H E L L O
2014-2015 School Year
Welcome to First Grade Curriculum Night!
Classroom Supplies
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1 large Backpack (no wheels)
2 dozen #2 pencils, sharpened-Ticonderoga brand (please, no Roseart)
2 large pink erasers
1 box regular crayons
1 set of classic broad-line markers
1 set of watercolor paints (Crayola or Prang)
2 black fine point Sharpies (no ultra-fine)
4 large glue sticks (please, no small ones)
2 pee chee type folders
2 Mead composition notebooks (no spiral)
1 box of tissue (cube size)
1 pack white board markers (red, blue, black green)
1 container of Clorox wipes
1 box of gallon baggies
Colored pencils (package of 12)
One heavy duty 2 to 3-inch, 3-ring notebook with clear view pockets(Please label the binding with your child's name. Feel
free to get creative! Note: binders under 2 inches will need to be replaced with a larger binder mid-year in order to fit all of
the first grade poems.)
Additional Classroom Supplies for Room 209
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90 sheet protectors placed in the 3-ring binder
Whole Group Reading
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Word Wall
SIPPS Sound Cards
Sight Word Flashcards
Trade Books
Houghton Muffin
Poetry
Reading
Individual
Small group
Differentiated Instruction
Poetry
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A new poem is read each day.
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I read the poem, students echo read, then we choral read it together.
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We discuss vocabulary and the meaning of the poem.
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After reading and discussing the new poem, the class reviews the last five
poems and then, using the random sticks, I select students to choose three
to five favorite poems to review.
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Students circle the quick and easy words, put a square around letter
Poetry
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1 ½ to 2 inch binder
Sheet protectors are optional, but highly recommended.
The students will bring their binders home every weekend.
Review poems together
Circle sight words
Illustrate unfinished poems together
Students will memorize these poems, so it is important to
make sure that when you are reviewing poems together, that
your child is tracking each word with his/her finger using a
smooth, sweeping motion.
The Poetry Lesson
● Builds vocabulary
● Teaches comprehension strategies
● Involves modeling of what fluent reading
sounds like and provides students the
opportunity to practice fluency
● Builds the children’s sight word bank
Sight Words
● Sight Words are formally assessed in September, January and May
o Additional assessments are completed in November and March
● The May kindergarten sight word goal is 50+ words
● These are words children read without hesitation or sounding out
● The May sight word goal for first grade is 200+/300
● To ensure that children meet the May goal, students are expected
to have 100+ sight words memorized by January
● Students who have already mastered all 300 sight words should
set their own personal goal
● Additional sight word lists can be unloaded from my website under
the “documents” tab
Sight Words (Continued)
● It is important to practice sight words regularly as part
of your child’s 20 minutes of reading homework. How
you study is up to you. Here are a few suggestions
o Check lists (Checklists and sight word phrases can be
downloaded form the “Documents” tab on our classroom
SWIFT site.)
o Flashcards
o Visit sight word links on our classroom SWIFT site
o Tape new sight words to the bathroom mirror or to the
back of the seat in your car
Spelling
● Spelling lessons and homework will begin the last week of
September
● Students will be tested on Thursdays.
o Tests and the next list of words will come home on
Fridays
o You will be able to view a list of the words under the
“homework” tab
● Make sure your child can read the words before you practice
spelling
Math
● Daily Math Expressions lessons
are aligned with the Common
Core Standards
● Homework sheets
● Flashcards
● Class calendar and group
activities
Math Expressions
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It combines a blend of traditional and standards-based instruction.
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Math Expressions is a complete Kindergarten–Grade 5 mathematics curriculumoffering a variety of methods and strategies to teach and learn mathematics.
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It combines the most powerful elements of standards-based instruction with the best
of traditional approaches.
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Math Expressions uses objects, drawings, conceptual language, and real-world
situations to help students build mathematical ideas that make sense to them.
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The program covers 100% of Common Core Standards in mathematics.
Core Classroom Structures
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Math Talk
Quick Practice
Student Leaders
Building Concepts
Helping Community
Writing
● Daily Journal Writing
● Monthly Writing Prompts
● Daily D.O.L. (Daily Oral Language)
Exercise
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To teach proper grammar, use of
punctuation and capitalization
● Monday-Thursday handwriting
homework sheets beginning in
Young Authors
● Young Authors is a
school-wide
culminating writing
project that takes
place May-June
Science
● Foss Science Kits
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“New Plants”
“Solids and Liquids”
“Wind and Weather”
● Science Units of Study
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Moon
Frogs
Water Cycles
Art
● The teacher presents an art lesson at least
once a week: usually on Fridays
o I teach art using the direct instruction model
for the majority of the art lesson we do, but
there are plenty of opportunities for students
to express themselves independently
● Art Docents typically teach one lesson a
month
o Introduce various artists
o Teach specific art techniques and provide
students opportunities to apply those
Room 209 Events
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September: Curriculum Night/All School BBQ/Applesauce
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October: First Grade Open House/Harvest Party/Partnership Conferences
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November: Cranberry Bread Baking
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December: Holiday Sing-a-long/Stocking Stuffer Party
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January: Chocolate Chip Cookie Baking
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February: Valentine’s Day Celebration
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March: Read Across America Day
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April: Spring Break
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May: Mother’s Day Tea/
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June: Father’s Day Doughnuts with Dads/Young Authors/Field Day
Classroom Rules
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Treat others the way you want to be treated. This means to be kind to everyone through words and
actions.
