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Welcome to the 1st Grade

at Hansen ElementaryTeachers are

Mrs. Bingham and Mrs. Kelly

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Introduction

This presentation is provided to help you and your child transition smoothly into the 1st grade routine.

If after viewing this presentation, you still have questions, by all means talk to your child’s teacher.

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Welcome to 1st Grade! I’m excited to start back to school and looking forward to teaching your child. Below is information you will want to know about 1st grade.

Don’t forget our new 4-day school week. Monday thru Thursday. Please check the school calendar for any changes.

Student Success Days (SSD) are scheduled on one Friday each month.

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OverviewWelcome School Begins and

DismissesLunchroom

Volunteering at school

Homework Library

Classroom Management

Book Orders Parties

School Rules Excused Absences

Notes Home

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School begins at 8:15 every morning. You may drop off your child 15 min. early to eat breakfast.

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School ends at 3:55. Please be prompt if you pick up your child.

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NO CHILD WILL BE RELEASED TO STRANGERS. If you or the person you designated with the office to pick up your child has an emergency and someone else will be picking up your child, please call the school office or send a signed note stating who will be picking up your child.

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1. Children may take advantage of the breakfast program. Breakfast is served at 7:45 for the elementary school children.

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2. Lunches are $1.55 for students. $3.50 for adults.

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3. Many children qualify for free or reduced meal prices. Forms may be obtained from the elementary office.

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Volunteers!

If you would like to lend a hand at school this year, please look at the list below and contact your child’s teacher to volunteer.

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Things That Can Be Done At Home

• Tracing, coloring, and cutting out• Assembling books• Computer typing• Other (as needed by the

teacher)

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Things That Are Done At School

• Homework assistant (8:00 every morning)• Story Mom• Listening to children read.• Sharing talents or interests

(as arranged with teacher)• Copying and laminating

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Homework• Your child will have four pieces of

homework every night.

Library book

Little Books

Vocabulary words

Spelling words

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Homework cont.• It is important you help your child develop

the habit of doing their homework every night.

• Find a well lit, quiet area.• Be consistent - do homework the same

time every day.• Pick a time that fits your child and your

schedule. (Right after school for children excited to get to their practicing; or an hour later for those children who need to expend some energy first.)

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Homework cont.• First graders need short sessions. Homework

should be 10-15 min. (Use the library book as a night time story. It usually takes 15 min. to read it.)

• Keep the homework sessions positive. Remember they are just beginning to learn. Sometimes we have to be patient.

• First graders don’t know they have made a mistake. That is why it is so important to have an adult with them as they do their homework.

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Library Book• The library book for now is to

introduce your child to new vocabulary. These books are a 3rd grade reading level. They are too hard for your child to read! You will model good reading and they will have a chance to learn and hear new words. When you come to a word your child does not know. Stop, talk about what the word means.

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Library Book cont.• After you read the story to your child,

ask questions about the story. The student will need to know the story VERY well to pass the Accelerated Reader test at school on the book.

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Library Book cont.Questions on the Accelerated Reader test will look

like this:Example: Story- The Three Little Pigs

1. How many pigs are in the story?A. 2 B. 6C. 3

D. 102. The big bad wolf said _____ after he knocked on the

door.A. “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”B. “Wee oinker, wee oinker, can I see you?”C. “I want to eat you.”D. “Mama, I’m hungry.”

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Library Book cont.• Return the book each day in your child’s

backpack. Then when we can get a test read to your child, the book will be at school.

• The students will take a test every week on their library book. More often if they continue getting good scores.

• After they take the Accelerated Reader test, students will get a new library book for listening.

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Little books• Little books are for the student to practice

reading. They are short and have the phonetic sounds we are studying at school.

• Help your child figure out the words by using the cues. 1. say the sounds 2. look at the picture 3. what word beginning with that sound will make sense in the sentence. If they cannot figure out the word then, read the word to them.

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Little books cont.• If your child is struggling with the little

book, Do Not Make Them Sound Out Every Word. Reading should be fun not a thing to be dreaded.

• If your child is struggling. Pick out 2-3 words in the story to give your child practice figuring out the word. (use the cues from the list on the previous screen) Then just give them the rest of the words. They will learn the words with more practice.

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Little books cont.• If your child is struggling with the little book.

Look at the picture below.

• Track your finger along with your child’s finger.• Your finger doesn’t move on until they read the

word correctly. (No talking needed!)

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Little books cont.Rereading the little books is so helpful for many

reasons.

1. The student gains confidence reading those words.

2. They gain fluency. (reading faster and with expression)

3. They improve their sight word recognition.

4. Their comprehension improves. (The more they read the book the more they remember about the book.)

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Little books cont.

But…..be careful that your child does not memorize the book and quits reading the book. (You know…they recite the page even when you cover up the words.) Always insist that they move their finger under each word as they read the word. That will be your cue that they are looking at the word as they read it.

(Second graders advance and no longer use their finger to track the words they are reading.)

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Vocabulary page

• The words on the vocabulary page are to build their sight word fluency.

• Both of you (adult and child) point to the word. Go across the page reading each word in order and continue for each row.

