Our First Grade Handbook



Our First Grade Handbook

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Devon Elementary

Miss Seygal

Room 23

2016-2017

Dear First Grade Parents,

Welcome to first grade! There are so many exciting things for us to look forward to this year!

It is my hope that this handbook will be a helpful resource for you as we go through this year together. In this handbook I have addressed, in detail, many questions that may come up throughout the school year. However, if you still have any questions about curriculum, classroom routines and procedures, or anything else throughout this year, please let me know. I can be reached in the following ways:

• email me at SeygalA@

• leave a message on my voicemail at 610-240-1990

• call the main office at 610-240-1450

I look forward to working with you this year!

Sincerely,

Miss Alaina Seygal

Table of Contents

1. Classroom Information

• Staff List……………………………………………… 4

• Class List……………………………………………... 5

• Daily Schedule……………………………………….. 6

2. Classroom Procedures…………………………………... 7-11

3. Questions About First Grade Procedures…………….. 12-13

4. Questions About the First Grade Curriculum………... 14-16

5. Reading

• Devon Reads for Meaning………………………..........18

• How to Tell if a Book is “Just Right” For You………. 21

• What to do…(Help for Home)……………………….. 22

6. Writing Program ………………………...…………………23

7. First Grade Math Curriculum……………………………. 24

8. General information about Curriculum

• Social Studies and Health Curriculum……………….. 25

• Specials………………………………………………. 25

• Holiday Dates……………………………………….... 26

• Monthly Character Traits…………………………….. 27

DEVON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

First Grade

Kristin McElvogue – Facilitator

Melinda Smiles

Emily Beisswenger

Lauren Harvey

Liz Morrell

Alaina Seygal

Special Area Team

Nicole Lohmeyer & John Jones - P.E. Teachers

Beata Szekeres - Art Teacher

Joel Stever – Library/ Media Specialist

Christy Brown – Music Teacher

Abigail Reed -Strings Teacher

Instructional Support Team

Barbara Kupp and Andrea Brennan – Nurses

Tami Noel - Guidance Counselor

Xiomara Rodriguez - Reading Specialist

Josh Walther & Kerry Heim – Gifted Education Teacher

Pat McCarrin – Math Support Teacher

Kara Canale - School Psychologist

Ashlyn McElroy - Speech/Language Specialist

Peggy Kravitz & Kristen Stern - Learning Support Teachers

Maryann Walsh – English as a Second Language Teacher

Building Support Team

Karen Burns - School Secretary

Heidi Lee – Attendance Aide

Vicki Green (AM) & Barbara Armenti (PM) - Lobby Greeters

Larisa Leon - Primary Division Aide

Jeremiah Glass - Science Aide

Shawn Goff – Applied Technology Paraprofessional

Gabrielle Liberi, Susan Brannigan & Deb Dunn - Reading Paraprofessionals

Karen Kowalski, Susan Lewis, Jane Rhee, Margot Bayne Tyahla, Tiana Bryant, Anna Haywood, Breanna Hopkins, Kim Levin, Lori Gordon, Gabrielle Liberi & Deb Dunn – Learning

Support Aides

Miss Seygal’s Class List

2016-2017

Berenbroick, Luca

Chang, Emily

Chinthalapalli, Geeta

Elsaie, Yara

Fritz, Sebastian

Jonnalagadda, John

Leamon, Cole

Lutz, Chloe

Marabathula, Dhanush

Mishra, Hriday

Octavio, Anika

Oliver, Vivienne

Panabakam, Lishanth

Puvvula, Sonika

Ray, Dibyangana

Reid, Saphira (Saphi)

Smith, Carter

Sriram, Taran

Wen, Maggie,

Widner, Madeline (Maddie)

