Ms. Blumberg’s First Grade Class

1. Ms. Blumberg’s First Grade Class Open House 2014-2015

2. About Me

3. About Me Cont.… • Born in raised in Texas! • Earned my Bachelor’s Degree from University of Texas San Antonioin 2010 in Interdisciplinary Studies(EC-6) • I am currently certified to teach EC-6, ESL supplemental certification, and GT supplemental certifications • I have taught for 3 years in 1st grade • I love coming to my job everyday!

4. Subjects This Year

5. Math Some big things we will learn or improve upon this year: • Addition and Subtraction • Data and Graphs • Money (counting change) • Extended skip counting • Place Value • Time (hour and half hour) • Comparing and ordering • 2 & 3 dimensional shapes • Length

6. Reading Some big things we will learn or improve on this year: • Fiction • Fable, Folktales, Fairytales • Culture and Historical text • Expository Research • Poetry • True vs. Fantasy

7. Writing Some big things we will learn or improve on this year: • Personal stories in chronological order • Composition on topics of interest • Record informational text • Poems

8. Science Some big things we will learn or improve on this year: • Weather, climate, and objects in ___ • Properties of matter • Forms of energy • Force and motion • Natural resources, rocks, soil, and water • Needs of organisms and ecosystems • Traits and behaviors of life cycles

9. Social Studies Some big things we will learn or improve on this year: • Citizens within a community • Celebrating culture • Geography • Goods and services • Economic choices • Building and reinforcing student’s sense of identity and cultural awareness

10. IB/PYP • The PYP curriculum is integrated into every subject. You can find detailed information on Spicewood’s website: http://spicewood.roundrockisd.org/ • Our Units of Inquiry are 6 weeks long and include: • Who we are • Where we are in place and time • How we express ourselves • How the world works • How we organize ourselves • Sharing the planet

11. Technology Some big things we will learn or improve on this year: • Creating a document • Saving a document • Retrieving a document • Introduction to Power Point • Using a computer as a source of research

12. Homework • Homework will include 20 minutes of reading with an adult every night while answering comprehension questions. • I recommend that students practice their sight words and basic math facts on a regular basis. • Word sort homework will be given out late September/early October. • I ask that parents sign their child’s reading log daily. I may also use this as a source of communication, so please check it • regularly.

13. Communication • Completed student work or forms regarding class or school will be sent home in Friday Folders. I do not ask for a signature, but for the folder to be returned empty. • Please see our class website for our weekly newsletter-under the newsletter tab • We will have our student led conferences the week of September 22nd. I will send a form in a google doc. Please sign up in a time slot that works best for your schedule. (discuss student goals-sending home tomorrrow)

14. Essential Agreements On our second day of school, students created essential agreements using the IB profiles. • Communicator-Using hand signals, telling the teacher if someone is in danger, raising our hands • Thinker-thinking about making good choices, listening to rules, being safe on the playground, listening to rules • Caring- Be respectful, picking up after ourselves, ask; • “Are you okay?”, listening to friends, following directions

15. Behavior • If I have any behavior concerns I will contact you directly via email, phone call, or written note home. • The class receives positive reinforcement throughout the day. (marbles, popcorn jar, grab bag, Alby, sticker chest) • We refer back to our essential agreements to guide our great behavior choices.

16. Conflict Resolution • In first grade we encourage students to use I-messages which we introduce and roll model for the students early in the year. • When students are in a disagreement they are encouraged to talk through their problems by saying: “I don’t like it when you____, it makes me feel ____. Please stop.” • If students are unable to resolve a conflict a teacher • will get involved.

17. Lunch, Snack, Library • Please send a healthy snack for your student each day. Please send snacks that your child can handle independently. Please also keep in mind that our snack time is from 8:50-9:00 and snacks high in sugar content be saved for an after lunch dessert. • Lunch is at 11:03-11:33 each day. Spicewood does not offer a breakfast program. You can view or add money to your child’s lunch account through Spicewood’s webpage. You can also send checks in your child’s daily folder. Please do not send more than a few dollars in cash. • I ask that all students bring their library books to school each day and especially on Wednesdays. Our class library time will be each Wednesday from 1:00-1:30. Library is a great place to volunteer! • Speak with Mrs. Reeb for further questions.

18. Birthdays • RRISD district policy does not allow for parents to bring edible items to school for a child’s birthday. • Students will receive a pencil and ribbon from the office and a song from our class. • Please do not send party invitations to school unless the entire class is included.

19. Dress Code • The school dress code is strictly enforced and can be found in Spicewood’s Handbook(under parent resources). • I recommend that any layers your child may wear have their name in them. We often end up with piles of unclaimed clothing. • Please make sure children wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for PE.

20. Transportation • Pleasecall the office with any time sensitive information such as how your child will get home. You can also send a note to school in their homework folder or email me the day before. Please do not email me on the same day of the change, as I might not get it in time or incase I have a substitute. I must be notified in writing if your child is going home with someone new. • I do not get notified of which students are enrolled in after school programs and clubs. Please email me with the start and end dates, the days they will attend, and the location they meet.

21. Absences • When you are absent I will send home missed work in a folder to be completed at home. • Any doctor/dentist notes can be placed in the daily folder and I will turn them into the office. • I will assign a due date taking into consideration • the length of time your child was absent.

22. Volunteering Parent volunteers are highly encouraged to be a part of the class. I am in need of: • Friday Folders (stuff Friday folders) • Words Their Way (pull word sorts and cut/sort) • Classroom Materials at Home (cut/sort materials at home ) • Merchant Rebate (organize and count box tops) • Book Bag (stuff book bags each week) • Homeroom Parent (class parties) • *Training for volunteers is Wednesday, September 10th • from 6-7 in the library • *Training for home room parents from 7-7:30 in the library • * You can also do the training online via Spicewood’s Website