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15 Printable Homework Planners (PDF, Word, Excel)

Just because you’re a student, that doesn’t mean that you always have things under control. A lot of times, you might feel that you “don’t have enough time” because you have so many things to accomplish like school work, projects , review, and homework. To make at least one of these aspects easier, creating a homework planner is essential.

Table of Contents

• 1 Homework Planner Templates
• 2 Information to include in your homework planner
• 3 Tips for creating your own homework planner
• 4 Best Homework Planners
• 5 Using a notebook or binder for your homework planner
• 6 Free Homework Planners
• 7 How to use your homework planner?

Homework Planner Templates

Information to include in your homework planner

If you want to improve your time management skills through a homework planner, make sure to use the planner wisely. Avoid any crisis and conflict by including this information:

• Regular times for you to do your homework
• The due dates of your homework assignments
• The dates of your tests
• Any special events you have to attend wherein you won’t have time for homework
• The deadlines of signing up for standardized tests
• The due dates for school-related fees
• The dates of school holidays

Tips for creating your own homework planner

It can be quite tricky to keep track of all the due dates of your homework without using a homework planner, a student planner template or any other kinds of organizational strategy. If you plan to create your own homework planner printable template, here are some tips:

• Think about the types of weekly homework planner sheets to include. If you want to remain organized, you must use different types of planning lists, one of which is the homework planner printable.
• Select the type and color of the paper to use when you print out your student planner template. You may also want to think about the type of template to use to organize all the information you need for school. After choosing and downloading a template, either customize it according to your needs or use it as it is.
• After printing out the sheets of your daily, monthly or weekly homework planner, arrange the sheets in the order you want them to appear in your binder or notebook. Think about how you plan to use the sheets of your planner to find the perfect arrangement.
• Organizing the different sections of your template allows you to keep all of your similar sheets for planning in one place. This is what successful planners to and it’s what allows you to remain flexible as you deal with your daily tasks.
• Create different sections for your homework planner. Mark these sections using sheets of colored paper, stick-on dividers or other types of dividers to make it easier for you to locate the different sections.
• Design the front cover of your planner. Here, you can express yourself using your own ideas and creativity. You can either create a design on your computer or use craft supplies to come up with a lovely design. If you think it will motivate you more, come up with a design that makes you feel inspired.
• Name the sections of your planner. You can use the different subjects in your school as the names of the sections, the months of the year, and more, depending on what you need.
• After marking the sheets and sections clearly, bind the sheets together. The simplest way to do this is with a stapler. Then fold a strip of paper over the entire side of the bound sheets to give your planner a neat look. After this, you can start using your planner!

Best Homework Planners

Using a notebook or binder for your homework planner

Apart from creating your homework planner from scratch, you can also use either a notebook or a binder. Here are some steps to guide you:

Standard notebook

• Select a notebook to use. Although using a homework planner printable is very convenient, decorating a notebook and using it for your planner is an excellent way for you to express yourself.
• Decorate the notebook by starting with the cover. Use paint, stickers, and other craft supplies to do this.
• Divide the notebook into how many sections you need for your planner. Think about how many sections you need then think about how many pages of the notebook you need for each of the sections.
• Label the sections either by hand or using printed labels. You can also decorate the label covers of the notebook as you may see fit.
• Create a calendar for your planner or print out a calendar template and attach it to your notebook in some way. This makes it easier for you to keep track of dates and deadlines.
• Create the daily, weekly or monthly planning sheets. You can organize your plans easily by dividing the sheets or pages into equal sections for you to write your notes . Then you can start using the notebook to plan your homework!
• Select the binder to use for your homework planner. In your selection process, consider the size of the banner. If you need a lot of space for your planning, you may choose a bigger binder. However, a smaller one is a lot easier to carry around. Therefore, considering the size is very important.
• Think about the planning method you’d like to use. You can have daily, weekly or monthly planning or to-do lists . Using a binder is a lot easier, especially in terms of adding new sections when you need them.
• Print out the homework or student planner templates you need after downloading or designing them. You can either use the templates you’ve downloaded or customize them as needed.
• Insert all of the planning sheets and dividers into your binder. As you insert these sheets, separate them using standard dividers to make it easier for you to find the different sections. Using dividers also makes it easier for you to label the different sections for better organization.
• After this, you can start using your homework planner!

Free Homework Planners

How to use your homework planner?

Sometimes it’s hard to think about how you can accomplish all of your homework when your teachers keep piling everything on as if there’s no tomorrow. But as a student, the only thing you can do is to deal with what you’re given. The best way to do this is to remain organized by using a homework planner.

Without the proper organization and time management skills, you might not be able to get the top grades you’re hoping for. Now that you know how to create a daily, monthly or weekly homework planner, here are some tips for using it:

• Select the right type of planner When you’re thinking about the type of planner to use, take your time. Select one which can accommodate all of the information you need but which still fits into your bag. Also, stay away from the store-bought ones with zippers or locks which are a challenge to open.
• Name your planner Small as this detail may be, it’s important to name your planner to remind you to keep using it. When you assign a name to an object, you’re also giving it a strong purpose in your life. Choose whatever name you want, make sure that it stands out!
• Incorporate the planner into your daily routine Make sure to bring the planner along with you at all times, especially when you go to school. Also, make sure to check the information written inside at the start and at the end of each day.
• Jot down the information ASAP As soon as your teachers assign you with homework, jot down the most important details right away. Make this a habit and it soon becomes automatic for you. Write down the assignment on your planner, the due date, and other relevant details.
• Learn how to use backward planning Whenever you write down any due date in your planner, keep going back to that homework to remind yourself that the due date is fast approaching.
• Color-coding systems work wonders Use colored dividers, stickers, papers, highlighters, and more to organize your planner. This makes it easier for you to understand and identify the information written on your planner.
• Make sure to include everything in your homework planner You must write down all the possible information in your planner, even the information about events, holidays, and other times which might take you away from doing your homework. If you don’t include this information, you can’t manage your time effectively.
• Use tabs and flags Using tabs and flags makes it easier for you to indicate due dates, finished homework, end of terms, and more. These serve as an excellent visual tool which constantly reminds you of what you need to accomplish.
• Keep the old pages and sheets in a separate file Since you’ll input everything in your planner, this means that each of the sheets contains important information. Therefore, you must keep the old pages in a separate file in case you need to use them as for reference later on.
• Congratulate yourself for creating an organizational system After creating your homework planner and following all of these tips, congratulate yourself for creating your own organizational system. As long as you stick with the planning, doing your homework becomes a lot easier.

