school’s online portal is easy for kids to navigate, and that’s not always the case. “Often kids don’t know where the assignment is,” observes Kristin Linder Carpenter, founder of Linder Educational Coaching in Arlington. If a teacher changes digital platforms or adopts a new system mid-year, that can throw students off their game. For older elementary- and middle-school-age students, being aware of the school’s recommendations for time spent on homework is helpful. (Arlington Public Schools has grade-by-grade guidelines and is currently in the process of revising its overall homework policy.) If your student is taking longer than their peers to complete a task, be sure to communicate that to the teacher (this is a time when parental intervention is warranted). It could signal a learning disability or executive functioning challenges. Yes, some students do struggle with regulating screen time and managing distractions, Rosen says, and they might be tempted to click over to Discord or watch a quick TikTok video when they are supposed to be working. “It’s like the dark playground for them. They’re on it, but they’re not really having that much fun because they know they should be doing other things.” But punitive measures aren’t necessarily the solution. Rosen suggests asking your child what’s getting in the way of their goals. Helping kids to reflect on their own patterns is the first step toward changing behavior. If they admit to screen distractions, try creating separate desktop profiles for homework vs. fun. That way they’re “not actually seeing the [play] tab that may be the most tempting,” she says. Factoring short breaks into study time can also be helpful. Dorothy Hamm student Ellie does so routinely and has advised her two younger siblings to follow her lead. “Never just keep doing it if you think you’re about to explode,” says the eighth-grader, who often goes outside or reads a book for a few minutes to clear her head. “Take a break and then get back to it.” If they’re struggling, they want to talk—but not if you’re angry or checked out. Yelling about homework never produces the desired outcome. Let’s say you catch Alex watching YouTube instead of writing that essay. Rather than reacting in the heat of the moment, try asking questions later, once the emotion has passed. It’ll be a more productive conversation, whereas putting your child on the defensive will only strain your relationship. Avoiding accusatory or inflammatory language will also help your child feel supported. “It’s really critical to water the seeds and not the weeds,” Rosen says, advocating positive reinforcement. Instead of focusing on “the weeds” (what’s not working), try to find something good in what your student is doing. Compliment them on a strategy they’re using, such as making flash cards or trying to edit their own work. Also, put down your phone and give them your undivided attention. “When kids are vulnerable with us, that usually comes at the most inappropriate or inconvenient time,” says Lindsey Thoms, who co-owns The StudyPro with Rosen and serves as the center’s director. “If they are showing vulnerability, be grateful for that moment—even if it’s past the due date and they’re deep in that hole.” Nina*, a senior at Washington-Liberty, says her parents are often unreceptive when she wants to talk about her homework challenges because they are exhausted from their own demanding workdays. “I know it’s selfish of me, but I do wish that they could spend a little more time with me and try to hear what I have to say regarding school,” she says. “They’re very supportive with everything I do, but I wish they could be less dismissive because of how long their day was and try to be more understanding and just listen to me.” The study habits that work best for them may not be the ones that worked for you. Time management was always a struggle for Sally Sagarese’s two kids. The McLean mom remembers her daughter (now in college) doing everything at “the last minute, scrambling and trying to get the project done that had been on the calendar for two months.” Each of her kids benefited from working with a study coach in high school, though their needs were different. Her son, now 18, has dyslexia and physical challenges with handwriting, so the written planner that worked wonders for her daughter didn’t work for him. He opted for a digital version instead. “Parents forget what it’s like to be learning all day,” she says, noting that most students are “cognitively gassed” by the time they get home. “The process of doing homework requires a lot of different executive skills, all of which are in a weakened state.” Parents may want their kids to get on top of homework or make a to-do list as soon as they walk in the door, but kids who are mentally tired might end up spending their remaining energy on that task rather than on their actual assignments. That’s not to say that structure won’t help. “A big part of homework is making it