Parent Resources

Back to School Night

Philip’s Academy Charter School

2019-2020

 

 

 

First Grade Classroom Handbook

Ms. Christine Summerville & Mrs. Shanecca Phelps

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to one of the most incredible years your child will have in his/her school career!  First grade is an exciting and vital time as children embark upon new adventures in the world of learning.  This is a year of important transitions, as well as one in which acquisition of new skills is accelerated.  During First Grade, your child will learn how to read, write stories, add, subtract, and so much more.  I hope to make your child's first grade experience a fun and exciting one. I also hope to instill a love of learning that will last throughout your child's years of schooling.

My goal is to provide a safe and positive learning environment for every child in my class.  I will do this by getting to know each of my students, personally and academically, so as to provide the best guidance and teaching strategies possible.  Rest assured that your child will always be viewed as an individual who brings strengths to our classroom. 

I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to come and learn about what your child will be doing in the first grade this year.  I look forward to working together with you to make this school year the best it can be!

Sincerely,

Ms. Christine Summerville and Mrs. Shanecca Phelps

Contact Information:

Email: csummerville@pacsnewark.org      sphelps@pacsnewark.org

Blog:  www.pacs1S.blogspot.com 

First Grade Classroom Procedures

Arrival: 

Students will report to the dining hall.  A teacher will meet students by 8:00 and lead them to 3rd floor classroom by 8:15. Students who arrive after 8:15 are considered tardy.  When they arrive, students will have morning work to complete.  Following our morning work, we gather together for a morning meeting and begin our day.  

When a student is late to school, not only is instruction being missed in the classroom but disruption is created when a student enters after the lesson has begun. Please remember that all students need to be at school by 8:15 a.m. Four tardies will be marked on your child’s record as an absence. (If the problem becomes habitual, parents will be asked to come to a conference at the school to develop a plan to alleviate this situation.)

Schedule: 

This year, First Grade will begin to use a Monday- Friday schedule. This means that our daily schedule and specials will be consistent from week to week. At times, schedules get confused. I understand there will be times a child is wearing their dress uniform on a gym day and vice versa. I assure you that the gym teacher and I will understand of such mistakes. However, if you would like to keep a spare set of sneakers in your child’s bookbag to prevent confusion, you are welcome to do so. 

The school day is split into 8 periods. Our classroom schedule can be found on our class blog.

Gym Days:

A copy of the weekly schedule will be sent home.  We will be having gym on Tuesday and Friday.  Please remember that on gym days students must be in their gym clothes.  All other days, students must be dressed in the appropriate uniform.  In accordance with Philip’s Academy’s policies and procedures, students are not permitted to wear any jewelry to school (other than dime-sized earrings).

 

Clothing and Uniforms :

Please be sure to clearly label all uniforms, clothing, and other belongings.  First graders are often forgetful when it comes to their belongings.  It is common for sweaters, gloves, lunch boxes, etc. to be left at school.  When these items are labeled, it is much easier to return said items to their owners!  Gym sneakers should be black, gray, or white.  Please also check Philip’s Academy’s parent and student handbook for more information about proper uniforms. When a student is not following dress code policies, he or she will be asked to see an administrator for a substitute clothing item, similar to how one rents shoes at a bowling alley!

School Attendance:

Your child’s regular and prompt attendance at school is crucial to his/her success.  Learning at the first grade level is very social, and therefore a lot of our learning activities are group oriented and involve interaction with classmates.  For this reason, it is next to impossible to make up this work at home.  Please view school as a priority, and see to it that your child attends every day, except in cases of illness or emergency. Refer to the school handbook for more information about school policies regarding absences.

Of course if your child is sick, it is best not to send them to school. (Germs spread quickly in first grade!)  If you child is absent, they will have the same number of days that they missed to make up their work.  For example, if your child is sick for 2 days, he/she will have 2 days to complete any missed work.  Assignments may be picked up after school at the front desk or given to the child when they return to school.  If you choose to pick up your child’s homework at the front desk, however, please do inform me the morning that your child is absent, so I am sure to have the assignments ready and waiting for you.

Bathroom Use:

The first graders will be using the bathroom down the hall. It is shared with many other classrooms and students on the 3rd floor. In order to ensure safety in the bathroom, we do our best to limit the amount of students using the bathroom at the same time. Each class has one “boy’s pass” and one “girl’s pass”.  Students may only use the bathroom if the pass is available in the classroom.  Of course, if it is an emergency, we will make sure children are able to use the bathroom as needed.  Children may go to the restroom upon arrival, during independent work time, during transitions, and on an as-needed basis. I ask that students avoid using the restroom during large group instructional time unless it is an emergency.  We strongly encourage you to send a spare set of clothes with your child in the event of an accident.

