Make Homework Easier for Everyone

📝 This post, “Homework Packet and Survival Kit,” was originally published in 2012 and has been updated with new information and resources.

Homework Packet and Survival Kit

As I plan for a new school year, I always find myself rethinking homework. I will be honest — I am not a huge fan of it, and as a parent, I really do not love it either. Homework can quickly become an ongoing battle when expectations are unclear or when students lack the tools they need to succeed at home.

That is why I started thinking less about homework itself and more about the routines around it. If we are going to send homework home, students need to understand what to do, where to do it, how to return it, and what support is available if they get stuck. In other words, we have to teach the homework routine just like we teach everything else in the classroom.

That is exactly why I created my **Homework Helper Packet**. It is designed to help teachers set clear expectations, communicate with families, and give students the tools they need to be more independent and successful with homework.

If you are looking for a simple way to set up homework routines in your classroom, you can find my Homework Survival Kit in my TpT store.

Why Homework Routines Matter

As teachers, we sometimes assume students already know what homework is, what is expected of them, and how to return it to school completed and on time. But for many kids, those routines are not automatic at all.

Homework tends to go more smoothly when students know:

✔️ what they are expected to do
✔️ where they should keep their homework
✔️ when it needs to be completed
✔️ how to return it to school
✔️ what to do if they need help

Starting with those basics can make homework feel much less overwhelming for everyone involved.

What Is Included in the Homework Helper Packet?

Here is a look at the pieces I use to help students build stronger homework habits at home and at school.

Parent Letters

One of the first things I like to do is communicate homework expectations clearly with families. This parent letter explains the roles of the teacher, the student, and the parent regarding homework.

Environment Preparation

Before I send much homework home, I want students to think about where homework will actually happen. Do they have a quiet place to work? Do they know where their supplies will be kept? Do they have a routine for finishing and returning their work?

That is where the Homework Survival Kit comes in. This simple activity helps students set up a homework space at home and gather the supplies they are most likely to need in one easy-to-find spot. It is such a simple idea, but it can make homework feel much more manageable for kids and parents alike.

When I finally made one for my own family, I kept it very simple, using recycled water bottles to create compartments for supplies. I then filled it with basic school supplies like pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, erasers, a pencil sharpener, and glue sticks. You could also tuck in a number line for math homework, along with any other tools your child uses regularly.

If you would like to use the labels I created, you can grab them in my Homework Survival Kit, or download the Homework Survival Kit Labels here.

Homework Assignments

When I do send homework home, I try to keep it simple and purposeful. I ask students to read Monday through Thursday for at least 20 minutes, and I include a few different reading log options to make that easy to track.

I also like to have students respond to what they read. Instead of assigning the same task every night, I include a variety of reading response prompts so students can choose how they want to think about and respond to their books.

Learning Tools

Sometimes the biggest homework struggle is not the assignment itself — it is not having the right support tools at home. That is why I like to send home simple tools students can use independently, such as a homework bookmark for reading and a free number line for math homework.

Incentives

Students are given homework tickets they can attach to their work when they feel especially proud of the job they have done. It is a simple way to encourage effort and help students take ownership of the work they turn in.

Record Keeping

One of the things that always frustrated me about homework was that the students who consistently completed and returned it on time did not always get much recognition, while the students who forgot it often needed extra motivation. That is why I started using a simple homework chart in my classroom, and it worked wonders.

Each time students turned in their homework complete and on time, they added their initials to one square on the chart. Once the chart was full, I drew letter-and-number coordinates to choose a few winning squares, and those students got to pick a small prize like a pencil, sticker, or eraser. The more often students returned homework, the more chances they had to win. It was a fun motivator, easy to manage, and it even gave us a chance to practice skills like coordinates, probability, and writing initials correctly.

How to Use the Homework Incentive Chart:
Each time a student returns homework complete and on time, they add their initials to one square on the chart. Once the chart is full, choose a letter and number to create coordinates, and the student whose initials are in that square wins a small prize. Then wipe the chart clean and start all over again!

If you would like to try this system in your own classroom, you can read more about it and grab the free homework chart here.

Final Thoughts

Homework will probably always be one of those topics teachers have mixed feelings about, and I am no exception. But if homework is going to be part of the classroom routine, I want it to be as clear, manageable, and stress-free as possible for students and families.