Total Students: 20

Girls: 11

Boys: 9

Our Daily Schedule

Day 1 |Day 2 |Day 3 |Day 4 |Day 5 |Day 6 | |8:55-10:00

Language Arts |8:55-10:00

Language Arts |8:55-10:00

Language Arts |8:55-10:00

Language Arts |8:55-10:00

Language Arts |8:55-10:00

Language Arts | |10:00-11:00

Reading Circle |10:00-11:00

Reading Circle |10:00-11:00

Reading Circle |10:00-11:00

Reading Circle |10:00-11:00

Reading Circle |10:00-11:00

Reading Circle | |11:05-11:45

Lunch/recess |11:05-11:45

Lunch/recess |11:05-11:45

Lunch/recess |11:05-11:45

Lunch/recess |11:05-11:45

Lunch/recess |11:05-11:45

Lunch/recess | |11:50-12:40

Math |11:50-12:40

Math |11:50-12:40

Math |11:50-12:40

Math |11:50-12:40

Math |11:50-12:40

Math | |12:45-1:30

Music |12:45-1:30

P.E. |12:45-1:30

Music |12:45-1:30

P.E. |12:45-1:30

Library |12:45-1:30

Art | |1:35-2:20

Science Lab |1:35-1:50

Language Arts |1:35-2:20

Science Lab |1:35-1:50

Language Arts |1:35-2:20

Flex Core |1:35-2:20

Science | | |1:50- 2:20

Social Studies | |1:50- 2:20

Social Studies | | | |2:25-2:40

Snack/recess |2:25-2:40

Snack/recess |2:25-2:40

Snack/recess |2:25-2:40

Snack/recess |2:25-2:40

Snack/recess |2:25-2:40

Snack/recess | |2:45-3:15

PATHS/Cl. Mtg. |2:40-3:10

Flex Core |2:40-3:10

Flex Core |2:45-3:15

Social Studies |2:40-3:10

Flex Core |2:40-3:10

Flex Core | |3:20

Dismissal |3:20

Dismissal |3:20

Dismissal |3:20

Dismissal |3:20

Dismissal |3:20

Dismissal | |[pic]

Parent Volunteers

I welcome and encourage parent volunteers in our classroom. We will need regularly scheduled volunteers, occasional volunteers, and at home support. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up in the category that works best with your schedule.

• Regularly scheduled volunteers commit to a specific day of the week to assist with Reading Circle activities. Volunteers will help to answer questions as students read independently and check their “response papers” for completeness.

• I will provide a short training to all volunteers.

• The days/times are as follows:

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays:

10:00-11:00 AM

If you are available and willing to help out, please let me know which day is best for you. I will send home a schedule as soon as sign ups are complete. I will also send home a note informing you of the training session and the start date (usually in mid October).

• Occasional Volunteers are people who are willing to help with special events and projects as they come up throughout the year. I will contact you on an as-needed basis.

*When visiting our classroom for any event, please remember to sign in at the front desk in the lobby and obtain a visitor’s pass. Thank you.

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Birthday Celebrations

Birthdays are an important day in your child’s life! In first grade, you now have a choice of how you’d like to celebrate! Look over the list of birthday ideas and choose 1-2 ways to celebrate. Then let me know how your child would like to celebrate his/her special day! Summer birthdays will be included toward the end of the school year.

Birthday Book- You may donate a book to the classroom library and be the first to read it to the class!

Birthday Compliments- Decorate an envelope and send it into the classroom (along with index cards). Each child in the class will write something nice about you on the index card and drop it in your box to take home!

Birthday Game- Donate an indoor recess game to the classroom! You can show us the rules and be the first one to play!

Birthday Autographs- Bring in something the rest of the class can sign for you (shirt, tote bag, pillow case, stuffed animal, etc.)!

Birthday Show and Tell- Bring one of your favorite things to school! Be ready to tell us all about it.

Birthday Poster- You can make a poster all about you and share it the class.

Birthday Supplies- Our supply bins get low throughout the year and children love new things! Bring in a special supply for each student (fancy pencils, erasers, grips, small notepads, etc.).

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Book Orders

Each month I will be sending Scholastic book order forms with your child. These book orders are an inexpensive way to build an age appropriate home library for your child. We also earn class bonus points with each order; these points will be used to expand our classroom library. Please keep an eye out for the brightly colored Scholastic flyers that come home each month and note the “orders due” date on the back of the form. If you are interested in purchasing books you may do so in one of two ways. You can either send a check made payable to Scholastic Book Club (NO CASH) along with the order form or you can order online by following the directions attached to each order form. If the books are ever to be a surprise for your child, please let me know and we can coordinate the best way to get the books to you without your child knowing.

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Homework

Homework options will be sent home each month in your child’s RED folder. There will be options for spelling, poetry, and math that correlate with our weekly skills. Students will be required to read every night and record the books on the monthly calendar. Please return the monthly book log at the end of the month. According to school policy, first graders should spend 10-15 minutes per night on homework.

Snack

Our snack time will be 2:25 during the afternoon recess. Your child does not have to bring a snack, but if he or she wishes to do so, he/she may. Please send healthy snacks that are peanut/tree nut free. I will NOT provide extra snacks for those who forget, so please remind your child to bring a snack.

