Welcome to First Grade Parent Orientation

1. Welcome to First Grade Parent Orientation September 9, 2014

2. Introducing...The First Grade Team • Kara Bartkus • Shannaedi ElFadili • Amanda McGlothlin • Laura Parker • Crystal Weber • Michelle White

3. Communication • Alvin Websitewww.alvinisd.net * Please visit this website for important information (student handbook, calendar and dress code). * Please visit school and teacher webpages for current events. • Alvin ISD Mobile APP http://www.alvinisd.net/Page/15236 * Please visit this website to download a free APP for quick district communication. • Marlin Messenger (e-news) • Please visit this website to enroll. http://alvinisd.schoolwires.net/Page/4569 • Teacher Email * (first initial, last name@alvinisd.net) * Limited information pertaining to child as teacher’s respect student confidentiality • Mary Marek Phone: 281-245-3232 Conference time: 1:00-1:50pm • Tuesday folders * Used to send important information home * Used as “one-way” communication * Sent home on Tuesday and returned to school on Wednesday • Student daily binder and academic planner • Change of Transportation must be received by 2:30pm. Please call the office, email me, or send in a written note.

4. Grading Guidelines • Grades and attendance are posted on the TEAMs Parent Self Serve. This website is a resource for parents/guardians to view their child's grades, attendance and discipline information. Email notifications can also be set to receive notifications whenever an absence is posted or for low grades or missing assignments. • Register to activate your portal through the Alvin ISD website or by going to https://teamsapp.alvinisd.net/selfserve/parent/ • Teams Mobile • Email Notification http://www.alvinisd.net/cms/lib03/TX01001897/Centricity/Domain/2092/Email%20Notifications.pdf Alvin ISD Elementary Grading Guidelines: • With the Reading/Language Arts K-2 report card being based on a continuum of learning rather than based on a 0-100 grading scale, multiple opportunities should be given for a student to master skill prior to documentation on the report card. This documentation will be noted as 3, 2, 1.

5. Homework • Homework is reinforcement of skills learned in class. • Math • A.S.T.R.O.S- Tuesday-Wednesday • Science/Social Studies • Assignment over topic for the week - Thursday • Reading • Minimum of 20 minutes daily • Homework is checked daily. • Students will be expected to do the written work on their own and ask for help only after they have given it their best effort. ***It is YOUR CHILD’S responsibility to complete daily homework assignments and get their planner and reading log signed daily. ***

6. Classroom Management • All students will be expected to behave in a manner which does not prevent me from teaching and/or other students from learning. • If a student makes poor choices, behaviors will be documented using the academic planner. Examples of consequences are verbal warnings, think time, Behavior Reflections, walking at recess, and office referral. • Capturing Kids Hearts * Good Things/Affirmations * Social Contract * Hand Signs

7. Math • Spiraling Curriculum-Each nine weeks we will revisit concepts learned from the previous nine weeks and build on those concepts. • Concepts Include • Related addition and subtraction problems (word problems) • Number Patterns • Numbers to 120 • Graphs • Add/Subtract within 12 • Time to the Hour and Half Hour (analog and digital clocks) • Coins/Cent symbol – Pennies, Nickels, Dimes, Quarters • Coins (skip count to determine coin collection value) • Length • Geometry (2D and 3D shapes) • Number Patterns (skip count by twos, fives, tens up to 120 • Fractions – ½ and ¼ • Addition/Subtraction within 20 (using strategies to solve problems) • Meaning of Equal Sign and Unknown Equations • Personal Financial Literacy • Working at Home • Keep your child’s ASTROS homework that is sent in Tuesday Folders to review for Benchmark Assessments. • Have your students show their work on their homework, not just their answers. (Underline questions, circle important data, write if they are adding or subtracting, draw pictures to check their answers)

8. ASTROS HOMEWORK • A.S.T.R.O.S. stands for Alvin Students Training Rigorously on Skills. • 2 ASTROS assignments per week (Tuesday and Wednesday). • The front 4 problems on ASTROS are a spiral review. • The back 4 problems are based on a focus student expectation or group of similar student expectations. For example, the ASTROS will be titled with FOCUS SE: 4.2A

