Back to School Night September 2017 The s of First Grade Back to School Night September 2017

Attendance Unless your child is ill, please make every attempt to have your child present at school. • If your child is going to be out, please call to let the office and nurse know. If you’d like to email me you can. Make-up work can be picked up at the end of the day outside the office, unless specified.

Behavior Class contract/expectations Clip Chart-Outstanding & Parent Contact Class Dojo points & treasure box.

Curriculum & Common Core Wilson FUNdations Phonics Journeys Reading Series Writer’s Workshop Go Math NGSS Science/Social Studies NJ Common core standards (explained on hand out)

We will focus on the following throughout the year: Reading Strategies Comprehension Skills Reading Fluency Vocabulary, Word Analysis and Spelling Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Writing Workshop The building blocks to writing Seeing the different styles in stories Understanding that writing is never finished

By the end of first grade, students Math Meeting “I” do : Whole group lesson: teach skill “ We” do: Shared learning “You” do: Independent work/assessment Hands on manipulatives By the end of first grade, students Understand place value and use the concept of “ones” and “tens” • Add and subtract numbers to 20 with ease and solve word problems • Measurement, time to the half hour, be able to represent and interpret data • 2D & 3D shapes Read, write ,count and represent numbers to 120

NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards Waves: Light & Sound Solar System Living & Non-living Things Plants & Animals Engaging hands on science instruction through experiments

•Families •People from other cultures •People today and long ago •Holiday origins and traditions •Responsibility of citizenship in a free society •Symbols, icons, and traditions of the United States •Maps and globes •Life skills

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. Cooperative learning: "turn and talk" Accountable talk

Extra special, Specials Gym will be on Tuesday and Fridays Music on Mondays Art & Computers on Wednesdays Library on Thursdays, please bring the books in on Thursday!

FUN & Field trip We will go on one field trip in the Spring to Sterling Mines Hands on experiences in and out of the classroom Planting in the community garden Spring: Carnival, BBQ, Field day

Goals and Grades Grade book Children will be assessed weekly in spelling & reading and math tests will be given after each chapter. Thinkcentral for math practice Fact fluency tests Tests will be sent home to keep and should be overlooked at home.

Homework Assigned Monday through Thursday It will be checked and typically returned. Please be careful with how much help is received. It is important that 1st graders read for a minimum of 15 minutes EACH night. Reading log will be given monthly to be kept in folder or at home. I like to see how much is being read, and what kinds of books your son/daughter is interested in. Bonus=eager reader!

Interventions Basic Skills, Speech Tutoring hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 8:05-8:25 am.

Just Right Books Book bags Differentiation: reading on their level DRA levels 3 times a year, assessed every few weeks in mini conferences with me

Keeping Informed Email communication: kmcgovern@maywoodschools.org Assignment pads- small notes back and forth Absences Class page and school website, monthly calendar

Lunch and Snack Healthy morning snack each day, even on half days (TOTALLY nut free in classroom) $$ needs to be marked and in an envelope $$ can be put on lunch account

Morning routine Come in, hand in homework, hang up bags, move their name for attendance Assignment Pad & Timer Morning Meeting

Numbers & Notes Each child has a number  This aids in class organization and will be on all papers, tests and books. Please send a note with your child if: •You know your child will be missing school for an extended period of time. Work cannot be given. •A change in pick-up or after care will be occurring. •You would like to schedule a conference or have concerns. •Watch for notes and emails from the office and me, and don’t forget to check your child’s folder nightly. This will be my primary way to communicate with you.

Other Items • Homework folders: bring daily (Keep home/bring back) Birthdays: unfortunately nothing EDIBLE  • Scholastic Book Orders: order online only: no due dates and orders are placed ASAP code is in the handbook • Red and White assembly: once a month

Parent-Teacher Conferences Parent/Teacher conferences will be held November 30th and December 1. During this conference, we will be discussing your child's strengths and weaknesses, homework, behavior and any additional concerns you may have. A sign up schedule is located near the door. That doesn’t mean we have to wait until then

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

Report Cards 4 times this year Some grades are not included if we have not reached that topic yet. Grades are based on formal and informal assessments. We will conference after first report card, schedule your conference tonight. Keep report card, but return signed envelope to me

Star of the Week Each child will have a special time during the school year to be the Star of the Week. Official start date TBA •Students will be asked to complete a poster at home and to lead us in special class activities during that week. Every child will have a turn! You or a family member will also have a chance to come in on a certain afternoon that week to read or share with the class a special talent, hobby, or read a story!

Spelling HW will be done in a spelling notebook Spelling HW will be done in a spelling notebook. Menu will be in front cover of book. Mondays ~ Spelling Pretest Fridays ~ Spelling Test & Reading skills test Other Assessments: • Reading Fluency /DRA 3x a year Math Chapter tests • Phonics & sight word reading • Rubric-Scored Writing Terranova standardized test in the Spring Tests

PUT A COPY OF STUDENT’S WRITING RUBRIC

Utensils Thank you for all of the supplies brought in, we are already going through them quickly. Replenish crayons every 2-3 months with a small box. A note may go home in January for gluesticks and dry erase markers. We use both A LOT!

Vitalizers Brain Breaks as often as seen necessary by me Movement and re-energizing bodies and minds is important for success.

Writing •As high frequency words and spelling rules are introduced 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. Any “sloppy copies” that are sent home should be left as is. However, discuss their writing and encourage it! •Do the best that you can and keep on going.

Xtramath Xtramath.org Timed Fact fluency, about 7 minutes a night Addition & Subtraction Multiplication after all completions Also we will have 3 Minute math drills in class POPcorn math!

You 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!

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 to 7 year olds get 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night. • This year will ZOOM by, so let’s make the most of it.

Thank you for coming and welcome to Ms. M's First Grade Class