Welcome to First Grade!

Reminders• Students are allowed to

enter the classroom at 8:40 a.m.

• School starts at 8:55 a.m.• Students are tardy after

8:55 a.m.• If your child is going to be

absent, please call the office at (508)987-6057 to let us know.

• Please try to arrange your vacation during designated vacation days.

Home-School Communication• I welcome your notes and phone calls.• Please send in the communication folder every day. • Put notes in the communication folder.• The school phone number is 508-987-6057. My

extension is 1101. If you leave a message, I check my voice mail at 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

• My email address is ksheehan@oxps.org. I check my email in the evening.

• I will get back to you as soon as possible.• Please contact me before coming in for a conference.

Birthdays

We celebrate birthdays in the classroom. However, this year we are trying something new. Rather than have the children bring in a special snack for their birthdays, we will have a special birthday snack for all the birthdays at the end of each month. The birthday snack will be provided. We will have a summer birthdays celebration in June.

SeptemberU.S. SymbolsAll About MeAutumnal

EquinoxKevin Henkes

OctoberApplesPumpkinsFire SafetyAutumnColumbus DayHalloweenNorman

Bridwell

NovemberFarmsThanksgivingElection DayVeterans DayMarc Brown

DecemberMap SkillsHanukkahChristmasKwanzaaWinter SolsticeJan Brett

JanuaryPolar AnimalsWinterNew Year’s DayMartin Luther King Ezra Jack Keats

FebruaryStates of MatterMagnetsGroundhog’s

Day100th Day Presidents DayAbraham

LincolnGeorge

WashingtonValentine’s DayFrank Asch

MarchWeatherSt. Patrick’s DayVernal EquinoxRead Across

America

Dr. Seuss

AprilPlantsEarth DayEasterSpringPatriots DayMercer Mayer

MayHuman BodyAnimalsMother’s DayMemorial DayGail Gibbons

JuneOcean AnimalsFather’s DayFlag DaySummer

SolsticeEric Carle

First Grade Themes

Goals for First GradeLanguage Arts Mathematics

Contribute relevant ideas to classroom discussions Correctly name and write numerals 1 – 100

Recognize common high-frequency words Demonstrate an understanding of place value (10s, 1s)

Use strategies to read unknown words Know addition and subtraction facts to 10

Read aloud fluently, accurately, and with expression Understand and use mathematical symbols (+,-,=,<,>)

Comprehend what is read Solve addition and subtraction number stories

Identify story elements of character, setting, and plot Skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s, starting at any number

Identify the main idea and supporting details in non-fiction Identify and describe the attributes of 2- and 3-dimensional shapes

Demonstrate knowledge of new vocabulary Identify odd and even numbers

Print upper and lower case letters and numbers legibly and neatly

Tell time on an analog and digital clock to the hour and half-hour

Write a logical sequence of sentences related by topic Name the days of the week, months of the year, and the seasons

Use capitalization, punctuation, and spacing appropriately Measure objects using standard and non-standard units of measurement

Spell assigned words correctly in tests Identify, calculate, and exchange U.S. coin combinations of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters

Apply spelling knowledge and skills in daily writing Use dollar and cent notation to show money amounts

Create and interpret graphs, charts, and tallies

Grading

• First graders do not receive a report card for the first quarter. As the children transition from kindergarten to first grade, they need time to adjust to the increased responsibilities. Therefore, parent conferences take the place of the first quarter grade.

• Corrected practice pages (worksheets) have a fraction at the top, indicating how many correct out of the total number of answers. Papers completed without any teacher’s support will be stamped, “Independent Work.”

• Please keep in mind that practice pages and tests are not the only factors in assessment. Board work, oral discussions, individual, and whole group activities are also important components in grading.