Welcome to 1 st Grade

1. Welcome to 1st Grade Ashland Ridge Elementary Mrs. Rains

2. Meet the Teacher • Taught in Ankeny 10 years. Last three years Literacy Leader at Terrace. • Twenty-fourth year teaching – primarily K-1. • Grandview University for BA in Elem. Educ. With minor in psychology • Drake University for MS in Special Educ. • Avid reader of professional materials • Four grown children and three grandchildren

3. Class Schedule • “Normal Schedule” • 7:55-8:10 Morning Meeting • 8:15-9:45 Reading • 9:45-10:00 Recess • 10:00-11:05 Writer’s Workshop, Handwriting, Word Wall Words • 11:05-11:30 Lunch • 11:30-11:55 Recess • 12:00-12:20 Words Their Way • 12:20-1:30 Math • 1:30-2:00 Social Studies/Science • 2:00-2:45 Specials • 2:45-2:55 Read Aloud • 2:55 Dismiss

4. Specials Schedule • Monday – PE • Tuesday – Art • Wednesday – Guidance/Read-Aloud • Thursday – Music • Friday – Media and Book Checkout

5. P.E. Days • Please make sure your child wears tennis shoes on PE days.  (They can bring them in their bag and change into later, but please make sure they have them.) Our P.E. day is ALWAYS Monday. 

6. When to come to School • No child is to be in the school before 7:30. • No child is to be in the classroom or lockers until 7:45. • If it is before 7:45, your child is to go to the multipurpose room, then will come to the lockers when everyone is dismissed. • Thank-you for your cooperation. 

7. Lunch with your child • Please check in with me or the office by 7:55 that morning so we can get an accurate lunch count

8. What are we learning in 1st Grade?

9. Reading • Whole group and small group work • Students will develop independence and stamina with literacy activities • Daily 5 • Read to Self • Read to Someone • Listen to Reading • Work on Writing • Work with Words

10. Curriculum: Reading • Guided Reading • 5 Components of Reading • Phonemic awareness • Phonics • Fluency • Vocabulary • Comprehension

11. Targeted Reading • Mrs. Tragesser is our Targeted Reading teacher. Targeted Reading is for students who need 30 more minutes of extra reading support. After we have tested, we will let you know if your child has qualified. • Students can test out of targeted reading and qualify throughout the year.

12. Spelling • No lists are sent home • Words their Way • Differentiated • Helps the students learn patterns in words • We will rotate classrooms for this -Word Wall Words Helps the students use rimes to spell words

13. Curriculum: Math • Everyday Math • Teaches a realistic approach to problem solving in everyday situations • Frequent and distributed practice of basic skills through games • Math concepts are frequently revisited to ensure concept development • Homework-involves you and shows students that math is not just in school, it is all around them • Differentiated small groups • Username and passwords – web site • Coins listed in handbook

14. Curriculum: Scienceand Social Studies How We Get Along Maps Families Solids, Liquids, Gases Rocks and soil Life Science/Habitats Human Body

15. Curriculum: Writing • Handwriting • Being A Writer is our district wide writing curriculum • 40 minutes of writing 4 days per week

16. School-Home Connection • Each month I will send a newsletter of all of the classroom happenings. • Daily blog

17. Take Home Folder • Please look in your child’s Take Home Folder each night. In the folder there will be important notes and school work, some will stay at home and some will need to come back to school. Please make sure you’ve looked through everything before you toss things out, in case your child and I put the paper in the wrong side of the folder.

18. Book In a Baggie • Daily • Student selected • Intended to be read to child • Complete sheet and return

19. Homework • This year all students will have math homework. This will come on blue paper in their take home folder. • Post-It note marks the page that needs to be done.

20. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) • Raindrops • Save and redeem • Focus is on developing internal reinforcements • Think Sheets • Will communicate issues

21. Behavior Communication • There will be a Think Sheet that will be sent home in the take home folder that you will need to sign and return. • Individual behavior plan if needed

22. Positive Reinforcement • PBIS—YODA tickets and traveling trophy • Main Event

23. Birthdays • We celebrate right before specials • Let me know when you’re celebrating • ½ birthdays for summer birthdays • No food/drink treats. • Still make it special!

24. Conferences • Real important that I have your correct email address. Link will be sent out at 7:30 on 9/16. • Due to the number of students I will only have one slot per child. • Please try and find a time that is most convenient for you as I will not have any open slots once everyone is signed up.

25. Needed • Socks without partners • Giving Tree • Working CD player • Headphones from Dollar Tree?

26. Tidbits • Box Tops for Education • Labels For Education and Tyson labels • PTO has lots of opportunities to volunteer • Classroom volunteers will be arranged soon • Homeroom parents • Need to have background check on file • Directory sign up • Page from math book taken out

27. Thank-you for coming! • Questions? • Turn in information slip