More Templates

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Homeschool Schedule Templates

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10+ Homeschool Workbooks for Easy Review

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Homeschool workbooks can be a great educational resource. They are generally pretty reasonably priced and can cover a good bit of material.

The trend right now, especially during the COVID-19 crisis, seems to be putting kids in front of a screen for lessons. That system works really well for some kids.

However, some families find that too much screen time, even educational screen time, causes more problems than it solves . This is especially true among elementary age kiddos. I always noticed a decline in behavior in my own kids after a screen heavy day.

Homeschool workbooks allow you to teach or review grade-level-appropriate material with your kids.

When choosing homeschool workbooks keep a few considerations in mind:

• Do you want one workbook to cover multiple subjects?
• Do you want new teaching or just review?
• Are colorful pages important to you?
• Will the workbook be used as a full curriculum or as a supplement?

The Best Homeschool Workbooks

Table of Contents

General homeschool workbooks, math workbooks, language arts workbooks, tips for homeschool workbooks.

General homeschool workbooks cover all of the core academic subjects for a grade level in one workbook. Usually this type of workbook will review math, language arts, science, and social studies.

• Brain Quest

Brain Quest workbooks are available for preschool – sixth grade. The workbooks contain about 300 pages. Each level covers:

• Language arts skills
• Social Studies

The pages are bright and colorful, but not distracting. The directions are clear and concise. Once kids are able to read they will likely not need much help from parents.

• Workman Publishing (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 320 Pages – 05/09/2023 (Publication Date) – Workman Publishing Company (Publisher)

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2. Comprehensive Curriculum of Basic Skills

The Comprehensive Curriculum of Basic Skills workbooks are enormous – over 500 pages! There is a workbook for preschool – sixth grade. Each level includes:

The pages each contain colorful illustrations, but the main background of each page is white.

The directions are clear, however there is quite a bit of text on each page. Some kids might love this, but others might be distracted by having multiple lessons on the same page.

• Sold as 1 Each.
• Thinking Kids.

3. Summer Bridge Activities

Summer Bridge Activities workbooks are intended to be used during summer break, but there isn’t really any reason they can’t be used at any time during the year.

These workbooks are for grades preschool – sixth grade.

Each level covers:

The review lessons are grouped by days. For example, the first few pages have ‘Day 1’ written in the top corner. Those activities are all meant to be done on the same day.

This format is good if you are looking for a general review, but might be frustrating if you are looking for more targeted lessons.

• This book helps prevent summer learning loss in just 15 minutes a day
• Children will review skills from the previous school year and preview skills for the next grade
• Includes language arts, math, and science activities

4. Evan Moor Daily Fundamentals

At around 200 pages, the Evan Moor Daily Fundamentals workbooks are on the smaller side for general homeschool workbooks. These workbooks are available for first – sixth grade.

The lessons are broken into 5 lessons a week (Monday – Friday), 30 weeks a year. Most students will only need to spend about 15 minutes a day to complete their daily review.

The pages are completely text based, with no illustrations or color.

• The daily lessons progress in difficulty as students move through Day 1 to Day 5, and the weekly units progress in difficulty throughout the year.
• Evan-Moor Educational Publishers (Author)

5. Smart Practice Workbook

Smart Practice Workbooks are available for kindergarten – fifth grade. The workbooks all contain about 320 pages.

The pages are colorful with clear directions.

• Practice makes perfect with these workbooks
• More than 300 skill building practice pages
• Includes ready to use flash cards for extra skills practice

Math workbooks provide extra practice solely on math topics. Some books contain all of the typical math concepts for a grade level, but others are broken down by skill.

IXL is known for their quality online homeschool program, but now they have printed math workbooks available too!

IXL math workbooks come in two versions – full grade level (called ultimate) and specific skills. They are available for first – fifth grade.

The pages are colorful, but not in a distracting way.

• Learning, IXL (Author)
• 112 Pages – 01/10/2019 (Publication Date) – IXL Learning, Inc. (Publisher)

7. TinkerActive Math

TinkerActive math workbooks teach grade level appropriate skills first on paper and then by tinkering. Kids will engineer projects using household items after practicing skills on paper. This lets kids apply what they learned to real life.

TinkerActive math is available for preschool – second grade.

• Krasner, Justin (Author)
• 128 Pages – 05/14/2019 (Publication Date) – Odd Dot (Publisher)

8. Critical Thinking Mathematical Reasoning

The Mathematical Reasoning workbooks are intended to be a full math curriculum, however you can use it however works best for your family.

This math workbook curriculum follows a spiral approach. This can work really well to review concepts, but can also make it tough to master new material if the foundation isn’t in place.

Mathematical Reasoning workbooks are available for preschool – ninth grade.

• Linda Brumbaugh (Author)
• 352 Pages – 03/30/2012 (Publication Date) – The Critical Thinking Co.™ (Publisher)

9. Math Lessons for a Living Education

Math Lessons for a Living Education is technically a full homeschool math curriculum, however it can certainly be used as a homeschool workbook.

The lessons are intended to be done one a day for a total of 180 days. Each lesson takes 15 – 30 minutes to complete.

