Summer's over; now it's homework time! No problem. Follow Weekly Reader's Homework Survival Tips.
Place your cursor over the slideshow for captions.
hat do you most look forward to about a new school year? Whether it is new supplies, new friends, or learning new subjects, going back to school can be exciting. But it also can be overwhelming—especially when you receive your first homework assignment. Chances are, you're going to get a lot of homework. Last year, U.S. elementary schoolkids spent almost two and a half hours a day doing after-school work, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here are some kid-tested tips to take the headache out of homework:
Rankyour assignments in order of importance. There are so many choices for how to spend your time during the school year. It can help to make to-do lists. At the end of the day, review your list and check what might need to be done the next day.
Keep your papers organized. "Whenever I get a piece of paper from a class, it goes right into a folder," Danielle, 13, of Holbrook, N.Y., told Weekly Reader. "It stays in there until I need it."
Find smart ways to use free time. For example, you could work on a short homework assignment while waiting for a ride home.
Break up big assignments into smaller pieces. "Smaller bites are easy to get started with," Alice Carrott, director of educational support services at the University of Kansas Medical Center, told Weekly Reader. "And they're easier to finish," she says.
Set goals. For example, you might plan to read one chapter of an assignment before dinnertime, rather than saying you will read it sometime that night.
Figure out your best study styles. Ryan, an 11-year-old from Massapequa, N.Y., makes flash cards to help him remember information. "It's easier for me to get it all in my mind," Ryan told Weekly Reader.
Set up a comfortable study area. It should be quiet enough for you to be able to concentrate.
Take a 10-minute break every hour that you study. This can help keep your eyes, neck, and head from hurting, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
What's Cool for Back to School?
These gadgets are the hottest gear for the new year:
Mead's Five-Star Sound Binder Listen to music through your school binder. The binder has small built-in speakers. There is also room to store a music player, pens, and homework.
Silly Alarm Clocks Now you can wake up to the sounds of cats meowing, fish blowing bubbles, or pigs oinking.
Hot Box Book Sox Protect your textbooks with covers that change color when touched.
Kooky Klickers Pens Funny faces and wild hairstyles make note-taking should be more fun.
Get enough sleep and exercise. This will help you have more energy and be more efficient at your work, says Carrott.
Try out these tips and you just might find yourself with more time for friends and after–school fun!
Think About It
What is your favorite part of going back to school?
What will you do to be more organized this school year?
You've done all your homework, right? Do you have what you need for the new school year? See if you can figure out the back-to-school supplies in this crossword puzzle.
You've done all your homework, right? Do you have what you need for the new school year? See if you can figure out the back-to-school supplies in this crossword puzzle. 
Subscribe Now
RSS