Viral homework
Viral homework

Viral homework

Back in the summer I read an article that made its way over from America and onto Twitter – “The summer homework assignment that went viral.” I bookmarked the article and added a note to my diary for next May.

Be as happy as sunlight, as untameable as the sea.

I continue to wrestle with cost-benefit analysis of homework though see, and was inspired, by the “sneakily inspiring,” efforts of the author/teacher. I took their lead and set an optional homework task for 8z5 Maths for half term and shared it in my fortnightly newsletter to parents.

Just for fun and to reinforce the second units learning, I challenge you to make American pancakes, with or without the blueberries, to help the pupils understand scales and the divisions on the measure tools. Any photo evidence will be rewarded… somehow.

On the first day back, I received a recipe booklet with photos and a student who smile clearly demonstrated the pride in her work. (Being a parent myself, I recognised the “family effort” that went into creating that booklet.) The following day, two more students shared photos and anecdotal stories of their kitchen adventures, some students even stuck the evidence into their books. I shared a thank you note to the parents, house points were awarded and post cards sent home for this exceptional effort. Of course, I was rewarded; these students were full of a sense of pride and have smiled broadly since their return.

Given we are now on algebra, I was wondering if my maths colleagues had an inventive Christmas optional homework task for 8z5 Maths?

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