These workbooks are available for kindergarten – sixth grade. Students can take a placement test if they are not sure which level is best.

• O’dell, Angela (Author)
• 343 Pages – 04/07/2016 (Publication Date) – Master Books (Publisher)

10. Scholastic Reading Comprehension

The Scholastic Reading Comprehension workbooks are focused solely on reading comprehension. In each lesson students read a few sentences (or paragraphs, depending on the grade level) and then answer comprehension questions.

The workbooks are available for first – fifth grade.

• Scholastic Teaching Resources (Author)
• 48 Pages – 02/01/2022 (Publication Date) – Scholastic Teaching Resources (Publisher)

11. TinkerActive English Language Arts

The TinkerActive English Language Arts books combine review worksheets with hands-on projects. First kids read a lesson and focus on the language arts skill. Then they complete a project that relates to what they read.

For example, if they read and answered a selection about birds, they might make a bird feeder. All of the projects use common household supplies.

TinkerActive English Language Arts workbooks are available for preschool – second grade.

• Butler, Megan Hewes (Author)
• 128 Pages – 12/31/2019 (Publication Date) – Odd Dot (Publisher)

12. EP Language Arts

EP Language Arts is part of the popular online homeschool curriculum Easy Peasy All in One Homeschool. This language arts homeschool workbook makes it easy to take the learning off-line.

There are 180 language arts lessons, one for each day of the school year. However, you can certainly use this workbook even if you are not interested in a full curriculum. It can be used for review purposes.

If you do want to use EP Language Arts as a full language arts curriculum you will need the Teacher’s Guide .

These homeschool workbooks are available for first – seventh grade.

• Rutherford, Tina (Author)
• 211 Pages – 07/10/2017 (Publication Date) – CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)

13. DK Workbooks: Language Arts

DK Workbooks: Language Arts helps parents review language arts skills such as grammar, phonics, and punctuation with their children.

The pages are fairly short so they are not overwhelming. There are about 60 pages total.

These workbooks are available for preschool – third grade.

• DK (Author)
• 60 Pages – 02/17/2014 (Publication Date) – DK Children (Publisher)
• Check the work. It doesn’t do any good if a child reviews material incorrectly.
• Be consistent. Consistency builds accuracy and confidence.
• Choose the right level. Homeschool workbooks that are too difficult will only create frustration. You can always race through an easier level to review and then move on to a more difficult level.

Do you use homeschool workbooks?

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Welcome! My name is Jennifer. I am a teacher at heart. Before my children were born I was a public school teacher. Now, I am a homeschooling mom of two.

Hi there, I have a 10 year old boy who is super smart – he can do very complex math problems in his head, but absolutely HATES writing! Any suggestions for a workbook he might enjoy? He enjoys gaming, has a short attention span and likes to be moving…all the time! LOL Hard to get him to focus and get the work done.

Suggestions?

He might enjoy the workbook/journal Revolting Writing by Jennifer Cabrera. I haven’t used this one, but I think my son would like it and our sons sound similar. 🙂

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2022-2023 Homework Planner (Paperback)

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Start 2022-2023 academic year with this student homework planner Run with purpose towards school assignments using the best aid assignment notebook 2022-2023

Offer your kid everything he/she need to organize their school year This homework planner for kids is the perfect aid to recording their class schedule, tracking daily assignments, homework notes, activities and events and much more

This Student Planner includes:

• 2 pages for Class schedule 1st and 2nd semester;
• Special designed Password page to note the websites, username and passwords for online assignments
• Monthly calendars (September 2022-June 2023) to record special projects, book reports deadlines;
• 2 page weekly spread with room to track assignments that are due, top priorities, future tests and weekly sight words
• Special reading log pages for every month to record your readings;
• Weekly spreads go from September through June, coinciding with the school year
• Space to keep track of your academic progress - record your grades using our Report cards pages for each quarter;
• Perfect size - fits in a backpack: 8.5 x 11 size and 110 pages, great for school and travel. This planner has enough room to be creative, make lots of notes, have large handwriting, or utilize stickers

Technical Details:

# 110 pages of tracking your most important to do list.

# Perfect size: 8.5 x 11 INCHES.

# High-Quality white paper.

# Matte paperback cover for good touch and feel.

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26 Teacher-Approved Second Grade Workbooks

Additional practice for reading, math, social studies, and more!

If you’re looking for the best second grade workbooks, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of the most engaging, best-reviewed, curriculum-aligned resources to help second grades in specific subject areas or to avoid the summer slide.

Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!

Best Math Second Grade Workbooks

Introducing math grade 2.

This workbook provides a comprehensive overview of second grade mathematics with instruction, practice questions, and answer explanations along with free digital access to videos.

Real revie w: “Great resource, it is divided into chapters/topics with explanations of the material first, then questions. At the end it has a mix assessment with questions covering all topics. Great help with 2nd grade math.”

2nd Grade Common Core Math: Daily Practice Workbook – Part I

This is one of the best second grade workbooks for helping students practice and master skills while becoming very familiar and comfortable with the state math exam and common core standards. 

Real review: “Easy way fun to study each weekday with a child. Broken into 5 daily assignments for a week. Tip of the day is very helpful.”

2nd Grade Common Core Math: Daily Practice Workbook – Part II

This workbook comes with 20 weeks of daily free response, weekly assessments, state-aligned Common Core curriculum, and an end-of-the-year assessment.

Real review: “Very good book with a lot of exercises to practice … All of them are divided by weeks and days. Tip of the day gives brief explanations to exercises for better understanding.”

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Star Wars Workbook: 2nd Grade Math

It’s okay to look for fun second grade workbooks, right? Kids will use the Force while comparing number values, addition and subtraction, word problems, second and third-dimensional shapes, and getting ready for multiplication.

Real review: “The Star Wars workbooks are a perfect compliment to our online curriculum. They venture beyond grade-level standards in our local schools.” 

