homework ideas for light

25+ Light Activities for Learning All About Light and Dark, Day and Night

Inside: A fun collection of light activities for exploring light, with accompanying picture book suggestions to use in your investigation.

Today we’re sharing a super cool list of light activities for use in your next learning investigation. From fireflies to the sun and moon, torch play to glow sticks, we’ve got activity suggestions for exploring all different sources of light. They are perfect for teachers, educators and parents who would like to incorporate this fun, learning theme into their centres, classrooms and homes.

25+ Light Activities for Learning

1. Book Inspired Brainstorm: Eric Carle’s The Very Lonely Firefly is actually a great starting point for this theme as the firefly finds different sources of light while looking for it’s friends. Before reading the book start out by brainstorming a list of as many different sources of light that the children can think of?

2. Firefly Drawing: My class of 5 year olds recently made fantastic firefly pictures by cutting a small piece of shiny paper for the body of the firefly and drawing on the rest of its body and decorating the night sky black background. I was surprised at how effective regular coloured pencils looked on black paper.

Day & Night: Light Activities Exploring the Sun, Moon & Stars

Continue your exploration of light with those most marvellous lights in our sky – the sun, moon and stars! Here are some fun ways to explore their wonder together…

3. Day and Night Around the World: Introduce day and night around the world with this simple demonstration from Learn Play Imagine. You’ll just need a globe and a torch.

4. Rainbow Filters: Explore colour filters with light from the sun with this simple Kandinsky inspired art project .

5. Catch the Sun: Make Cosmic Sun Catchers with Babble Dabble Do .

6. DIY Kaleidoscopes: Or try making these mini kaleidoscopes with a twist! (Via Babble Dabble Do)

7. Shadow Shapes: Children are fascinated by their shadow and their are lots of cool activities that you can do related to making shadows! Children can work in pairs or small groups to make super cool body shapes and then tracing the shadows with chalk (via Tinkerlab).

8. Shadow Drawing: Or, on a smaller scale, this Lego Shadow Drawing from Handmade Kids Art could be adapted to use all sorts of toys or natural materials to make interesting shadow drawings.

9. Shadow Puppets: Try making your own shadow puppets and these magical, stained glass puppet show backdrops (via Creative Play Central).

10. Colored Shadows: For the ultimate WOW! moment, why not make coloured shadows with this tutorial from Inner Child Fun.

11. Book Link: Looking for a shadow book to explore together? Check out The Shapes of Me and Other Stuff by Dr Seuss .

12. Pizza Box Oven: If it is warm and sunny where you are, test the warmth of the sun with a pizza box oven (this one via I Can Teach My Child).

13. Sun Melting Experiment: You can also test what melts in the sun (via Frugal Fun 4 Boys).

14. Sun Melted Rainbow Crayons: Or try recycling your broken crayons by making sun melted crayons (via No Time for Flashcards).

15. Star Search: Be inspired to catch a star by reading the awesome How To Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers and then make your own star shaped Cheese Puffs for morning or afternoon tea .

16. Starry Night Creations: There are so many children’s art ideas inspired by Van Gogh’s Starry Night but these Starry Night Playdough Creations (via Early Years Down Under on Facebook) are my absolute favourite. You can also see their fabulous group collage here .

17. Book link: Support your child’s interest in Van Gogh’s famous painting with the book, Katie and the Starry Night by James Mayhew .

18. Fun By Torchlight: A fun way to revise reading sight words or spelling words is to make the room dark and hide the words (written on cards) all around the room. Then armed with torches, the children can go searching and exploring, reading the words as they shine the torch on them. Find out more at A Little Learning for Two .

19. Book Link: Read Flashlight by Lizi Boyd and be inspired to make some pencil on black paper pictures of what you might see on a walk in the dark.

Glow Sticks

20. Disco Discovery Bottles: Design your own disco discovery bottles via Babble Dabble Do.

21. Glow Alphabet: Make letters from glow sticks and use them to play a letter recognition game, or to form spelling words (via Creekside Learning).

22. DIY Lanterns: There are lots of ideas for making lanterns – you could try these gorgeous tissue paper covered jars (via Picklebums)

23. Recycled Bottle Lanterns: Or these simple to decorate lanterns from recycled bottles (Go Explore Nature).

24. Fairy Garden: Battery operated tea lights are much safer for projects with children. I love how My Small Potatoes has used them to create this gorgeous Fairy Garden Small World in a basket .

