1. Welcome to First Grade!

2. We are so excited to be teaching your children this year, and we look forward to a wonderful year together!
This year your first grader will participate in an active learning community and will develop:
Independence
Strong Academic Skills
Social Skills
Friendships                                   
Problem Solving Skills
A Love of Learning

3. Typical Schedule RISE (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) Morning Meeting
Specials (P.E., Music, Art, Library/Computer Lab)
Literacy
Snack
Writer’s Workshop
Recess (11:55 – 12:25) Lunch (12:35 – 1:05)
Math
Science/Social Studies
Book Buddies

4. Monday, Wednesday, Friday ~ 8:45 – 9:15
RISE
Monday, Wednesday, Friday ~ 8:45 – 9:15
Flexible groupings of students across the grade for 6-8 week sessions
All children will participate in RISE. Your child will participate in one of the following ways:
Small group with a first grade teacher, independent practice, partner or group work, projects, reading, writing and/or math

5. PBIS
Duffy Promise
As Duffy citizens, we show respect, demonstrate compassion, and take responsibility for our learning and our actions.
We focus on positive behaviors with a goal of increasing academic success
We use common language and explicitly teach behavior expectations
Students earn tickets individually, each class earns scales on a dragon, and all Duffy students work toward school wide celebrations

6. Students will develop a positive, growth mindset about math
Students will be engaged in mathematical problem solving
Mathematical thinking and reasoning (the process) will be stressed
Problems can be solved in more than one way and students will need to model and explain their solution
Solutions will then be discussed, compared and contrasted

7. Mathematical Practice Standards
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

8. Math instruction will focus on:
Operations and Algebraic Reasoning
Story problems and equations
Fluency of addition and subtraction facts within 10
Number and Operations in Base Ten
Counting
Place Value
Measurement and Data
Measure lengths
Tell time to hour and half hour
Represent and interpret data
Geometry
2D and 3D shapes and their attributes

9. Whole Group Instruction Small Group Instruction
Math Block
Whole Group Instruction
Small Group Instruction
Number Talks
Guided Practice
Independent Practice
Math Centers

10. Literacy instruction will focus on:
Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition Skills
Speaking and Listening
Reading with Fluency
Identifying Key Ideas and Details
Understanding the Structure of Texts
Integrating Knowledge and Ideas Within and Across Texts

11. Literacy Block Whole Group Small Group Guided Reading
Independent Practice
Independent Reading
Literacy Centers

12. Guided Reading (differentiated small group instruction)
Reading Hand
Strategies for reading
unfamiliar words

13. Intervention Support
Small group instruction or 1:1 intervention in the classroom or with a literacy or math interventionist for students who need extra support to meet grade level expectations
Regular progress monitoring and communication with families

15. Writer’s Workshop Direct Instruction (mini-lesson)
Independent Writing and Conferences
Sharing and Celebrating
Unit 1 - Creating a Community of Writers
Unit 2 – Narrative Writing: Small Moments
Unit 3 - Information Writing: Nonfiction Chapter Books
Unit 4 - Opinion Writing: Writing Reviews

16. Writer’s Workshop
Mini-lessons will focus on the writing process, conventions, and/or craft based on the needs of the students
We will also focus on:
Handwriting
Spelling
Editing (capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure)
Revising (rewriting, adding details)
Publishing

17. Handwriting Zaner-Bloser Instructional Program Keep your packet handy!
Encourage your child to form the letters and numbers properly
Use the arrows and correct language when helping your children at home

18. Social Studies - Geography
Explore maps and their purpose
Create maps
Identify and locate places
Use symbols, legends and keys
Determine distance and direction

19. Social Studies - Civics
Develop a positive self-concept
Identify, understand and regulate emotions of self and others
Develop an understanding of rules and responsibilities within communities
Develop positive interpersonal relationships

20. Science Scientific Inquiry Life Science
Living Things and their Needs (Insects)
Physical Science
Push and Pull
Shadows

21. Health Healthy Heart Program (Nutrition and Wellness)
Second Step (Skills for Learning, Empathy, Emotion Management, Problem Solving)
Safety

22. Snack
Please send a small, healthy snack to school with your child each day. Snack time is minutes.
Our classrooms are all nut free.  Please be sure to check food labels to ensure that we are keeping all of our students safe.

23. Reading each night
Monday – Math activity
Wednesday – Reading or Writing activity
Optional monthly challenge projects

24. Seesaw Digital learning portfolio
Opportunity to see what your child is learning
We welcome your comments and feedback!
We will send home directions for signing up soon

25. Field Trips
More information coming soon…..

26. Extra Resources Visit our Duffy website! http://duffy.whps.org/
Take a Curriculum Night packet from the table in the back of the auditorium (packets are labeled with your child’s name)

27. It’s an exciting year to be a first grader at Duffy School!
Get ready to watch your child GROW!