contained,” Carpenter clarifies. “Have kids plan when they’re going to be doing homework and when they’re going to be hanging out with friends so that everything doesn’t blur together—so they’re not doing inefficient homework for six hours while they’re texting. Blocking time for all of these things is valuable.” Rosen and Thoms both recommend a 24-hour weekly calendar in which kids can block out school and sleep time and see their available “work windows,” as well as where they have free time. This approach validates a child’s preferred activities, gives them a sense of control, and often preempts family fights. It also reduces anxiety for both parents and kids. Plus, there’s a larger payoff. Finding an organizational system that works for your kid is part of “the bigger lesson that’s wrapped up in homework,” Carpenter says. “You’re helping them learn to prioritize their life and their work.” The sheer volume of homework in high school is a beast. “I wish my parents understood the amount of time that homework for each class takes in my day,” says Nina, the W-L senior. “Sometimes an assignment for one class can take up all my afternoon, especially if it’s for a research project.” Nina says her parents, who grew up on another continent, never had as much homework growing up as she does now. She gets upset when they think she’s in her room watching movies or “messing around with her phone.” Having packed her schedule with advanced classes, she often stays after school to ask teachers for help, but says her parents think she’s just socializing. Given her workload, Nina sometimes can’t attend family events or must leave early. She worries that her parents think she’s mismanaging her time. She senses their disapproval when she says, “I can’t go; I have homework.” Maddie*, a Wakefield senior taking multiple AP classes, says her parents don’t always understand the hard choices she has to make. “Often I have to sacrifice quality to just get the quantity of work done,” she explains. “When they get frustrated with me for cutting corners on assignments, they don’t realize that it’s either that or not turn in some assignments at all.” Ultimately, she wants to be trusted to make her own decisions. When it comes to crunch time, don’t assume procrastination is the culprit. “It’s very difficult to get homework done in advance,” says Aaron, a recent Wakefield graduate, now a freshman in college. “Teachers sometimes don’t even [post] assignments until the day they’re due, so it’s impossible to finish anything early.” He remembers one of his high school teachers assigning an essay at 1 p.m. on a Friday with a surprising midnight deadline. He had to skip movie night with his perturbed parents, who assumed he’d been goofing off and had waited until the last minute. The online gradebook is a snapshot. Don’t freak out. If you log in to your child’s Canvas or ParentVUE account and see a zero or a missing assignment, don’t panic. “Always having that accountability of the gradebook is not the way to go, and that’s how most parents handle communication,” Carpenter says. They check the portal, see something amiss and text their kid. “That’s incredibly anxiety producing. It interrupts the child’s day and makes them more anxious and less likely to want to talk about concerns.” The online gradebook may not even be accurate if the teacher hasn’t had a chance to record a test score or update a grade. And teachers do occasionally make mistakes. Carpenter advises parents to keep their oversight “less micro and more macro.” If you see a clear downward trend over time, then it’s a good idea to ask broader questions, like How do you feel about your system of organization? Or, How do you feel about the amount of time you’re putting into homework? “Kids tend to be pretty reflective and often will volunteer their ideas,” she says, and collaborative problem-solving is more impactful and long-lasting than “receipt/accountability conversations.” University of Mary Washington’s Liss remembers being tempted to check her high school son’s grades often, even though her conscience told her to let him manage his own work. “I was having a hard time with his need to be autonomous,” she confesses. “I had to take my own advice from books I’ve written.” Talking calmly, she and her son negotiated a way forward in which she promised to review only his interim and semester grades. “The fact that he knows I’m not checking—and I’m really not—means he has to check [them himself],” she says, which supports his growing independence. Conversations about school are an opportunity to connect. All parents want their kids to do well, find their bliss and succeed in life. Homework hounding almost always comes from a place of good intentions. Tough conversations can easily become adversarial, but they can also have the opposite effect if parents approach them with an open mind. “When I interviewed children for my book, especially teenagers and middle schoolers, they told me they felt like their