First Grade Curriculum Night September 2010

First Grade Teachers Joy Fowler – Team Leader Darla Helms Robbie Sisco Amy Van Hook

First Grade Schedule 7:35-7:50School starts, morning jobs, lunch count, attendance, calendar, etc. 7:50-10:15Morning Block »Making Meaning »Spelling »Literacy Groups »Daily 5 »Writing »Integrated Social Studies/Science Lessons 10:15-10:45 Recess/Study Hall 10:45-11:00Restroom Break, Prepare for Lunch 11:00-11:30Lunch 11:30-11:45Restroom Break, Teacher Read Aloud 11:45-12:50Math/Science/Social Studies Block 12:50-1:40Specials (Music, Art, PE, Spanish), Teacher Conference 1:40-2:10RTI 2:10-2:35 Math/Science/Social Studies Block 2:35-2:45Closing Activities

Course Requirements TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) GCISD Curriculum Guides First Grade Timeline based on GCISD timelines Lesson Plans

Integrated Language Arts, Science and Social Studies Literacy Groups Spelling Whole Group Lessons Daily 5 Activities Enrichment Social Studies/Science Concepts and Experiments Writing Workshop Interactive Notebooks (Writing, Science and Math) Computer

Mathematics Manipulatives/Math Centers Cognitively Guided Instruction Investigations/Envisions Small Group Work One on One work with teacher Independent Practice Enrichment Interactive Notebooks

Science/Social Studies Science in first grade covers life, earth, physical and natural science. Social Studies looks at citizenship and community and how we work and live together.

Specials (Music, Art, P.E., Spanish) Daily P.E. for 25 minutes – attire/shoes Weekly Music and Spanish/Art for 25 minutes Teacher Planning/Conference Time teacher’s first name.teacher’s last (Example:

Homework minutes per night Daily Take Home Folder – Return folder to school each day. 1. Behavior Chart 2. Monday work Reading Homework Math CD’s to use for home connections. Homework will not begin until after assessments are completed.

First Grade Expectations Building Policies – Responsibilities, Positive Discipline, Rachel’s Challenge, Bucket Fillers and Bucket Dippers ( Have You Filled a Bucket Today by Carol McCloud) Behavior Calendars – initial weekly Consequences Better Choices Sheets

Conferences Fall – Complete Reading Assessment and discuss results Spring – If requested or as needed, review end of year testing Other – throughout year as parent or teacher feels necessary

Parties Winter Party Spring Break Party Birthday Celebrations – We have many children in our classes with various food allergies. If you choose to purchase a treat from the cafeteria for lunch, please make sure to do that two weeks in advance. Another option is to buy a book for the classroom library and come up to school and read it to the class in celebration of your child’s special day.

Miscellaneous Absences – If your child is absent you need to call into the office that morning and inform the attendance clerk. Please send a doctor’s note or a parent’s note to the office when your child returns to school. Tardies – Your child is tardy if he/she is not in the classroom when the 7:45 bell rings. Just like absences, tardies must be reported daily to the attendance clerk. Make up work – To complete makeup work your child has the number of days he/she was absent plus one to finish and return work for full credit. Please read the Student Parent Handbook for more information on this topic.

Miscellaneous PAT – Spring testing, pull-out program 1 ½ hours per week RtI – Tutorials – These are provided during the school day for children having difficulty in a subject area. RtI time will also provide the opportunity for extension activities for the other students. Computers – We have computers located inside the classroom. There is also a school computer lab that we attend once a week. First grade’s day in the lab is on Wednesdays.

Miscellaneous Book Orders – Each teacher sends home book orders from companies such as Scholastic Books. This is a good way to build your child’s library with quality books. The purchase of books is totally optional. Medicine – All medicine including cough drops must be sent to the Nurse in her office. It must be in the original container with instructions printed on the bottle or box.

Miscellaneous Lunch – Time 11:00-11:30 Lunch Money – You may create a lunch account for your child in the cafeteria that your child can access with a code. This is one way to make sure that your child always has money to purchase lunch as well as have available funds if he/she forgets a lunch at home.

Volunteers – Each teacher uses volunteers in different ways. Please contact your child’s teacher if you are interested in volunteering. Study Hall – Study Hall is a time when children have extra time to complete unfinished work in the classroom. Students are not allowed to bring toys to class unless specified by a note from your child’s teacher. There will be times when an academic activity will call for a stuffed animal, show and tell, etc. We provide balls at recess for the students to use. Miscellaneous