Word Problems Grade 2

This workbook introduces students to word problems dealing with multiple-digit addition and subtraction.

Real review : “I love this practice book. I am a teacher and bought this for our daughter who has a very difficult time with word problems. These problems start out fairly simply and move to much more difficult, multi-step problems.”

Best Reading Second Grade Workbooks

Scholastic success with reading comprehension, grade 2.

These second grade workbooks give students targeted, skill-building practice with more than 40 ready-to-reproduce pages. 

Real review : “I’ve always liked Scholastic’s educational products and these don’t disappoint.”

The Big Book of Reading Comprehension Activities, Grade 2

Kids will learn how to identify a story’s message and make connections between plot, structure, setting, characters, and more. This workbook contains 120 activities and progressive lessons. 

Real review : “Excellent. Best practice reading comprehension books on the market!”

Grade 2 Reading

This workbook provides grade-level appropriate vocabulary exercises including elements of both phonics and whole language instruction.

Real review : “The content is attention catching for young readers, and it’s just enough to exercise their skills without getting boring.”

Reading Comprehension Grade 2

This resource helps students master skills in mathematics, penmanship, reading, writing, and grammar. 

Real review : “Wonderful! So simple – story on the left, questions on the right. Many questions require thought, not just reading back for the answer word for word.”

Spectrum Reading Workbook 2nd Grade

This second grade workbook focuses on practice for reading comprehension including letters and sounds, word recognition, theme, integration of knowledge and ideas, main idea, story structure, summarization, key ideas, and details. 

Real re view: “This is a great book for the kids to get better at reading as well as learning how to write response. An amazing book for the money!”

Best Writing Second Grade Workbooks

Grade 2 writing.

This workbook will introduce students to second grade vocabulary and writing skills in a step-by-step manner. 

Real review: “I love these books. They teach and reinforce what you’ve already learned in such an ingenius way. So much fun with bright colorful pages.”

Scholastic Success With Grammar, Grade 2

Each workbook includes more than 40 ready-to-reproduce practice pages of activities that correlate to state standards. 

Real revie w: “I’m using these books in the ESL classes that I teach (as well as for tutoring) and they are perfect as extra worksheets for in-class review and for homework.”

Star Wars Workbook: 2nd Grade Writing

You won’t need to go to a galaxy far, far away to encourage kids to love writing. This exciting Star Wars workbook covers sentence and story construction, spelling and vocabulary, creative writing and story prompts, practice cursive writing skills, and aligns with common core standards.

Real review: “This series works well. They are full of great lessons, and our kids are entertained by them enough to keep working. We call them their ‘fun books.’”

Writing for Minecrafters: Grade 2

Kids love Minecraft, and they’ll enjoy this workbook featuring the video game characters and concepts to make second grade writing practice fun! 

Real review: “This book made homeschooling so much fun for my son. He will literally do 4 to 6 pages at a time.”

180 Days of Writing for Second Grade

This easy-to-use resource provides second-grade students with practice in writing opinion, informative/explanatory, and narrative pieces while also strengthening their language and grammar skills.

Real review: “As a preschool teacher, I bought these for my daughter and I love them. Very educational and still fun to do.”

Scholastic Success with Writing, Grade 2

Each workbook contains activities designed to meet state standards and includes more than 40 ready-to-reproduce practice pages. 

Real review : “This is a great writing book for your second grader. It is really helpful and helps keep them sharp. It’s also great for homeschooling and makes teaching that much easier.”

Best Science & Social Studies Second Grade Workbooks

180 days of science: grade 2.

This second grade workbook helps students analyze and evaluate scientific data and scenarios, improve their understanding of science and engineering practices, answer constructed-response questions, and increase their higher-order thinking skills. 

Real review: “Super happy with the content and how this book is laid out.”

Science, Second Grade: Learn and Explore

Kids can practice with exercises on liquids, solids and gases, global weather patterns, life cycles of living creatures like frogs, jellyfish, and locusts, and more.

Real review: “They have large lettering that is easy to read, and appropriate for a 2nd grade level.”

Geography, Second Grade: Learn and Explore

This workbook contains curriculum-aligned exercises on topics including familiarity with the compass, map grids, physical and political maps, and the concept of hemispheres.

Real review : “This workbook gets them talking about geography, making their own maps and legends, and interested in learning more. No fights to get this done.”

180 Days of Social Studies: Grade 2

Each week’s activities will cover a topic within one of the four social studies disciplines: history, economics, civics, and geography. Students will analyze primary sources, answer text-dependent questions, and improve their grade-level social studies knowledge. 

Real review: “Geography, Civics, Economy, and History are all included in this. I’d recommend it.”

Second Grade Essentials for Social Studies

These engaging activities cover continents and oceans, cardinal and intermediate directions, hemispheres, holidays and symbols, culture, money and barter, consumers and producers, and more!

Real revie w: “Just the supplemental resource I needed!”

Best Overall for Summer Second Grade Workbooks

Summer brain quest: between grades 2 & 3.

This workbook is designed to bridge the gap between second and third grades. Activities include reading comprehension, writing opinions, adjectives versus adverbs, place value, word problems, life cycles, map skills, and more!

Real review : “This is the third time I have done summer workbooks and these summer brain quest ones are perfection!!”

Summer Bridge Activities – Grades 2 – 3

With activities designed to take just 15 minutes a day, this workbook focuses on subjects including math, writing, reading, science, social studies, fitness and character building. 

Real review: “Simply put, this is a great activity book to help your child stay mentally active when out of school for the summer.”

Summer Blast: Getting Ready for Third Grade

This standards-based tool provides nine weeks of engaging and relevant lessons that support content learning in social studies, writing, reading, science, math, and art. 

Real review: “This is perfect, other books were teaching completely new stuff, this was a good review with a bit of new stuff at just the right level.”

