Welcome First Grade Parents

1. Welcome First Grade Parents Bain School Curriculum Night 2012-2013

2. Overview of Curriculum - CMS • Literacy – The Daily 5 and CAFÉ, Imagine It! Month by Month Phonics • Math – Investigations, Kathy Richardson Assessments • Science – MacMillan • Social Studies – Harcourt • Writing- Being a Writer!

3. Independent Reading Writing Balanced Literacy Word Work Supported Reading

4. Literacy – Balanced Literacy Overview • CAFÉ focuses on Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding Vocabulary • Students read every day (listen to reading, read to someone, read to themselves) • Shared writing, guided writing, Independent Writing • Short Focus Lesson on CAFÉ Strategies: • Preparing to read – focuses on sounds/spellings to decode words • Reading and responding – focuses on vocabulary, comprehension, and Inquiry • Language arts – grammar, usage, and mechanics • Assessments are designed to monitor progress and allow for differentiation for each student. • Teacher Conferences – designed for small-group instruction. Focuses on and reinforces skills learned during whole class instruction.

5. Literacy - Changes Last Year: • Imagine It - Phonics • Imagine It -Comprehension • Imagine It -Writing • Lucy Calkins - Writing • Teacher Created - Workshop New This Year: • Month by Month – Phonics • CAFÉ – Comprehension • Being a Writer – Writing • Common Core – Writing • The Daily Five – Workshop Guide

7. Literacy Tips for Parentshttp://www.elmhurstpubliclibrary.org/Kids/ForParentsHelpingBeginningReaders.php • Reading • Before reading, look at the pictures. • Look for patterns in the words. • Use beginning sounds, pictures and sentence meaning to help with unknown words. • Students should “track” the words with their finger. • Reread a book for fluency. • Discuss the book and make connections. • Writing • Let students sound spell most words. • Only correct spelling on commonly used sight words. • Ask your child to “read” their story to you instead of saying “what does this say?”. • Encourage your child to include details and a beginning, middle and end. • Make lists, write letters, play school, etc.

8. Reading – Fluency is Important • One of the most important things about reading in first grade is the speed at which students read. Fluency directs impacts comprehension. • By the middle of first grade, students should be reading approximately 40 words per minute. • By the end of first grade, students should be reading a minimum of 60 words per minute. • One of the most important components of fluency is sight words. The better recognition students have of the kindergarten and first grade sight words, the easier reading is. • Another important aspect of fluency is practice, practice, practice! When working with nightly reading, have students read a text twice or even three and four times. The more familiar they are, they can read more fluently. • They also need to see fluency modeled. Show them what good reading sounds like. • By working together, we can have these first graders reading with speed and accuracy!

9. Math – Investigations - Overview • Lessons are based on research to reach all learners. (http://investigations.terc.edu/) • Mathematical processes and thinking are the emphasis, over rote memorization of facts. • Skills follow a scope and sequence to build and expand knowledge. • Skills correspond to the critical stages for mathematics. • Skills taught meet the Common Core Standards. • Incorporates the use of Math tools for hands-on learning. • Children learn math skills while enjoying the games and activities. • Provides opportunities for parents to play the games at home.

10. Critical Learning Phases- Number Senses • Counting Objects: one-to-one correspondence • One More/ One Less: counting patterns • Changing Numbers: describes relationships between numbers (counting on and counting back) • More/Less : compare numbers • Number Arrangements: recognizes groups and know different combinations • Combinations of Numbers: combine parts used related facts ( ex. 3 + 4= 7 doubles + 1 to help solve ) • Missing Parts: knows missing parts by using related facts (ex. ____ + 7= 10 10 -7= 3) • Ten Frames: decomposing numbers from 10 to 19, adding 2 single digit numbers • Grouping Tens: 10 less or 10 more of a given number

11. 1st quarter: Introducing Math tools Comparing and combining quantities Addition 2nd quarter: Geometry (2D, 3D) Patterns Story problems 3rd quarter: Place Value (tens) Data collection/ Graphing Measurement Addition/Subtraction 4th quarter: Predictions/patterns Numbers to 100 + beyond Math - Investigations – Skills

12. Science – MacMillan - Overview • Units of study involve learning about the natural world around us. • All units integrate inquiry into each lesson through using the skills of: • Observation • Infer • Predict and communicate • Measure • Put Things in Order • Compare • Classify • Investigate • Make Models and Draw Conclusions • Read and Use Pictures • Write • Find Information • Use Tools

13. 1st quarter: Inquiry Skills Earth and the Universe 2nd quarter: Force and Motion Magnets 3rd quarter: Plants Animals 4th quarter: Earth and the Environment Earth Materials Science – MacMillan – Units of Study

14. Social Studies – Harcourt - Overview • All units are designed around a central theme. • Each unit integrates learning across the curriculum through: • Art • Science • Language Arts • Technology • Reading • Math • Units use the expanding approach by starting with topics that are close to the student and guides them through topics that are more abstract.