Home/School Folders

It is important that your child’s red home/school folder goes back and forth between home and school each day, as the children have important “mail” on a daily basis. Also, if you have a note for me, please put it in your child’s red home/school folder. Every morning, the children are responsible for emptying these folders and placing notes in my “mailbox.”

Devon, PTO information, my weekly newsletter, reminders of special events, etc. will be distributed via the home/school folder system, so please check your child’s red home folder every day!

Our Class Rules

(Created and signed in agreement by everyone in Rm. 23)

1. We will be kind to others.

2. We will use good manners.

3. We will raise our hand to talk and listen to our teacher.

4. We will be responsible, safe, caring, and respectful.

5. We will BE OUR BEST!

Classroom Management System

I believe that positive reinforcement encourages students to work harder and feel confident in their choices, motivating them to increase the behaviors that produce rewards. Because of this, my individual behavior management system can be comparable to a token economy. Students work for “good behavior tickets” which can then be used to “buy” “rewards” based on how many tickets they saved. A student cannot lose tickets, however if negative behaviors continue, he/she will have a harder time earning tickets. This allows students to become self-motivated and creates the habit of self-monitoring their own behavior. When students receive consistent, positive attention and praise, problem behaviors decrease, therefore increasing the probability of desirable behaviors. Positive reinforcement can also increase a student's will to go above and beyond and exceed classroom expectations. This is key to student discipline because motivation is what drives student learning.

As a class, students can earn GoNoodle brain breaks. Each day the class will be working for a specific amount of points. When earned, the class will receive a GoNoodle break at that moment and will start back at zero points. They have the opportunity to earn multiple GoNoodle breaks throughout the day.

I will also send home “Weekly Reports” every Friday in each child’s home/school folder. If your child does his/her personal best at school that week, he/she will receive an S for successful. If your child needs reminders throughout the week in certain areas, he/she will receive a N. If he/she receives a U for unacceptable behavior, a phone call will be made to the parent explaining the behavior.

Questions About Classroom Procedures

Q: What if I need to pick my child up from school?

A: If you or someone else is planning to pick up your child from school, you must send in a dated and signed note, with your child’s full name on it. If your child will be attending an activity such as Brownies on a regular basis, a note each time is truly appreciated!

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Q: What food should be packed for my child each day?

A: Your child can either buy or pack lunch each day. If your child is buying lunch, he or she will make a lunch selection in the morning and then use his/her PIN to purchase the lunch. This policy is outlined in the Devon Handbook. Money brought to school for your lunch accounts and money brought in for any reason should always be in an envelope with your child’s name and placed in the teacher’s mailbox in the morning. The students are also welcome to bring a packed lunch from home.

Our lunch is early and some students get hungry in the afternoon. Your child may bring a small, nut-free snack to enjoy during afternoon recess. I will NOT provide extra snacks, so please help your child to remember to pack a snack if he or she would like one.

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Q: How should my child dress for school?

A: Remember that, excepting inclement weather, all children go outdoors for two recesses each day. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately—during winter, an extra pair of mittens and a hat kept in the book bag is a good idea!

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Q: What else should be included in my child’s school bag everyday?

A: I do not allow the students to have toys from home when in our classroom or on the playground, so please do not send toys to school. Our classroom is filled with items to keep us busy and lost or broken toys result sadness. Special items can be brought to share (please run it by me first!), but they must be kept in the child’s backpack until an appropriate time. Children often keep “treasures” in their backpacks but these are also easily lost. Please encourage your child to keep all toys and “treasures” at home.

What should be kept in your child’s backpack are a lunch (if packing), peanut/tree nut free snack and home/school folder. This home/school folder will transport daily papers and notes to and from school. Although optional homework comes home at the beginning of each month, your child’s home folder should be checked EVERYDAY. In addition, we usually have extra “mail” on Fridays, as information that is distributed school-wide is sent home then. Don’t forget to check folders over the weekends for these important notes.

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Questions About CUrriculum

Q: How do we learn words in first grade?

A: Our spelling and phonics program has grown out of a combination of philosophies and programs in order to arrive at a balanced approach.

The red words are simple sight words that cannot be sounded out, and therefore, do not make sense. These words are learned, read, and spelled through a process called tapping and sweeping, in which we physically pretend we are putting the word on our shoulder, and then tap the letters of the word down our arm, sweeping our entire arm with the word when it is completely spelled.

For example, “the (put it on our shoulder), T_H_E (tap the letters down our arm), the (sweep the entire word down your arm).”