Daily Summer Activities, Grade 2-3

Over 10 weeks, kids can work through activities to practice essential skills across subject areas, including reading, math, writing, spelling, and geography.

Real review: “This is a great workbook to keep skills fresh over the summer. We do one page each day, and the included achievement stickers are a nice motivator.”

What are your favorite second grade workbooks? Share on our WeAreTeachers DEALS page !

Plus, check out our top picks for second grade books .

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24 Teacher-Approved Third Grade Workbooks

Avoid the summer slide. Continue Reading

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How to Do Homework: 15 Expert Tips and Tricks

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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15 Student Planners That Will Make This Year Their Most Productive One Yet

Screen-free planning ahead.

If you buy something from the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?

Getting on board with using a planner might be quite the task, as most of us are used to clicking and tapping our notes into digital devices, like iPads and smartphones . Luckily for you, we've rounded up the best academic planners to transform even the most tech-obsessed person into a planner pro. From agendas designed to optimize your academic life to options that keep track of busy school and extracurricular schedules, these planners will help start the school year off right.

Planner 2023-2024

This student planner combines old-school sophistication with modern convenience. The cover design is classically minimal, with an elastic-band closure and pen holder at the spine to keep everything neatly together.

The interior page layout is similarly straightforward, offering weekly and monthly page views with plenty of lined and blank space to write, cross out, and rewrite. The design is unobtrusive, allowing for students to mold it to fit their needs. It's easy to follow with enough direction to keep students on-task, and it's durable enough that if it gets thrown around — which it definitely will — it won't fall apart partway through the year. Overall, the combination of style, durability, and price makes this student planner our number-one pick.

More: 20 High-Quality Backpacks That'll Actually Last All Year

2023-2024 Academic Planner + Study App

A brilliantly laid out study app comes with the Five Star planner. It's one more way for kids to integrate their digital and analog planning and studying. It's a simple plan with an easy layout to follow, and teens love it. It has daily, weekly, and monthly sections with more than enough room for everything.

Dated Bilingual Middle High School Student Planner

Bilingual English and Spanish planners are wonderful for really any child in the U.S. but especially good for Spanish speakers and Spanish learners. The planner has plenty of guidance as to what to put where and plenty of space in which to do it. It's also a great option for middle school students!

2023-2024 Academic Planner

At-a-Glance planners are favorites of teachers I spoke with because they aren't distracting, but they're also very guided and have plenty of room. Even if your child decides to use markers in it, the pages don't bleed like some thinner-papered planners. These lay flat, allowing the student to look at everything at a glance.

Student Planner 2023-2024

A big part of why this one will be so popular is because of the design on the outside — celestial images are hot right now. But what's inside is even more important, and you'll find a well-laid out planer with 380 stickers, goal areas, weekly, daily, and monthly spaces ready to be filled out.

2023-2024 Monthly Planner

If you need to motivate your student, gifting them a package like this is a wonderful way to do it. It has everything a kid could want for planning, pens, stickers, tabs, and a design that's alluring even for the planner-shy.

Again, it has weekly, daily, and monthly spaces with great paper and lines that aren't too close together.

2023-24 Monthly & Weekly Academic Planner Kit

There's so much to love about this extremely durable zippered planner starting with the fact that it's not just an undated planner — it's an entire planner system.

Useful school supplies like fine-liner pens, sticky notes, tabs, note stickers, and highlighters are all included. That means that you can color-code by program or activity, highlight deadlines, coordinate your needs, and get everything put down exactly when you need to begin because you are the one filling in the date.

2023-2024 Academic Year Weekly and Monthly Planner

This notebook-sized student planner from Blue Sky helps plan out projects by week while also including a bird's-eye view of the entire month when opened to each tab.

It also provides more than enough space for writing down due dates and monthly appointments, and it lays everything out neatly on a clean-lined spread.

What we love about this one is that it's a smaller size, perfect for the front pocket of a backpack. There's even a section for jotting down yearly goals for the academic year to stay on track through the semesters.

The Jag Academic Planner

Whether you're a consistent planner user or go weeks without writing down anything, this gorgeous, blank weekly planner is perfect. It feels grown up and ready for adulthood. Each page allows you to fill in the year and the date so that you can plan your way.

With generous space to write down daily tasks, assignments, and social engagements, you'll never miss a beat. Thanks to the sections for goals, important dates, and to-do lists, you'll be the image of productivity and organization.

Panda Reusable Academic Daily Planner

Undated planners are gaining popularity, and this one keeps track of way more than just your day-to-day schedule.

The top-rated Panda Planner includes daily, weekly, and monthly pages, all designed with the goal-oriented user in mind. It helps break big goals into smaller tasks and lets users get as granular as they'd like with long-term planning. This means that you can plan their semester by the week, month, or the whole chunk.

The best part is that the cloud-integrated planner is totally reusable, as users can jot down tasks and notes with the smudge-proof pen, scan them with the compatible app, and erase the notes with the included cloth. It'll likely be the only planner-and-notebook combo that you'll ever need.

Daily Planner 2023-2024

With weekly practices designed to inspire and encourage self-care, you will find this planner to be incredibly useful. Its lined pages are the perfect place to jot down notes, how you're feeling, or your progress and goals for that month. The weekly and monthly view allows you to write down detailed daily plans and broader monthly events.

The color-coded sections make finding a specific month quick and easy. You can design their planner to look as trendy as you want with the chic included sticker pack.

Simple Elephant Planner 2023-2024

Straight to the point and focused on productivity, the Simple Elephant Planner is designed to keep you motivated and ready to achieve your goals.

School is far more than just going to class and going home. The Elephant Planner is designed for everything in between. With weekly and monthly pages, you can keep track of your bigger and smaller assignments.