Folders:

Throughout the year, I will communicate our daily and weekly happenings through various folders. Your child will have two folders that will go home and be returned: one for homework assignments and to communicate classroom behavior and another for completed assignments and school announcements.

Homework Folder:

Every Monday to Thursday, your child will return from school with a homework folder. This folder will contain a homework packet, their monthly behavior calendar, and any other important notes or reminders for that day. Items on the right side, labeled “bring RIGHT back” should be returned to school the next day. Items on the left side of the folder, labeled “LEFT at home” should be removed and kept at home.

The Behavior Calendar will be used to communicate behavior and conduct.  This page contains a calendar and a list of first grade behavior expectations.  When a student experiences difficulty in following a particular rule or meeting a behavior expectation, I will mark the areas in which the child needs to improve on the calendar. If you see no marks, it means your child has a great day (think “no news is good news!”).  I ask that you please review and initial this calendar each day.  The purpose of this calendar is to keep you informed of your child’s behavior in class and provide you with an opportunity to discuss the behavior with your child at home.

Please remember to return child’s homework folder daily.

Friday Folder:

All work completed during the week will be sent home in your child’s Friday Folder on Fridays.  Completed work is not sent home during the week (Mondays through Thursdays).  Notices, updates, and/or newsletters from Philip’s Academy or me may also be included in this folder.  Please sign the log to indicate that you have received these papers and have your child return the empty folder and log sheet on Monday.

Specials:

Students will attend specials throughout the week, including gym, Spanish, music, STEM, and art. Please note that students are asked to wear gym clothes on days that we have gym (Tuesday and Friday).

Water Bottles:

Unfortunately, the nearest water fountain to our classroom is down the hall near the bathroom.  To reduce the number of students leaving the classroom for water breaks, I require students to bring in a water bottle each day.  Water bottles should be labeled with the child’s name.  I have found that bottles that have a pop-up top work best and avoid spills.

Parent Volunteers:

I am always impressed with the willingness of Philip’s Academy parents to volunteer their time to our classroom and school.  There will likely be times this year when I will be in need of extra assistance in the classroom.  Examples of volunteer opportunities include, chaperoning a field trip, assisting with a special class activity, and/or assisting in prepping materials (cutting, pasting, etc.) for a class lesson or project.  If you would like to volunteer some time in our classroom, please let me know your availability and I will keep you updated as opportunities become available.  If there are no classroom volunteer opportunities at a time the parents are available, I will communicate when a task pops up and will have volunteers come as a first-come-first-serve basis. Volunteering to assist with lunch and recess is also a wonderful way for you to help the teachers, staff, and students of PACS.  Please reach out to the front desk if you wish to assist with lunch and recess.

Snack:

Healthy snacks can help boost a child's mental and physical skills.  However, with so much learning and playing to do, we have very little time for snack! Our lunch is also much earlier this year at 11:20 AM.  In first grade snack is optional. For these reasons, we will be having snack every afternoon at approximately 2:00 PM, which is also the same time as our afternoon recess or brain break time. They may choose to eat ONE snack while they participate in recess centers.  I encourage parents to send their child to school with one healthy snack each day, where they can easily discard their wrappers. It is best to send a snack that a first grader can quickly eat and clean up, so they have ample time for recess.  Our snack time is supposed to last no longer than 5 minutes, so snacks should be small enough to eat in that time period.  Please send napkins, spoons or spreading utensils with your child's snack if needed. 

It is the goal of Philip’s Academy to teach students healthy eating habits.  With this goal in mind, the following is a list of acceptable morning snacks:

●     Crackers                                           

●     Pretzels

●     Fruit and/or vegetables

●     Yogurt or pudding

●     Granola bars

●     Cereal

●     Popcorn

●     Rice Cakes

●     Applesauce

●     100 calorie packs

●     String cheese

●     Mini-muffins

●     Raisins

●     Bagels

Please note that chips, cookies, cakes, candy, etc are not permitted as snacks.  Students should bring water to drink if they would like.  As teachers, we have found that the high levels of sugars in fruit juices and sugary snacks make students excitable and unfocused.  For this reason, we ask that your children bring water (not juice) if they’d like a drink with their snacks.  Students will have an opportunity to visit the water fountain at an as-needed basis.

