Do you know about our Reading At Home program?

Every day your child comes home with a new book and a blue communication log in a large ziploc bag. Where do these books come from?

This is the part of our classroom library where we store our leveled books.
Each bin is labeled and filled with books at each level. The students have been individually assessed and are reading books at their independent reading level.

There are many choices of books at each level, so each student has an opportunity to pick a book that is of interest.

We've learned about "Just Right" books. As readers, our "Just Right" books are different for each of us. As the 1st graders gain more skills and become better readers, their assigned reading level will change.

After your child reads the book at home for homework, the next day our AMAZING parent volunteers spend a few minutes with each student reading and discussing the book that was read the night before. The students then choose a new book, the parent records the new assignment and the process begins all over again. It takes a lot of coordination and help from the students, parents and volunteers. But together, everyone helps these 1st graders become better readers!

Number Poems

We have been practicing writing our numbers correctly. We have learned that we must always start at the TOP when we write our numbers. Here are the poems that we recite in class to help us remember how to form the numbers.


Around, around, around we go, that is how we make zero!


Start at top and down you run, that is how we make a one!


Make a candy cane and give it a shoe, that's the way we make a two!


Around a tree and around a tree, that's the way we make a three!


Down and over and down some more, that's the way we make a four!


Across the board, down you dive, around the pool, to make a five!


Grab a spoon and stir the mix, that is how we make a six!


Across the sky and down from heaven, that's the way to make a seven!


First make an "S" but do not wait, go back up to make an eight!


Make a circle, then down the line, that's the way we make a nine!

Our Class Contract

During our first week of 1st grade, we created this classroom contract. These "guidelines" were suggested and agreed upon by our entire class. We promise to do our best to follow this contract at all times.

1st Grade Curriculum & Information

We have completed our first week of 1st grade. We have a great class! I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to spend the days with your children- they are amazing!

Our curriculum night at Hilltop will be a little different this year. Our “new and improved curriculum night” will be an opportunity to drop in from 6:00pm-6:45pm on the evening of Thursday, September 16th to ask questions. There will not be a formal presentation. After a low turnout of parents the last few years, we realize that families are busy and it is often hard to come to this event. After reading through the below information, if you have further questions, I would encourage you to email or call me. If you would like to stop by on September 24th, I will be here to answer questions as well. The “new and improved curriculum night” will not be a time for parent-teacher conferences. If you have a need for a conference prior to conference week (October 25th-29th), please contact me to set up a time to meet.

LITERACY
**We use a district wide program called Benchmark Literacy-If you would like to further review the materials, feel free to check out the website www.benchmarkeducation.com
**Reading at Home Program: Your involvement in helping your child is key- you will need to read with your child every night for about 15 minutes. Each student will have a chosen book that is at their individualized reading level. More information about this will come home later this month.
WRITING
**We write every day in first grade. Some of our writing this year will include: handwriting practice in our Alphabet books, Writer’s Workshop focusing on writing and sharing original stories, a Poetry unit in the spring, and various thematic reports written in class.
MATH
**We use a district wide program called Expressions- If you would like to see the materials and learn more about the program, feel free to check out the website www.eduplace.com/parents/mthexp
**Math Family Letters: Math family letters will be sent home occasionally. Please read them, they will help you in learning the language that we use in our math curriculum. One of the first letters you receive will be about Homework Helpers. Your child will need a Homework Helper- someone that can be counted on to make sure that your child completes his or her math homework. Please fill out the form on the letter and return it back to school.
**Paper math manipulatives: Occasionally you will see math sheets coming home with cut-apart shapes or manipulatives. Please cut them apart and ask your child to teach you some of the math activities we are learning in school. These are for you to keep at home and practice math.
**Math Homework: Math homework (usually 1 page) will go home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You will see a frog stamp at the top of the page. Math homework should be completed that night and returned to school the following day. You will also see other similar looking math sheets coming home that are completed in class as morning work (they will not be stamped).
SCIENCE
**We will focus on two main science units this year. We will complete a unit on Air and Weather in the fall, and a unit on Solids and Liquids in the spring. First graders will use a science notebook to record their thinking. Our science units are hands-on and well enjoyed by the students.
SOCIAL STUDIES
**We will focus on various social studies topics that are integrated throughout other subject areas. One of our social studies topics include a focus on learning about winter holidays celebrated around the world. We will also study families and neighborhoods in the spring.
CHARACTER ED.
**We have agreed upon and written a class contract which consists of the ways we will try to act in first grade. This is our main guide in discipline and serves as our “class rules”.
**Our school focuses on a different character virtue each month. We will discuss each virtue and learn of ways to act according to each virtue.
**We begin each school day with a morning meeting- this is a time to come together as a class community and get ready for each day of learning. We will also have weekly class meetings to take time to discuss issues within our classroom, and to focus on building our community of friends and learners.
**We have a thinking chair in our classroom which is a place where students can take a moment to reflect on their behavior choices. It usually just takes a couple minutes to refocus and then return to the group, and be ready to learn.
NUTS & BOLTS…….
**Snack: We will have a snack each day just before morning recess. Please be sure to send a healthy snack with your child. It is best to keep it separate from their lunchbox, perhaps in a front pocket. We also have students in our classroom that are allergic to peanuts and nuts. I would like to ask your help in making sure all snacks are peanut and nut free. I know this is not always easy, but your assistance and concern would sure be appreciated!
**Blue Communication Folders: Please make sure to check, and return your child’s communication folder daily. All notes, homework, and important information will be sent in this folder. If you have a note or something to return to me, please utilize the folder as well.
**Volunteers: We need parent volunteers in order to make our Reading at Home Program successful. Please complete Volunteer Survey, and return it as soon as possible.
**Specialist Times: We have P.E. on Mondays and Wednesdays-please make sure your child is dressed appropriately (running shoes) on these days. We have music on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We have library on Fridays-your child will need to bring his or her book back each Friday in order to check out a new one.
**Birthdays: You are welcome to bring treats for your child’s birthday. We have 25 students in our class. It would most helpful if you could let me know a day or two in advance so we can plan for it. We will enjoy birthday treats at the very end of the day. All birthday treats must be store bought.
**Email Communication: If your email address changes, please be sure to notify me so I can update my list. I will send weekly updates via email, as well as post them to our class blog.
**BLOG: You will find pictures, and other important information updated on our class blog. Please check it regularly. www.htroom4kids.blogspot.com
If you have other questions please feel free to call or email me. I check my email frequently- this is the best way to get a hold of me. I may not always check my voicemail until the end of the day. But, my computer is always handy!