9. A.S.T.R.O.S Example

10. Reading Workshop Format: • 60 minute block of time • Students are working independently, or in partners, in Literacy based work stations • Teacher is working with small groups Purpose: • Students are able to practice skills that were introduced in class or in small groups • Teachers are able to work with small groups to enhance reading skills and strategies Goal: • To instill a love of reading in all children • For students to read with meaning • Build fluency and comprehension • To make at least one year’s growth based on the DRA

11. Book Level Comparison Chart

12. Beginning of First Grade DRA • DRA Level 3 • “I like oranges,” said the boy. “Do you?” • “No,” said the girl. “I like apples. Do you?” • Repeated text with picture clues • DRA Level 4 • “Where is my hat?” said Ben. • Ben looked under his bed. “It is not here,” he said. • More sight words with picture clues and comprehension questions

13. End of First Grade • DRA Level 16 • Birds make nests in the spring. Mother robin finds mud and twigs and leaves. She makes a round nest. She puts soft grass inside the nest. ~~~OR~~~ • Monkey and his mother lived in the jungle. One day Monkey wanted to take a walk to look for butterflies. • “Don’t go too far,” said his mother. “There are lots of animals who eat monkeys.” • “Don’t worry,” said Monkey. “I won’t go too far.” • Goals: • Level 16 can be either non-fiction or fiction • Story lines or information are more complex • More focus on comprehension • First grade sight words should be mastered at this point

14. Writers Workshop • Writer’s Workshop This Year • • Where Writer's get ideas • • Writer's Workshop • . Procedures and expectations • • How to use different writing tools • • Telling stories in illustrations

15. Word Study “Spelling” Typical Schedule: (in class activities) Make, Say, Check, Write, Mix Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check Making Connections Buddy Study Buddy Test Students will come home soon with a list of 10 words: 5 words are chosen from a list using a specific spelling concept, 5 words are chosen by the student from a list of High Frequency Words.

16. Social Studies • Making connections through knowledge, strategies, skills, and vocabulary to other learning area such as reading, writing, and math concepts. • Whole group discussions and lessons • Variety of Topics • Communities • Timelines, maps, graphs • Historical figures • Folktales and Legends

17. Science • This year your Scientist will cover the following Topics: • Introduction to Science • Weather/Seasons • My World (Soil, Rocks, Natural Sources of Water, Conservation and Recycling) • Matter • Energy and Forces (Forms of Energy, Motion and Magnets) • Living and Nonliving • Animals(Characteristics and Life Cycles) • Plants • Interdependence (Ecosystems and Food Chains) • Project Based Learning

18. Technology • Working independently and building stamina • Learning mouse control • Enhancing fine motor skills • Practicing basic computer functions • Learning how to manipulate and operate various computer programs and devices • Enhancing reading, math and phonemic awareness skills • Each week students will be visiting the computer lab as well as using the classroom computers to continue education. • Some of the technology integration used in the classroom includes • Promethean Board • SMART Promethean Activslate • Promethean Activote • PC Computer/laptop computer • Flip Video camera • Samsung Galaxy Note and Kindle Fire devices

19. Student Friendly Websites • Your child will be interacting with several of the websites listed below. Please feel free to use the following online website resources at home. Click on the link and it will take you directly to the webpage. • Book Adventure - http://www.bookadventure.com • Starfall - http://www.starfall.com • Kids Spell - http://www.kidsspell.com • Storyline Online - http://www.storylineonline.net • Tumble Books – http://www.tumblebooks.com • Seussville - http://www.seussville.com/ • Online Story time http://www.barnesandnoble.com • National Geographic for Kids - http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/ • NASA for Kids - http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html • ABCya - http://www.abcya.com/ • PBS Kids - http://pbskids.org/ • Dance Mat Typing - http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/ • Internet Safety - http://www.netsmartz.org/Safety/SafetyTips

20. Thank you for attending tonight. Please email any questions, comments and concerns to your child’s teacher.