Transportation: Please let me know if there will be any changes in the way your child goes home from school. First grade students will enter and exit the southwest elementary doors. If there are any changes in your child's schedule, please let me know as it is hard for them to remember by the end of the day!
Book Orders: Your child will have access to the school library, as well as the opportunity to purchase books through Scholastic book orders. I will send home an order form each month, and you can send the form and money back to school, or purchase books online through the Scholastic website using our class code which will be written on the order forms. Each online purchase earns us free books for our classroom!
Birthdays: You are welcome to send treats to school to celebrate your child's birthday. Please send enough for all 24 students in first grade as we like to celebrate together!
Our main focus this year will be learning to read fluently! We use the Reading Street series by Scott Foresman as our main reading curriculum. The first graders will have whole group and small group instruction. They will be exposed to many different kinds of print and we will practice, practice, practice! However, this will not be enough! Your child needs to read at home EVERY SINGLE DAY! Make reading a part of your evening routine, whether it be right after school, at bedtime, or after supper. They will have access to the school library as well as books from our classroom. On my websites page are several links to interactive books the students can read online. To motivate your child, we will have a "100 Book Club" at school. The students will receive awards for the number of books read with the final goal being 100!
First grade will also participate in the school's Accelerated Reader program beginning the 2nd nine weeks. They will have the opportunity to take a short online comprehension quiz over the books they have read at home.
Our school district uses Saxon Math in the elementary grades. The curriculum spirals as there is a new concept taught each day, as well as constantly reviewing previously taught concepts. There is a homework page as well as an at-home fact practice page for each lesson. This homework will need to be completed each evening and returned to school the next day. Please do this homework together with your child! I promise it only takes about 5 minutes to complete! We also have a daily calendar time where we practice patterns, skip counting, telling time, graphing the weather, and counting coins among other first grade math skills. The students really look forward to our math centers each week as well!
Book Orders: Your child will have access to the school library, as well as the opportunity to purchase books through Scholastic book orders. I will send home an order form each month, and you can send the form and money back to school, or purchase books online through the Scholastic website using our class code which will be written on the order forms. Each online purchase earns us free books for our classroom!
Birthdays: You are welcome to send treats to school to celebrate your child's birthday. Please send enough for all 24 students in first grade as we like to celebrate together!
Our main focus this year will be learning to read fluently! We use the Reading Street series by Scott Foresman as our main reading curriculum. The first graders will have whole group and small group instruction. They will be exposed to many different kinds of print and we will practice, practice, practice! However, this will not be enough! Your child needs to read at home EVERY SINGLE DAY! Make reading a part of your evening routine, whether it be right after school, at bedtime, or after supper. They will have access to the school library as well as books from our classroom. On my websites page are several links to interactive books the students can read online. To motivate your child, we will have a "100 Book Club" at school. The students will receive awards for the number of books read with the final goal being 100!
First grade will also participate in the school's Accelerated Reader program beginning the 2nd nine weeks. They will have the opportunity to take a short online comprehension quiz over the books they have read at home.
Our school district uses Saxon Math in the elementary grades. The curriculum spirals as there is a new concept taught each day, as well as constantly reviewing previously taught concepts. There is a homework page as well as an at-home fact practice page for each lesson. This homework will need to be completed each evening and returned to school the next day. Please do this homework together with your child! I promise it only takes about 5 minutes to complete! We also have a daily calendar time where we practice patterns, skip counting, telling time, graphing the weather, and counting coins among other first grade math skills. The students really look forward to our math centers each week as well!