Welcome to ‘Back to School Night’

Welcome to ‘Back to School Night’ Mrs. Fox 1st Grade Room 133

What is the purpose of this evening? • To inform you of this year’s: • Academic goals • Classroom procedures • My expectations • Overview of 1st grade curriculum

Get to know Mrs. Fox! • I have a BA in Elementary Education with a second degree in Fine Arts from Rider University • This is my 5th year teaching 1st grade • I am new to OHES, but did my student teaching here in 2006 • I love to spend time with my family, husband, friends, and two dogs • I love the outdoors and doing things like hiking, camping, and kayaking • When I am not outside I am usually seen going to museums , drawing, or oil painting

Everyday Mathematics • Everyday Mathematics allows children to be mathematical thinkers, preparing them for a world in the computer age. • Home links are a way for you as a parent to help your child to master and understand that what we are doing in class has a place in real life. • Please do not be concerned if your child has not mastered a concept the first time it is introduced. It will be covered again throughout the year.

First Grade Math Curriculum Overview • Numeration • Operations and Computation • Data and Chance • Geometry • Measurement and Reference Frames • Patterns, Functions, and Algebra

Science • Three units, year round schedule. These units will be taught on a rotating schedule. Inquiry based instructional approach (hands-on, discovery learning) is the focus during Science. • Sunshine and Shadows • Air and Weather • Organisms • The children will record their scientific observations and responses in their interactive science journal.

Social Studies We will discuss the following topics throughout the school year: • Character Education • Holidays & Traditions Around the World • Basic Needs • Some Important People/Events in American History • Relation of Self and Community

Reading • In first grade, we focus on strategies for sustaining reading (solving words, monitoring, and correcting) and strategies for expanding meaning of text. Strategies for comprehension of a text are modeled and practiced such as asking questions, making predictions, connecting with a text, retelling, dialoguing (discussion), and responding to reading. • Read Aloud • Interactive Writing • Independent Reading • Guided Reading/Centers • Shared Writing (Author’s Chair) • Class Books • Word Work • Handwriting • Spelling

Reading Continued… • Types of Reading (A Balanced Literacy Approach to literacy development): • Shared Reading • Guided Reading and Centers: Differentiated Instruction is used across the curriculum (individualizing instruction) to meet the needs of all students • Book clubs (literature circles) • Independent Reading (Read-to-Self) • Buddy Reading (Read-to-Someone) • Read Alouds

The Daily 5 • The Daily 5 is various literacy activities which students work on while the teacher meets with small groups. It is also a structure that helps students develop daily habits of practicing reading, writing, word work, and working with peers. • Read to Self • Read to Someone • Work on Words • Work on Writing • Listen to Reading

Guided Reading • Teacher works with dynamic small groups of students who use similar reading strategies and/or read similar levels of text with teacher support • Teacher introduces the book • Students then read the book simultaneously while the teacher listens in, provides support and takes anecdotal notes/running records • Teacher then conducts a brief mini-lesson after the reading • Extension activities sometimes may take place • Other students are working independently at various classroom centers while the teacher is meeting with guided reading groups • Once the book is finished, the book will be sent home to be read at home (celebrate) and returned the following day.

Writer’s Workshop • Our Language Arts program allows for the students to participate in a Writing Workshop which consists of two parts: • I. Mini Lessons (developed based on student’s writing needs) • Teach necessary grammar and mechanics skills in the context of student writing and real world applications. • Teach the writing process. • Teach how to become better writers. • II. Workshop • Students write in all formats including creative, expository, and letter writing. They generate their own leads and also learn to write from a prompt. • Students revise, conference, and edit with peers and teachers. • Students illustrate and publish their works in a variety of ways. • Students share their work through an Author’s Chair.

Word Study September: Getting to Know You-King/Queen of the Day • Word Wall words (High Frequency Words/Sight Words • Chants & Cheers (build/develop fluency with rhyme and repetition) • Tongue Twisters (poetry) • Guess the Covered Word • Making Words • Rounding Up the Rhyme (strategies) • Mystery Word • Observing Spelling Patterns

Spelling • Comprehensive assessments place children into groups based upon their knowledge of various spelling patterns and conventions • Letter Name/Within Word/Syllable Juncture • Sorting and practicing according to spelling patterns (Spelling Contract activities to help in practicing words) • Children will have nightly homework and a spelling test on Friday

Responsive Classroom Six basic principles underlie this approach: • The social curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum. • How children learn is as important as what they learn: Process and content go hand in hand. • The greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction. • To be successful academically and socially, children need a set of social skills: cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control. • Knowing the children we teach–individually, culturally, and developmentally–is as important as knowing the content we teach. • Knowing the families of the children we teach and working with them as partners is essential to children's education.

