Phase 2* Homework Menu / Spring Term 2
The Rotten Romans /
“Homework to suit everyone’s taste”
*Phase 2 = Queen Bees and Worker Bees classes (Years 4, 5 and 6)
Your 5 A-Day (Essentials) / Weekly Treats (Optionals)
“These important items are exactly what you need a little of each day in order to have a healthy education. Get stuck right in!”Please refer to the 5-A-Day Guide for Parents/Carers. / “Want something a bit meatier? It’s all up to you to be as creative as you want! You’re allowed one of these each week. You can invent your own idea if you want. How tempting!”
1. Daily Maths Activities:
  • Drilling times tables and the basic skills from the 5-A-Day Guide.
  • Tackling word/ real-life maths problems and how to set them out.
  • Trying problems using revision books, apps and online games.
  • Children “teaching” parents the maths they have learnt in class.
/ 1p Per day / 1. How Does It Work?The clever Romans invented many fantastic things but how did they work? Using diagrams and detailed writing, explain how something works: your choice. It could be something topic-related (like a volcano or Roman battle formation) or something you’re interested in or good at (like “How does a bicycle work?”). Don’t get confused with instructions. / 6p Each
2. Daily SPAG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) Essentials:
  • Checking Read, Write, Inc Log Book or other spelling books/lists.
  • Learning National Curriculum Word Lists (available online).
  • Going through the dictionary. Test yourself.
/ 1p Per day / 2. Roman News:Lots of very interesting things happened in Roman Times- in fact, The Roman Times might be a good name for a newspaper (if they had them back then). Create your own Roman-themed newspaper article. It could be an exciting front page story or a collection of sporty back page highlights. / 6p Each
3. Daily Reading Essentials:
  • Use school’s “Reader’s Toolbox” resource to analyse texts in depth.
  • Create your own comprehension questions.
  • Look at vocabulary. Make a note of new words and their meaning.
/ 1p Per day / 3. Stretton Museum Artefacts:Turn your classroom into a museum by recreating artefacts from the Roman era. Coins, weapons, costumes, models of settlements or famous landmarks, artwork, pottery ...you get the idea. Don’t forget that museum artefacts have short descriptions accompanying them too. / 6p Each
4. Daily Writing Suggestions:
  • Write a diary entry, recounting events of the day and your thoughts.
  • Write a one page story. You must include your writer’s toolkit skills.
  • Debate an issue. For example, should children wear school uniforms?
/ 2p Per day / 4. The Easter Story:This is often described as the greatest story ever told. How would you tell it? Script? Lego? Comic strip? Cartoon or animation? iMovie? Art? Poetry? Story-writing? Picture book for little ones? Choose what method you would like to use and re-tell the story of Easter in a way that interests you. / 6p Each
5. Suggestions for Reflecting on a Daily Basis:
  • Write heartfelt prayers to God for yourself, the world and others.
  • Do a good deed for someone who needs it (because you want to).
  • Think about 3 positive things you have done that day.
/ 1p Per day / 5. Heart Monitors:Do 5+ minutes of intense exercise each night. Measure your heart rate before you start and after each minute. Plot your readings accurately on a line graph labelling each axis. See how long it takes your heart rate to return to normal. Repeat each night. Do you get fitter? / 6p Each
School Website and Twitter:
Each week, there will be suggestions for English, Spelling and Maths challenges posted onto each classes’ page on the school website (based on what the children have done in class). Each challenge will also be posted on Twitter. / 3p Each / 6. Mount Vesuvius:Could you make a model of a volcano? Could you make a volcano that erupts? Could you make anything else erupt? Have fun trying at home and then amaze your class by bringing it in to demonstrate in school. / 6p Each


Note about Googling and E-Safety: Please remember to be safe and careful when surfing the internet. Check in the search results that a website is child- friendly before you visit it. It is also important that you do not use other people’s work as your own. Please put the information you find in your own words and mention (in brackets) where or who the information has come from. To report anything inappropriate online, use the school’s “Bee-Safe” page.

Don’t forget to use your Education City login to play games and watch videos to help you learn.

Important Information For Parents: Spring Term 2

There are two clear sections on the Homework Menu:

  • 5 a day – Essential activities, which must be doneMonday to Friday to have the most effect. Most of these can be done in short, sharp bursts.For example, 15 minutes of spellings, times tables, reading and Education City each night is ideal. Homework would not exceed one hour and would be the constant drilling of basic skills that is needed in class for speed of thought. These could also be done in the car, during the adverts, in the shops ... it all counts and we understand that homework can fit around many different lifestyles.
  • Weekly Treats – Creative ideas or projects. These can be done on a weekly basis, as appropriate. Children are only allowed to do a maximum of one of these a week if they wish. They can choose from the list or invent their own on the same theme.

To recap, each of the activities on the menu has a monetary value. All we ask is that the children “spend” 20p a week on their homework (referring to the value of the activities they do when added up.) For example, a child who reads a page of their reading book each school night earns 5p already. If they do all of their 5 a-day on each school night then they have already spent 25p for school nights alone. There are many combinations to suit different interests and tastes. The 20p is only a minimum.

The children have been given homework books to use. Homework books must be handed in to the class teacher with a completed Homework Record sheet every Monday.Pupils consistently bringing in homework each week will receive a reward. Parents/guardians will be contacted if a child persistently doesn’t bring in homework.

The Homework Record sheet (see image below) must be completed by the child and signed by the parent/guardian as proof that the pupil has done the necessary amount of work (20p each week).It is essential evidence to help ensure that pupils are increasingly responsible for their homework as well as ensuring that parents/guardians have a clear way of knowing what is expected of their child.

To summarise: the minimum requirement for homework is that we expect children to practise the essentials each school night (5-A-Day) to a value of 20p each week. We need your help to ensure that the children do this.

Should you have any questions or any feedback that may be used to improve the homework further, please see your child’s class teacher.

Kindest regards,

Mr Ford and Miss Bowen

StrettonSugwas Church of England Academy 2017

Please go to your child’s class page on the school website for news, information and resources: