The s of 1st Grade

Back to School Night September 12, 2013

is for ... Attendance • Unless your child is ill, please make every attempt to have your child present at school.

• Independent Study • Our day begins promptly at 8:25 and the

dismissal time is 3:20. Early Release: 1:00 pm • If your child is going to be out, please call to

let the office know.

is for ... Behavior

• Students are expected to: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe

• There will be rewards and consequences for

CHOOSING to follow/break the rules.

• Class Dojo and/or clip chart will be used to track behavior

Curriculum • Reading/Language Arts • Mathematics • Science • Social Studies • Physical Education • The Arts

• In 1st grade, we will focus on developing phonemic awareness, decoding skills, word recognition, comprehension and oral reading fluency.

• The more sight words a student knows, the more fluently he/she will read.

• Textbook: SRA California Imagine It! Level 1

• Decodables/Big Books • First Reader • Student Readers/ Guided Reading Books

1st grade students will:

• Read and learn to identify different genres throughout the year: realistic fiction, fantasy, informational, photo journalism, poetry, etc.

• Set a purpose for reading by predicting and asking or pre-reading comprehension questions

• Locate evidence to answer a question and/or support an opinion about the text.

• Draw connections related to the text text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world

currently

1. Read to Self

2. Read to Others

3. Listen to Reading

4. Work with Words

5. Work on Writing

• A variety of grouping strategies will be utilized to deliver our reading and language arts curriculum. Whole class and small group lessons will be delivered to ensure mastery of skills.

We will focus on the following each week:

• Reading Strategies • Comprehension Skills • Reading Fluency • Vocabulary and Word Analysis • Spelling • Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics • Writing • Listening and Speaking

• We do lots of writing in first grade. Children are encouraged to use phonetic spelling when they first start. Our goal is to encourage risk taking and independence in writing.

• As high frequency words and spelling rules are introduced children are expected to move toward more conventional spelling.

• Writer’s Workshop Rules • Do the best that you can and keep on going

• Edit your work

• When your done – you’ve just begun: Add to the Words, Add to the Pictures, Start a New Story

• Writing is a Process: Plan, Draft, Revise, Edit, Publish, Share

• Narrative: describe people, places, events, recount 2 or more sequence events, include details about what happened, use words: first, next, then, finally and provide closure

• Expository: write informative and explanatory reports, name topic, supply facts about topic, provide closure

• Persuasive/Response to Literature: State opinion, provide reasons and facts, closing statement

By the end of first grade, students …

• Understand and use the concept of “ones” and “tens” • Add and subtract numbers to 20 with ease • Tell time to the half hour • Count, write and order number to 120 • Measure with simple units • Identify shapes and their attributes • Describe data and analyze and solve simple problem situations

• Each math lesson begins with our Math on the Marina folder - Number of the Day, Calendar, and Number Sense, including money and telling time

• Math instruction concludes with a lesson in our Harcourt Math books and independent practice. Nightly math homework is also required.

1st grade students will learn that:

• Plants and animals meet their needs in different ways

• Weather can be observed, measured and described

• Matter exists in three forms

• They will also receive engaging hand-on science instruction from our own: “Mr. Science”.

1st grade students will learn about:

• Families/People from other cultures • Goods and Services • People today and long ago • Holiday origins and traditions • Responsibility of citizenship • Symbols, icons, and traditions of the United States • Maps and globes • Social and Emotional Learning: Second Step

PE

1st grade students will learn…

• The meaning of “physical fitness” • Coordination and movement skills • Sportsmanship • Group cooperation • Prerequisite skills for sports

*Please make sure your child comes to school each day with proper shoes and clothes for running, jumping, climbing, and participating in physical education activities.

First grade students will receive:

A comprehensive curriculum infused with the Arts. Students will learn about and develop skills in music, dance, drama, and fine art. Instruction will be delivered by experts in these fields as part of

the Enrich! program and included in their regular classroom experiences throughout the year. Visual Art instruction is given by Mrs. Ricciardi, our “artist in residence”.

Differentiated Instruction

In order to provide the best possible instruction to each child…

• Not all children will be on the same page, in the same book, at the same time.

• Please let me know if your child is really struggling or if he/she is not being challenged.

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Enrichment

• Students will have one or more enrichments each day.

• Each enrichment is 45 minutes in length and is taught by an expert in the field.

• Enrichments include instruction in: music, dance, drama, fine art, hands-on science, motor development, and Spanish.

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• We will have approximately 10 field trips this year. • Our goal is to provide students with “real life”

connections to our curriculum.

Field Trips

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Scheduled and Tentative 2013-2014 Trips

Twin Hills Apple Ranch Sid the Science Kid Tolay Fall Festival Sonoma County Museum Story Pirates Rohnert Park Gymnastics EDC: Habitats Fire Station/Post Office

Butterfly Garden/ California Carnivores Nursery Hillcrest Middle School Play / Special December Visitor

Goals • To foster a learning environment that is fun and which focuses on cooperation and respect for others.

•To individualize educational approaches in order to meet every child’s needs.

•To ensure all students receive the instruction necessary to meet or exceed all of the grade level standards.

is for ... My Motto: Work hard, play hard, do your BEST! Be responsible!…No Whining, and no EXCUSES!!!