15. 1st quarter: Rules at home, school and the community Authority figures at home, school and community Comparing schools Folklore 2ndquarter: Kid’s Voting Native Americans World Cultures Martin Luther King, Jr. Looking Back 3rd quarter: President’s Day Black History Dental Health Maps 4th quarter: Good Citizens Economics Interacting with our Environment Social Studies – Harcourt – Units of Study

16. Writing- Being a Writer! – Overview • Writer’s Workshop is based on providing students the opportunity to write each day. • Writing structures are established and carried out each day. • Trade books are used as examples of good writing. • Teachers and students write together daily. • Students build stamina, fluency and competence in writing. • Students choose from various genres: • Narrative • Explanatory • Opinion • Poetry • Response to Reading: Fiction and Non-Fiction

17. Writing Stages – First Quarter Early Developing • Relates drawings and writing to create a more meaningful text. • Drawings show a sequence of events. • Writes a few short, patterned, repetitive sentences focused on a topic. • Writes about familiar topics and experiences. • Shows evidence of using language from books. • Writes left to right across several lines. • Uses spacing between words consistently. • Spells simple words and some high frequency words correctly. • Uses temporary spelling with some phonetic elements. • Uses capital letters for names and the beginning of sentences. • Uses periods correctly. • Uses question marks and exclamation points inconsistently. • Reads own writing with fluency.

18. Writing Stages – First Grade End of Year - Developing • Uses drawings to enhance meaning of writing. • Writes several sentences about a topic. • Writes in complete sentences. • Writes in a logical sequence. • Uses list-like details and descriptive language. • Uses vocabulary appropriate for the topic. • Spells many high frequency words correctly. • Uses temporary spelling that can generally be read by others and is moving toward conventional spelling. • Uses capital letters and end punctuation correctly and consistently. • Begins to write with a sense of audience.

21. Writing Tips • Interviews: Encourage children to ask family members about life experiences, take notes and write short articles or stories based on what they learn. This can be especially fun if they ask a grandparent about a historical anniversary or an activity that is no longer common, like listening to radio shows. • Journals: Buy your child a special notebook to write in. Encourage him to write about daily activities, important life events, feelings and other personal topics. • Television: Turn watching television into an educational activity by asking children to write about a program they've seen. They can retell the show's story, or better yet, explore the values and meanings it expressed. • Reading: Read aloud to your children. This will improve their writing by exposing them to well-written sentences and well-expressed ideas. • Proud displays: Have a place in your home where you display your children's writing. This will build their confidence and encourage them to write more often. • Dictation: Encouraging very young children to generate ideas and think in complete sentences. This will help prepare them to write alone when they get older. Encourage children to dictate stories and ideas to you, and keep them so they can read them later.

22. Raz-Kids • Interactive Books for 1st Graders • Log-In • www.Raz-Kids.com • earmstrongf

23. Accelerated Reader • www.arbookfind.com • Students in First Grade start AR as they are ready. • Students need to be independent readers before they are ready for AR. • All students will be on AR before the end of First Grade.

24. Tips for how to help your child: • Talking and asking questions during math games: “How did you know that? How did you figure that out?” • Asking questions during and after reading books: “Do you know why the character…? How would you like this story to end?” • Praise! www.elmhurstpubliclibrary.org/Kids/ForParentsHelpingBeginningReaders.php

25. Important Bain Elementary Staff • John LeGrand, Principal • Joyce Fullington, Assistant Principal • Shawn Shaver, PTA President • Twila Quattlebaum, SSS • Kelli Drye, Literacy Facilitator • Patricia Wasco, Speech Pathologist

26. Thank you for coming to Curriculum Night Please remember to email me with any questions you have.