Agenda:Please find your nametag and have a seat 10 minutes Curriculum Connection10 minutes supply sorting

Before you Leave: Please fill out email/contact informationFill out orange volunteer sheetIf possible, sign and turn in verification sheet Sign up for parent/teacher conferences in MPR

Welcome to First Grade!

A day in first grade…• Reading Workshop• Read Aloud/Snack ** Nut free• Math• Lunch/Recess• Word Study• Specials• Writing Workshop• Science or Social Studies

Specials

DayA PE & MusicB Literacy & ComputersC Literacy & PED PE & MusicE Art  Recess/Lunch 11:35-12:20Library   -TBD

Specials Teachers: Art Mrs. GilkeyLiteracy Mrs. SearsComputer Ms. SvilhikP.E. Mrs. AversaMusic Mrs. Brubaker

Reading WorkshopThe “Big 5” Components: •Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension

• The workshop will consist 3 rotations of the Daily 5 - phonics activities- partner reading- independent reading- writing- listening to reading

• During this time the teacher meets with individual students and/or small groups.

An emphasis will be placed on developing a love of reading!

Writer’s WorkshopDaily writing in a workshop format based on Lucy Calkins:

Mini-lesson on the writing process or specific writing skillsIndependent student practiceStudent/teacher conference Peer conference

Sharing writing – student/teacher feedback

Mini-lessons will focus on the writing process or a specific writing skill- beginning of year will focus on generating ideas and connecting meaning to their writing- organization, conventions, adding details

First graders will be exposed to 3 types of writing:- Personal Narrative- Opinion- Explanatory

Math Text: My Math by McGraw-Hill

~Flexible grouping- students may have different teachers throughout

the year ~Skills & Concepts:

- addition- subtraction- place value- two-digit addition and subtraction- graphing, measurement, and time- geometry and equal shares

~Math Facts-Rocket Math (October)

~Math Workstations

Science Health & Safety Solids and Liquids Pebbles, Sand & Silt Insects Oceans Solar System

Social StudiesSocial Studies Focus: Child and Family Scholastic News Junior Achievement Nystrom Maps and Globes

Topics: Families, Neighborhoods, and Communities around the world.

Lunch and SnackPlease have your child’s lunch box labeled with his/her full name

Milk can be purchased in the lunch room or on Konnect

Fun Lunch – Once a month Fun Lunch will be provided to your child for a small cost. Sign-up forms can be found on Konnect.

Brain snack- Your child may bring a small, simple, clean, healthy snack to energize his/her brain during our morning- some ideas: granola bars, snack crackers, a piece of fruit- water bottles are welcome, but they must have a closeable sipper lid to prevent spills- please place your child’s snack in a separate place so that your child can quickly and easily get it out.

HomeworkBoomerang Folder – please check nightly and return to school each day **Homework policy Math Menu???•Sight Words – (starting in Aug/Sep) – Sight Word Super Stars •Math – daily/or almost daily practice pages (varies per unit)•Bag of Books – 3-5 books will come home in a Ziploc bag daily, please return to school each day ** 15 minutes of reading is recommended daily

Read to the Principal-This a reading incentive in which students can participate by recording how many books or chapters, they read at home. - after 50 books student gets to read with Mrs. Garland- after 100 books they will receive a trophy at the end of the year

Mystery FriendTo begin the year, each day a “mystery” student will be selected to share about themselves using the given Clues sheet.•We will use this to get to know one another, as well as use phonics activities to learn more about each other’s names and the letters/sounds in our names.

Behavior

Our goal in first grade is to create a warm, positive environment where all students can succeed. The rules of our classroom areas follows…

1.I will raise my hand and wait my turn.2.I will follow directions quickly.3.I will use helpful hands and words.4.I will make smart choices.5.I will make my dear teacher happy.

The first 3 rules are fairly standard and are rules kids will see often throughout their years at school. The last two rules are used as “catch all” rules. When a student makes a mistake that is not covered by the first 3 basic rules, these 2 rules will usually apply.