Fairy Lights

25. Just for Fun: Add a little magic to your classroom by decorating it with fairy lights for the week.  You could even create a cosy book reading corner from a tent or large cardboard box. Check out this post from Lessons Learnt Journal for inspiration.

26: Book Link: You could also use the brightly lit toyhouse in children’s classic, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown , as inspiration to create your own lighted dollhouses with fairy lights (via The Artful Parent).

Lauren Hunt is an Early Childhood Teacher who currently works part time teaching children in their first year of school. She is also mum to a two year old daughter. Lauren is passionate about play-based, hands-on learning and is certainly kept busy by her energetic toddler!

• Pingback: Petite Blog
• Pingback: Highlights Blog
• Pingback: Cool Easy Balloon Animals Blog

Comments are closed.

• STEM Ambassadors
• School trusts
• ITE and governors
• Invest in schools
• STEM careers inspiration
• Benefits and impact
• Our supporters
• Become a STEM Ambassador
• Request a STEM Ambassador
• Employer information
• Training and support
• STEM Ambassadors Partners
• Working with community groups
• Search icon
• Join the STEM Community

Year 3: Light

This list consists of lesson plans, activities, video clips and interactive resources to support the teaching of light in Year Three. It contains tips on using the resources, suggestions for further use and background subject knowledge. Possible misconceptions are highlighted so that teachers may plan lessons to facilitate correct conceptual understanding. Designed to support the new curriculum programme of study it aims to cover many of the requirements for knowledge and understanding and working scientifically. The statutory requirements are that children are taught to:

• recognise that they need light in order to see things and that dark is the absence of light

• notice that light is reflected from surfaces

•  recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect their eyes

•  recognise that shadows are formed when the light from a light source is blocked by a solid object

•  find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change.

Visit the primary science  webpage to access all lists.

An introduction to light sources *suitable for home teaching*

Children may still think that light comes from out eyes and this is why we can see things. Showing images of a variety of light sources, both natural and manmade will help children see that light comes from a source not from their eyes. Examples of reflective light, e.g. the Moon, traffic signs are also included, so children can see that some things may appear to give out light when in fact they are reflecting it. This could be a good way of making a distinction between sources of light and an object which reflects light as children often form misconceptions around this area. This concept is difficult for some children and may be built upon in relevant topics later in the Key Stage.

Access all BBC short clips aimed at KS2, which help to illustrate the properties of light - a great source of lesson starters/discussion points!

Quality Assured Category: Science Publisher: Institute of Physics

The first 7 slides of the presentation show different sources of light including light from cold sources, which helps with the misconception that only hot objects give out light. Using the activity with feely bags helps children understand that when there is no light in the bag we cannot see inside it. When the torch shines in the bag they can see the objects. This is because light bounces off the objects in the bag and travels to their eyes.

Modelling Light

Quality Assured Category: Science Publisher: Teachers TV

Though aimed at older children the idea of modelling light using a ribbon and other techniques used in this short demonstration could be used in Year 3. Children could model how light travels from different sources in a straight line and how light is reflected from certain surfaces, changing the direction it travels. Working in groups children could then build their own model and draw what is happening on a large sheet of paper. This helps children see that light can not bend around things or travel through objects. It also helps them see how a shadow is formed as the light can not pass through opaque object.

Making Shadows

This video explores how shadow puppets can be used to explore light, shadows and storytelling.The way characters appear and disappear illustrates how shadows are formed and how they change when objects are put in front of a light source. Children could make their own puppets to tell a story. They could work scientically to investigate what happens to shadows when the light source moves further away or closer to the puppet.  

Explore, Discover, Inspire: Practical Work in Primary Science

Quality Assured Category: Science Publisher: SCORE

This activity encourages children to work scientifically to investigate and find a solution to an everyday problem. Putting the investigation into a context, that of a man who works nights and needs to sleep in the day, gives them a reason for carrying out the investigation. Using the knowledge that an opaque material would be the best for replacement curtains, children test a collection of different samples, analysing the shadows formed and then recording the light levels with a data logger. The lesson idea is on pages 17-18 of the pdf.