parents didn’t know who they were inside,” Kuczmarski says. She urges parents to try to “establish the sort of talk that’s about anything, really—from the silly to the serious. Help [your kids] walk down unknown conversational paths when they’re trying to figure things out.” (Recognizing that our educational system rewards certain aptitudes and learning styles over others, she also encourages families to explore Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences , but that’s a topic for another article.) If the mere mention of the word homework is a sore subject in your house, consider setting aside a weekly or monthly discussion time so the topic doesn’t dominate every family meal. This may alleviate stress while fostering a more open dialogue. Encourage your kids to use the time to bring up any topics or concerns they have. Let them be the ones asking for advice if it’s needed. (Side note: This approach also works well for college applications.) Above all, Liss says, kids need to hear this message from their parents: “I want you to do well, and I know you can do well, but I love you no matter how you do.” Amy Brecount White co-raised three children in Arlington and now coaches high school seniors on writing their college essays. *For privacy, the student names in this story are pseudonyms. Our Digital Partners Become a digital partner ... Your guide to the people, places, activities, and culture that define Arlington, McLean and Falls Church, Virginia. Company Info About Us Contact Us Subscribe Advertise Write for Us Get Our Email Updates Copyright © 2024 Greenbrier Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Notice at Collection Fundamentals NEW Biographies Compare Countries World Atlas Related resources for this article Primary Sources & E-Books The Earth resembles a sphere. (“Sphere” comes from the ancient Greek word sphaira, meaning “ball.”) A sphere can be imagined to be cut in half either horizontally or vertically. Half-spheres, or hemispheres, are the result. This imaginary division into hemispheres is useful in identifying large parts of the globe and in studying aspects of the Earth’s motions. (Although it does not affect the use of the word hemisphere, it should be noted that the Earth is not a perfect sphere. It is actually oblate in shape, which means that the polar regions are slightly flattened and the equatorial region bulges slightly.) Because the Earth is spherical, its cross sections, like any circle, can be divided into 360 degrees. These degrees can be used to measure distance. In order to do this, imaginary lines are drawn around the globe, and degrees are marked on them. Some lines, called parallels, are perpendicular to the Earth’s axis (that is, parallel to the equator) and measure latitude, or distances north and south. Other lines, called meridians, can be drawn that connect the north and south poles and measure longitude, or distances east and west. The parallel that is exactly halfway between the North and South poles is the equator, and it has a value of 0° latitude. The equator divides the Earth into Northern and Southern hemispheres. The Earth’s orbit around the sun and the tilt of the Earth’s axis affect the seasonal changes in these two hemispheres. Because the Earth’s axis is tilted, it is angled with respect to the sun. Thus, during the Earth’s orbit around the sun, there are two times of the year when a hemisphere receives the rays of the sun at the highest possible angle or the lowest possible angle. These periods are called solstices. During the solstice that occurs around June 21, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun—this corresponds to summer in the Northern Hemisphere. At the same time the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and undergoes its winter. During the solstice that occurs around December 21, the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun and undergoes its winter while the Southern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun and undergoes its summer. During the equinoxes, in March and September, neither hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, and both have equal periods of day and night. However, the seasons are still reversed: the Northern Hemisphere’s spring occurs during the Southern Hemisphere’s autumn. The equator establishes a Northern and a Southern Hemisphere, but popular misunderstandings still occur. To some Northern Hemisphere residents, many southern localities are thought to be in the Southern Hemisphere when they are actually located north of the equator. Part of South America and more than half of Africa, for example, are north of the equator, even though these continents are frequently thought of as being in the Southern Hemisphere. The meridians used to measure degrees east and west are all of equal length and all pass through the poles. Every meridian divides the Earth in two. Thus there is no clear natural marker to establish the Eastern and Western