Welcome First Grade Parents Bain School Curriculum Night

Overview of Curriculum - CMS Literacy – Balanced Literacy with Making Meaning, Vocabulary and Words Their Math – Investigations, Kathy Richardson Assessments, Engage NY Science – MacMillan Social Studies – Nystrom Writing- Being a Writer!

Independent Reading Writing Word Work Supported Reading Balanced Literacy

Reading Workshop Independent reading Partner reading Building stamina Conferring with teacher Choosing “Just Right” books Reading Instruction Shared Reading Interactive Read Alouds Phonics Instruction Vocabulary Making Meaning Words Their Way

Literacy Tips for Parents Readers.php Reading Before reading, look at the pictures. Look for patterns in the words. Use beginning sounds, pictures and sentence meaning to help with unknown words. Students should “track” the words with their finger. Reread a book for fluency. Discuss the book and make connections. Writing Let students sound spell most words. Only correct spelling on commonly used sight words. Ask your child to “read” their story to you instead of saying “what does this say?”. Encourage your child to include details and a beginning, middle and end. Make lists, write letters, play school, etc.

Reading – Fluency is Important One of the most important things about reading in first grade is the speed at which students read. Fluency directs impacts comprehension. By the middle of first grade, students should be reading approximately 40 words per minute. By the end of first grade, students should be reading a minimum of 60 words per minute. One of the most important components of fluency is sight words. The better recognition students have of the kindergarten and first grade sight words, the easier reading is. Another important aspect of fluency is practice, practice, practice! When working with nightly reading, have students read a text twice or even three and four times. The more familiar they are, they can read more fluently. They also need to see fluency modeled. Show them what good reading sounds like. By working together, we can have these first graders reading with speed and accuracy!

Math – Investigations - Overview Lessons are based on research to reach all learners. ( Mathematical processes and thinking are the emphasis, over rote memorization of facts. Skills follow a scope and sequence to build and expand knowledge. Skills correspond to the critical stages for mathematics. Skills taught meet the Common Core Standards. Incorporates the use of Math tools for hands-on learning. Children learn math skills while enjoying the games and activities. Provides opportunities for parents to play the games at home.

Critical Learning Phases- Number Senses Counting Objects: one-to-one correspondence One More/ One Less: counting patterns Changing Numbers: describes relationships between numbers (counting on and counting back) More/Less : compare numbers Number Arrangements: recognizes groups and know different combinations Combinations of Numbers: combine parts used related facts ( ex = 7 doubles + 1 to help solve ) Missing Parts: knows missing parts by using related facts (ex. ____ + 7= = 3) Ten Frames: decomposing numbers from 10 to 19, adding 2 single digit numbers Grouping Tens: 10 less or 10 more of a given number

Math - Investigations – Skills 1 st quarter:  Introducing Math tools  Comparing and combining quantities  Counting 1-30  Addition story problems 2 nd quarter:  Geometry (2D, 3D)  Patterns  Story problems  Counting rd quarter:  Place Value (tens)  Data collection/ Graphing  Measurement  Addition/Subtraction  Counting th quarter:  Predictions/patterns  Numbers to

Science – MacMillan - Overview Units of study involve learning about the natural world around us. All units integrate inquiry into each lesson through using the skills of:  Observation  Infer  Predict and communicate  Measure  Put Things in Order  Compare  Classify  Investigate  Make Models and Draw Conclusions  Read and Use Pictures  Write  Find Information  Use Tools

Science – MacMillan – Units of Study 1 st quarter:  Inquiry Skills  Force and Motion 2 nd quarter:  Earth and the Universe  Magnets 3 rd quarter:  Plants  Animals 4 th quarter:  Earth and the Environment  Earth Materials

Social Studies – Nystrom - Overview All units are designed around a central theme. Each unit integrates learning across the curriculum through:  Art  Science  Language Arts  Technology  Reading  Math Units use the expanding approach by starting with topics that are close to the student and guides them through topics that are more abstract.

Social Studies – Harcourt – Units of Study 1 st quarter:  Rules at home, school and the community  Authority figures at home, school and community  Comparing schools  Johnny Appleseed 2 nd quarter:  Kid’s Voting  Native Americans  World Cultures  Martin Luther King, Jr.  Looking Back 3 rd quarter:  President’s Day  Black History  Dental Health  Maps 4 th quarter:  Good Citizens  Economics  Interacting with our Environment

Writing- Being a Writer! – Overview Writer’s Workshop is based on providing students the opportunity to write each day. Writing structures are established and carried out each day. Trade books are used as examples of good writing. Teachers and students write together daily. Students build stamina, fluency and competence in writing. Students choose from various genres: Narrative Explanatory Opinion Poetry Response to Reading: Fiction and Non-Fiction

Writing Stages – First Quarter Early Developing Relates drawings and writing to create a more meaningful text. Drawings show a sequence of events. Writes a few short, patterned, repetitive sentences focused on a topic. Writes about familiar topics and experiences. Shows evidence of using language from books. Writes left to right across several lines. Uses spacing between words consistently. Spells simple words and some high frequency words correctly. Uses temporary spelling with some phonetic elements. Uses capital letters for names and the beginning of sentences. Uses periods correctly. Uses question marks and exclamation points inconsistently. Reads own writing with fluency.

Writing Stages – First Grade End of Year - Developing Uses drawings to enhance meaning of writing. Writes several sentences about a topic. Writes in complete sentences. Writes in a logical sequence. Uses list-like details and descriptive language. Uses vocabulary appropriate for the topic. Spells many high frequency words correctly. Uses temporary spelling that can generally be read by others and is moving toward conventional spelling. Uses capital letters and end punctuation correctly and consistently. Begins to write with a sense of audience.

Writing Tips Interviews: Encourage children to ask family members about life experiences, take notes and write short articles or stories based on what they learn. This can be especially fun if they ask a grandparent about a historical anniversary or an activity that is no longer common, like listening to radio shows. Journals: Buy your child a special notebook to write in. Encourage him to write about daily activities, important life events, feelings and other personal topics. Television: Turn watching television into an educational activity by asking children to write about a program they've seen. They can retell the show's story, or better yet, explore the values and meanings it expressed. Reading: Read aloud to your children. This will improve their writing by exposing them to well-written sentences and well-expressed ideas. Proud displays: Have a place in your home where you display your children's writing. This will build their confidence and encourage them to write more often. Dictation: Encouraging very young children to generate ideas and think in complete sentences. This will help prepare them to write alone when they get older. Encourage children to dictate stories and ideas to you, and keep them so they can read them later.

Behavior Chart Your child has the ability to move up or down the behavior chart depending on their choices at school. Color codes are located in the planners each day. Purple Blue Green Yellow Orange Red

Assessments Your child will be assessed in a variety of assessments this year to diagnose and determine strengths and weaknesses in specific academic areas. Reading 3D (DIBELS) MAPS Testing Fry Sight Words

What else? Scholastic News on a weekly basis (nonfiction text and technology) iPads

Tips for how to help your child: Talking and asking questions during math games: “How did you know that? How did you figure that out?” Asking questions during and after reading books: “Do you know why the character…? How would you like this story to end?” Praise!

Interested in Volunteering?? We can always use your help.. in and out of the classroom. If you are interested, please let me know and make sure you are registered volunteer at: **If you are interested in attending the zoo field trip in April, you must be registered as a volunteer.

Important Bain Elementary Staff Tracey Hayes, Principal Juli Peschel, Assistant Principal Twila Quattlebaum, SSS Kelli Drye, Literacy Facilitator Patricia Wasco, Speech Pathologist

Thank you for coming to Curriculum Night Please remember to me with any questions you have.