Open House Miss Michelle Ita First Grade Teacher Raymond Elementary School

Welcome parents to this exciting, yet challenging stage in your child’s education. First Grade is an extremely important time for your child. This year, your child will be exposed to a variety of new concepts. It takes the combined efforts of teachers, parents, and students to ensure success. Here is a brief outline of our curriculum. Please keep these slides for your future reference.

Goals: To become great readers To have great Math and reasoning skills To print neatly and accurately To write sentences and paragraphs with proper punctuation and capitalization To become organized and efficient To become responsible for daily obligations and actions

Language Arts… Language Arts consists of the following… –Reading –Word Study –Writing

Reading: Phonetic Development Distinguish beginning, middle and ending sounds of words Distinguish long and short vowels, vowel-consonant sounds, and consonant blends Use both phonics and context clues to figure out unknown words Discuss a story or poem Discuss the main idea and characters in a story Retell or summarize a story Build a band of vocabulary and sight words Answer comprehensive questions about a story they have read

Word Study Each week, your child will receive a new list of related words that we will be working with each day at school. This is referred to as the “Word Study List”. You will also receive a copy of the “Word Study List” to keep at home and work with your child each night as part of their homework. Each night, your child will have a different task to complete using the words. Please take time to review the words with your child and check their work. The Word Study List will always go home on the first day of the each week. On Fridays, your child will be tested on the words from the list as well as other words that follow the same patterns.

Writing Your child will be taught handwriting in the correct Zaner Bloser style. This must also be reinforced at home and on homework papers. The other facet of writing is creative writing. This is where your child will compose complete sentences and paragraphs; demonstrating proper spacing, capitalization, and ending punctuation.

Math During our math time, we will be learning about… Numbers in sequential order from Addition and subtraction facts Counting by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s Time to the hour and half hour Money – counting coins and small money amounts. Also recognizing the penny nickel, dime, quarter and dollar.

Math concepts continued… Collect information and make a graph, table or tally chart Retrieve information by looking at a graph or chart Use tools to measure inches, centimeters, and feet Fractions representing ½, ¼, and 1/3 Calendars – days of the week and months of the year Sort objects by a rule and create a rule for sorting

Science In Science we will be learning about… Plants Various animals and their habitats Weather/Seasons Forms of matter Living things and how they effect the Earth Recycling Electricity

Social Studies In Social Studies we will be learning about… Map Skills Directions Communities Oceans and Continents History

Homework At the beginning of each week, your child will be given a homework packet. The packet will have several Math and Language Arts papers in it, as well as his/her Word Study List. The goal is to have your child do a few pages each night in the packet and return the packet to school on Friday.

Take Home Folders Your child has been provided a take home folder. Please be sure that your child brings this folder to school each day. Most days there are important papers inside the folder that your child will be bringing home. Please check and empty the folder each night.

Behavior Chart Your child will receive a Behavior Chart at the beginning of each month. This chart needs to remain in your child’s Take-Home Folder for the entire month. Each day, I will write a note or stamp the calendar to let you know about your child’s day at school. Each night, I ask that you read and initial the calendar and place it back in your child’s folder to return to me the next day. This chart is a great way for you and I to communicate about your child’s behavior and any other concerns. Feel free to write notes regarding early pick-up times, changes in transportation, missing work, scheduling a conference, etc.

Grades This year grades are being broken down as follows… –Homework is worth 10% –Class work is worth 40% –Tests, quizzes and projects are worth 50% –Since homework is part of your child’s overall grade, please make sure that your child does his/her homework on a nightly basis.

Transportation If your child rides the bus to school and you are planning on picking him/her up, you must write a note. If we do not have written consent, we are obligated to place your child on the bus, this is for the safety of the child. A note will alleviate any confusion as to whether or not your child is being picked up If you plan on picking your child up, please be at Raymond Elementary at 3:35

Lunch If your child is buying lunch, please send your child’s lunch money in an envelope marked with his/her name. If your child is being provided a lunch by the school, you need not worry, he/she will be included in the daily lunch count.

Specials- Gym, Art, Music Our Specials schedule of Gym, Art and Music is on a rotational basis. Please refer to your child’s Behavior Chart to view your child’s Specials Schedule. Please make sure your child has gym shoes on gym days! If you have not done so, please send your child with an oversized t-shirt to keep here at school for Art. Library- Tuesday is our scheduled Library Day. The students will have a chance to return and check-out a new book each Tuesday.

Parties We will have a fall party, winter party, and a friendship (Valentines) party this year. Letters will be sent home with details of these parties as they approach. Help and supplies will be needed to organize these events.

Field Trips We will be going on a few field trips this year. Unfortunately, I can only take a limited number of volunteers on these trips. To be fair, I take parents on a first come-first serve basis. In addition, I ask that once you’ve chaperoned, you give other parents the opportunity to do so as well.

Thank you I would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation. I am looking forward to a wonderful year with your child. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to send a note, call, or me at any time. I will be prompt in my reply. Thank you again for your support!

Contact Information Here is my contact information… –Phone Number: x5208 –