With the words that do make sense, and can be sounded out, we can learn, read, and write these words through a multi-sensory process called finger tapping. We finger tap with our non-dominant hand (the hand we do not write with) and we say the word with our fist, and then segment each sound by tapping a finger to the thumb, then sweeping all the sounds together to blend the word (joining our fingers to make a sweeping motion).

For example, say “cat” with a closed fist (we often pretend we are catching the word in the air), c (make c sound while tapping your pointer finger to your thumb), a (make the short a sound while tapping your middle finger on your thumb), t (make the t sound while tapping your index finger to your thumb). Then blend all the sounds together and say “cat” as you move all three fingers on your thumb in a straight across motion.

The first grade spelling skills include words with short and long vowel sounds, digraphs, blends, endings, and vowel combinations. As each new spelling skill is introduced, your child will be expected to use these in his/her writing. This helps to bridge the gap between temporary and conventional spelling. Please know, however, first graders are just learning to write and you’ll still see quite a bit of “phonetic” spelling! For handwriting, we use the Zaner-Bloser program.

Q: What is a Word Wall?

A: The word wall contains posted sight words, arranged alphabetically. During writing workshop and other writing times, students can refer to the word wall when help is needed to spell a basic sight word. To help us practice reading and spelling the word wall words correctly, we do a variety of activities and play a number of games. Students will also be given a word wall placemat to take home. This placemat should be kept at home and will be used for various homework activities throughout the year.

Q: How is the Language Arts time structured?

A: Our approach to reading and writing is known as a balanced literacy approach. Since first-graders are developing their literacy skills at different rates, this approach allows the teacher to develop instruction that meets the various needs of the students. Every attempt is made to match the reading ability of the student with the level of the text. In our classroom, we have hundreds of titles available, from predictable books to decodable books to easy readers to chapter books! Most books are sorted by level or genre, so that a child can be directed to choose a book from certain bins to meet his/her reading needs.

Choosing a “Just Right Book” is the first step in the Reading Circle process. This is a continuous circle in which the children choose a book, read it twice, and complete their “must do” assignment. Their “must do” assignment comes from a menu of choices, including partner conferences, responding in a journal, and completing a graphic organizer or a story map.

After their “must do” is completed, the children circulate around various literacy workstations in the classroom. The workstations relate to reading and writing and are designed to help students practice and refine their literacy skills. At workstations, students may be reading books that relate to the science and social studies concepts we study throughout the year, completing writing assignments that relate to a seasonal theme, playing with magnetic letters, word tiles, and other games in order to build words, practicing our word wall words through a series of games, and reading poetry we have read in the classroom. During this time students also have an opportunity to read alone while enjoying books from any of the bins in our classroom.

Q: What does the teacher do while the students are participating in the Reading Circle process?

A: While students are busy moving through the Reading Circle, the teacher meets with several groups of children who are working at approximately the same reading level. With these groups, the teacher will have a guided reading lesson, introducing a new story as well as skills and strategies to promote reading. During this guided reading group, the children are “guided” through the story and then are permitted to read the story in a “whisper voice” so that the teacher can listen in. The teacher uses prompts to help the children figure out words they do not know.

There are times when I may meet with small, flexible groups, based on the students’ needs. I will also meet with individual students rather than groups to discuss their “must do” assignments they have been working on during reading circle, reflect on previous goals and set new goals, and perform assessments.

Q: When does writing instruction come in?

A: Writing instruction takes place during Writing Workshop. The students will work on various forms of creative writing throughout the school year. Early in the year we focus on the retelling of stories in sequence, and the concepts of full sentences and beginning, middle, and endings. As the year progresses, we work on other types of writing, including letter writing, descriptive writing, non-fiction, and story writing.

Writer’s workshop usually begins with the reading of a story, which ties into the writing topic. Following this is often a mini-lesson on the mechanics of writing and skills such as punctuation are addressed.

Later on in the year, the teacher meets with individuals to conference about their story. It is at this time that we learn the steps of the writing process, compliment the progress we have made in our writing so far, and set personal goals for our writing in the future. The students recognize these goals by the symbols that represent them.

Q: What types of reading will my child do at school?

A: One of the most important times in our day is when we spend reading together. Each day, we have time for “shared reading.” The students are exposed to quality literature and develop a real love for reading! When we read aloud together, the purpose is to model fluent reading, learn different comprehension strategies (the ways we understand what we read), and of course, just enjoy wonderful books.