hemispheres. By Eastern or Western Hemisphere is meant a hemisphere on one side of an arbitrarily selected meridian that serves as a baseline. That meridian could pass through any number of cities. An 1884 international agreement, however, established the base, or prime, meridian to be the meridian that passes through Greenwich, England. Since then, by convention, this has been the prime meridian. It is 0° longitude, and all distances east and west are measured from it. The standard time zones of the Earth are also measured from the Greenwich meridian. Since the Earth rotates approximately 15° of longitude each hour, time zones of 15° intervals were established on either side of the prime meridian. Traveling east of the prime meridian, each time zone is one hour ahead of the zone immediately preceding it. West of the prime meridian each zone is one hour behind the one immediately preceding it. On the opposite side of the globe, at 180°, is the international date line. (In reality time zones are not always uniformly 15° apart because many countries have altered the time zone boundaries within their borders.) Although the prime meridian is the baseline for all east and west measurements, it is not always considered the boundary line between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The Western Hemisphere in popular usage includes North and South America—a reflection of the fact that these continents were part of the New World discovered by European explorers beginning in the 15th century. Since these continents are west of Europe, they became known as part of the Western Hemisphere. If the prime meridian is taken as the boundary, parts of Europe and Africa become part of the Western Hemisphere. It’s here: the NEW Britannica Kids website! We’ve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. Take a minute to check out all the enhancements! The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. 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Kids Homework provided by JAXA and NAOJ. Join the APRSAF-30 Online Stargazing Party from home! Open to students from all over the world. How to Join *You do not have to participate in all the activities. １．Watch two Space Talks for students. ★series one: around the globe and across time: explore celestial motions with hōkūleʻa ". Dr. Kelly Blumenthal IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach link ★Series two: The Universe Observed in Different Colors Information as of July 2023. XRISM was launched on September 7th, 2023 at 8:42:11 (Japan Standard Time). ２．Try Kids Homework provided by JAXA and NAOJ (There are four types of assignments). ★series one: let's see stars and observe how it moves. For students who cannot see the Summer Triangle from your area this season, you can observe the Orion constellation. *When you stargaze: Observe stars from a safe place where there is no danger from vehicles. ★Series Two: Make Your Own Constellation! ★series three: the universe observed in different colors. The Universe Observed in Different Colors_Answers 　PDF -----> ★Series Four: Learning More about Stars & Constellations Learning More about Stars & Constellations 　PDF Learning More about Stars & Constellations 　pptx *If you cannot look up everything, you can submit something you have learned. How to hand in your homework Send your homework to the JAXA Academy (jaxa_academy@jaxa.jp) by email. Subject: Mark the subject line with "APRSAF-30 Online Activities, Kids Homework". File size: The maximum file size is 2MB for each email. Files you can send: pdf, ppt, etc. Please include the following in your email. 1. Your name or nickname 2. Age 3. Gender or Prefer not to state 4. Nationality or Prefer not to state 5. Can we present your homework, your name or nickname, country, and age at the stargazing party? (Y/N) We will select and present the best entries during the online stargazing event. We will also present them on our YouTube channel. Your homework, your name or nickname, nationality, and age will be presented at the party, so please get your guardian's consent and confirm whether we can present your work at the stargazing party. ３.Joining the APRSAF-30 Online Stargazing Party from Home! For students from all over the world. Aprsaf-30 online stargazing party. Overview of the Event Have you ever wondered what the stars look like from other countries in the world? Well now you can see what they look like from the comfort of your own home! Space Education for All Working Group (SE4AWG)*1 will be broadcasting live videos of stars and constellations taken by multiple observatory locations around the world. The APRSAF-30 *2 Online Stargazing Party will be held for students everywhere. Through this event, SE4AWG is directed at children to foster a sense of adventure and creativity, to enjoy the stars, the universe, and space education, to know how the stars and constellations appear in the sky depending on the latitude and time zone, and international exchange by looking at the starry sky at the same time. Any student can participate by registering here on the website. １．