First Grade Curriculum

Welcome to First Grade!  We are so excited to have your child here at Pickett Elementary School.  The following is a brief overview of the curricular areas we will be covering during the year.

 

Reading:     We will work on decoding, word recognition, simple sentences, vocabulary, context clues, main ideas, details, and comprehension.  We will be using the new textbook Harcourt Brace that the Queen Creek School district has adopted for this year.  We will be also using the Metra Companion Study, which is a phonetic approach to reading.  The Spalding Phonograms correlate with the Companion Reading.

The students will be exposed to different authors and types of literature in order to help them develop a lifelong appreciation of literature. Your child will have the opportunity to visit the school library each week, and use the classroom library in the classroom.

 

Spelling:           Each Monday your child will be given a new spelling list for the week.  He/she will bring a copy of this list home on Monday afternoon.  Students are expected to study the list as a part of their homework each night.  We will have opportunities for the students to practice them in class as well.  There will be a pretest each Wednesday and the final test on Friday.

Language:The focus will be word order, sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, mechanics, paragraph writing, and parts of a sentence.  The main focus will be writing complete and accurate sentences.  We will also learn how to use a dictionary, which incorporates the knowledge of alphabetical order.

 

Handwriting.  We will continually be working on correct letter formation.  The workbook by Zaner-Bloser is a great asset to our program for practicing the individual letters.  The extra practice you can provide at home is appreciated.

Math: Number sequence, geometric shapes, patterns, days of the week, months, addition, subtraction, basic facts, problem solving, measurement, fractions, telling time, and money will be the main topics.  You can help your child by giving them problems to solve, playing math games, and using flash cards for reinforcement.  Chapter tests and quarterly tests will be taken on a regular basis.

Science and Social Studies:  These subjects are hands on activities that will involve animal habitats, earth science, school days, families, map/globe and chart studies.  Most of our studies are oral and evolve around our current reading series.

Homework Policy

This is a simple overview of the homework policy and is not a comprehensive explanation.

 

Each student will be given a home work folder on the first day of school.  In the folder you will find a calendar and a weekly spelling test.  You will also find extra spelling activities, reading assignments, and math practice on a daily basis.  Your child is responsible for taking the folder home and bringing it back the following morning.

 

 

Students will have homework Monday through Thursday.  Homework will be given each afternoon, and discussed so that the students know what is expected.  Homework is returned the following morning and tracked by marking the child’s calendar, located in the homework folder.  This calendar is a daily parent contact.  Being consistent with homework develops good study skills and self-discipline.  This will help each student throughout his/her life.

 

Grading Policy

 

Performance                Grade Level              Effort

 

E          Excellent                        AG    Above Grade Level                E   Excellent  

M         Meets expectation         OG      On Grade level                    M  Meets Expectations

I          Improving                        BG  Below Grade Level                  I   Improving

N         Needs Improvement                                                              N  Needs Improvement

 

Student Rights

The right to be safe.

The right to be listened to.

The right to be respected.

The right to learn.

 

Each and every student is accountable for his/her actions or lack of.  As a classroom, we must learn to cooperate and develop social skills that will bond us together for this year.  Hopefully this will help us to become better citizens in and out of school.    Your child deserves the most positive educational experience for academic and personal growth.  Please note the discipline policy contained in this packet.  This plan will be in effect at all times.

Classroom Rules:

1.                Listen carefully

2.                Follow directions

3.                Use appropriate voices

4.                Respect others; be kind with your words and actions

5.                Respect school and personal property

6.                Work and play safely

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following consequences will be in place if a student chooses to break a rule:

1.                Yellow dot-verbal warning

2.                Red dot    - lose recess

3.                Double red- loses all privileges and a note/phone call home.

Positive behavior is rewarded.  We do our best to encourage students to make good choices.

 Positive reinforcement is reinforced by:

Praise                              Happy grams

Good notes                       Phone calls

Fun time                          Special events

Treats                             Stickers

 

 Please feel free to call on us at anytime should you have any questions.

 

We are looking forward to an exciting year in First Grade.

 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Morgan

Ms. Reed