Your will be setting and completing goals like a pro with the yearly goal tracker. The gratitude and affirmation pages help you shape a mindfulness practice while keeping you focused on what you want to achieve during the academic year. Plus, the mindmap pages allow you to create a mini vision board to engage with your more creative side, which is great for art majors or students involved in theatre.

Watercolor Checkered Academic Planner

In the planner community, many would hail Erin Condren as the brand that ushered them into an organization obsession .

Designed with students in mind, this academic planner has a section to manage projects and exams, pages for notes, and the standard weekly/monthly calendar grid. Customize this planner with your name in eye-catching metallic gold for an added pop.

Erin Condren's planner keeps everything from sorority parties to work study and dissertation dates in their place. It's also easy to find what you need when you need it, thanks to the specific tabbing on the sides.

Hardcover Daily Planner 2023-2024

Some of us are all about the low-key aesthetic, and this planner fits the bill. Simple and small enough to toss in your backpack, this planner will get plenty of use.

The weekly planning pages feature boxes to an open plan for dates, allowing maximum customization. Structured to last, the simple planner has a sleek look that is truly unisex and mature.

Planner Set

Who says that using a planner has to be boring? This colorful set comes with everything you need to become a planning pro.

Complete with stickers, pens, and markers, you'll be able to customize their agenda to your exact taste. Each month starts with a page for you to jot down reminders, like phone calls to make and texts to return.

The weekly and monthly view will keep you on top of your assignments, while the included accessories will make writing down homework due dates a bit more fun.

What to Consider

Choosing the right planner for the right person is no small task, especially for college students dealing with the beginning of their life as an adult. There's a lot to jot down when you consider work and school schedules that include not only term-long projects but also goals for the future, grade calculations, and important notes about prerequisites and scheduling. Planners are pretty individual things, so check in with your kid about their preferred style. My own 15-year-old son prefers to have a larger planner with more room because he's visually inclined in that way, but my 12-year-old daughter is just the opposite. Her planner is precise, but notebooks are for figuring things out.

A good student planner should have space not only for assignments but also for schedules, notes, and important email addresses and numbers, such as the At a Glance planner . It's also a good idea to give yourself the option of having multiple views of the dates — a month at a glance, a week, and a daily breakdown. It's not 100% necessary, but it is extremely useful. You also want your student planner to be durable, just like the Feela planner system , because planners get pretty beaten up over time. Think about it — they're thrown in backpacks , tossed into desk drawers, and even jammed into lockers, so they need to stand up to some knocking around. Flimsy is fine for something that stays at home but not for an academic planner that needs to travel.

Cat Bowen has been covering parenting and home for over a decade. At Best Products, she has tested hundreds of products for parents and for the home, often spending dozens of hours per product to ensure her reviews are accurate and informative. Prior to joining the team, she was at Romper where she covered everything from breastfeeding to child sleep habits to abortion rights access. You can find her work on Bustle , Romper , and more. Cat is a bit of an intellectual magpie and perpetual student, most recently receiving a graduate degree in gender studies where she examined a topic that vexes so many — pockets in women’s clothing.

Melanie Yates is the Senior Digital Editor at House Beautiful , where she oversees design, gardening, and home renovation content. Since joining the team in 2024, Melanie ideates, assigns, and edits digital stories from in-house and freelance writers and helps execute big-picture projects for the brand. Prior to this role, Melanie was a senior editor at Best Products for over eight years, where she launched the site’s home vertical, conducted numerous bedding product tests, wrote The Present Perfect newsletter column, and produced video tutorials on how to wrap a gift. A lifelong enthusiast of the written word, Melanie holds a BA in broadcast journalism from Hofstra University and a certificate in copyediting from UC San Diego Extension. She’s always on the lookout for the next vintage find to furnish her Queens apartment.

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Lesson Plans for Elementary School Students

• Health and Nutrition
• Physical Education

Writing Lesson Plan: Homework Books

This is an activity I do with my grade 1’s and 2’s at the end of each day.  It’s a way to communicate with parents, letting them know what’s been done during the day.  (It’s a “what I did” book.  I tell grades 1 and 2 that getting mom or dad to sign this book and bringing it back every day is their homework.)  It also gets students to practise their printing.  During the year, you can look back through the books and see the improvement in neatness and letter formation.  Parents read them each night, signing them and sending them back to school each day.  If parents need to send a note, they write it in the book.  Nothing gets lost and the lines of communication are always open.

** In your introduction letter at the beginning of the year, write a note about the purpose of the Homework Book…daily communication between home and school.  Tell parents your expectations…I let them know about their student’s daily activities, they acknowledge having read it by signing and returning it as well as letting me know of problems student’s may be having.  Tell parents the objectives…what their child is learning by doing this book. (see below)

Objectives:

• keeping a daily line of communication open with parents
• letting parents know what students did during the day
• learning to print the date
• making a list
• printing neatly
• printing whole sentences
• copying correctly
• learning short forms for days and months
• practising RECALL of daily events
• student workbook
• pencils and erasers and rulers
• chart paper and markers

1.   At the end of the day, “Homework Books” come out and we talk about our day.  Allow at least 30-45 minutes at the beginning of the year for this activity (it’s worth it, call it printing, recall  time).  A few months later, we only spend about 15 minutes doing this, and the sentences are much longer.

2.   At the beginning of the year, I write the simple sentences.  An example might be:

Wed., Sept.1, 2010

• Today we played games in gym and math. _______________

Parent’s signature

3.   Parents and students now have something to talk about.  Parents sign the book, put it back in student’s backpack, and it is returned to school the next morning.  Students hand in their books each morning, I check for signatures and notes (plus field trip notes and money when necessary), check mark them and return books to the students.  I give students a sticker to place on their Homework Book cover each time it is signed and returned.  **Single workbook pages are given to students who “forget” their books.  They are signed and returned and taped into books later.