Date (UTC) 12 pm (Noon) - 1:40 pm or later *3 on Friday, 20th September 2024​ 12 pm (Noon) - 12:15 pm　Introducing Students' Homework​​ 12:15 pm - 1:40 pm or later.　​ ​ Online Stargazing Broadcast ​ (Might end later than stated)​ ​​ 【Broadcasting places (8 areas) *4】​​​​ ２．Platform Platform Online Zoom Webinar ３．Target Primarily 10 to 15 years old, but open to all. ４．Number of participants who can attend. Only the first 1,000 attendees will be able to join on Zoom Webinar. ５．Language English ６．Registration deadline (UTC) 12 pm (Noon), 13 September 2024 ７．Contact information jaxa_academy@jaxa.jp *1 Space Education for All Working Group (SE4AWG) *2 Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) *3 Please check the time in your time zone. For students who watch the event late at night, please watch with adults. *4 We will present recorded images and videos when the broadcasting areas are cloudy, rainy or day-time. *5 We will use pre-recorded video. Register Here Date: Thursday, 7 September 2023 Time (UTC) 12 pm (Noon) - 12:10 pm Introducing Students' Summer Homework 12:10 pm - 1:30 pm Online Stargazing Broadcast Broadcasting places (6 areas) *3 -Chile, Hawaii, Japan (Tokyo and Ishigakijima Island) National Astronomical Observatory of Japan -Indonesia (Kupang or Bandung) National Research and Innovation Agency -Australia (Canberra) Australian National University JAXA Academy archive APRSAF-29 Online Stargazing Event Hawaiian Starlines and Wayfinding This is a video of Hawaiian Starlines that we could not show in the 'APRSAF-29 Online Stargazing Event' video (38:29). We will present this video in the 'APRSAF-30 Online Stargazing Party' Space Talks & Kids Homework (Japanese Language) APRSAF-30 Online Stargazing Party (Japanese Language) Uploaded the APRSAF-29 Online Stargazing Event recorded videos. 　 Uploaded the Hawaiian Starlines and Wayfinding recorded videos. 　 270 IMAGES Homework Five northern educators share their favourite activity for kids Five northern educators share their favourite activity for kids I Finally Got My Kid to Do His Homework "Little Boy Doing His Homework" by Stocksy Contributor "Lea Jones How to make time for homework and home learning COMMENTS An Age-By-Age Guide to Helping Kids Manage Homework Third to fifth grades. Many children will be able to do homework independently in grades 3-5. Even then, their ability to focus and follow through may vary from day to day. "Most children are ... Free Worksheets for Kids 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. Free worksheets for kindergarten to grade 5 kids. Over 10,000 math, reading, grammar and writing, vocabulary, spelling and cursive writing worksheets. North America Canada , the United States , and Mexico make up the largest part of the continent of North America. The countries of Central America also are part of the continent, and several islands, including the West Indies and Greenland , are associated with North America. It is third in size and fourth in population among Earth's continents. 7 North America Worksheets (Free Geography Printables) Fun facts about North America for kids. Fun and interesting facts about North America that kids might enjoy: The world's largest indoor water park, Kalahari Resort, is located in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. The shortest river in the world, the D River, is located in Lincoln City, Oregon, USA. It's only 121 feet (37 meters) long! Helping Kids with Homework: 11 Actionable Tips for Parents Plus, answering homework by themselves is a good way to teach independent learning. With that in mind, here are the homework tips for parents: 1. Work Out a Working Routine. Believe it or not, children love routines because they create structure. aurora Auroras are dazzling displays of colored light that sometimes appear in the night sky. They occur in Earth's far northern and far southern regions. In the Northern Hemisphere such a display is known as aurora borealis, or the northern lights. In the Southern Hemisphere it is called aurora australis, or the southern lights. Auroras are named ... Northern Lights Facts, Worksheets & Etymology For Kids Complete List Of Included Worksheets. The Northern Lights, known as Aurora borealis, are bright "dancing" lights of the aurora in the north. The lights are a result of the sun's electrically charged particles colliding and entering the atmosphere of planet Earth. The lights can be viewed above the magnetic poles of the northern and ... Strategies to Make Homework Go More Smoothly Others need to have parents nearby to help keep them on task and to answer questions when problems arise. Ask your child where the best place is to work. Both you and your child need to discuss pros and cons of different settings to arrive at a mutually agreed upon location. Step 2. Set up a homework center. northern lights northern lights - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help. A glowing streamer of the northern lights appears in the sky above a lake near Kautokeino, Norway. Amateur astronomers can observe auroras without any special equipment. A glowing streamer of the northern lights appears in the sky above a lake near Kautokeino, Norway. Amateur ... Should Kids Get Homework? Too much, however, is harmful. And homework has a greater positive effect on students in secondary school (grades 7-12) than those in elementary. "Every child should be doing homework, but the ... Homework: A New User's Guide : NPR Ed : NPR Take the child's grade and multiply by 10. So first-graders should have roughly 10 minutes of homework a night, 40 minutes for fourth-graders, on up to two hours for seniors in high school. A lot ... Homework Help Resource Library. We've got the homework help tools you need to succeed! Plimoth Patuxet Museums Mayflower Compact. The 1620 agreement (first called the Mayflower Compact in 1793) was a legal instrument that bound the Pilgrims together when they arrived in New England. The core members of the Pilgrims' immigrant group were Separatists, members of a Puritan sect that had split from the Church of England, the only legal church in England at ... North America Introduction. North America is the third largest of the continents. It has an area of more than 9,300,000 square miles (24,100,000 square kilometers), which is more than 16 percent of the world's land area. Canada, the United States, and Mexico make up the largest part of North America. Worksheets for Kids & Free Printables Free Worksheets and Printables for Kids. 26,701 results. Interactive Worksheets bring printable worksheets to life! Students can complete worksheets online, and get instant feedback to improve. Open an Interactive Worksheet, and create a direct link to share with students. They'll enter their code to access the worksheet, complete it online ... Homework: To Do or Not To Do? Just the mere mention of homework sends both shudders through students and parents alike. Do the benefits outweigh the cost? In a recent article Is homework useful or necessary? homework helps students develop good work habits. homework is a good way to collaborate with children's homes. schools depend on parent participation to meet all the competency targets. homework gives students time and peace to reflect on, repeat and automate their basic skills. Northern America Facts for Kids Definitions. Maps using the term Northern America date back to 1755, when the region was occupied by France, Great Britain, and Spain.The Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence of Northern America in 1813 applied to Mexico. Today, Northern America includes the Canada-US dyad, developed countries that exhibit very high Human Development Indexes and intense economic integration while ... Little Kid Has An Amazing Yorkshire Accent This little kid's Yorkshire accent is incredible! "Just put it in't box, am sick'a 'earin ya na" Northern Ireland G.F. Allen—Bruce Coleman. The northeastern part of the island of Ireland is occupied by Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom. It covers only one-sixth of the total area of the island but has nearly one-third of the population. The rest of the island is occupied by the Republic of Ireland, a separate country. School bus crashes, lands off road in Northern Kentucky A school bus crashed off the side of the road Wednesday afternoon in Hebron, Boone County dispatch confirmed. At approximately 4:15 p.m., Boone County police officers were dispatched to River Road ... How to Stop Fighting With Your Kids Over Homework It's a common dynamic in Northern Virginia's competitive landscape of high-achieving parents and high-achieving kids. "Often homework turns into a fight or a nagging situation or an attempt to overcontrol or micromanage," says Miriam Liss, a professor of psychological science at the University of Mary Washington and co-author of ... [4K] Walking Streets Moscow. Moscow-City Walking tour around Moscow-City.Thanks for watching!MY GEAR THAT I USEMinimalist Handheld SetupiPhone 11 128GB https://amzn.to/3zfqbboMic for Street https://... hemisphere A sphere can be imagined to be cut in half either horizontally or vertically. Half-spheres, or hemispheres, are the result. This imaginary division into hemispheres is useful in identifying large parts of the globe and in studying aspects of the Earth's motions. (Although it does not affect the use of the word hemisphere, it should be noted ... JAXA Academy Kids Online Activities 2024 "Space Talks & Kids Homework Mark the subject line with "APRSAF-30 Online Activities, Kids Homework". File size: The maximum file size is 2MB for each email. Files you can send: pdf, ppt, etc. Please include the following in your email. 1. Your name or nickname 2. Age 3. Gender or Prefer not to state 4. Nationality or Prefer not to state assignment essay homework paper phd resume review speech thesis