Welcome to First Grade

Expectations for Learning What should I be expecting my little star to learn?

Reading In the area of decoding words, your child will . . . --Learn to apply letter sounds, including consonants and vowels consonant blends (br, st), consonant digraphs (th, sh, ck), irregular vowel combinations (ea, ie, and ee) and r- controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur) . --Blend these sounds to read words. --Use common spelling patterns (chunks) to read words. --Use structural clues, such as base words, compound words, and endings to recognize words. --Learn to recognize high frequency words, such as said, was, where, etc. --Apply various decoding strategies and use word order and context to support word identification and meaning.

In the area of reading comprehension, your child will. . . --Learn to establish the purpose for reading. --Monitor their own comprehension by using strategies such as rereading, checking understanding, self-monitoring and questioning. --Learn to use prior knowledge (schema) to anticipate meaning and make sense of the text. --Identify different types of texts and their features. --Learn story structure including plot, setting, and the story’s problem and solution, tell main ideas with supporting details, and analyze characters, --Use a variety of metacognitive reading skills to make inferences and predictions, create sensory images, compare and contrast ideas within and between stories and make connections between texts to self, other texts, and texts to the world to build comprehension and synthesize their understanding of what they’ve read..

Spelling/Working with Words Spelling will look different. --You will see word chunks (-at, -ap, -an) --Students will learn how to spell using chunks with short and long sounds, blends, plurals and other endings, and digraphs, such as ‘th’ in this. --Students will make words with these chunks and be expected to spell them correctly. --You will see high-frequency words (you, of, that) --Students will be expected to increasingly use familiar words correctly in their writing.

WRITING During 1st Grade your child will. . . Use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing and publishing)to compose texts. Write texts to express their ideas and feelings about people, events, and ideas with beginnings, middles, and ends. Write in different forms for different purposes such as lists to record, letters to share messages, invite, or thank, and poems to convey sensory details. Write expository texts to communicate ideas to specific audiences for specific purposes. Use appropriate written conventions, such as capital letters and correct end marks while writing legibly. Make connections from his/her own experiences with the life, language, customs, and culture of others.

abc Handwriting xyz Last year Allen ISD adopted a new handwriting style district wide for K-2. We will be doing Modern or Slant Manuscript. Legibility is our greatest goal with handwriting. To help with this, you can— Encourage your child to use proper spacing in words and between words. Have your child start letters from the top to the bottom and work in continuous strokes when possible. Encourage them to start the following letters like a c - a, d, f, g, o, q

Four Part Math Model Daily Drills Problem Solving Whole Group Lesson Small Groups

Plan, justify, communicate, analyze, explain, formulate, apply, Mathematics: The approach is to obtain a deeper understanding. Students will: determine, evaluate, create, display, measure, collect, organize, describe

Mathematics In first grade, your child will learn these concepts: Identify and use mathematics in everyday situations Know and use numbers up to 120 Count forward and backward from any given number between 1 and 120 (understanding is prerequisite to + and -) Skip counting number patterns by 2s, 5s and 10s to 120 Place Value to 120 Solving problems involving + and – within 20 *Students will extend BEYOND the action of joining and separating to include comparing and combining, focus on solution strategies, determine unknowns, equal equations Coins 2D shapes and 3D solids Measurement of length using non-standard measurement Fractions of ½ and ¼ Compile data, make and interpret several types of graphs and charts Personal financial literacy

Science During first grade your child will: Learn lab safety Learn the names and uses of simple lab tools as they carry out investigative experiments using the scientific method Improve their sorting and classifying skills using a variety of living and non-living objects. Observe life cycles of plants and animals such as frogs, chicken, and fish. Learn how to think, question, and learn from their natural world. Make observations, collect and interpret data, make and interpret charts and graphs Observe and record data about the natural world around us

First Grade Social Studies Identify contributions of historical figures and leaders who have influenced the community, state, and nation. Describe and compare the observance of holidays and celebrations, past and present. Locate significant places on a map. Explain the need for rules and laws. Identify characteristics of good citizenship and describe the roles of public officials including mayor, governor and president. Use voting as a way of making choices and decisions. Describe similarities and differences in ways families meet basic human needs. Identify examples of goods and services in the home, school, and community. Explain how folktales and legends tell about beliefs and traditions in a community. Describe how household tools and appliances have changed the ways families live. Identify anthems and mottoes of the United States and Texas. Identify landforms, bodies of water, natural resources and weather.

Technology in First Grade In First Grade, students will continue to develop technology skills introduced in Kindergarten. These skills include: Creating original products Communicating with technology as with blogs; format and storing products for a particular audience. Use technology for research and evaluate the usefulness of the information they have found. Use critical thinking skills to guide their research and evaluate what they create using digital tools and resources. Learn practices with technology that are safe and responsible. Perform basic software application functions and proper keyboarding techniques appropriate for first grade learning. :

Homework Assignments will be meaningful and interactive for your child. Assignments will be reinforcements of skills or concepts previously taught in class. Students should read daily and record time on reading logs.

Independent Reading Makes a Difference Percentile Rank Minutes of Text Reading per Day Estimated Number of Words Read per Year 98 90.7 4,733,000 90 40.4 2,357,000 70 21.7 1,168,000 50 12.9 601,000 20 3.1 134,000 10 1.6 51,000

1st Grade Report Card The First Grade report card is very similar to the Kindergarten report card. Your child is assessed in all academic areas as well as social development and work habits. Parents will need copies of sample report cards

Report Card Goals To reflect the academic and social skills that are outlined in the state standards (TEKS). The indicators will show a student’s current achievement, rather than an average. To provide a better tool for parents to use in understanding their child’s progress in relation to the TEKS. To provide consistency between Kindergarten and First Grade in reporting student progress.

Reporting Periods Students will receive a report card each marking period. There are four marking periods each year. Progress reports will not be given in First Grade, although your child’s teacher will communicate with you if your child is having difficulties. Grades for each reporting period reflect your child’s progress for that reporting period only.

Reporting Numbers To report your child’s progress, the following number system will be used. These should not be correlated to letter grades. 4 3 2 1

Report Card Symbol Explanation 4 Demonstrates high achievement of grade level expectations demonstrates clear understanding of all objectives consistently and independently uses appropriate terminology in subject area masters instructional objectives on or above grade level expectations expands learning independently problem solves on independent level contributes valuable insight to classroom discussions asks thought provoking questions 3 Meeting grade level expectations demonstrates understanding of most objectives masters instructional objectives on grade level expands learning with guidance from teacher problem solves with prompts from others participates in classroom discussions asks questions when needed   Progressing toward grade level expectations demonstrates partial understanding of most objectives attempts use of appropriate terminology in subject area develops instructional objectives on grade level has little or no expanded learning listens to classroom discussions Not yet demonstrating grade level demonstrates little or no understanding of objectives does not attempt to use appropriate terminology in subject area has not developed instructional objectives of grade level has limited problem solving skills is inattentive to classroom discussions asks questions that are not related to subject matter

How can you learn more about grade level objectives or the report card? How can you learn more about grade level objectives or the report card?

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills objectives, AISD First Grade Report Card Parent Guidelines http://www.allenisd.org/page/256 For more information on the First Grade Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills objectives, click on the link below.  http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148

Excitement and Enthusiasm As a team, we promise to provide your child with the tools and environment they need to succeed. We are excited about the growth and development of your child. Thank you for sharing our enthusiasm and partnering with us for a successful year!