1. Welcome to First Grade!
Ms. Bojarski and Ms. McAlpin

2. Shamrock Goals:
*To challenge and motivate each child to reach his or her highest potential through high expectations and the use of a variety of instructional strategies.
*Improve reading levels by mid-year at a level G/H and by the end of the year at a level J.
*Students will develop a sense of well being, as well as a feeling of security within the school and community settings.

3. Our Goals for :
1.To provide a safe and nurturing environment where everyone can reach his/her highest potential.
2.To prepare the children to continue his/her educational journey with confidence.
3. To help each child develop an eagerness to always want to learn more.
4 To build a community where children feel comfortable enough to take risk.

4. Our Reading Program!
Comprehensive Reading Program that includes spelling, grammar, writing and intensive instruction of comprehension skills.
Each child receives small group instruction based on assessments which indicate their individual needs.

5. Comprehension Skills include:
Reading Instruction
Daily reading- Every child is expected to read at least 15 minutes each night at home.
Comprehension Skills include:
Predictions
Problem/Resolution
Visualizing
Fact & Opinion
Author’s purpose
Non-Fiction vs. Fiction
Identify setting
Non-Fiction features
Compare & Contrast
Context clues
Cause & Effect
Inferences
Sequence of events
Main Idea

6. Phonics/Writing Instruction
Emphasis on writing correct sentences: begins with a capital letter, has a naming & telling part, ends with the correct punctuation, and makes sense.
Correct formation of letters- capital letters used only where needed.
Main Writing Forms: Narrative and Opinion

7. Math Instruction
Investigations approach: math program includes student textbook, as well as an emphasis on investigating concepts, developing reasoning skills, using manipulatives, and problem solving.
Math Skills include:
Addition
Telling time to the hour and half hour
Subtraction
Place value to the hundredths place
Measurement with a variety of (non-standard) units
Problem Solving to sums and differences to 20
Skip Counting (2s, 5s, 10s)
(Simple) fractions
2D and 3D Geometry

8. Social Studies and Sciences
Assessments will be given in both Science and Social Studies.
Hands on Science as well as textbook.
We will be using a notebooking approach- students write and record questions, hypothesis, data, results, etc. during the course of a unit of study.

9. You can expect the following programs/methods to be used with your child throughout the year:
North Carolina Common Core State Standards
Investigations Math
Engineering is Elementary (Science)
Integrated themes/meaning based reading
Lucy Calkins (Reading and Writing)
Fountas and Pinnell (Phonics and Guided Reading)
Concept-Based learning

10. Grading Scale 1 = Below Level 2 = Inconsistently Meets Expectations
4 = Consistently Goes Above and Beyond Expectations

11. Homework
Homework schedules will be sent home at the beginning of each month.
New homework assignments are sent each Monday.
Homework is due on Friday.
Homework is a reinforcement of skills we learn in the classroom.
Homework is NOT mandatory, but recommended! 
Homework should be fun, and not a torture.
Please read every night, and log it in your Reading Log.

12. Lunch/ Snack We have recess before lunch each day.
Please provide your child with a water bottle to use throughout the day to eliminate congestion in the hallway and lost instruction time.
Students should practice and learn their lunch number.
Students may bring a healthy snack and/or drink every day for the afternoon snack. (Donations are always accepted!)

13. Discipline
All children deserve a safe and orderly environment in which they can learn, therefore we have developed our rules and responsibilities to help us understand how our actions affect others. We reward good behavior with a variety of methods, one being drawings from the treasure box. If you would like to send small prizes in for your teacher’s treasure box, you are more than welcome!

14. Discipline Procedures
Students will receive a verbal warning (typically more than once.)
If the behavior continues, a “Focus Meeting” will need to occur during your child’s recess time. A copy of the notes from the meeting will be sent home.
If a 2nd, and 3rd Focus Meeting is required, then a parent conference and behavior intervention will need to take place as soon as possible.

15. Communication
Homework Folders
Phone Calls
Conferences
Agendas

16. Absences
Please don’t forget to send a note explaining any absences that may occur throughout the year!
**You must send a note
within three school days
to be considered “excused.**

17. Questions!?