• When you are finished have fun. Quickly point to a few words (randomly) for your child to read.

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Vocabulary page cont.• If your child is struggling, give them the

word they don’t know and have them repeat the word to you. Praise our child when they can read the word without any help! These words quite often have sounds your child doesn’t know yet or do not follow the phonetic rules. (Do Not Make Them Sound Out These Words)

• A quick practice on this page every night will help your child be successful reading the words on their test Thursday.

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Spelling • Spelling will begin in about

6 weeks. In the mean time, you can have your child practice writing words. Dictate words to your child using the letters studied at school. Your child can practice writing a few words every night. You will find the list of sounds we are studying on the homework sheet. Example: cat, mat, Sam, at - are words you can make with those sounds.

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Spelling cont.• When spelling begins,

the words will be sent home on the weekly Homework sheet the last day of the school week. Please practice these words-Thursday night, Friday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. More if needed.

• Spelling Tests will be given the last day of the school week.

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Spelling cont.To make spelling fun change the way they practice

the words.1. Use different mediums to make the words.

example-magnetic letters; salt in the bottom of a box; form the letters using wicky sticks; tracing over the words 3 times using a different colored crayon each time they write the word, etc..

2. When a new list comes home have your child read then write (or make) the word.

3. Save the practice of writing or spelling the words from memory until it gets closer to test time.

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Spelling cont.Make spelling fun.Use games to practice the words.Go Fish - put the words on heavy paper to make

cards. They must spell the word when asking for a card.

Flash cards - put the words on heavy paper to make cards. Give a word to your child. If they write the word correctly, they keep the card. If they do not write the word correctly, they fix the word but the card goes back in your stack. At the end of the words, count to see how many cards were spelled correctly. Praise your child when they get more right with each practice session.

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Spelling cont.Spelling Hide and Seek - put the words on heavy

paper to make cards. Then hide the cards around the room. When your child finds a card they give it to you. They can keep the card if they can spell (or write) it correctly.

Bingo- Draw a 4 x 4 grid on blank sheets of paper. Have everyone write one spelling word randomly in each box until all the words are written on the papers. They choose the 2 empty squares that will be free. Then play bingo by drawing the words from a cup.

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Library

1st graders have an open library. Your child will check out a library book and take it home to listen to the story. The student brings home the book every night and the parents read the book to their child. The book needs to come back to school each day. When your child knows the book very well and takes an Accelerated Reader test on the book at school, then the student will check out a new book.

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Library cont.

Please assign a place to keep the books from school or put them right back in their backpack when homework is finished. Then the books won’t get lost.

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Classroom Management

• 1st Grade will utilize the PBS (Positive Behavior System) of classroom management. Your child will earn recognition for following the class rules, displaying good citizenship, following teacher directions, working independently, and etc. As your child makes good choices, he/she will move their name clip up to the next level.

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Good Choices Every morning clips start on: • Level 1 (Kitten or Good Student)

Children move up the ladder as they make good choices:

• Level 2 (Bobcat or Super Student)• Level 3 (Cougar or Great Student)• Level 4 (Cheetah or Fantastic Student)• Level 5 (Lion or Outstanding Student)

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Students who forget to follow the rules.

Consequences: • 1st time is a reminder – Warning • 2nd – Warning with refocus• 3rd - Time Out• 4th - Lose a recess and talk to teacher• 5th - Red note sent home to be signed by parent

and returned to school or a call to parents• 6th - Send to principal

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Book Orders

Every year I periodically send home book orders. Ordering books this way is much cheaper and creates excitement in your child for reading.

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Book Orders cont.

1. When you order a book, first look through the order form and make your selection.

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2. Next, fill in the form on the back with your child’s name, the choice of books, and the amount.

Book Orders cont.

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3. Put your payment and the order form in an envelope. Mark the front of the envelope with your child’s whole name.

4. Finally, send the envelope to school.

Book Orders cont.

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Birthday Treats

Students love sharing a birthday treat with their classmates. If you would like to send treats to school for your child’s birthday, please call or e-mail the teacher to let her know what day you will be sending the treats. The teacher can give you the number of students in the class and make a note in the day’s lesson plan.

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HolidaysClassroom volunteers treat the children to three parties during the school year. The parties are Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. If you can be a classroom volunteer, please contact your classroom teacher.

Mrs. Bingham 423-5475 ext. 1002 or jbingham@hansen.k12.id.us Mrs. Kelly 423-5475 ext. 1004 or dkelly@hansen.k12.id.us

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Classroom parties are a reward for good student behavior.

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School Rules

• A copy of school information and rules will come home to each family. Please read this information with your children and discuss it as a family. This will help make the school experience easier and safer for your child.

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Excused AbsencesYour child is learning many, many new things each

day at school. It is important that your child arrive on time and attend school each day. If your child becomes sick, please call the office to notify them of your child’s illness. If at all possible, please try to schedule appointments after school or on the Fridays your child is not at school. A doctor’s written note will be required for children missing 3+ consecutive days of school.

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Please check your child’s backpack every night. Homework folders contain their homework each night. Notes for parents are usually on colored paper. So, look for colored paper….. It’s a note for you!

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