1. Do Now Please look for your child’s desk.
Please write your child a note using the “pants” paper on your child’s desk. Please include your hopes and dreams for your child for first grade.
Fill out the index card with your name, phone number and address. Also please indicate the best way to reach you. Please print neatly. ☺ 1

2. Welcome to Back to School Night!
September 26, 2017 2

3. What are the purposes of this evening?
Experience your child’s learning environment.
Gain an understanding of our mutual expectations as partners in your child’s education.
To meet one another in a non- conference atmosphere. 3

4. Building Our Classroom Community
Morning Meeting
Greeting
Share
Activity
Calendar
Your Turn…
Please join us in one component of our morning meeting. ☺ 4

5. Taking Care of Business
Please always contact both of us ☺
&
Parent pick-up notes
After School Activities
Early Dismissal 5

6. Birthday Books! Preferably a new book Whole class signs it
Return at the end of the year
Summer Birthdays
We do not celebrate with food 6

7. Related Arts Schedule Day 1 Spanish with Senora Stuart &
Technology with Mrs. Magalio
Day 2   Gym/Health with Mr. Sullivan
Day 3   Music with Mrs. Sorenson &
Library with Mrs. Baller 
Day 4   Gym/Health with Mr. Sullivan
Day 5 Art with Mrs. Diatlo &
Spanish with Senora Stuart  
Day 6   Gym/Health with Mr. Sullivan     7

8. Web Site
Go to:
Click on ‘Select a school’
Choose ‘Orchard Hill’
Click on ‘Faculty Webpages’
Find ‘Santoro/Davison’
Click and enjoy! 8

9. Co-Teaching Dual planning, instruction, & assessment
Student- Teacher ratio is lower
Differentiated instruction even more!
Dual communication with students and parents
2 pairs of extra hands 9

10. First Grade Reading First Grade Reading Units Reader’s Workshop Format
Mini-lesson (Whole Class Direct Instruction)
Independent Reading
Individual Reading Conferences
Reading Partnerships
Guided Reading
Shared Reading (Big Books)
Interactive Read-Alouds
Partnership with Teachers College Reading and Writing Project
First Grade Reading Units
Building Good Reading Habits
Word Detectives
Learning About the World (Nonfiction)
Readers Get To Know Characters by Performing Their Books
Readers Have Big Jobs To Do (Fluency, Phonics, Comprehension)
Meeting Characters and Learning Lessons

11. First Grade Writing First Grade Writing Units
Focus on writing instruction at all grade levels through Writer’s Workshop
Writer’s Workshop Daily Format
Mini-lesson (Whole Class Direct Instruction)
Independent Writing
Individual Writing Conferences
Strategy Groups
Share
Interactive Writing (sharing the pen)
Partnership with Teacher’s College Reading and Writing Project
First Grade Writing Units
Small Moments (Narrative)
How-To Writing
Non-fiction Chapter Books
From Scenes to Series (Realistic Fiction)
Writing Reviews (Opinion writing)
Poetry and Songs or Independent Writing Projects

12. First Grade Word Work Word Work = spelling, phonics, vocabulary
Words Their Way (Developmental Spelling Program)
Flexible groups based on spelling stages
Goal is transfer of spelling patterns to writing
Weekly Word Work
Students will work in groups throughout the week, focusing on a particular feature or pattern
i.e. Short /a/ word families
Students will meet with the teacher for direct instruction and work individually/in groups on work work activities
i.e. Word Hunts, sorting, partner games
Students will be tested weekly on any words that fit the feature or pattern studied that week
Remember, our goal is transfer!

13. Spelling & Sight Word Practice

14. K-4 Mathematics

15. Word Problems Wednesday

16. First Grade Science 3 Units of Study: How you can help at home?
Changes in the sky
Observing patterns in our sky over time
Light and Sound
Discovering how sound is made and how light travels through different objects.
Living Things: Why do they look like that?
Identifying why some animals and plants may look the same and others look different
First Grade Focus: To verbally communicate thinking
How you can help at home?
Stop answering questions
Work with your child to discover answers
Ask questions and problem solve together
Model how to solve a problem and what
steps you take to find the answer.

17. Promoting Responsibility & Creating a Learning Environment
Elements of a Responsive Classroom
Caring for ourselves, each other, & our materials
Logical Consequences
Reflective Questioning
Think Time Form 17

18. Parent Contact Think Sheet

19. Conferences and Report Cards
Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled twice a year. (Fall and Spring)
- Fall Conferences: November 16th, 17th, 20th, 21st
*Morning conferences are available as well
Report cards are issued twice a year 19

20. Parent Volunteers VIP guests…send us an email Many Other Opportunities
Room Parents
* The district is obligated to provide all necessary items for student learning. If you would like to supply “nice to haves” for our classroom, then it would be greatly appreciated, but completely voluntary. ☺ 20

21. Interactive Read Aloud!
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds 21

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42. Before Ending the Evening
If you haven’t had a chance, please take a few minutes to write your child a note using the “pants” paper in your folder. Please tell them your hopes and dreams for them for this year.
Thank you for coming and have a
great night!
“We have one very important thing in common…your child” 42