“Wisdom begins in wonder.” - Socrates
I am pleased to have your child in my first grade class! I know this year will bring forth much educational and emotional growth. First grade is a very important year for your child. This is the year that they learn all their basic skills for their educational success.
Staying involved in your child’s education is the key to a successful year. One way to stay involved is to check your child’s backpack and folder EVERY evening. You’ll usually find it packed with schoolwork, projects, flyers, notices from the office, as well as notes from me. As overwhelming as it may be, try to sort through them, and read each one; they often contain important information and reminders. Your child should come to school the next day with a fairly empty folder – just homework or notes to me.
The students and I will brainstorm to put this list together, but these are the basic ones that must be followed.
The classroom behavior system will consist of a “Stoplight” type chart. Everyone will start out the day with their “Bee” on the Green hive. Students will receive a warning when a poor behavior choice is made. If the student continues to make the same poor choice, they will move their Bee to the Yellow hive. The Yellow hive indicates that they owe the teacher a five minute time out. If the Bee needs to be moved to the Red hive, this student will lose recess. Students who move their Bee to the Red hive three days in a row will receive a note home to parents so that we can work together to best help the child make good behavior choices.
Also, I believe in positive reinforcement. Students will earn “caught being good” coins for good choices made in class. They will also earn coins for turning in homework on time. Every other Friday, the students will have an opportunity to shop in the class store. Top two drawers of the store contain items that are worth 2 coins. The next drawer down has items worth 4 coins. After that, the next drawers are worth 8 and then 12 coins. Students may shop or save their coins.
On this webpage you will find a description of some of the things we will work on this year and how you can help your child have a successful year.
Reading is the most important component of First Grade. Children need to read to be successful in every subject. We use Rigby Literacy Curriculum. It is a well-rounded program that uses phonics decoding skills, shared reading, guided reading and sight words. Your child needs your help and support as they learn to read.
Sight words are words that appear in text frequently or words that do not follow the phonics rules. In order to increase a child’s fluency in reading, these words need to be memorized. Please assist your child in practicing these words.
Each week the students will have a list of words that they need to learn to spell. These lists will be customized to the specific needs of each child. Please make sure to help your son/daughter learn to spell these words.
9-6-11 Theme 1 – Week 1
Spelling Words – cap, lap, map, rap, wag
Sight Words – was, but, will, out, from
9-12-11 Theme 1 – Week 2
Spelling Words – dot, fox, job, nod, pop, doll, rock
Sight Words – what, some, have, one, into
9-19-11 Theme 2 – Week 1
Spelling Words – pot, hop, lot, top, one, stop
Sight Words – put, went, has, now, today
9-26-11 Theme 2 – Week 2
Spelling Words – big, did, him, is, sit, mist, silk
Sight Words – make, no, so, teacher, grow
10-3-11 Theme 3 – Week 1
Spelling Words – dip, in, pin, rip, zip, fine, miss
Sight Words – day, very, good, it’s, did
10-10-11 Theme 3 – Week 2
Spelling Words – gum, hut, mud, nut, pup, full, jump
Sight Words – park, house, little, then, I’m
10-17-11 Theme 4 – Week 1
Spelling Words – big, did, him, is, sit
Sight Words – want, came, oh, that, two
We use EnVisions Math Curriculum to teach the new Common Core State Standards in Math. The students will learn the math concepts using a hand-on approach. We use blocks, cubes, shapes, number cubes and many other manipulatives to teach new math concepts. The Math homework will reflect the concepts we are practicing in the classroom.
1600 E. Oakey Blvd.
