October Homework for First Grade

The beginning of the school year always goes so quickly! Before you know it, the weather is cooling down, the leaves are falling, and students are getting excited for the holiday season to kick off with Halloween. This is when a homework routine can become more important than ever! Incorporating review activities into the daily routine can help students keep their skills sharp when excitement levels are high! In this post, I’m sharing some of my favorite October homework for first grade that can embrace the excitement of the season while reviewing important math and literacy skills.

October Homework Ideas for First Grade

As the school year progresses, your homework routine can become a helpful way for students to review what they’ve learned in your classroom during August and September. This additional practice can make it more likely that those skills and concepts will stick!

With so many potential skills to review, it can be challenging to decide which would be developmentally appropriate for students to practice with homework. Here are some of my favorite math and literacy skills to include in an October homework routine:

Number Sense

First graders need continued practice with number sense skills throughout the school year. This additional review and practice ensures that they are maintaining a strong foundation for future math instruction. There are many number sense skills that you can incorporate into your homework routine!

For example, this fall-themed addition worksheet includes some number sense practice that can help students visualize teen numbers as a complete ten plus a given number of ones. By having students fill out the ten frames, they can deepen their understanding of teen numbers for future math activities.

Addition and Subtraction

Homework assignments can also give students the chance to review addition and subtraction concepts. The more practice they get with these concepts, the more fluent they will be in their calculation! Math fluency is important as students begin to work on multi-step word problems and calculations!

This homework page is a good example of how you can incorporate both addition and subtraction in one engaging activity. For each numbered sign, students will color in the addition and subtraction equations that total the target number. This is a fun way to encourage students to pay attention to the signs when they’re working on calculations!

Grammar

Your homework routine can also include some grammar review and practice. This could include writing complete sentences, capitalization, punctuation, and parts of speech. You can make it a little more engaging by incorporating some seasonal themes!

For example, this noun practice activity includes a fun seasonal twist. Students will review that nouns can be a person, place, thing, or animal. They will look at the picture on each leaf and then color it according to the key. This additional grammar practice and fine motor practice is an engaging addition to your October homework routine.

Alphabet and Phonics

As your first graders become stronger in their alphabet and phonics skills, your homework routine can ensure that they keep their foundational skills sharp! You can incorporate a variety of alphabet and phonics activities into your daily review so students can continue to become confident readers and writers!

Here’s an example of a fun seasonal activity that you can add to your homework rotation. Students will use their alphabet knowledge to put the puzzle pieces in alphabetical order. (The picture can become a self-correcting element, since students can tell if the scarecrow doesn’t look quite right.) Once they have figured out the correct order, they will write the words on the lines provided for some additional spelling and fine motor practice. 

More Ways to Use Homework Worksheets

If you don’t incorporate homework into your daily routine, it’s still helpful to keep some review activities on hand. Here are just a few ways that you can repurpose homework activities in your classroom:

• Morning Work: Since homework activities are designed for students to complete with minimal adult support, they are perfect for morning seatwork! Students can sit down and get right to work while you’re tying up loose ends first thing in the morning.
• Centers: If you’re looking for literacy and math activities that will keep students engaged and on track during independent work time, homework printables are a great option! They are perfect for both literacy and math centers in October.
• Early Finishers: You can also use homework activities to keep students engaged in meaningful review while they wait for the next classroom activity to begin. You could even staple them together into a packet, so they’re easy for students to grab from their desks or cubbies.
• Sub Plans: As cold and flu season ramps up, it’s always a good idea to have some print-and-go activities on hand for emergency sub plans. Since students can complete the activities mostly independently, it will be easier for the sub to manage and monitor the completion of the activities. You’ll be able to take your sick day knowing your students are working on meaningful skill review!

Printable Worksheets for First Grade October Homework

If you’re looking for a way to save some time, be sure to check out this set of October homework for first grade! It has everything you need to set up a homework routine that’s full of engaging, seasonal literacy and math practice. These developmentally appropriate activities are ready to print and go, so you won’t have to spend a ton of time tracking down review activities for your student to complete as homework.

If you’d like to take a closer look at everything included in this set of homework activities for October, you can find it in the A Spoonful of Learning shop or in my TPT store.

Save This October Homework for First Grade

If you’re short on time, be sure to save this post so you can come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite Pinterest board of teaching ideas. You’ll be able to quickly find these homework printables when you’re working on your October lesson plans.