Please know that students who bring an unhealthy snack will not be permitted to eat it during our class snack.  If available, a healthy alternative may be provided to your child.  The first grade greatly appreciates your understanding and assistance in helping PACS and our first grade classes meet our nutrition goals.

Lunch:

Philips Academy has an amazing lunch program, where we teach students the value of “family style” meals and the importance of healthy eating. We anticipate that most community members will participate in this great lunch program, but also realize that some may bring in bagged lunches. Please note that we are unable to microwave or refrigerate any meals. Below is a list of our school’s healthy lunch guidelines. If a student brings in a meal that does not follow the guidelines, the family will be asked to pay for a healthy meal that the food service staff provides!

-       Daily offerings from each of the food groups (3 out of 5 is a great idea!)

-       Fresh fruits and vegetables

-       Whole grain breads, pastas, and baked goods.

-       No artificial trans-fats

-       No fried foods

-       No processed foods

-       No high-fructose corn syrup

-       No flavored milk; 2% or less. No rBST/hormones in milk

-       No artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners

-       No soda. 100% fruit juice only

-       Low or no refined sugar  

-       We are a NUT FREE SCHOOL.

Birthdays:

Birthdays are exciting times in the life of a child.  We happily celebrate each child's birthday in first grade.  There have been some school-wide changes to our monthly birthday party policy.  As per administration “no outside food is permitted for birthday celebrations for individual students’ birthdays in the classroom”.  As always, we want to make sure your child is recognized on his or her birthday! On the day of your child’s birthday you are invited to come read aloud your child’s favorite book from 3:00-3:20.  If your child’s birthday is over a weekend, you may come in the Friday before or the following Monday. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you would like to come in!

You may bring in 1 non-edible, non-food treat for each child in the class (pencil, stickers, coloring books, etc.).  We have 20 students in our class this year.

As a class we will celebrate your child’s actual birthday by singing to him/her.  In addition, your child will wear a special birthday pin (or hat) during the school day and receive a birthday “gift”.

Please note that invitations to personal parties, sleepovers, etc. are NOT to be passed out at school unless an invitation is given to all students in the class.   I realize it may seem convenient to pass out invitations at school, but this easily results in hurt feelings and upset students. 

Book Orders:

Scholastic offers a book club in which quality children’s books can be purchased at a low cost.  As an added bonus, whenever you order books for your home from Scholastic, our class earns points towards new books for our classroom library!  I will send home book order forms approximately once a month.  If you choose to purchase books, please return your order by the due date listed on the order form. Please make checks payable to Scholastic Books.  Please do not send cash! However, it is much easier to order books online via credit cards.. just use this activation code: W2LLX

Feel free to browse the flyers online with the link below:

Scholastic Book Flyers

Please note that participation in these book clubs is completely OPTIONAL; you are not required (or obligated) to purchase any books. 

Parent- Teacher Communication:

Maintaining communication and working together is a vital aspect of the success of your child.  Over the course of the school year, I will keep you informed about what we are doing in the class and in the school community.  I encourage parents to contact me with any questions or comments they might have.  I check my email regularly, but you may also choose to send a note in with your child.  If you do this, please put it in your child’s homework folder, as I check these each day.  Please note that your emails will receive response from me within 48 hours, but not immediately.  It is very difficult for me to write a thoughtful email with a room full of first graders!  I prefer to respond to emails at a later time when I can focus on answering your inquiries with my fullest attention.   You can also call the school and leave me a voicemail.   With any form of communication, if you have not heard from me within one school day, I most likely did not receive your message.  I highly value your communication and make it a priority to respond promptly. 

Alternative Seating:

Alternative seating is a new approach for teachers that allow seating arrangements to be accommodating for the needs of every student. Instead of the traditional tables or desks, there are fitness balls, low tables, comfortable chairs and other options. There are students standing, sitting, kneeling, laying, and even balancing, but they are all learning. There is a lot of research that says that comfortable children are more productive learners. Alternative seating engages students for a longer period of time, keeps them active so they have less disruptive outbursts, and helps them become more independent with their learning choices. Studies also show that it is beneficial for students with special needs. This year, our classroom will slowly introduce and teach students how alternative seating could benefit us! Please be patient and understand as we explore how we learn best.

