Welcome to First Grade!

1. Welcome to First Grade! "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.“ - Benjamin Franklin I hope to inspire our first graders to be involved in their own learning. I want to invite each child to make decisions about what we learn, how we learn, challenging themselves, showing what they know, and making good choices. Learning should be FUN!!!

2. What’s in the folder? • Packet of information • My Child as a Learner is optional (please fill out at home and send in) • Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value list • District Online Databases • Letter from the LA Department Head, Kristie Arnold • Choosing Books • Reading extension ideas (“Challenge” ideas) • Reading Cues • Writing and Spelling thoughts Please take the folder home

3. Notes Please read and take home the note from your first grader. Please use the paper with the pencils border to write a note back to your child and leave it on his/her desk. Please use the index card for any questions and/or comments you have that you do not want to ask in front of the group, or that are specific to your child and/or not general questions. Please write your name, your question, and put it in the basket before you leave.

4. Sign ups • Parent/Teacher Conferences • November 3 (day/evening), 4 (day), and 5 (day) • 1P Emails • Helping Hands note went home, please return it to school and I will send it on to our Room Parents • Mystery Reader note went home, if you return it I will schedule you to read. I will send a note or email (your choice).

5. A Day in 1P – Morning • Morning routine and meeting • Language Arts • Phonics – letter/sound awareness • Reader’s Workshop, Teacher Read Aloud, DEAR time • Writer’s Workshop, Journal Writing, Writing Prompts • Word Study (Words Their Way) • Handwriting (Zaner Blozer) • Mrs. Paige Chang, Reading Specialist (room 10A) • Snack-please be cautious we do have children with allergies • Healthy foods (please keep it simple) • Math (Go Math!)

6. Go Math! • Written by the writers of the Common Core Standards (followed by 48 of 50 states) • Scaffolding: the program builds year to year. • Online Access to activities: letter on desk (eGlossary, MegaMath, Practice Book, iTools, Math Readers)

7. A Day in 1P – Afternoon • Lunch and Recess – 20 mins each • Science (FOSS) • Unit 1: Balance and Motion • Unit 2: Rocks, Sand, and Silt • Unit 3: New Plants • Social Studies (Macmillan/McGraw-Hill) • Character Education, Important People, Holidays and Traditions, Long Ago and Today, and Community • Centers • Art, Word Work, Math, Writing, Listening • Specials • Library, PE (2xs a week), Music, FLES(Spanish), Sing A Long, Art • *See schedule

8. Homework Notes and Homework (printed and on webpage) Please check over the homework if you want to Please send a note with any issues Please send it back to school if necessary If you have special circumstances, please send a note Name, date, HW as a heading Challenge is optional

9. Birthdays! • We have 23 children in our class • We do have several children with allergies (safe treats from home) • Please include napkins • Please provide the same treat for every child

10. Communication • Email jpowers@npsdnj.org • Note in Take Home folder • If you want a meeting or a phone call please send a note or email and I will contact you

11. Room Parents Mrs. Karen Gaeta and Mrs. Smita Deshpande