Stylish Shadows

Quality Assured Category: Design and technology Publisher: Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

This cross-curricular resource focuses on making shadow puppets and developing knowledge about the relationship between light and shadow.

Kitchen Concoctions

Quality Assured Category: Science Publisher: Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC)

Children can explore a range of mixtures, through fun kitchen science practicals and scenarios.

Science of Healthy Skin

Quality Assured Category: Design and technology Publisher: Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC)

Relates to Y3 light.

©Copyright Mandy Barrow 2013 primaryhomeworkhelp.com

Follow me on Twitter @mbarrow

Buggy and Buddy

Meaningful Activities for Learning & Creating

February 10, 2016 By Chelsey

Light Science for Kids: Ways to Explore Refraction and Reflection

Here’s a fun collection of light science for kids ! You’ll find light science experiments about both light refraction and light reflection in this science roundup.

Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board!

Because we have been having so much fun with our most recent light science activities, I decided to round up some more fun science ideas for kids having to do with light. You’ll find ideas for examining light refraction (the bending of light) and light reflection (when light bounces off an object) in this collection, as well as science experiments for various ages- from preschool and on up!

10+ Light Science Activities for Kids

Light refraction and rainbow science.

Make a Spectroscope Using a Cardboard Tube from Buggy and Buddy

Explore Light Patterns with a CD and Paper from Buggy and Buddy

Rainbow Science: Exploring Prisms from Buggy and Buddy

Light Box Magic from  True Aim

Making a Rainbow with Water and a Mirror from No Twiddle Twaddle

Light Refraction with Water

Water Refraction Science Experiment from What Do We Do All Day?

How to Make a Magnifying Glass from Science Sparks

Light Reflection and Mirrors

How to Make a Kaleidoscope from Buggy and Buddy

Exploring Reflections with Mirrors from Buggy and Buddy

Water, Mirrors, and Reflection from My Nearest and Dearest

Exploring Shapes and Patterns in a Mirror Box from The Imagination Tree

Exploring Reflections with Mirrors from Little Bins for Little Hands

Explore Light Patterns with a Mylar Light Box from Buggy and Buddy

Find more STEM activities in our ebook! Learn more about it here , or b uy it now here !

• Why Explorify?
• Teacher support

Explorify at home: Light

This collection of activities about light is ideal to do at home with your little explorers. Enjoy a good afternoon of science each week! 

A rainbow in a landscape

Explorify at home  is a special series of science activities for parents and carers of primary school children who are now learning at home. We define activities by age and curriculum topics in Explorify, but these collections are also suitable to do all together as a family of mixed aged children. Or if your little scientist just wants to explore further, pick something from the other age sections for inspiration! Teachers can find out about our full (free!) classroom resource at the bottom of this page. 

Parents, read on! 

This collection is all about light. We see things because light is reflected from them. Shadows form because light cannot pass through something.

For children aged 5-9  

First, take a close-up look:  Investigate shadows. Have fun looking at where and when shadows form, how you can make them bigger or smaller. If you can get outside at different times on a sunny day, see how shadows change their size and direction.

Hands-on activity:  

Indoors, try to make shadows with torches and your hands. You could even try to make shadow puppets to tell a story – all you will need to make a puppet is some thick paper or card from recycling to cut an outline shape of the character you need, and a stick or to mount it on. Shine the torch at the puppet and a shadow will form behind it.

Experiencing darkness can be quite difficult but is fun (and important). Can your children find a way to make a den that is light proof inside?

Age 9-11 

First, take a close-up look:  A rainbow is formed when light passes through raindrops, which act like a prism altering the path of the light. As light is made of different wavelengths that are bent (refracted) by different amounts we see different colours.

Hands-on activity:  You can make a rainbow at home. On a sunny day, experiment with placing a glass of water so that sunlight can pass through it but have something plain (paper or a blank wall) placed behind the glass so that you can see the colours. You may need to experiment with the placing of the glass. Alternatively stand the glass on a sheet of white paper and use a torch as the light source. Shine the torch through the glass to make a rainbow.

Watch more on BBC Bitesize Daily  on   reflected light .

That's all for this week!

We hope your little scientists have enjoyed exploring light this week. We'd love to know how you got on. You can follow us on Twitter or Facebook or email us if you have any feedback on this collection.

Take it further:

- Visit  STEM Learning , to explore their  support for parents and carers with home learning .