Responsive Classroom Continued… The Responsive Classroom approach includes the following main teaching practices: • Class Meeting: A weekly routine that builds community, creates a positive climate for learning, and reinforces academic and social skills. • Rules and Logical Consequences: A clear and consistent approach to discipline that fosters responsibility and self-control. • Guided Discovery: A format for introducing materials that encourages inquiry, heightens interest, and teaches care of the school environment. • Academic Choice: An approach to giving children choices in their learning that helps them become invested, self-motivated learners. • Classroom Organization: Strategies for arranging materials, furniture, and displays to encourage independence, promote caring, and maximize learning. • Working with Families: Ideas for involving families as true partners in their children's education.

Behavior Management In the classroom, it is my belief to use positive reinforcement, direct, and positive language to manage the behavior in the classroom. • Logical consequences – taking breaks, chill out spot, loss of privilege , ‘you break it, you fix it’ consequence • Various positive reinforcement themes throughout the year • Knowledge of Levels of Behavior (Discipline Without Stress) • Whole class warm and fuzzy jar incentive

Snack • Due to our long afternoon, we will be enjoying a healthy snack in between our learning. Please pack your child a healthy snack everyday. Pack a snack that can be enjoyed on the go. Our classroom is peanut free. Please refer to the provided snack list and only give your child a snack from the approved snack list. Thank you for your cooperation!

Birthdays and Other Celebrations • In our classroom, we use a "birthday book," which focuses the celebration around the child and his or her guest(s) while creating a very important literary experience for the class. • This is a book that is selected by the family and can be brought into school to be read aloud to the class. After the book is read (by the child's guests), all of the students from the class will sign the book and it will be held in our classroom library for students to read for the remainder of the year. At the end of the school year, each child will bring home his or her "birthday book" to keep. It is a wonderful keepsake! • Please contact Mrs. Fox at least a week before you'd like to come into school to celebrate, so an appropriate time can be scheduled into our day! • If you would like to celebrate a special holiday in the classroom or tradition, please let me know.

Homework • Math Home Links: Homework is not meant to be challenging. The purpose is to reinforce the concepts taught that day and to teach responsibility. Extra Homework is not sent home, except for the Monthly Bonus Calendars will be sent home each month. • Reading Log: Fill in one book each night (or Chapter) .The Reading Log needs to be returned to school every day! Research shows that reading every day helps students be proficient readers with stronger comprehension and fluency skills. Please read for at least 10-15 minutes every night.READING is new, fun and exciting for them! • Spelling/Sight Word Homework :Spelling homework will be given for the week on Mondays. Spelling homework will be completed in the child’s spelling notebook. If your child needs to focus on Sight word recognition, they will receive a sight word contract that will be returned on Friday. • Homework Folder (BEE Binder): Please place all notes for me in your child’s Homework folder. Clean out the “Keep at Home” section daily.

Volunteering I welcome parents into the classroom to help. Please refer to the Volunteer Packet in your folder for more information. I need volunteers for: Writer’s Workshop, Guest Readers, Cultural Celebrations, Science and Math projects and center helpers. Information regarding Room Parents will be going home next week.

Additional Info. • Fifteen minute conferences will be held in early November and again in the spring. There will be morning, afternoon, and evening times. Conference sign-ups will occur in early October. Confirmations will also be sent home. • Report Cards will be sent home in January and June. • Please do not wait until report cards or conferences if you have any questions or concerns. I am always here for you and willing to set up a conference by phone or in person should it be necessary. • E-mail is my preferred method of communication (unless it is a change in your child’s schedule-ALWAYS CALL THE MAIN OFFICE.) • Please send me an e-mail, note or voicemail with any questions, concerns, or pleasant thoughts!

Communication With Me • If you have any concerns about your child’s academic performance, behavioral or social issues, please feel free to contact me in one of the following ways: • E-mail: lfox@mtsd.us • Notes • Phone call at School • You can also check out classroom info and updates on my website that will be up and running soon! Follow the links on the OHES webpage for ‘Staff Webpages.’

MOST IMPORTANTLY!! • Enough sleep, a good breakfast, consistent attendance, reading to/with your child as much as possible, and lots of love are a few of the best things you can do for your first grader!

Thank you for coming tonight! • Please feel free to look around the room and through your child’s things. • Leave a note for your child and tell him/her what a great job he/she doing!

Welcome to ‘Back to School Night’