Bible Bible is an
important time of our day, as we want to learn and become more like Jesus. Our Bible time includes: studying the events and the characters
in Genesis, studying our need for salvation through Jesus Christ, studying
Jesus’ birth, boyhood, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection, and studying
the life of Paul. We work on
memorizing the school theme verse, the ABC verses, Luke 2:8-14, Psalm 100, and
the books of the New Testament.
Reading/Phonics Our reading in first grade is
phonics based. Coming into first
grade, students should know their short and long vowels and how to read words
with one and two vowels. We learn
and review the phonetic sounds of the alphabet and other special phonics sounds
so that we can decode words. Our
goal, however, is not just to decode, but to be able to comprehend what we are
reading. In our reading groups,
which are a major part of our reading program, we practice our decoding, oral
reading skills, and comprehension. Accelerated Reader (A.R.) is a program we start in first grade. The students read and take a test on
the computer over a book. A.R. is
very beneficial for the students as it aids in independent reading and
comprehension. Book It is another
program we use to practice our reading.
Math By first
grade, students should know the amounts for each coin, how to count by one’s,
five’s, and ten’s, the 1-8 addition families, and the concept of
subtraction. Our goal in first
grade is to learn and master the 1-13 addition and subtraction facts. We also learn the concept of place
value, telling time, reading a thermometer, counting and combining coins,
solving word problems, and measuring with a ruler. By the end of first grade we should also be able to add and
subtract without regrouping and add with regrouping. We have a written and oral math test each week. The goal of the oral test is to have
the students answer individual math facts within three seconds.
Spelling Each week
we have a list of spelling words to learn. Parents are encouraged to study the list at home with their
student. We will have a Spelling
test each week on the words that we have been studying.
Language Arts Students begin to understand how to
write functionally. We start
writing sentences, lists, journal entries, and short stories. We learn about putting a capital letter
at the beginning and punctuation at the end of the sentence. We work on identifying rhyming words,
compound words, contractions, root words with suffixes and prefixes, and
opposites.
Handwriting Our
goal is to write with legible penmanship. We learn to sit with good posture, position paper and pencil correctly,
and form manuscript letters and numerals correctly.
Science/History/Health Three times a week, we have either Science, History, or Health. Each unit is approximately eleven weeks
long. Students are introduced to concepts dealing with themselves and the world
in which they live.
Physical Education
Music
Folders are taken home each day
so that parents can look at their child’s behavior sheet, graded papers, and
reading homework assignment. Each
Friday I send a newsletter home in the folder informing parents of the
classroom news, the weekly Bible verse, and spelling words. If parents need to communicate anything
by note, they may put the note inside the folder. The folders need to be returned to school each day.
First graders have reading
homework each night except Wednesday. The assignments for each day are posted in your child’s folder. Please listen to your child read the
assignment each night and then initial by that assignment so that I know your
child has been reading.
Please go over addition and
subtraction facts and spelling words with your child at home. Any additional reading at home is also
encouraged. Participation in Book
It or reading A.R. books at home is good motivation to keep reading. If the child seems to be struggling, I
may also communicate through a note in the folder regarding other things that
could be worked on at home.
As we learn and grow in first
grade, my hope is that we will develop character and become more like Jesus in
our behavior. Here are the rules
posted in my room: 1.) Obey-
follow directions the first time they are given. 2). Listen
– raise hand to talk, eyes on teacher (sit up, stay in seat), and hands
still (no playing). 3.) Respect
others and their property.
If a student chooses not to obey
a classroom rule, a behavior stick (which is on their desk) is removed. The stick is placed in a pocket
corresponding to the rule broken. Students also have a behavior sheet in their folder that is marked
daily. At the end of the day, the
folder is sent home so parents can see how their child is behaving in
class. If two or more sticks are removed,
the behavior sheet is marked with a letter.
The letters you may see on a
behavior chart are: D =
Disobedience, T = Talking, R = Lack of Respect, S = Not sitting right, out of
seat, and P = Playing when supposed to be listening.
There will be negative
consequences for poor choices in the classroom. The behavior will be recorded on the behavior sheet and
there will be a note sent home. Other consequences will be determined at the teacher’s discretion and
could include a loss of a privilege or missing minutes of recess. There will also be positive
consequences for good choices. Each
day that the student does not lose more than one stick, he or she will get to
pick a sticker to put on his/her behavior sheet.
As a class, the students will
also be working together to make our monkey climb the tree. The monkey will
climb each time I see the whole class doing what is right. When the monkey gets
to the top of the tree, we will sponge paint a jungle animal on our
T-shirts.