- Watch the  BBC Bitesize Daily  programmes on light which will be available one week soon, and we will link above under your child's age. Previous programmes including versions for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found  on the iPlayer .

- Browse our  other collections  – there's are more added each week!

Please note children should be supervised when doing any practical activity. Do not look directly at the sun.

Are you a primary school teacher who has yet to sign up to Explorify?

If you are a teacher who hasn't discovered Explorify before, you can sign up and explore the whole website with over 400 free activities. (It's free, as it's funded by charitable foundation Wellcome Trust. Our mission is to help you enhance your science teaching and get your pupils thinking like scientists!) We provide background science, to help you field questions from your pupils and ideas to take our curriculum-linked activities further. Something to get your teeth into for when you're back in the classroom!

Image credits:   

Rainbow by  Paweł Fijałkowski  via Pexels; Shadow Puppets by  klevo  via Shutterstock SL; Prism by  Dobromir Hristov  via Pexels  

Did you find this article useful?

More from helpful reads, explorify at home: sound.

This collection of activities about sound is ideal to do at home with your little explorers. Enjoy a good afternoon...

Explorify at home: Human body

This collection of activities about the human body is ideal to do at home with your little explorers. Enjoy a good after...

Other Teacher support:

Join Explorify today to take your class on an exciting science adventure!

We use cookies to make Explorify even more awesome for you. Find out more.

No thanks Accept Cookies

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Light homework 6

Subject: Light and sound

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

28 March 2012

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Tes classic free licence

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have downloaded this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

• View all teaching vacancies
• View all locations
• Barking & Dagenham
• View all subjects
• Business studies & Economics
• Sociology & Psychology
• View all job types
• Primary school
• Secondary school
• View our variety of SEND roles

Online Portal

If you are registered to work with us already, you can log in here

Register to work with us

Your Career• 3 Min read

6th September 2020

Creative Homework Ideas

How can you create homework assignments that build on the day’s lessons and encourage creative, student-led learning? It’s a challenge for most teachers, especially as motivating pupils to complete homework can add a whole extra layer to your lesson plans. But it’s essential to bridge the gap between teacher and student learning –  the skills gained through independent study reinforces knowledge from your class, as well as a host of other benefits:

• Extended learning time – outside of the constraints of the school day, students are free to learn at their own pace and in their own environment.
• Independent learning – vital skills for exam preparation and higher education
• Teaches students to be resourceful and to overcome challenges independently.
• Gives students the freedom to be creative in their learning, gain valuable problem-solving skills and confidence in their own abilities.

Tips For Setting Creative Homework

• Plan independent learning both in and out of the classroom – you can monitor students effectiveness and address issues that may arise in the classroom before they become problematic for pupils at home.
• Don’t leave homework assignment to the end of the lesson, rushing through the task might leave some students confused which inevitably leads to a lower homework completion rate. Write plenty of time for explaining homework assignments into your lesson planning – read our Beginner’s Guide To Lesson Planning here
• Homework should to not too easy nor not too hard, offering pupils a challenge that reinforced the topics learnt during the day
• Give room for creative expression – allowing students to add their own diagrams, decorations or chose their own project topics from a selection. 
• Try using peer or self-assessment to mark homework – a double whammy of reducing your workload and allowing pupils to take control of their own learning.
• Include timings and explicit steps for completing more complicated assignments, especially for pupils that you anticipate might struggle. Comprehension of the task is the biggest hurdle in getting pupils to work on an independent basis.
• Self-driven projects, posters, creative tasks and research are more exciting than standard comprehension tasks and might encourage pupils that find sitting and writing dull or hard to complete the homework set – give students the freedom to learn and be creative in their home study.
• Provide specific instructions and internet safety reminders for research-led assignments. It’s very easy for children to find research overwhelming with a vast amount of information available online. Provide suggested websites and links in your homework to keep things on track!
• Don’t introduce a new topic for homework – keep it to topics that you’ve already covered in class
• Taking note of the subjects that excite and engage your class and set homework accordingly – try keeping dryer topics and  for the classroom so that you can monitor engagement
• Mark work promptly – essential to keep students motivated to complete work in their own time!
• Offering students the opportunity to select the homework that they would like to do from a selection guarantees a higher rate of completion. We’ve seen some teachers create grids or sheets of homework assignments for the pupils to select, or offer baskets of activities for younger children to take home and complete with an adult.

