Welcome to First Grade Please write a letter back to your child. - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Welcome to First Grade

Please write a letter back to your child. They love to hear from you the next day!

A Little About Me

• B.A. from the University of Iowa
• Masters from National Lewis University
• Taught for many years in District 10
• Live in Itasca with my husband and our

7th grade son

• We have a grown daughter who lives

downtown.

• ngallagher@itasca10.org
• www.mrsgallaghersblog.blogspot.com

Common Core

The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy. www.corestandards.org

Reading/Language Arts

• Series published by McGraw-Hill (Wonders)
• Whole-group reading…teaching foundational skills
• Curriculum includes: reading, phonics, spelling, writing

and grammar

• Integrates a lot of technology in the day to day

teaching through direct instruction and iPads

• Weekly high frequency words are listed on yellow

“Peek at the Week Sheet”

• Our reading program is aligned to the Common Core

Standards.

Guided Reading

➢ Starts at the end of September/beginning of October. ➢ Small group reading ➢ Use leveled fiction and non-fiction books to provide practice at the students reading level. ➢ Students should be fluent at reading these books. ➢ Books will come home in a plastic bag with a log that needs to be signed and returned the next school day. ➢ Students move up to next level after they have been assessed in fluency and comprehension.

Phonemic Awareness

• Michael Heggerty Phonemic Awareness

Daily Lessons

• Playing with words
• Looking at rhyming words and patterns
• Breaking sounds apart in words
• Blending sounds together to make new

words

• Essential for reading literacy

Math – Bridges

• Hands on
• Inquiry Based
• Focus on problem solving, building number sense, and

fluency

What Does This MEan For My Child?

• Built in differentiation
• Develop problem solving skills and strategies to solve problems
• Lots of math conversations
• Homework frequency and type will change

What can I do at Home?

• Talk about real life math (groceries, cooking, money, etc.)
• Have them explain their thinking.
• HAVE FUN WITH MATH!

Grammar

• Taught through lessons incorporated into
• ur reading/language arts series
• Whole group instruction in writing words,

sentences and paragraphs

• Journaling provides a format for individual

assistance in writing

Handwriting

• Use Zaner-Bloser series
• Practice book for instruction
• Most letters and numbers start at

top or middle line and go down

• Check how your child holds his/her

pencil and forms his/her letters

• Sample in your packet

Spelling

• Weekly words are listed on yellow “Peek at the

Week Sheet.”

• Spelling skills taught through lessons

incorporated into our reading/language arts series.

• Weekly test given on Friday or last day of the

school week.

• Practice writing the words at home
• Dictation

6 + 1 Traits of Writing

• This K-8 writing program is designed to

teach the characteristics of good writing.

• First grade focuses on ideas, sentence

fluency, conventions and word choice.

• Lessons are incorporated into our

reading/language arts series.

Science

– Parents and their Offspring – Patterns in the Sky – Communicating With Waves – Design From Nature – Nature Center Field Trips – Off Campus Field Trips

Health

➢ Great Body Shop Newsletter ➢Safety and Feelings ➢Nutrition and Medicine ➢Human Body and Keeping Healthy ➢How I Breathe and Exercise

Social Studies

– Includes Big Books, Textbooks, and Leveled Readers – Family and Neighbors – Johnny Appleseed – Our Government – All About Earth – Life Long Ago (Native Americans, Pilgrims and Columbus) – Holidays Around the World – Presidents Lincoln and Washington – All About Work

Extension Activities

• Formal identification of Talented and Gifted

Students does not begin until grade 3.

• Extensions/enrichment opportunities are still

given in and outside of the classroom for students who need additional challenges.

• Mrs. Reuter provides enrichment in the areas
• f reading/language arts and math to select

students.

• Attention Extension Stamp or Light Green

Paper

Assessments

AIMSweb (Reading and Math)

• Assessed three times per year
• Fall/Winter/Spring

iReady (Reading and Math)

• Assessed three times per year
• Fall/Winter/Spring

Curriculum content

RtI

• RtI is a learning assistance program that focuses
• n providing additional support for at-risk

students using research based interventions.

• Identified students are placed in intervention

groups to improve a particular skill.

• Students are progress monitored and their

progress is monitored by a team of teachers.

• We are currently focusing on the areas of math

and reading.

• Target Time

Support Services

• ELL-English Language Learners
• Speech and Language
• Learning Resource
• Occupational Therapy
• Social Work
• Project Prevent

Project Prevent

• Project Prevent is a first grade

reading program for eligible

• students. This program provides

additional one-on-one support in reading.

Birthdays

• Only non-food items allowed
• Pencils
• Toy trinkets
• Donate a book to the classroom
• Invitations

Specials

• Gym-Thursdays with Mrs. Engel (Gym Shoes)
• Music-Wednesdays with Mrs. Berry
• Art-Mondays with Mrs. Thompson (Art Shirt,

Portfolio)

• Library- Wednesdays Book check-out/return

Fridays-Library class with Mrs. Reuter

• Computers-Tuesdays with Mr. Imes

Snacks

• Only fresh cut-up fruits and vegetables

are allowed due to food allergies and room

• cleanliness. Please no fruit cups. If the

item requires a spoon or fork, please

• provide. Snack is optional.

School/Classroom Expectations

• Benson School has implemented the character education program
• PBIS. (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support)
• This program teaches expected behaviors and routines directly in

all settings.

• There are four clearly defined expectations: Be Respectful, Be

Responsible, Be Safe and Be Proud.

• Classroom Stoplight is based on the school-wide expectations of

the “4 Bs.”

• Daily record sheet
• “Paws” given to those who demonstrate the 4 Bs.
• Consequences and Rewards for whole-group and individually

Homework

• Please see first grade homework policy

note.

• Spelling words/High frequency words
• Practice basic math facts (basic facts

sheet)

• 10 minutes of nightly reading
• Reading Wonders website
• HW Correct/Return
• Required Homework

Miscellaneous

• Notes about transportation
• Money brought to school should be in an envelope

labeled with content and child’s name

• Sign up for fall conference in front hallway
• Check District 10 website for first grade

information and first grade newsletter

• Report Cards are distributed quarterly
• Email Communication-Check before, noon and

after school

• Notes on papers-”Correct/Return” and “DT”
• Please review papers with your child.

Remember

• First grade is a time for developmental

learning and not final achievement. Children do best when they are praised for doing what they do right and not what they do wrong. Children are more likely to take risks if they feel secure at school and at

• home. Our classroom is a mistake-making

place!!!