Is this really suitable for an 9 year old as their homework?

[jmspbro]

Ideally homework should be set at a level whereby the child is able to complete it by themselves with minimal adult help. Of course, we are here to help when the child may not have fully grasped the maths or english topic in class, and we can supplement so that the child can complete the homework by themselves. However, it is not for parents to do the homework.

DS1 comes home with his homework, which is to look up footprint.wwf.org.uk/
on t'web and answer the questions.

To me, most of the questions could only be answered by an adult.

Is this really appropriate for year 4?

I think it's fine for a 9 year old? They might have to check with you about a couple of questions, but most seem straightforward?

I personally don't think that there is anything wrong with it.Perhaps would be best to complete with a parent/care.

Carer

Yes, as I said on the other thread.

My Y4 (aged 8) would love to do this for homework!

The only problem I can see with it is that it requires internet access. I just did it, and actually found it really interesting. Some of the wording could be confusing, I suppose.

They might need guidance about things like insulation and boilers, but I would view it as an opportunity for an important (and interesting) discussion, rather than doing it for them.

Which questions in particular do you think are unsuitable for a child to answer alone?

He may need to ask you some of the answers but I think it's a fantastic homework for a year 4 child.

I think it's a great homework.

Although, left alone, DD would probably estimate she spends 20 hours a week in the car dropping off/collecting her brothers

Much, much better than the painful comprehension exercises my dyslexic DC got in Y4.

And you actually learn something from this homework.

The only downside is presuming all DC have internet access.

Loved it, am going to get my year 2 ds to do it. I need 2.72 planets

Absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Do you have a would be eco warrior would is now lecturing you over the size of your footprint? which is why I'm not letting my 11 know my footprint

Your DS can answer all the questions if he does a bit of research (ie. asking you for the information on some of them). It seems to me that the information gathering aspect is deliberately part of the homework task.

I just did it (1.94 planets )

I think my 7 year old would need to ask me some of the answers, but I think she would enjoy it. Unfortunately I can't get her to try because it just skips back to telling me I need 1.94 planets every time I try to start again!

I also think it would be fine for year 3 or year 4. I just did it but I came out with needing 4 planets!! However, before you shoot me down, I think it's aimed at UK living, coz I'm in Australia and having no double glazing, insulation condensing boiler etc are all irrelevant to me as we don't have any form of heating in our house!! ...So nothing is actually wasted.

Spirit - If you want to try the test again, clear your internet history and I think that will work.

personally I do not think homework should be set that assumes all children have internet access.

My only problem with it is the assumption of adequate Internet access. Yes, you will have to discuss some things with a typical 8-9 year old, but I don't have a problem with that.

I think it's great. I'm going to get my year 4 to do it. We don't live in the UK though so some questions are irrelevant. She's been doing loads of environmental based homework lately, so maybe it's a thing. I will say that my daughter's teacher always sets a dictionary excersise to go with the homework, so for example she had to look up and define sustainable and ecosystem last week before completing the homework. It helped her understand the work better, so maybe suggest he looks up the words he doesn't understand.

Smidge001 I had the same problem, yes my house is hot and we don't heat or cool it. We need an expat one I think

DD2 is 9. She would have needed to ask me a few of the questions, but it would have been a very useful conversation.

I'd be more concerned about the fact that it asks for personal details at the end, with a box to tick saying "I am over 18"! For that reason alone, I'd say parents should have been asked to do the quiz with their child.

I think it looks fine. Might even have been a homework ds (year 3) would enjoy.

I love questionnaires like this 1.6 planets... It's the flights to see family that let me down. Feel like doing it again and being REALLY extravagant

Back to the OP, my dd is Y3 and could have done this with help but probably wouldn't see the point (and neither can I to be fair).

Some of the shopping ones you'd need to ask a parent, but most of them the child would know the answer to.

Assuming the school has a homework club or research sessions at lunch or after school/on Saturdays, for anyone who can'tuse the internet at home, that looks great.

I'd never set homework requiring internet access because I know there are children without it. I think I'd have parents moaning at me about eco warrior children turning the oven off in the middle of cooking dinner etc. A junior one about X boxes etc would be interesting... It's a bit political and judging for my liking.

As soon as someone provides public transport in our area I will consider using it.

I think it is fine and I actually found it really interesting. I a going to get the kids to do it later!

It is a good homework, as long as children without internet access have a choice of internet access after school, or an alternative piece of work to do at home.

Local libraries usually have computers with Internet access. Or as previous posters have suggested, the school may well have computers that can be used at lunchtime or after school for this sort of thing.