4.   Very soon, students are telling me what we did and dictating the sentences to me.  I print them neatly on chart paper and students copy them into their “Homework Books”. (Different colors for each sentence.)  Grade 1’s start out with one sentence, Grade 2’s have two sentences, but by the end of the year, we are doing at least 5 sentences – neatly, quickly, and accurately.  Examples might be:

Mon., Sept. 27, 2010

• In gym, we played Mummy Ball.
• We found rhyming words.
• In math, we did regrouping.
• We had library.
• In art, we used pastels.

______________________

5.   Each sentence is done in a different color.  The date is one color.  The first sentence is a different color.  The second sentence is a third color.  This makes it easier for students to find where they are when they are copying the sentences.  **When they can’t read well, this is the biggest problem…copying carefully.

Tags: communication , dates , list , printing , recall , sentences

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BookPeople of Moscow

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Please visit our new website: www.bookpeopleofmoscow.com

Our official store website is now online at http://www.bookpeopleofmoscow.com . Please visit us there!

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Bookpeople’s top 7 list.

Thanks to everyone for being such great customers and supporters of BookPeople of Moscow. Our first year has been going great thanks to all of you; please know that we don’t take you for granted. We look forward to each and every person who comes through the door and we are really loving getting to know everyone.

We’ll call this the  BookPeople Top 7 List  this time since I can’t think of 10 things to include. Too much election night loss of sleep I guess!

7.  We believe our community is only as strong as our investment in it. Help keep Moscow fabulous! Please look first to unique, locally-owned businesses (like ours!) and non-profits for all your holiday gift needs.

6.  BookPeople will kick off our “Thanks for shopping indie” campaign on Friday, November 23rd (the day after Thanksgiving). The store will open early at 8 am and be open until 8 pm (our usual closing time on Fridays.) The campaign features some great book choices – some might already be on your wish list!

5.  Our holiday book catalog is now available to help inspire gift ideas for family and friends – pick one up the next time you’re in the store. Our goal is to have every book in the catalog available in the store throughout the holiday season.

4.  Our website is getting closer to launching and we look forward to everything that comes with having a good website: the ability for our customers to order almost any book from us online and either have it shipped or pick it up in the store, the ability to purchase ebooks from us, an easy to use online calendar showing all the upcoming store readings and events, and more. When our website is live we’ll send you the link so you can check it out for yourselves!

And, along with selling ebooks, we’ll have Kobo ereaders available for sale very shortly – the great indie alternative to other, more proprietary ereaders like the Kindle. Kobo’s motto: Read Freely. Our sentiments exactly.

3.  Starting the day after Thanksgiving, BookPeople will sponsor a “giving tree” in conjunction with “Christmas for Kids.” On the tree will be tags with the ages and genders of children who would love to receive books for Christmas but whose families can’t afford it. We encourage everyone to purchase a book to put under the giving tree; we will wrap them and be sure they get to the children on time. It can be a meaningful family project to choose books for the giving tree together. And, a huge thank you to the girl scout troop under the leadership of Amy Ball who decorated over a hundred lovely, glittery tags for the giving tree.

2.  Did you know? Proceeds from our used book sales go into the new BookPeople Community Fund, a source of money to assist teachers in getting books for their classrooms, to support local arts, to fund literary events, and to foster literacy. Please consider donating your used books to BookPeople, and help the Community Fund grow! The used books, by the way, are in the back of the store, just past the children’s area.

1.  Last but not least, you deserve a break. We want to make your holidays easier. So, on certain days, besides our usual super staff, we will have the benefit of incredibly knowledgeable children’s librarians and teachers volunteering in the store to help you find just the right books. We gift wrap for free (as always), and will also package and ship your gifts to their recipients, so you don’t have to! Let us stand in the post office line on your behalf – we’ll only charge you for the actual cost of the postage.

Meet Nick of Black Cypress at BookPeople!

Please join us at BookPeople on Sunday evening at 5 pm to sample some delicious food by Nick Pitsilionis of Black Cypress restaurant, and pick up a signed copy of the Washington Artisans cookbook, which features one of Nick’s recipes!

Duff Brenna reading and signing, Thursday, Oct. 25, 7:30 pm

Bette Lynch Husted and Pamela Steele, Saturday at 5 pm

Alan Heathcock reading and signing Thursday, Oct. 18, 7:30 pm

Literary evening for adventure lovers, Wed. Oct. 17

Learn more about Gloria Steinem before she visits Moscow

Saroyan Prize Winner Daniel Orozco at BookPeople Wed. Sept. 26, 7:30 pm

Ebook alternative and new website coming soon to BookPeople

Good news! The American Booksellers Association announced this week a new contract with Kobo, which will take effect in a few months and replace the ABA’s old agreement with Google ebooks that expires at the end of this year. Independent bookstores all over the country and the world will soon be working with Kobo through the ABA to offer an affordable and more flexible alternative to another more, ahem, proprietary ereader and ebook provider who shall not be named. Kobo offers applications that allow their books to be read on other devices such as Nooks and iPads. BookPeople will be launching its official website by the end of the year and with it, Kobo ebooks and perhaps Kobo e-readers. Sales proceeds from Kobo ebooks through our website will be shared between us and Kobo – making it possible for customers anywhere to support their favorite local bookstore and still enjoy digital books.

We will keep you posted here about this issue. Watch for more news later in September.

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Homework Made Simple: Tips, Tools, and Solutions to Stress-Free Homework Paperback – September 16, 2010

• Print length 272 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Advantage Books
• Publication date September 16, 2010
• Dimensions 6.1 x 0.64 x 9.15 inches
• ISBN-10 0971460981
• ISBN-13 978-0971460980
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Advantage Books (September 16, 2010)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0971460981
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0971460980
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.64 x 9.15 inches
• #453 in Parent Participation in Education (Books)
• #756 in Parenting & Family Reference
• #843 in Study Skills (Books)

About the author

Ann k. dolin.

