Welcome!

1. Welcome! • Before we start, feel free to • Find and explore your child’s desk • Read through journals • Look through book bag • Introduce yourself to other parents!

2. Welcome Parents! • Goals for tonight: • Give us the tools we need to set up year-long conversations between parent and teacher focused on student learning. • To explain my expectations of students. • To share information about how families can support your children’s learning.

3. Literacy: Strategies for Success! • Units of Study: • Personal Narrative and Memoirs • Non-Fiction Reading and Writing • Fiction Reading and Writing

4. Literacy: Strategies for Success! • Differentiating for levels and learning styles • Components: • Independent Reading and Just Right Books • Read Aloud: modeling fluency, concepts of print • Phonics/Word Work: how to decode, build, and spell words • Guided Reading: Small group instruction • Independent Writing

5. Literacy: Strategies for Success! • How can you help? • Reading to your child • Have your child read to you • Notice what your child is doing well even when they make mistakes • Ask questions and discussing books or movies • Practicing describing things, places, events, memories, etc.

6. Handwriting Without Tears • Goal: Help students learn proper handwriting habits and then apply these habits to writing experiences. • Stages of Learning • Imitation (writing after a live demonstration. • Copying (writing from a model) • Independent Writing (writing without assistance or models)

7. Handwriting Without Tears • Physical Approach • Program recommended by physical therapists • Posture • PaperPlacement • Pencil Grip

8. Handwriting Without Tears • Printing Skills • Memory-Remember and write dictated letters and numbers • Orientation-Face letters and numbers in correct direction • Start-Begin each letter and number correctly • Sequence- Make the letter strokes in the correct order

9. Math Curriculum - Math Expressions • New to all grades K-5 this year

10. What is Math Expressions? • Curriculum Design: • Based on 10 years of research • Based on children’s natural stages when mastering concepts • Maintains major concept throughout the K-5 experience • Philosophy: • Incorporates best practices of both traditional and reform math curricula • Balance between children’s natural solution methods and effective procedures

11. What is Math Expressions? • What does a Math Expressions lesson look like? • Quick Practice • Daily Routines • Whole Class Activities • Independent Practice • Differentiated Small Group Work • Math Talk • Homework and Remembering

12. What is Math Expressions? • What will we cover in First Grade? • Numbers, Patterns, and Shapes • Seeing Fives and Ones • Partners and Unknown Partners • Addition and Subtraction – moving through children’s developmental stages • Money • Ten groupings, tens and ones • Graphs, Measurement and Shapes • Time

13. What is Math Expressions? • What are first grade “developmental strategies”? • Using Manipulatives • Drawing All • Counting On • Numerical Reasoning • Recall • We might ask students to solve this problem using numbers, pictures, or words to show their thinking: Sam has 11 balloons. 6 balloons popped. How many balloons are left?

14. Drawing All Counting On or Back Numerical Reasoning Recall 11-6=5 5+6=11 What is Math Expressions?

15. How Can You Help in Math? • Daily Homework and Remembering • Look for Family Letters • Practice counting all the time • Up to 100 and back to 0 • Skip count (2s, 5s, 10s, etc) • Count coins • Make up and solve story problems

16. Science • Units of Study: • Air and Weather • Solids and Liquids • New Plants • Scientific Inquiry • Building Vocabulary

17. Science • How can you help? • Ask about the week’s investigations and WHY they work – “Why did the plunger fly across the room?” • Encourage your child to investigate questions—give them opportunities to explore and try out theories • Read! Read! Read! Magazines, books, online resources, etc.

18. Social Studies Alive! My School and Family The TCI Approach • Theory-based Active Instruction • Standards-based Content • Preview Activity • Multiple Intelligence Teaching Strategies • Considerate Text • Graphically Organized Reading Notes • Processing Activity • Multiple Intelligence Assessments

19. Our Social Studies Lessons • A “lesson” is a series of activities that centers around a theme and corresponds to one chapter from our text. • Each lesson takes about a week and is usually integrated into our literacy times of the day. • Some examples of our themes (and their corresponding social studies strands) • School (civics) • Wants and Needs (economics) • Introduction to Maps (geography) • Long Ago (history)

20. Multiple Intelligence Teaching Strategies • Experiential Exercise • Visual Discovery • Social Studies Skill Builder • Writing for Understanding • Response Group • Problem Solving Groupwork • Interactive Student Notebook

21. Experiential Exercise  How we help make it real for the kids! • Use short, memorable experiences to help students grasp social studies concepts. • Prepare the students for a safe, successful experience. • Make the experience as authentic as possible. • Allow students to express their feelings immediately after the experience. • Ask carefully sequenced questions to help students make connections between their experience and key concepts or events.

22. Class Information • Report Cards • Homework and Folders • Upcoming Events: • Back to School BBQ: Tues, Oct 7th (tentative) • School Pictures: This Thursday at 9:20 • Early November: Conferences

23. Virtues at Woodridge September and all year—Unity October—Self-discipline November—Service December—Understanding and Tolerance January—Determination February—Cooperation March—Excellence April—Joyfulness May—Creativity June—Unity

24. Virtues at Woodridge The Virtues Project creates a climate of safety and caring in the school by identifying and teaching positive character traits.

25. Class Information Snack Thank you for your snack donations! We ask each first grader to send in a snack for the whole class. We request healthy foods that can be eaten with fingers and require no preparation. Fresh fruit and yogurt tubes are always very popular and a healthy treat.

26. The National Board Certification Adventure • Voluntary assessment • Certificate area: Early Childhood Generalist (ages 3-8) • One year process • Portfolio + Content-based Assessment

27. I am committed to students and their learning. I know the subjects I teach and how to teach those subjects to students. I am responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. I think systematically about my practice and learn from experience. I am a active member of learning communities. In order to certify, I must prove that:

28. How are students involved? • As part of my portfolio, I must submit 2 video- taped lessons and a collection of student writing samples. • Disclosure form • Videos (only 15 minute segments) go to National Boards only. • Only 1-2 assessors from National Boards see the video. • Assessors do not have students’ last names, school name, location, etc. My entry is identified by my 7 digit candidate number.

30. Get Involved! • What kind of volunteer are you? • Things you can get involved in: • Read with students • Morning Routines: Check in homework and take attendance • Monday folders • Conference about writing and help publish writing • Material Prep: Cutting things out and making copies! • Take-home projects • PTSA • Supervise Recess

31. Questions? • I’m still wondering about… • If you have any questions after tonight, please feel free to make an appointment with me, or email me at any time. • Contact me! • grayt@bsd405.org • During school hours, please call the office • 425 456 6200

32. THANK YOU FOR COMING!