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!