Creative Homework Ideas For All Ages

Coming up with innovative ways for students to reinforce their knowledge at home can be difficult – many of these ideas would be suitable for lots of subjects with a little tweaking!

Book a CCS Consultation

Our East Anglia team are on hand to support your school or MAT with bespoke recruitment solutions, arrange a consultation with the team today.

Recommended for you

Top 5 questions to ask at the end of a teacher interview.

An interview for a teaching role can often be a daunting prospect...

• Your Career

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day In The Classroom

Dia Duit! The 17th of March is St. Patrick's Day in the...

Ways to support your students during Ramadan

What is Ramadan? Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar has...

You're now visiting Engage Education, United Kingdom

Take a look at some of the fantastic opportunities we’re currently recruiting for in the UK.

Privacy Overview

Creative Homework Ideas For Your Students

Setting appropriate homework tasks is a big part of your teaching role. Setting homework is an opportunity to ensure that your students have absorbed the lesson and can apply what they've learnt to individual study. Homework allows students to reflect on your teachings and broaden their understanding of a particular subject or topic.

However, motivating your class to view homework this way might be something of a challenge! Most young people find settling down to complete homework outside of school hours challenging. If the task feels overwhelming or difficult or seems monotonous, they might just go through the motions of getting it done rather than giving it their full energy and attention and completing it the best they can.

So how can you ensure students' love of learning continues outside the classroom and that they not only give their all to completing homework but actually enjoy it too?

By getting creative with the work you set and thinking about how you can engage and motivate students to complete their homework, you will undoubtedly see better results.

Here are some excellent homework ideas to help encourage creative, student-led learning.

Exciting, engaging homework ideas to keep your students paying attention

Write their own lesson plan.

If you want to give your students a chance to step into your shoes for the day, why don't you ask them to create their own lesson plan around a topic they've learnt about or are about to learn? This will give them a chance to showcase their knowledge, do research and think creatively. You'll also learn more about how your students like to work and what would make a good lesson from their perspective, which could help inform how you shape your lessons in the future.

Write a speech or story from a different perspective

If your students are learning about a famous historical figure or studying a classic text, why not get them to think about different perspectives? You could ask them to embody someone influential from a particular period or a character from a play or story and write a speech or story from that person's point of view.

Create a board game

Gamification is always a fun idea to try to inject energy into the classroom, and getting your students to create their very own board game is a fantastic way to keep things fun while also getting them engaged in their learning. Games could centre around a particular topic; they could be quiz-based, matching games, or number games - let them get as creative as they like. You can then have fun in class playing the best ones too.

Go on a treasure hunt

As a fun homework task that will get your students out and about, ask them to go on a treasure or scavenger hunt, finding certain things that are related to your topic. For younger children, this could be as simple as collecting leaves, flowers, or twigs they might find in their local park, or particular shapes or colours, but older children can benefit from this kind of task too by setting more complicated challenges.

Create a collage

Creating collages can be a fun and interesting way for students to demonstrate their learning, improve their research skills and use their creativity and imagination and can be based on a variety of different topics so they work well across lots of subjects. Encourage them to stick cutouts, fabrics, tickets, photographs, and any other relevant materials to make up their collages, and then they can take turns presenting these in class.

Film a video

If your students are older and have mobile phones, you could set a video-making task for them to do at home. This could involve interviewing friends and relatives about a topic or filming themselves talking about a specific subject, or answering a particular question. Students could share their videos in class and will love being able to use their phones in school for once!

Create a crossword

Get your students to think creatively about questions and answers by asking them to create their very own crossword puzzle, using the material you've taught them in class as a basis. You can ask them to bring all their crossword puzzles into class and then swap them with each other to see if other students can fit the answers in correctly.

Find fun facts

Almost every subject has weird and wonderful facts surrounding it. Did you know, for example, that the word 'hundred' derives from an old Norse term 'hundrath,' which actually means 120?! Or that water can both boil and freeze simultaneously? Encourage your students to find the most obscure or interesting facts about the subjects you are teaching them, and then you can all share your findings in class.

Looking for your next job in teaching?

If you are looking for a new teaching role, we can help! At Horizon Teachers, we work with you to help you find the perfect role in education to suit your needs. Our extensive jobs board lists all the latest teaching jobs, and our friendly team of recruitment specialists is just a phone call away!

