K's latest over the top homework assignment? Biography of a famous person

[KitchenWitch]

Not only does she have to write the report, but she has to give a speech about the person she chose, complete with costume again.

We chose Harriet Tubman.

I can dress her in a floral dress and put a head scarf on her.

[skygazer]

1. Why is that over the top?

How old is she?

[KitchenWitch]

4. She is 7 and in second grade.

OVER the EFFING top.

[skygazer]

19. Wow

Okay, agreed. :wow:

[KitchenWitch]

20. She has already this year given a "descriptive speech"

and a Holiday presentation (complete with written report about Yuan Tan, speech about Yuan Tan, and had to dress in a Yuan Tan costume).

Last year, in first grade, she had to give an oral country report about Argentina.

Developmentally inappropriate is a glaring understatement.

[LeftyMom]

2. We did that in the FIFTH grade.

:eyes:

A very simple costume and short presentation or related craft project might be developmentally appropriate for her age, but a report is definitely not something they should even be starting until next year, and all three at once is just silly.

[KitchenWitch]

5. It is a test of how committed the parents are.

[LeftyMom]

7. It's a waste of time.

Assignments that aren't developmentally appropriate aren't going to magically accelerate a child's ability to learn. They're just going to make the kid (and every adult in a three block radius) miserable.

[KitchenWitch]

10. yep.

[jobycom]

3. I think my fourth grader has done more homework already than I did in 12 years of school

plus the first two of college.

[Lost in CT]

6. That is over the top... nt

[Are_grits_groceries]

8. I'm not sure of the teacher's definition of famous.

However, your child could be Bobby Jindal. You just need a facsimile of a suit and a hideous red tie. I'm sure whatever she says off the top of her head will make more sense than he did.

[KitchenWitch]

18. The directive was "no pop-culture"

:rofl:

[malta blue]

9. I wish my little had homework assignments like that - she's in 4th.

But that is over the top for 2nd. :mad:

[KitchenWitch]

11. yes, by the end of second grade K will have

done 3 speeches
done two reports complete with costume and speech.

Actually, for all the speeches and reports, it is I that is doing the research. Has anyone any idea how difficult it is to find research materials geared to the primary grades?



edited because there needs to be an 'ed' on the end of geared.

[oshyposhy]

12. Public school?

right?

[KitchenWitch]

14. yes, public school

Our school district has additional curricular requirements over and above the NCLB and the State of California. Aren't we lucky?

:banghead:

[oshyposhy]

15. And ours asks for waivers to get out of the mandatory

days for teacher/student contact...go figure.

[KitchenWitch]

17. geesh.

Correct me if I am wrong, but Wisconsin (and Minnesota for that matter) seem to always score pretty high as far as school districts go.

There are quite a few school districts in CA that are sub-standard. Irvine, obviously, is not one of them. But Irvine is kind of unique as far as communities go. There is an entity named the Irvine Company which owns most of the undeveloped land as well as much of the land that has been developed residentially. We actually own the lot we live on, unlike 2/3 of the residents here, so we do not have to deal with HOA and all the crap that comes with that. As a result, since the Irvine Company is in business to develop real estate, it is in the Irvine Company's best interest to have a highly rated school district. So a spin off foundation was formed called the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, whose mission is solely to fund raise for the Irvine Unified School District. Because of all this, the district has heightened expectations of our children's academic achievement. Which works really great if one does not have a special needs child.

[oshyposhy]

21. Our district is a joke

I know there are some great ones in Wisconsin, but unfortunately the one Mctata's and I live in is substandard for special needs kids.

[AlCzervik]

13. my daughter didn't do that until 4th grade, no costume though, she made a diorama

out of legoes.

the report seems a little much for a 2nd grader.

[KitchenWitch]

16. Almost everything they have done this year is too much for a 2nd grader.

:eyes:

I need to get the ADHD eval done on K so she can have an IEP and so I can put my foot down and be heard and listened to (K does have moderate focus issues).

[KitchenWitch]

22. I would love to do a diorama

I think it is kind of strange that I am going to be dressing my caucasian/amerasian daughter up as an African American woman.

Oh well.

[KamaAina]

23. Some audiovisual material here

courtesy of the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDMky1cUhJM

A surprising amount of nonmusical hits for "harriet tubman underground railroad", too.