My new policy for this quarter (in order to better prepare them for 8th grade next year) is that the students have one class period to complete the assignment.

 

Should they need more time than is allotted, they may take the work home to finish there, but it must be turned in the very next day in order to get credit.  Their grade will drop a bit if they were not working the entire period and that's why they did not finish.

 

If I don't get their work the next day, they must still finish the assignment, but now, they will only receive half credit.  

 

Anything over 2 weeks old will no longer be accepted, but students will still be responsible for the knowledge gained from those assignments for their tests.