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Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
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Follow directions the first time asked…“the fast way!”
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Look, lean and whisper during buddy sharing.
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Raise your hand to share out.
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Be a good listener (eyes on the speaker, voice off, body still).
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No talking during quiet work times (daily journal writing, tests, independent reading).
PAWS-itive Behavior
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Each student begins the day with his/her clip on green. Children will record their color at the end
of each school day. The monthly behavior log is kept at the back of the take home folder.
Please initial each night.
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Pink: Outstanding day (recognized for exceptional behavior 3+ times)
Purple: Great day (recognized for exceptional behavior twice)
Blue: Good day (recognized for exceptional behavior once)
Green: Ready to learn
Yellow: Make better choices (one warning and conference with the teacher)
Orange: Consequence (loss of a privilege, quiet space away from others,
Red: Parent contact (Following two warnings and two conferences with the teacher, the
student’s behavior continued to disrupt the learning community. The student will owe recess and
journal about his/her behavior.)
Office Referral: Visit to the principal and parent notification. (After moving to red, the child
continued to disrupt the learning environment and made no effort to change his/her behavior.)
*Certain behaviors; such as, fighting, destruction of property, defiance, biting, etc., will
PAWS-itive Behavior
Behavior Management
● Students will keep a behavior log in their daily takehome folders and record their PAWS-itive Behavior
color at the end of each school day. Students will be
rewarded for blue, purple, and pink days and
students on orange and red will spend time reflecting
on their behavior and what they need to do
differently to earn blue, purple, and pink days.
● The goal is for all students to engage in pro-social
behavior throughout the school day (during various
activities) and for students to learn to reflect on their
General Health Information
● Children should practice frequent hand
washing!
● Children should sneeze and cough into their
elbow
● Keep your children home for at least 24
hours after a fever or vomiting
● Children with a mild cold should attend
school...unless they have a severe cough
Morning Snack
● Please pack one, small, healthy
snack for your child each day
● It should be small enough for
your child to eat in 10 minutes
and fit into a sandwich bag
o Example: string cheese,
baby carrots, apple slices,
pretzels, banana, crackers.
o Cookies and chips are not
Water Bottles
● Water bottles are encouraged as the
classroom can become very warm at the
beginning of fall and late in the spring
● Pop-up tops are necessary, because they
alleviate large spills
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Please no juice or pop
Please do not freeze water bottles...as they “weep”
or “rain” onto the desk
Volunteers
● Volunteers are appreciated in
Room 207
● Please provide the office with a
current volunteer form and a
copy of your drivers license
o Good for two years
● I will provide a monthly
volunteer schedule
Lunch Money
● I strongly encourage paying for lunches in advance to alleviate the problem of
lost lunch money. It is best if you can write one check at the beginning of each
month, if your child buys hot lunch. If you cannot do this, I ask that when you
are sending cash that it come to school either in a sealed envelope or plastic
baggie and include the following information on the front:
o Lunch Money
o Student’s Name (first and last)
● Also, if your child eats cold lunch on a regular basis, it is a good idea to have 1
or 2 lunches purchased in advance…just in case your child forgets his/ her
lunch at home.
This and That
● Transportation
o Written permission from home (signed by
a parent/guardian) is required for any type
of dismissal other than the normal routine
o We cannot take your child’s word for any
changes in transportation
● Belongings
o Please write your child’s first and last
name (with a permanent marker) inside all
of their articles of clothing, lunch pail, and
backpack
This and That
● Toys
o Toys are not allowed at school. Please do not
allow your child to bring toys and costume jewelry
to school
● Birthdays
o If you would like to send in a birthday treat to
celebrate your child’s birthday, please phone or
leave a note in your child’s homework folder, at
least one day prior, so I can set aside some time in
our day.
o Birthday invitations may only be given out if the
entire class or all of the children of the same
gender are invited. If you plan on inviting only a
few students from our class, I ask that you give out
Daily Take Home Folder
● Your child received a folder on the first day of school
● The folder will come home every day. This is where
your child will put his/her homework and any papers
that they need to bring home. It is also where you put
anything that needs to be sent to school; such as,
notes, school forms, lunch checks, etc.
● Please check it each evening, empty old papers, and
make sure that your child brings it back to school
EVERY DAY!
Specialist Schedule
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Monday-Music
Tuesday-PE
Wednesday- Music
Thursday- Library
Friday-PE
Our specialist times are from 2:20p.m.2:50p.m. each day