Welcome to First Grade

1. Welcome to First Grade Mrs. Jordan’s Class

2. A Little About Myself

3. Communication Info *Take Home Folders and agendas *First grade blog, classroom blog, and Newsletters, email (snow.busker@cobbk12.org), Phone (Varner 770-222-3775, cell 770-912-3826) *Changes in transportation (must be in writing) *Attendance and tardies – please make every effort to have your child at school on time each day. If your child must be absent, please be sure to send in a written excuse when he/she returns.

4. Breakfast, Lunch, and Snack Breakfast: $1.25 Lunch: $2.15 (students) $3.25 (guest) Snack: Please send a healthy snack. You can prepay and review charges online at www.mealpayplus.com. Reduced lunch applications are available through the cafeteria and the Cobb County website. Menus are available on the Varner website. Let the cafeteria know if your child should not use account money for extras. Linda.mallam@cobbk12.org No fast food is allowed in the cafeteria. If your child will be eating breakfast at school, it is very important for them to be in the breakfast line by 7:40 at the latest. Please join us when you can for lunch. All visitors must sign in at the front office. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, you are welcome to bring or send a special treat (cookies, popsicles, etc.) for lunch.

5. Riding the Character WaveEmpathyIntegrityMoral CouragePerseveranceFairness**Dinner Dilemmas will be sent home once a month.**

6. Classroom Management All students will be assigned a clip with a number. Everyone’s clip will start on “Prepared to Learn” everyday. They will have the opportunity to move up by going above and beyond expectations. If a student makes a poor choice their clip will move down a level. I student’s clip may be moved to “Parent Contact” in the event of a major rule violation. Agendas should be signed nightly to verify that you have looked for notes and have seen what color your child was on for the day.

7. What will we learn in First Grade?

8. Common Core Georgia Performance Standards The CCGPS are aligned to the highest international and national standards and have an increased emphasis on the following: - Reading more informational and complex texts - Writing to justify thinking and reasoning and writing for more authentic purposes - Engaging in more problem‐solving and problem‐based learning - Making more real‐world, relevant connections - Assessing learning at higher‐levels

9. Phonics • It is based on learning word patterns rather than memorizing unconnected words. • Students study words and discover the common attributes.  • Students learn features by completing activities such as word sorting, word hunts, games and drawing and labeling. 

10. Reader’s Workshop/Guided ReadingDuring readers workshop students will be learning to read independently and the teacher will be doing mini lessons to help the children grow as readers. Guided reading is a small group activity, led by the teacher.  The goal of a guided reading group is to focus on a particular skill or strategy that all members of the group will benefit from, whether it is phonemic awareness, word attack skills, fluency, or reading comprehension.

11. What Does Guided ReadingLook Like?

12. Daily 5 (Literacy Stations) While I am working with small groups, the other students are actively engaged in literature activities that they can complete independently. The 5 activities we will do are: read to self, read with someone, listen to reading, word work, and writing.

13. Writer’s WorkshopWriter’s workshop is daily writing time that consists of a mini lesson, independent writing time, conferencing, and share time. Our genres for the year are:*Narrative*Informational*Persuasive

14. What does writer’s workshoplook like?

15. Math WorkshopMuch like guided reading, we work in small math groups based on students’ academic needs. While I am working with a group of students, the other groups are engaged in independent math stations where they review skills.

16. Math Standards • Understanding Place Value • Solves word problems • Understands addition and subtraction • Understands concepts of measurement • Positional relationships • Geometric Shapes (2D and 3D) • Creates, organizes, and interprets data

17. Social Studies *Our Earth and Country *American Heroes: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea, Harriet Tubman, Theodore Roosevelt, George Washington Carver *American Folktales *Goods and Services

18. Science *Weather and Seasons *Water *Magnets *Sound *Light and Shadow *Plants *Animals

19. Homework Your child will begin getting sight word rings until they learn all 200 words. Then, starting in September, they will be given other homework along with their sight words. Reading is also part of your child’s homework. PLEASE put reading first! First grade homework is to read at least 10-15 minutes per night. Make time and show the students that reading is a priority!*Reading includes reviewing Sight WordsReading contributes to the success of your child in ALL areas of the curriculum!

20. Report CardsReport cards will be sent home every 9 weeks. 3 (consistently meets standards), 2 (progressing toward meeting standards), and 1 (limited progress toward meeting standard). Parent/teacher conferences will be held the week of October 20-24.Progress reports will go home every 4½ weeks.

21. CogAT The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) will be administered September 7th, 8th, and 9th. • Please make sure your child eats a good breakfast and gets plenty of sleep that week.

22. -Basic PTA membership is $5.00.-Different membership levels are available.-Help us achieve Varner’s 100% membership goal!-Visit the PTA table to join or volunteer for various committeesVolunteer Meeting - There will be a meeting tomorrow morning (Aug. 15) at 8 a.m. in the media center for anyone that would like to volunteer in the school this year. PTA

23. Clinic Clinic/Medication Policies:-ALL medication must be sent to the clinic in the original container (including cough drops).-Please send a note with all medications. Needs: Large and small Ziplock bags Rubbing alcohol (wipes if possible) Hydrogen peroxide Small plastic cups (3 oz size) Ginger Ale (small cans) Antibacterial hand soap Boys and girls underwear:  all sizes Clothes donations for boys and girls:  all sizes Children’s Stickers Saline eye wash

24. Thank you for coming!