Ann K. Dolin, M.Ed. is a former Fairfax County, VA public school teacher with a Master's Degree in Special Education. She has over 20 years of teaching and tutoring experience. After a successful teaching career, Ann founded Educational Connections Inc. with the goal of providing individualized one-on-one instruction based on each student's learning style. Today, her company employs over 200 tutors, serves the metropolitan D.C. area, and has worked with over 8,000 students. Ann also provides presentations to parents on homework, motivation, and other educational topics. She currently resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and two children. Contact Ann at [email protected]. Visit her website at www.anndolin.com or her company's website at www.ectutoring.com.

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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the book's content great, with many tips for different types of kids. They also say the tips are simple, straightforward, practical, and applicable no matter what grade your child is in. Readers also say it's well-written and helps children succeed in school.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the writing and content of the book great, concise, and well written. They also appreciate the no-nonsense approach that educates parents as well as students. Readers also mention that the suggestions are simple to implement, very practical, and applicable no matter what grade.

"...The tips the author gives are simple and straight forward and easy to implement. My son has ADD and struggles with organizing and doing homework...." Read more

" Great tips . This is a work in progress" Read more

"...The suggestions are simple to implement, very practical and applicable- no matter what grade your child is in...." Read more

"...I found the information on organization most useful ...." Read more

Customers find the book's educational value to be great, saying it helps children succeed in school and has changed their lives for the better.

"...You're a fly on a wall in the process. Excellent book. Covers elementary aged children to high school students...." Read more

"...At the risk of sounding over-dramatic this book has changed our lives for the better ...." Read more

"...and compelling strategies to end the homework wars and help children succeed in school ...." Read more

"It really gives you great tips to help your children .." Read more

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Challenge accepted: Reading Noem’s book yields even more damning info

Like many South Dakotans, I was intrigued by Gov. Kristi Noem’s chances for being selected as Donald Trump’s running mate, and I paid attention to the release of her book, “ No Going Back .” When her promotional appearances turned into the  book tour from hell , it was hard to look away. 

During  an interview  with Stuart Varney on Fox Business, Noem spent most of the interview defending her decision to include the story about  shooting her dog, Cricket . At one point in the interview, Noem asked Varney if he had read the book. Like so many of the politicians he has interviewed over the years, Varney ignored the question and went on to something else. 

Just when it seemed the book tour was over, Noem showed up in an interview with Chris Cuomo on NewsNation. Cuomo wondered how readers could trust anything Noem said in the book when she  included the falsehood  about meeting North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un. Noem defended her trustworthiness, once again asking the interviewer if he had read the book. 

It was obvious that Varney and Cuomo had not done their homework. It was time for someone to read the book. So I did. 

The cover price is $30, but I got mine for $21.89 on Amazon. At first glance, the volume looks slim. There are 222 pages in the book, as well as two appendices that include a budget speech and a State of the State speech Noem delivered. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll admit to not reading the speeches. I sat through enough speeches like that as a journalist; life is too short to start reading them, too. 

So it’s not a thick book, and the margins seem wide, like a wayward college student trying to stretch out his term paper to the required length. Margins get wider when she offers life lessons at the end of each chapter or quotes someone at length. 

As you might imagine, she spends quite a bit of time bashing liberals and the media, but she manages to do it in a homey, informal style that, at times, is a little too reliant on cute asides to the reader. 

She’s also fond of wise bromides that belong stitched on a wall-hanging. Here’s a sample of her sayings for when you’re ready to stitch your next sampler:

• Be a leader. 
• Do some good. 
• Respect is earned.
• Be loyal to what matters.

The problem with “No Going Back” is that it really doesn’t know what it wants to be. Part of it was obviously intended to build Noem’s resume as she jockeyed to be Trump’s pick for vice president. To that end, she’s always quick to point out her interactions with foreign leaders, even making up at least one. Part of the book serves as an infomercial for the greatness of South Dakota. There are also leadership lessons strewn throughout. On leadership and politics, according to Noem, she’s doing it right while others fall short.

The most compellingly written part of the book is the chapter she should have left out. She’s good at conveying her visceral hatred of Cricket and the  smelly goat . It leaves a reader wishing the rest of the book were just as well written. 

Because of the Kim Jong Un faux pas, and corrections requested by  Mike Rounds  and Nikki Haley, I was looking for mistakes. Noem goes on at some length about the value of parents becoming involved with their local school boards, but muffs it when she says to be on the lookout for executive sessions. She warns that the school board can only go into executive session for contract negotiations or matters of human resources. She fails to mention that school boards are required to meet in executive session if the topic is student discipline. 

President Trump’s 2020 visit to Mount Rushmore is a highlight of the book. At one point Noem says that the national memorial is under the management of the U.S. Forest Service. It’s really run by the National Park Service. 

She has quite a few things to say about Trump’s  visit to Mount Rushmore , at one point calling it a “peaceful celebration.” Actually 20 protesters and a counter-protester  were arrested . While the charges were later dropped, they did block a checkpoint and have a physical altercation with sheriff’s deputies and members of the National Guard.

Even more disturbing than her attempt to rewrite the history of the event is her casual mention of using Hells Angels to keep the peace on back roads leading to the memorial. “Let’s put it this way: if someone wearing a Hells Angels vest makes it clear they don’t have time for any roadblocks, interruptions, or noise, potential disrupters will think twice.”

So here’s our governor, calling on the most notorious motorcycle gang in history to keep the peace. That seems a more glaring, newsworthy statement than falsely claiming to meet Kim Jong Un or shooting a dog or double-tapping a smelly goat. Maybe it’s a good thing for Noem that Varney and Cuomo didn’t read the book. 

Dana Hess spent more than 25 years in South Dakota journalism, editing newspapers in Redfield, Milbank and Pierre. He's retired and lives in Brookings, working occasionally as a freelance writer.