Each week we also learn a poem, and practice reading it many times throughout the week. This poem is also a part of our homework. Fluent reading is modeled as we practice this poem repeatedly, and we emphasize our “reading voice.” A good “reading voice” has expression and reads smoothly by grouping words together, stopping at the punctuation. We also practice using strategies to figure out unknown words. We do several activities with the poem including “Word Detective,” in which we search for words related to our spelling, phonics, and writing skills.

Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the comprehension strategies we explore, as outlined in “Devon Kids Read for Meaning”. These strategies are vital in helping your child learn to read!

Q: How is math instructed in first grade?

A: Math instruction follows the Math in Focus program. The topics identified later in this handbook are taught and practiced extensively in the classroom. Within each classroom, teachers differentiate instruction to meet the needs of each student.

Q: What other areas of the curriculum are instructed during the week?

A: There are weekly Science and Social Studies lessons. However, our science and social studies topics are integrated into the curriculum as much as possible so the children are making connections to these topics throughout the week. Our Holiday curriculum, Family Life curriculum, and School Climate curriculum are also instructed throughout the week.

Q: What is the policy on homework?

A: Homework options will be sent home each month. There will be options for spelling, poetry, and math that correlate with our weekly skills. Students will be required to read every night and record the books on the monthly book log. According to school policy, first graders should spend 10-15 minutes per night on homework.

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Devon Kids Read for Meaning

Strategy: Making Connections

Students connect their background knowledge to the text they are reading. Readers comprehend better when they actively think about and apply their knowledge of the book’s topic, their own experiences, and the world around them. Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis in their book, Strategies That Work (2000, p. 68), state that, “When children understand how to connect the text they read to their lives, they begin to make connections between what they read and the larger world. This nudges them into thinking about bigger, more expansive issues beyond their universe of home, school, and neighborhood.”

How to help your child use this strategy:

To help your child make connections while are reading, ask the following questions:

• What does the book remind you of?

• What do you know about the book’s topic?

• Does this book remind you of another book?

Strategy: Questioning

Through the use of questioning, students understand the text on a deeper level because questions clarify the confusion and stimulate further interest in a topic. Through questioning, students are able to wonder about content and concepts before, during, and after reading by:

▪ Constructing meaning

▪ Enhancing meaning

▪ Finding answers

▪ Solving problems

▪ Finding specific information

▪ Acquiring a body of information

▪ Discovering new information

▪ Propelling research efforts

Clarifying confusion -Strategies That Work, 2000, p. 22

How to help your child use this strategy:

• Model questioning in your own reading

• Ask “I wonder…” questions (open ended)

• Ask your child to come up with questions before reading to see if they are answered in the text

• Keep track of questions verbally or in an informal question log

• Stop and predict what will happen next

• Discuss what questions you still have after reading

Strategy: Inferring

Students make inferences about text they are reading to interpret meaning and develop deeper understanding. Readers comprehend better when they make connections and construct their own knowledge (using prior experiences, visualizing, predicting, and synthesizing) to interpret the “big idea.” It is like a mental dialogue between the author and the student.

How to help your child use this strategy:

• Ask: How did you know that? Why did you think that would happen? What do you think this story was about? How do you think the character feels? Does it remind you of anything?

• Look at the cover and pictures and then make predictions

• Discuss the plot and theme

*These ideas are really a discussion to have with your child emphasizing one or two of the above ideas.

Strategy: Synthesizing/Summarizing

Students weave together what they read and their own ideas into new complete thoughts. Readers comprehend better when they sift through information to make sense of it and act upon it, such as judging or evaluating the author’s purpose to form a new idea, opinion, or perspective. This is the highest and most complex forms of comprehension.

How to help your child use this strategy:

• Use questioning strategies such as, “How has your thinking changed from reading that piece?”

• Discuss current event with an emphasis on judgments and opinions.

• Ask questions with no clear answers.

Strategy: Monitoring/Clarifying

Good readers ask themselves if what they are reading makes sense. Research shows that comprehension monitoring separates good readers from struggling readers. Good readers then know what to do when comprehension breaks down.

How to help your child use this strategy:

Ask your child to ask these questions while reading:

• Does this make sense?

• Does this part fit with earlier information?

• How can I remember this information?

How to tell if a book is Just Right for you!

What to Do When a Reader Makes a Mistake:

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Consider a 5-second WAIT time in all instances first!

1. If the mistake makes sense, don’t do a thing!

2. If the mistake does not make sense, wait until the end of the sentence and see if the reader fixes it.

3. At the end of the sentence, say, “Try that again.”

4. Say, “You said… (Repeat what the reader read). Does that make sense?”

5. At the end of the sentence, say, “did what you read look right and sound right?”

6. Tell the correct response.

Keep this close to you at all times. Read these first. Respond to the student second!