Homework • Every week, students are expected to complete

the homework packet and reading log. 1-2 math pages, spelling, and 15 minutes of reading

• Due: FRIDAY morning

• It is important that 1st graders read for a MINIMUM of 15 minutes EACH night. This may include practicing their decodables, shared reading with an adult or older sibling, and reading and decoding good fit books on their own.

• In addition, a monthly family project will be assigned.

Check the website weekly • Enrichment Schedule • Weekly Route • Year-Long Voyage • Field Trips • Celebrations • Project Due Dates

Itinerary

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Just Right Books Interest: Make sure your child is interested in the topic and characters.

Goldilocks Method: NOT too easy or too hard

5 Finger Test:

• If your child needs to sound out 5 or more words on a page, select another book – it is too hard.

• If your child can read every word without sounding out new words, the book is too easy, select another book.

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Keeping Informed • Visit our classroom website frequently.

The itinerary will let you know what we are learning about each week, and our calendar will keep you up-to-date, reminding you about upcoming projects, due dates, and events.

• Make sure to read the Monday Messages.

• Watch for emails

is for ...

https://candauscrew.shutterfly.com/

Learning Environment In order to make learning engaging I will utilize:

Games, Songs/Dance, Videos, Group Work, Partner Work, Hands-On Activities, Computers, White Boards, Doodle Pads, Thematic Units, Group Work, Microphones, Tape Recorders, Scavenger Hunts, Whisper Phones, Pop Up Pirate and Microsoft Mouse Mischief, etc. Likewise, there will be times when students are expected to work independently and quietly at their desks and not distract or disrupt their neighbors that are trying to work.

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Mystery Readers • I would like to invite all parents, older siblings, grandparents, or other special people to surprise your child by being a “Mystery Reader” this year in our classroom. •Fridays from 11:45 -12:00 or Tuesdays, or Thursdays from 3:05-3:20 PM. If you can’t make it in person...you could also send a film or voice recording of you reading a story… electronic files work great! Remember this is top secret!

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Please send a note with your child if:

• You know your child will be missing school for an extended period of time.

• A change in pick-up or after school care will be occurring. • You would like to schedule a conference or have concerns. • Your child has been absent and you have not yet notified

the office about the absence.

Watch for notes and emails from the office and me, and don’t forget to check the Ship to Shore folder NIGHTLY.

Notes

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Other Items

• Birthdays *Keep treats as healthy as possible (check out Pinterest)

• Class Celebrations • Late Arrivals • Dismissal

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Participation

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• To encourage student engagement, I employ as many strategies as possible to make sure all students are actively involved in learning.

• I expect everyone to be thinking, questioning and responding to all questions and comments. (Think, Pair, Share, “Show Me”, Microsoft Mouse Mischief, Random Student Picker)

Questions

Please feel free to contact me anytime you have questions. You can do this in a variety of ways: • Send an email • Write a note • Make an appointment for a conference

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• Report cards will be distributed once each trimester. Students in 1st grade do not receive letter grades. But marks such as: +, x, *, N

Reading • Learning to read and strengthening reading skills

are the most important things your child will learn to do this year.

• Make NIGHTLY reading a priority / Books on Tape

Report Cards

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Sailor of the Week • Each child will have a special time during the

school year to be the Sailor of the Week.

• Students will be asked to bring in pictures and items from home for a special bulletin board and to lead us in special class activities during that week. Every child will have a turn!

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Tests

Mondays • Spelling Pretest Fridays • Spelling/Word Wall Test • Imagine It! Test • Math Chapter Test

Other Assessments • Reading Fluency • Core Phonics • Sight Word Reading • Rubric-Scored Writing

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1st Grade Unit Themes Back to School North, South, East, West Where Animals Live I Think I Can I am Responsible Away We Grow Our Neighborhood at Work Home, Sweet Home What's The Weather? I am Brave

Units of Study

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These units are aligned with our Science and Social Science curriculum

• If you have time or talents to share with us, please complete and return the volunteer “Helping Hands” form.

• Our school policy requires all visitors/volunteers to check in at the school office. Visitor Badges are required if you will be in the school hallways or entering a classroom.

• Also, anyone that wishes to help in the classroom more than twice a month, will need to complete a volunteer form and agree to a background check . Information is available in the office.

Volunteers and Visitors

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• If you haven’t already become a member of our classroom website, make sure you do so.

• http://candauscrew.shutterfly.com will be my primary means of communicating with you throughout the year.

Website

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EXtra Supplies • Thank you for all of the generous school supply

donations.

• A Wish List is also posted on our classroom website and will be updated throughout the year. Items need not be NEW.

• Teacher Gifts: Think “CLASSROOM”… Mrs. Candau prefers classroom donations to anything for herself. REALLY!!!

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• You are your child’s first and most important teacher.

• I hope that we can work together this year to make your child’s 1st grade school year a huge success!

You

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Zzzzz… • Please make sure your child gets plenty of

sleep each night, so that he/she is well rested and ready for the challenges of first grade. It is recommended that 5 and 6 year olds get 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night.

• This year will ZOOM by, so let’s make the

most of it.

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Thank You for Coming • Once again, thank you for coming this

evening and for showing an interest in your child’s education.

• If you should have any questions or would like to speak with me further about your child, please contact me by email at dcandau@grav.k12.us or call the school to schedule a time for us to meet.

WELCOME ABOARD!

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Template created by Debbie Candau ® 2011