Welcome to Our Class

Welcome to First Grade!  Hold on…I have lots of information to give you in a short amount of time  Please let me know if you have any questions!

All About Mrs. Stingle  My background  I grew up in Washington Twp.  I attended West Chester University.  I am currently getting my Masters in Reading at Wilmington University.  I live in Delanco, NJ with my husband and our dog Sierra.  My experience  This is my thirteenth year teaching in this district.  I taught kindergarten for one year before moving to first grade. I LOVE teaching first grade!

All About Ms. Mastella I grew up in Salem County. I received my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from Neumann University. I am currently working on my Masters for School Leadership at Neumann University. I have taught grades kindergarten, and second. This is my first year co-teaching in first grade.

This year your child will…  show amazing growth.  be in a supportive and fun learning environment.  make new friends and discover new interests.

Class Subjects  The subjects we cover during first grade are:  Reading (Whole Group and Guided Reading)  Writers Workshop  Working with Words (Spelling and Phonics)  Math (Whole Group and Math Workshop)  Science  Social Studies

Whole Group/Guided Reading  Whole group instruction is a time where I work with the whole class on a skill or topic.  Guided reading is a time where I work with small groups. Students read appropriate leveled readers that reinforce a skill or topic.

The Daily 5 What is Daily 5? It’s a 5 component literacy framework to help develop literacy skills. 1.Read to Self 2.Read to Someone 3.Listen to Reading 4.Work on Writing 5.Word Work/Spelling Benefits: Keep students focused on literacy while the teacher is working with small groups. Gives students the chance to be independent in their choices and have some ownership over their learning.

Sonday Enables us to use multisensory, structured phonics quickly and successfully for every level of instruction. The Sonday program is inclusive of the 5 elements needed to develop successful readers: phonological awareness, phonics instruction, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. We have found it to be very successful in both remediation of difficulties in reading as well as challenging gifted readers. Learners progress at their own pace and move onto the next level after successfully completing the Mastery Check.

Spelling/Working with Words Each student will be introduced to 5 sight words each week. Students will work with the words all week. Students will be expected to read (sometimes spell) words before getting new words. Students will learn how to review, sort, classify and analyze words. This helps students learn how to spell words not just for assessments but for life. Students will manipulate letters to form words, clap and chant words, find smaller words using a Big Word, etc,. Sitton Spelling will start in November. More information will be sent home at the end of October.

Writer’s Workshop  We will use Lucy Calkins Curriculum for writing mini-lessons.  Examples of Mini-Lessons:  Choosing a Topic  What to Do if You Can’t Spell a Word  Punctuation and Grammar  Adding On to a Piece  Revising  Editing Students will learn how to write: about their own experiences and interests (narratives). informational pieces (all about books, how to, etc). opinion pieces (Example: Writing about why purple is your favorite color).

Handwriting Students will focus on correct letter formation, configuration of each letter, spacing, proper use of upper and lower case letters, learning to write on lines, etc. Four Squares Four Square Graphic Organizers are often used for seasonal writing, science, and social studies topics. They are a great way to help students organize their writing into paragraph form. Writer’s Workshop continued

Math Workshop 1.Math Journal 2.Math Games 3.Math Technology 4.Rocket Math 5.Math Problem Solving

Math Lesson of the Day The teacher teaches the skill with a whole group or small group of students. S tudents use a hands-on approach to explore their knowledge of the lesson. Students complete activities or math games to reinforce the lesson during Math Workshop.

Science/Social Studies Harcourt Supplemental Series Social Studies Units  Rules and Laws  Where People Live  Meeting People  The Marketplace  We Love Our Country Science Units  Plants and Animals All Around  Living Together  About Our Earth  Weather, Seasons, and the Sky

Classroom Community  Our classroom is a community. In our community, we have rules to help us get along with each other.  Our class rules are:  Respect yourself, others, and our classroom  Safe hands and feet  Be a good listener  Work as a team  Always try your best

Homework  Each student is expected to read for 10 minutes every night.  Additional activities can be found on the 1 st Grade Homework Website. See Handout

Goals To give your child the academic and social skills needed to progress to second grade. To foster independent work habits. To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment. To help your child make new friends, discover new interests, and develop their excitement for learning.

Just a Note… Never feel that any question is too small. I am here to help and answer any question or help with concerns you may have. I maintain a very supportive and encouraging classroom. I want your child to feel free to take risks, to learn from their mistakes, and to be excited about learning. If your child isn’t feeling that way, please let me know. I want to work with you to make this a great year for your child!

Let’s Have a Great Year!