Starter Assignments

Start the semester right away with fun, challenging lesson assignments. Find a lesson to suit your learning style and get a taste of how flexible and creative you can be while mastering important concepts.

Please communicate with your teacher and choose an assignment together. Or, if you’re waiting to hear from your teacher, choose the assignment with a parent or friend and let your teacher know as soon as you get in touch.

Learning Styles

1 Lesson Credit - English

• Write (or tape-record) a biography of someone you research. Include dates and details about things they have done. Explain why you have taken an interest in them. (pro., rel)
• Tape-record (or write) a news story about an actual current event or a fantasy event. A good example of a fantasy event would be your parent winning the lottery. (th/c, inv.)
• Write a script for a play or a movie. Describe the set and the characters. Include dialogue and actions. This should be at least three pages long if written. You may also act it out and tape-record the performance. (per., rel., th/c.)
• Create a memoir detailing an interesting period in your life. Example: write about your first experiences with school, moving to a new neighborhood, going on vacation, or the birth of a new brother or sister. This can be done in writing, drawing or collage. (th/c.)
• Create a poster that illustrates a passage from a book you have read. (th/c, inv.)
• Orally (or in writing) present a Eulogy for an author who is no longer living. You can do this on the phone with your teacher. Be sure to include dates of important events and interesting details about their career. You can tape-record the eulogy. (per., rel.)
  
  
  

1 Lesson Credit - Social Studies or History

• Write or tape-record a two-page journal entry pretending that you are a historical figure. Describe the place where you live and events that you have witnessed. (re., th./c.)
• Try a recipe from a culture that interests you. This could even be one of your family’s recipes. Be sure to include the country of origin. (inv., rel., per.)
• Draw a map of your neighborhood showing the places you visit. (pro., per.)
• Invent a totem for your family. Draw or build a totem pole. Look up “totem” and “totem pole” in the dictionary. (th./c., rel., inv.)
• Relate an important story that you have heard to your teacher. The story could be about a friend, family member or historical figure and can be written, presented on the phone or on audio tape. (rel., per.)
• Do you know about your city’s history? Draw a map of important historical events or create a timeline. (pro., rel.)
• Go to a restaurant that serves a type of ethnic food you haven’t tried. Find the country on the map. Send your teacher a review of the dishes you ordered. What were some of the unusual ingredients that were used in those dishes. (per., inv., pro.)
• Perform a play or dance from another culture. Document the performance by video/audio taping or writing a report. (th./c., per.,)
• Play or listen to music from another culture. Record a “radio show.” Announce each song and give some information about it. (inv., per.)
  
  
  

1 Lesson Credit – Math

• Try a recipe and write the measurements for each ingredient. Extra Challenge: Double the recipe! (rel., per.)
• Play three counting games and explain them to your teacher. Examples: hopscotch, jump rope rhymes, or any game with a scorekeeping system. (per., rel.)
• Write detailed instructions for your favorite paddy cake. Example: Right hands 1 clap, both hands 2 claps, both hands crossed 1 clap, etc… (inv., pro.)
• Build a playhouse, birdhouse or cardboard fort. Include a drawing of the plan or step-by-step instructions with all measurements. (inv., pro.)
• Write a detailed budget for your dream vacation or shopping spree. Include how long you would have to work and what your hourly wage would have to be in order to pay for your fantasy. If you’re going on a road trip, include mileage and gas costs. (pro., rel.)
• Write a formal poem such as a sonnet, numbering the syllables, lines and stanzas for your teacher. Look up “poetry” or “poetic forms” in an encyclopedia. (th./c.)
• Measure and list everything in your room. Once you have a complete list, change all the measurements to metric. (per., pro.)
• Count the blades of grass in 1 square inch, then estimate how many blades are in your yard. (pro., inv.)
• How much water does your bathtub hold? (pro., inv., per.)
• Using a protractor measure 20 angles around the house and yard. (pro.)
  
  
  

1 Lesson Credit - Science

• Watch a nature video or TV show. Tell your teacher about it orally or in writing. (rel.)
• Draw a table illustrating various stages of the water or rock cycle. (inv.)
• Build a sundial. Look up sundial in an encyclopedia. (inv., per.)
• Ask your parents to help you write a list of poisonous substances that are found around the house and why they are hazardous. This list will probably include cleaning products, paints and plants. You could also make a poster showing the dangerous substances. (pro.)
• Create a terrarium or cage for a pet, such as a lizard, bird, or rodent. Explain what you have done to make the right living environment for your animal. How is it like the natural habitat of your animal? (rel., th./c.)
• Tell the story of an animal you know or knew in the past. How long did the animal live? Or, how old is he/she? Where does the animal sleep? What kind of care and medical attention does the animal require? This could be done as an audio/video tape or poster. (pro., per., rel.)
• Plant seeds and create a timeline documenting the growth and development of multiple plants. Try putting plants in different locations with various amounts of light and water. Find the ideal location and amount of water for a healthy plant. Look up “scientific process” in a science textbook or encyclopedia. (pro.)
• Make a “Nature Notebook.” Go out and observe nature. Draw pictures, identify the animals, insects and plants, and make notes to go along with the drawings. (th./c., inv.)
• Collect 10 plants. Give scientific and common names, characteristics of where each one lives, and whether it is a monocot or dicot. Present the information in a written report or poster. (pro., inv.)