Some examples: *running inside (make smart choices)

*a student throws trash on the floor instead of using the trash can (keep your teacher happy)

*a student not picking up their materials (make smart choices and keep your teacher happy)

If a rule has been broken (after sufficient warnings have been given), your child will receive a parent information sheet to bring home.

Here is a sample of the parent information sheet. Your child and I will fill this out together.

There will be days you will not get any notes. On those days you will know your child followed all the classroom rules! Yay!

Please sign all parent information sheets and return toschool the following day. Home/school communication

isvery important and I want to make sure all of these important notes are getting home to you.

AttendanceRegular and punctual attendance at school is crucial to your child's educational success. • Most 1st grade learning activities are hands-on and involve interaction with classmates. Therefore, it is next to impossible to make work up at home.

•However, please keep your child at home when he or she is ill. Your child will recover quicker and will not spread their illness to others in the classroom. Your child should be free from a fever for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

•Please notify the OFFICE of your child’s absence. I will be glad to send home homework with a sibling or friend.

Transportation• Children must have a note from parent/guardian if you have a change in transportation.

• Your child must bring a note if he or she is going to a friend’s house or bringing a friend home. Both families must send a note to school.

• Send the note on the day of change in transportation. Please do not send the note earlier; this will help prevent confusion.

• Our school PTN provides a “KST Transportation Note pad” at the beginning of our school year, these are very handy.

BirthdaysTreat policy. The district policy prohibits us from accepting food as a birthday treat.

As a fun (and educational) way to celebrate, students can donate a birthday book to the class that we will read during his/her birthday celebration.

This book can be new, or gently used, and will remain in the classroom.

** If you are sending birthday invitations to school, please include every child in our class so that we do not hurt the feelings

of our 1st grade friends.

School Parties

♥ We have 3 celebrations: Halloween/Fall Harvest, Winter Holiday, and Valentine’s Day.

♥ Our volunteer homeroom coordinator(s) will contact parents who sign up and will let you know what is needed.

♥ Our celebrations include one healthy treat, a drink, and a craft, activity, or game.

♥ Our celebrations occur at the end of the school day and are approximately 1 hour long.

TipsPlease: Check Konnect weekly- Class page for reminders, First Grade Friday Forecast, additional information. Fun lunch forms and milk order forms are also available in the virtual backpack.Label all belongings that are brought to school. Please put all money in an envelope or zip lock bag, label: first & last name, teacher name, and purpose. Practice zipping coats and tying shoes. Please dress your child appropriately for the weather. We go outside daily for lunch recess. Better to be overdressed for the weather, (you can always take mittens or layers off). 1st graders will need snow pants for winter weather. ** label all winter gearKeep toys at home and out of backpacks.

Volunteers When entering the school as a visitor, you must obtain a

visitor’s pass from the office. (hand in an ID to be returned when you exit)

Watch DOG program

If you are volunteering in the school, please remember no younger siblings are allowed; this is for the safety of small children and to insure the learning for our students.

Please remember these policies are to help keep all children safe and not meant to cause any inconvenience.

Please read our school handbook for more information.

Your help is very much appreciated! Thank you!

Questions & comments are always welcome! Kristina.green@kaneland.org

630-365-8170 ext. 143

– I will make every effort to get back to you as soon as possible. . – Last minute changes in transportation or time sensitive messages should

not be sent through e-mail, as I am not always able to check my e-mail during the school day.

***Important messages should be left with the office who will forward them to me.

Thank you! I look forward to a fantastic

year!

Supplies Please find your mailbox. Put your binders in your mailbox.

Put your PE shoes in the cabinet under your mailbox.

Put markers, crayons, folders, binder, and pencil box in your chair pocket **please be sure to label these

Put your Art shirt with your name on it in the blue tub in the hall.

Open your glue sticks, highlighters, dry erase markers, and pencils and put in labeled tubs.

Place your paper towels, tissues, and baggies in the labeled bin.

Thank you!!