First Grade Big Topics

Weekly Sunday Newsletter: I will email you a weekly newsletter every Sunday during the school year. Please take the time to read it. This will let you know our learning plan for the week as well as any classroom or schoolwide activities or due dates for these activities. It is an easy way to communicate information to the parents without overloading your e-mail inbox.

Homework: Homework will be given Monday through Thursday night. Homework is posted on the Homework section of my webpage. I post Homework for the entire week. Please do not work ahead on the Homework. I like to teach the skills prior to assigning the skill for Homework. Homework should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete. It will be a review of our weekly skills in Math, Spelling, Reading, Grammar, and knowledge of our faith.

Behavior : We will be following a schoolwide PBIS Program which stands for  Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. This is an evidence based, tiered framework for supporting students' behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. We are going with a three strike policy. Students will be reminded of our school expectations throughout the school year. If a child continually struggles to follow our school expectations, I will either follow up with a note,  a phone call, or I will schedule a parent/teacher/student conference to come up with a plan to help the student to follow our school expectations.  
  
Tests: Students will have a Spelling Test, Religion Test, and Reading Test weekly and will have a Math Test as we finish each Chapter. We will also have big Reading Unit Tests as we finish each of our Units. Spelling Tests will be on skills learned that week and are phonics based. If a child writes his/her letters or numbers backward on a test, they will be marked wrong. We are trying to get things corrected before they become bad habits. Students have name tags with their letters and numbers correctly formed right in front of them and we have letters and numbers all over the room for reference.

Test Folder Tuesdays: Students will bring  their tests home every Tuesday for you to sign and return. They will come home in their "Red" Test Folder. Please leave all tests in their folder and return them to school signed. The grading scale is as follows:

Grading Scale for Tests/Quizzes and Report Cards
O = Outstanding                        Equivalent to A+
VG= Very Good                         Equivalent to A
G = Good                                   Equivalent to B
S = Satisfactory                         Equivalent to C or Average
I =  Improvement Needed          Equivalent to D
U = Unsatisfactory                     Equivalent to F or Failing  

Class Pets: We have two class pets named "Teddy" and "Tedderina". Teddy/Tedderina like to visit a first graders home each weekend. Teddy/Tedderina come home on a Friday and must be returned to school by Tuesday. He/She comes in a backpack with clothing, and a journal. Each student, with their parents help, should write about what they did with Teddy/Tedderina over the weekend. Please be sure to include pictures of your child with Teddy/Tedderina if able or students can draw a picture of some of the things they did with Teddy.

Student of the Week: Your child will be Student of the Week for one week. A poster will come home announcing when they are student of the week and what they should bring to school for each day of that week. 

Reading "R" copybook: Students have a Reading "R" copybook that they will have glued in their Sight Word List for each story. Each week they will be given 6-8 new words  to practice in addition to earlier lists already given. Please practice these words every night and return the "R" copybook each week by Friday. This is essential to their reading success. We are a Team! Please be sure they keep this copybook in their school bag when they are finished practicing as we will continue to add new word lists each week!

First Grade Projects: In January we will do an Animal Research Project and Presentation. In April or May we will complete a Fairy Tale Project and Oral Re-tell to the class. Both projects are really fun for the children and also gives them public speaking opportunities. These will be given with specific instructions and plenty of time to complete. They will require some work at home - especially preparing for their oral presentation.

Scholastic Book Club Orders: Scholastic Book Club Orders are available on-line monthly and are totally optional. You may order on line using the following:
www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class activation code:  LJHHZ. 

Snack/Lunch: Students should not bring a drink for snack time. We get a drink from our water bottle at snack time. Please pack a snack that is easy to consume and does not make too much of a mess as we eat our morning snack outdoors on good weather days in the classroom on bad weather days.
 

Absences and Lateness - please send in a note stating the reason for your child being late or Absent. If a child is out of school for 3 or more days, a doctors note must accompany your child upon their return to school. If your child is going to be out for an extended time, please reach out to me so we can make a plan for missed work. If known in advance, work will be sent home with your child to complete at home. If it is unexpected, please make arrangements to pick up your child's work at the main office.