-Ellen A. Thompson

Our Writing Program in First Grade

Our writing program consists of many whole group, small group, and individual writing projects. We introduce a mini-lesson and spend time practicing our new skills in small and large groups until we have mastered the new concept.

Our activities include…

Prewriting…

Pictures

Telling a story

Using a felt board or storyboard

Writing…

Illustrating

Inventive spelling, sight words, words in the room, the word wall, dictionaries

Conferencing…

Discussing the story…does it make sense?

Making suggestions

Giving encouraging comments

One-on-one time to work together (teacher-student)

Author’s Circle…

Orally sharing a piece to the class

Children tell back the story

Asking questions

Giving feedback

Giving compliments and praise about the piece

Revising…

Adding on

Adding a tail

Adding a beginning, middle, end

Adding color and detail

Our Math Curriculum in First Grade

First graders use the Math in Focus program. This curriculum brings to United States classrooms the top ranked Singapore approach of teaching mathematics. It teaches the same mathematical content, just in a way that emphasizes understanding and flexible thinking. Math in Focus is also rigorously aligned with Common Core standards.

This problem-based approach thoughtfully builds on a concrete-to-pictorial-to-abstract progression for a greater depth of instruction and mastery of math concepts. Students practice extensively to learn “how and why” math works. The program also uses powerful number bond models to enhance instruction for mental math, number sense, and computation. Overall, students gain a deeper understanding of math concepts and are therefore better able to use math in real life situations.

Mathematics concepts included in the first grade Math in Focus program are:

• Numbers to 100

• Number Bonds

• Shapes and Patterns

• Ordinal Numbers and Position

• Addition and Subtraction to 100

• Length

• Weight

• Picture Graphs and Bar Graphs

• Mental Math Strategies

• Calendar and Time

• Money

• Multiplication and Division

Our Social Studies and Health Curriculum in First Grade

The Social Studies and Health programs provide the students with experiences which develop an understanding as well as an appreciation of the topics studied. First grade activities make use of large and small group presentations, classroom projects, individual manipulative activities, district classroom projects, district units, audio-visual materials, and other Media Center resources. Community resources are drawn upon to supplement the curriculum.

Specials

Students participate in “Specials” classes during Integrated Core Time.

Art once a cycle

Music twice a cycle

Library once a cycle

Physical Education twice a cycle

Science three times a cycle

Guidance schedule set by guidance counselor and first grade team

Holiday Dates

2016-2017

Rosh Hashanah – Begins October 2nd

Yom Kippur – Begins October 11th

Diwali – Begins October 30th

Thanksgiving – November 24th

Hanukkah – Begins December 24th

Christmas – December 25th

Kwanzaa – Begins December 26th

Chinese New Year – January 28th

Passover – Begins April 10th

Orthodox Good Friday – Friday, April 14th

Easter – April 16th

Orthodox Easter – April 16th

Ramadan – Begins May 27th

Monthly Character Traits

Each month we highlight a character trait as part of our School Climate curriculum. We read books that are connected to this trait, discuss the topic during classroom meetings, watch a short video once a month that illustrates this trait, and use journal prompts for the children to write about this trait.

September RESPECT

October SERVICE LEARNING

November CARING

December FRIENDSHIP

January TOLERANCE

February RESPONSIBILITY

March COURAGE

April COOPERATION

May HONESTY

June CITIZENSHIP

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1 Ticket

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Strategies you can use…

1. Making Connections

2. Questioning

3. Inferring

4. Synthesizing/ Summarizing

5. Monitoring/ Clarifying

On the Easy Side

It’s like you can just run through the book

You can read it fast.

Read it in two seconds.

You don’t stumble over any words.

You don’t have to skip words.

You enjoy it!

You finish it quickly.

You know it like the back of your hand!

The print is big.

The book has a lot of pictures.

On the Hard Side

You find a lot of words you don’t know—it doesn’t make sense!

Words get complicated.

You have to sound out the words a lot.

Some words you don’t understand.

You stumble over words.

You reread a lot.

The print is small.

You feel frustrated and want to quit.

You have to stop a lot.

There are 5 words or more you do not know.

There’s no one to help you read this.

Just Right

The book looks interesting.

You know something about this topic.

You stumble over some words, but mostly you can figure them out.

You read a little slower but not too slow.

The story is exciting.

There is someone to give you help if you need it.

You know the strategy to use.

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