- See more at: https://www.horizonteachers.com/blog/2023/01/creative-homework-ideas-for-your-students/279#sthash.x9SGIBTc.dpuf

Professional Development

• Login Talk to a Mentor

15 Innovative School Homework Ideas to Make Learning Fun

Aashita Pillai

Aashita is a writer here at Suraasa and has formerly worked as a Teacher Mentor for a couple of years. She wields words like weapons to help readers get clear and concise information.

Introduction

General tips to keep students hooked to school homework, 15 innovative school homework ideas to engage your students, theme a: arts and crafts, theme b: physical and outside activities, theme c: digital activities, theme d: games, theme e: entrepreneurship.

“Hi teachers! I am your old friend, School Homework. Over time as education changed, so have I— thanks to the endless innovations that happened to me.  Let me take you through my life and the various innovations that made me your best friend- I was born in the 1920s to help students reinforce what they learned in class. Until the 1980s, I was basically just pen-and-paper-based assignments.  The Internet was born in 1983. From there onwards, I made my stride into the ‘digital era’.

Until the beginning of 2020, I was slowly being integrated within online platforms and technology to help students learn better. Then at the onset of 2020, the world plunged into the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools shifted to a ‘remote learning’ mode of education. During this pandemic, you and I became very crucial in ensuring the continuity of our students’ learning. You all embraced creative approaches to keep the students engaged. You leveraged interactive games, virtual simulations, & more to make me engaging. Gone are the days when you, my dear teachers, would limit your homework to worksheets, textbook questions, literature reviews, and reports. Today as we stand here in 2023, there is no limit to innovative and exciting homework formats! Well, that’s from me. See you in the classrooms!”

So teachers, we heard from homework about how it has evolved over time. As it said, many innovative ways have come up to reinforce our students' learning. So, are you ready to make your students fall in love with these new school homework ideas? Let’s begin with understanding some general tips to keep your students engaged with their school homework.

1. Make it Relevant and Meaningful 

Connect the school homework to their lives, interests, or current events to make it more meaningful and relatable. For example, if it’s Christmas time, you can ask your students to explore the themes of charity, storytelling, etc.

2. Give Them a Choice

Allow students to have some choice and autonomy in their assignments. Ask them to select the format (e.g. written format in the online medium, oral format in the offline medium) in which they want to submit their homework. When they feel a sense of ownership, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged. This is how you become a 21st-century teacher who uses differentiated learning. 

3. Celebrate Their Achievements

When children get appreciated for their achievements or good behaviour, it boosts their self-confidence. It encourages them to repeat those actions. This creates a positive learning environment. They are more likely to deliver results when appreciated for their actions. Hence, you can celebrate their achievements via small rewards, recognition or a display of their work in class.

Let's move to the next part of this blog, where we will share innovative school homework ideas that will turn mundane homework into engaging learning sessions!  After assigning any of these innovative homework ideas, you might never hear students’ innovative excuses to avoid homework! To give you a quick run-through, these ideas have been grouped under some common themes. Under each theme, you will learn how to use 3 ideas listed alongside relevant examples to comprehend it completely. Come along as we give the ratty old homework a MAKEOVER!

By infusing the joy of arts and crafts into school homework, you can tap into the innate curiosity and imagination of your students. And you never know, you might end up being the person that shaped the next Da Vinci! So, let’s get right into it:

1. Create Your Storybook

We all have heard stories. We have loved them and adored them. So why not give our students a chance to write one?  After the students submit their storybooks, you can review their stories and give personalised feedback. Such feedback addresses each student’s individual needs, strengths, and areas for improvement. This fosters a student-centric learning environment.  Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

2. Make Your Own Board Game

Do you remember the joy of gathering around a table, rolling a dice, and playing Snakes & Ladders? As kids and even as adults, many of us love spending our time playing board games.  Now, picture becoming the teacher that integrates school homework with a board game! Students can design board games and incorporate artistic elements into their theme, board layout, cards, etc. They can become architects of fun and learning!

Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

3. Construct a Birdhouse

Now, let’s tap into the sweet nostalgia of DIY(Do it Yourself) Projects. It could be something as simple as bedsheet forts or something a little more complex like a birdhouse 🙂 Won’t it be wonderful to watch your students feel a sense of accomplishment when they build their own handmade creations?  Let’s focus on the idea of constructing a birdhouse. By assigning students this homework, you’ll additionally be encouraging kinesthetic learning . 

Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely: 

Students love spending their time outdoors. Assigning school homework that requires them to be outside is a big plus! It will also help them apply what’s taught in class in real-life situations and promote active learning.

4. Participate in a Scavenger Hunt

Everyone loves a good old mystery! Give your students the chance to be modern-day ‘Sherlock Holmes’ as they set out on scavenger hunts.  Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

5. Maintain a Physical Activity Journal

In this digital age, where mobile and laptop screens often dominate, the majority of the students lead sedentary lifestyles. School homework which encourages physical activity, can be a game-changer! And what better than maintaining a physical activity journal that helps with it? Additionally, it will also promote the healthy habit of having an active lifestyle among students.  Getting students to journal can seem tough, but with the right motivation & incentives, it can be done. Additionally, this can also be a fun summer holiday homework, where students can keep track of their activities all summer! Encourage them to document their daily exercise triumphs. Push them to go beyond their own records! Ask them to explore science concepts- BMI, heart and pulse rates, diet, and nutrition! Once you do this, exercise will not just be about breaking a sweat anymore. It will also be something that incorporates learning! Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

6. Conduct a Survey at a Local Supermarket

This outdoor activity is an extremely fun option for school homework. Most kids love running through the different aisles in a supermarket. Introducing a concept like surveys here gives them a chance to do some ‘real-life’ work and also provides much-needed relief to their parents!  Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely: 

In the age of tech-savvy students, we often find parents complaining about the excess screen time with their kids. But what if you could harness the untapped potential in technology? Today's kids are already immersed in the digital world, so why not tap into their enthusiasm and merge it with learning?  Let’s look at some innovative methods of assigning digital activities for school homework:

7. Record a Virtual Job Application

This can be a fun homework assignment for students of all grades. One thing that we often forget as teachers is that school is not just about the present; it's also about the future. But often, we don’t discuss the future. This results in students being almost lost when it comes to their future career opportunities.  This is exactly where this school homework activity helps. Assigning school homework related to professions is a great chance for students to explore their career options. This, in turn, will help them be better prepared for life after school.  Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

8. Participate in Online Collaborative Projects

Online projects are a catalyst for active learning and student engagement. They can be a tool for you to create a dynamic learning environment that goes beyond traditional classroom boundaries. Additionally, these activities enhance digital literacy and empower students to leverage technology for learning. Working on online collaborative projects will also help students learn how to function together as a team. This is something that also prepares them for life beyond school, where it’s crucial to learn to work together.

9. Virtual Cultural Exchange

Cultural exchange events open doors to new horizons, offering students a unique chance to explore diverse cultures. By immersing them in new traditions, you develop acceptance, and empathy in your students. You give them a chance to have a broad and more inclusive perspective of the world. Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

Game-based school homework is one of the best ways to engage your students. Integrating learning within games creates a powerful synergy where education and entertainment merge seamlessly.  It’s time to tap into your students’ natural love for games and leverage it!

10. Use Minecraft as a Learning Tool

Ah, Minecraft! A name that brings back memories of endless adventures in pixelated landscapes. It’s a game that is a nostalgic reminder of our childhood.  But did you know that Minecraft can be more than just a game? It can be a powerful learning tool to level up the educational experience of your students.  💡Learn how to leverage Minecraft to make your classrooms more engaging! Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

11. Encourage Role-Playing Games

Lights, camera, action! Role-playing games(RPGs) let students step into the shoes of a character and bring lessons to life. Even though RPGs are not typically classified as games, their unique blend of learning and fun makes them ideal for educational purposes.  You can assign students to act out roleplays based on a historical event, scientific concept or work of literature. They can develop characters, write dialogues, and present this to the class. Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

12. Online Challenges

You can introduce online challenges like coding of varying difficulties for different grade levels. Platforms like Scratch or Code.org can be helpful for this purpose. Coding challenges offer hands-on experience to students. It allows them to practice coding concepts and algorithms in a practical and engaging manner.  Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

In today's competitive world, students who embrace innovative thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset stand out. As a teacher, you can nurture these qualities in your students via thought-provoking school homework. Such assignments can ignite students' passion for problem-solving, creative thinking, and strategic planning. Let’s look at some of the ideas below.

