Welcome toFirst GradeCurriculum

Night

School Hours

7:45—Warm-up begins8:05—Tardy bell rings2:55—Dismissal bell rings

AttendancePlease ALWAYS have your child in class! Much of what is taught is done hands on and can’t be made up.If your child has a fever, please keep him or her home for 24 hours. This is requested by most doctors.

Transportation

Please let me know if your child needs a transportation change.This must be done through the front office (fax) or a hand written note to the teacher by 2:00pm.We can NOT accept transportation changes via email.

Lunch and RecessLunch: 11:05-11:35 and Recess: 11:35-11:50Checks/Cash can be sent to school with child’s name and ID number. Money can also be added to account online using a credit card.When visiting your child for lunch there is a parent table for YOU and YOUR CHILD to sit at. You may not invite other students to eat with you.Parents are not allowed to follow their child to recess. It is a safety concern.

SnacksIf your child would like to have a snack during the day please make sure to remember:It needs to be a healthy snack.It needs to be something that does NOT need to be eaten with a spoon or fork.

Water bottles may also be brought to school. Please send in a spill proof water bottle. Spills happen very easily!

Birthdays

Please provide two days notice of a birthday treat being brought to school. Treats are handed out at 1:45.Invitations must be sent for the entire class if handed out at school.

GradesLanguage Arts (Reading, Writing, Spelling/Word Study)—50% is DRA, 25% daily, 25% majorDRA grade is NOT included in the average for progress reports!

Math, Science, Social Studies—50% daily, 50% major

Literacy AssessmentDRA— Developed Reading Assessment

Assessed each marking period50% of L.A. GradeBeginning of the year: Level 4

Level 3 is at-riskMiddle of the year: Level 10End of the year: Level 16

PAPI- Phonics Assessment3 times during the year

Homework—45 minutes per night (District Requirement)

Homework page will be found on the classroom website.Read 20 minutes EVERY night.

D3 Time-Dragons Digging Deeper

Students will participate in "D3 Time" (Dragons Digging Deeper) for 45 minutes per day. During this time, students will enrich the learning from their classrooms by working on targeted areas based on the child's needs. Through data from common assessments and benchmarks we are able to identify areas that the children need to fill in gaps, as well as areas that the children need to extend their learning to a higher level. All students will participate in D3 time in order to advance their learning.

ReadingWhat can I expect my child to

learn?Recognize and use individual sounds to create words, or phonemic awareness. Understand the relationships between written letters and spoken sounds, or phonics. This allows children to recognize familiar words accurately and automatically, and "decode" new words.Develop the ability to read a text accurately and quickly, or reading fluency.Learn the meaning and pronunciation of words, or vocabulary development.Acquire strategies to understand, remember and communicate what is read, or reading comprehension strategies.

ReadingHow can I help my child at

home?

D3 Reading: What it looks like...

Students will read and respond to level appropriate text based on students' individual DRA score.Students will strengthen skills by reading poetry, acting out reader's theaters, responding to literature, and increasing fluency. Fluency is the speed and accuracy at which your child reads out loud. An exiting first grader should read at least 60 words per minute.

D3 Language: What it looks like...

Examples:Students will create words in a word family.

– Ex: Generate words in the -at family.Students will make new words using letters in one longer word.

– Ex: Make as many new words as you can with the letters in president.

Students will be engaged in activities based on word ladders, word sorts, word wall games, making big words, unscrambling words, word crosswords, and vocabulary application.

WritingDear pair ants,Ur stoodnt wil b bringing hom riting,

doo not b skaird ov the spelling. The inglish langwij iz kunfewzing two lern. Cids uz “phonetic” spelling in thair wrk to xpress thair thouts. Foursing cids too uz cunvenshunal speling reedoss thair dezir and abillite to right. It is mi joub to teech ur child 2 uz reesorsis and lerning to beecum a “Smartie Writer.”

U can hlp ur child bi incoruging thim at eech divelupmentil stag. Axk ur child to reed and esplane thair riting to u. Az ur child lerns about the inglish langwij tha wil mak the tranzishun to “adult writing.”Thank u 4 ur saport!

Create IDEAS to write aboutORGANIZE writing to show a beginning, middle, and endMake decisions about WORD CHOICEUse CONVENTIONS Let me hear VOICESENTENCE FLUENCY PRESENTATION of writing

WritingWhat can I expect my child to

learn?

Encourage writing at homeAllow children to sound out a word and spell it the best they can

Encourage writing using different genres:

Nonfiction and FictionMaking Lists and LettersFantasy

WritingHow can I help my child at

home?

Addition/Subtraction to 18Patterns in numbers: odd/even, skip count by 2s, 5s, 10sPlace Value: compare and order numbersNumber Sense: order of numbers, greater than/less than, locate on hundreds chartMeasurement: length, area, weight/mass, temperature, capacityCoins: name and valueShapes: 2D (plane) and 3D (space)Story Problems

MathWhat can I expect my child to

learn?

Weekly homeworkMathletics – mathletics.com (A letter will come home.)Encourage your child to identify math in everyday situations.

– Ex: Name 3D shapes while in the grocery store.

– Ex: Practice adding or subtracting groups of objects.

Math Facts - We want your child to know those math facts in a snap!

– Math Cafe– Flashcards

Practice counting a large group of objects by skip counting.Encourage your child to sort loose change by coin. Then, identify the coin and how much it is worth.

MathHow can I help my child at

home?

D3 Math: What it looks like...

Example One:Objective: Students will review value and identification of each coin.Activity: Students will find value of coin amounts including combinations with pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.

Example Two:Objective: Students will demonstrate mastery of basic addition and subtraction facts up to 18.Activity: Students will calculate addition and subtraction problems with regrouping. (Two digit addition and subtraction problems.)

properties of matterheat energysound energylight energy motionmagnetismweather (clouds)seasonsmoon and stars soil and rocks

living vs. non-livingwaterfood chain natural resourcespet carelife cycle of froglife cycle of chicken

ScienceWhat can I expect my child to

learn?

Incorporate the use of non-fiction text as part of your child's reading practice.Visit your local library to supplement non-fiction reading material. Keep a science fact journal or poster of science topics. Your child may draw a picture of new found learning and record facts learned.Visit Brain Pop Jr, accessed through the Deretchin's website to reinforce key topics studied at school.

ScienceHow can I help my child at

home?

Citizenship: What is a good citizen?Geography: LandformsEconomics: Needs/Wants & Goods/ServicesGovernment: Who are our public officials and what do they do? What is voting?Culture: How are people alike and different? History: How have things changed over time? Texas/U.S. Symbols, Aesop’s FablesResources

Social StudiesWhat can I expect my child to

learn?

Practice reciting the U.S pledge and Texas PledgeExpose your child to different Texas SymbolsTalk with your child about community helpers and their rolesTalk with your child about what country, state, city, street they live in/onPractice reading a calendar and time line Read about the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr., Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Garrett Morgan, Sam Houston, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln.Talk with your child about changes in technologyDiscuss Needs and WantsDiscuss Goods and Services

Social StudiesHow can I help my child at

home?

Thank you for coming

tonight!