First Grade Supply List

Please label these items with your child’s name:

3 Boxes 24-count crayons (Please do not send larger boxes*)
1 Box of colored pencils
2 Pocket folders (Pee-Chee type, not 3-ring)
1 Pencil box for supplies
1 Regular Sized Backpack (no “wheelie” backpacks please!)

These items will be shared, so please do not label:

1 Pink Pearl Eraser “Big Pink Eraser”
12 #2 pencils, plain yellow (pre-sharpened are great)
1 regular sized box of Kleenex
15 White Glue Sticks (yes, we really mean 15!)
1 Box of Ziploc freezer quart size bags (Boys Only)
1 Box of Ziploc freezer gallon size bags (Girls Only)
2 Large containers of handi-wipes or baby wipes
*Note: We have found that first graders use lots of crayons but we do not want larger crayon boxes as they don’t fit into a standard sized pencil box.

In addition to the First Grade Supply List, Room 4 students will also need: 1 wide rule wire-bound 1 subject notebook (100-sheets preferred), 1 bottle of hand sanitizer, and 1 pre-washed white t-shirt (for tie dying!).

Welcome to Room 4!!

Hello! Welcome to our blog! My name is Jenica Valdivia and teach first grade in Room 4. I have taught both kindergarten and 1st grade in the past and love watching the kids learn and grow. I am very fortunate in that I get to spend my days at school with your precious children, and then I spend my evenings at home with my own. A little about myself...I have two sons, Braeden (turned 5 years old in July) and Nolan (almost 3½ years old). This will be an eventful fall for us, as Braeden will be starting kindergarten, and Nolan will be starting preschool. I earned my BA from the UW (go Huskies!) and then went on to get my teaching degree from WWU. I enjoy bowling, crafts, going to concerts, and spending time with my family and friends. I love butterflies and my favorite color is purple.
First grade is a huge year of growth and learning. I believe that every child is capable of succeeding and I will encourage your child to always try to do their own personal best. During the year, your child will learn under an umbrella of themes that change approximately every month. Each theme will be tailored around the required first grade curriculum.
There will be many opportunities for you to be involved in our classroom. I hope you will consider signing up to be a parent volunteer. I am excited to meet and work with you, as well as tell you about our Reading At Home program. You are one of the most important parts of this program, and the growth that our students experience would not happen without parent help! Please consider being a Room 4 volunteer! A survey will be sent home later for you to fill out and return expressing your interest in participating in our classroom community.
I look forward to a wonderful year. Please do not hesitate to contact me through email or by phone if you have any questions or concerns.