13. Pitch Your Business Idea

Have you watched shows like Shark Tank or Billion Dollar Buyer? Have you been completely captivated by the business pitches on these shows? Now, imagine doing the same for your students— unleashing their entrepreneurial spirit. It’s time to bring the hustle of the business world into your classrooms! Encourage students to develop a business idea and create a persuasive pitch. They should research their target market, competitors, and unique selling points. In fact, students can present their pitch using multimedia tools, such as slides or videos, highlighting the problem they're solving and the value their business brings. Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

14. Design a Mobile App

Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. Think about the countless hours that you spend on your smartphone, exploring different apps that make your life easier. This is a practice growing like fire amongst kids as well and is cause for serious concern! What if they spend time on their phone and learn at the same time? This homework assignment encourages students to apply their creativity and technical skills to develop a concept for a mobile application. Additionally, you can also assign this as a holiday homework assignment and let students go wild with learning during summer! Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely:

*Technologies like designing mobile applications can be too complex for the primary school. Hence, we focus on this idea only for middle and high school students.

15. Set up a Stall at the School Fair

This homework acts as an Introduction to Business 101 class for students of all grade levels. Students get to decide what stall to put up, then work on the logistics and finally manage the stall and finances on D-Day. This will teach students real-world skills and give them a feeling of ownership. Let's look at a few examples to understand this school homework approach more closely: 

Grade-Specific Tips to follow while Preparing School Homework ‍

1. primary school students ‍.

• Keep it Interactive and Hands-on Younger children thrive on tactile and interactive experiences. Incorporate more of arts and crafts, storytelling, etc., to make homework enjoyable for them.
• Use Visuals Vibrant colours will capture their attention and make tasks visually appealing.
• Keep it Short Primary school students have limited attention spans. Give them small tasks that they can accomplish in a limited timeframe. ‍

2. Middle School students ‍

• Offer More Choices Middle schoolers are often teenagers already on the precipice of changes beyond their control. They will appreciate having some control over their learning. Allow them to choose topics or formats that align with their interests.
• Incorporate Technology Middle school students are often technologically savvy. Utilise online resources, interactive platforms, and digital tools to make homework more engaging and relevant to their interests.
• Encourage Independent Research Foster their curiosity by assigning research-based projects. Encourage them to explore various sources and present their findings in creative ways. ‍

3. High School Students ‍

• Encourage Critical Thinking and Analysis High schoolers are capable of higher-order thinking skills. Assign tasks that require critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical thinking.
• Encourage Self-expression Offer creative assignments that allow them to express their thoughts, opinions and ideas. Remember that they are young adults finding their voice in a loud world. Encourage them to write essays, create multimedia presentations, or engage in spirited debates.
• Push for Practical Application Assign tasks that connect to real-world situations, allowing them to see the relevance and importance of their learning. ‍

How to Improve Your Homework and Other Teaching Strategies?

Do you want to learn about more strategies to improve school homework? What if you could upskill and improve all your teaching strategies- classroom management, assessment, and lesson planning, among many others? Book a call with a mentor to get dedicated teacher counselling on upskilling and improving your teaching strategies.

In a world where school homework is generally met with students’ whining, you can use these approaches to turn it into a gateway for innovation! By infusing ideas such as game-based learning, digital activities, and arts and crafts, you can help students engage with school homework meaningfully. This will foster a lifelong love for learning among your students, ultimately helping them succeed in and beyond the classroom. Want a short compilation of all the amazing school homework ideas? Click the button below

Meet Suraasa, the World’s First Career Growth Platform for Teachers.

Keep Reading

What is Teacher Education: Meaning & Components

Considering a teaching career? Read this blog to find out how Teacher education programs can equip you with the skills to create engaging lessons, manage classrooms & ignite a love of learning!

10 Essential Steps to Prepare for Online Teaching Jobs in India

Excel in online teaching jobs in India with this in-depth blog. Learn the essential 10 steps to prepare & thrive in this exciting teaching career.

PgCTL & PGCE - Meaning, Duration, Fee & More

PGCE meaning vs PgCTL meaning? PGCE or PgCTL: Which one to choose? Get the answers to these questions & more in this blog!