Making Appointments:

In the case that you have questions, concerns, or want to talk about your child’s progress, I am happy to schedule a meeting with you.  If you would like to schedule a meeting, please notify me ahead of time (with as much notice as possible), letting me know when you’d like to meet and briefly explaining the reason for the meeting.   Unfortunately, I will not be able to accommodate drop-in appointments, except on an emergency basis.  By making an appointment, I can be fully prepared for our meeting and I can ensure that we have ample time to talk.

Classroom Management

It is my philosophy that learning occurs most readily in a smoothly running classroom. 

In order for all children in our class to learn, they need clear rules and guidelines to follow.  Without this structure, the behavior of some children may distract others, prohibiting them from learning.  Most problem behaviors can be addressed with a simple nonverbal sign or a quiet reminder.  On occasion, continued behavior problems results in a removal from the group or activity.  Parents will be notified if behaviors become disruptive.   At all times, it is my aim to keep the focus on positive behavior.  We will spend the first several weeks of school building our classroom community and learning classroom procedures and expectations.   With your support of our classroom discipline system, I will be better able to teach and help your child reach his/her potential. 

At the beginning of the year, our class will discuss and compose a list of our classroom rules.  Although they change from year to year, almost all rules fall into four categories:

1. Respect yourself and your learning

2. Respect others

3. Respect your environment

4. Try your best

Our rules this year will be based on Whole Brain Teaching (a best practice approach). Be on the lookout for a letter regarding our classroom rules.

Rewards:

*Positive note or phone call home

*Verbal Praise

* Group Challenges

*Fun Friday Activity time

*Golden Tickets

*Class party (class reward)

An important facet of my discipline plan includes the use of logical consequences when class rules are broken. Examples of logical consequences include time-out away from class for class disruptions or bothering other children, cleaning or repairing damaged property, or written and/or verbal apologies for aggressive behavior, name-calling or ridicule towards other children. This list is not inclusive since each situation is different and thus requires different consequences. The idea, however, is for the consequence to be related to the behavior and act as a solution or restitution for the problem. If classroom rules are severely or persistently broken, parents will be contacted by note (to be signed and returned) or by telephone. A visit to an administrator’s office is a rarely used last resort. 

Homework

I have three purposes in giving first graders homework.  First, homework teaches responsibility. Second, homework is given to reinforce what has been taught in the classroom.  Third, it serves to inform families about what is being learned about in school.  You can support your child by providing an atmosphere at home that is conducive to effective studying.  This support includes establishing a daily routine, asking your child questions about the homework, taking interest in his/her assignments, and informing me at any time if your child experiences difficulty in completing assignments.

What kind of homework should I expect?

Typically, you can expect your child to have homework each night, Monday through Thursday.  Homework should take about 15 minutes (this does not include the nightly reading assignment).  This year the first grade will be using “homework packets.”  Students will be given all assignments at the beginning of the week and all work will be collected on Friday.  A homework schedule is provided and should be followed as closely as possible. 

Assignments may change, but usually homework consists of a Eureka math pages and another assignment or two (spelling, grammar, handwriting, social studies, etc.).  Perhaps the most important homework assignment, however, is to complete 15-20 minutes of reading each night. 

Do I correct my child’s homework mistakes?

Some of your child’s assignments will require some parental or family assistance.  I welcome you to help your child through the homework process.  If you notice your child is making mistakes, you may help to correct them but stop if your child shows signs of frustration.  If the assignment was particularly difficult for your child, please make a note of it (you can write on the homework assignment!) and I will be sure to spend some time reviewing that concept in class. 

How much should my child be reading each day?

Studies show that students who read independently outside of school are better readers than students who do not read at home.  With this in mind, I ask that all first graders complete at least 15 minutes of reading each and every night (including weekends).  This reading can be done independently or with an adult.  The more reading experiences your child has, the better!  I will include a weekly log sheet in your child’s homework packet.  Please help your child fill out this form weekly to help keep track of your child’s reading.

Will my child have spelling tests?

Yes!  Each Monday, your child will receive 5 new sight words to practice and learn.  These are words that we will be practicing in class, and they are also the words students should use when completing their spelling assignments.

Every two weeks (every other Friday) we will have a spelling test, which will cover the 10 sight words learned over the past two weeks. 

Spelling homework will consist of a variety of activities.  Students will often have a choice in activities.  Having choice in assignments allows for differentiation for varying abilities.  Students who are struggling with words can and should do activities that require repeated writing and/or spelling of words, while students who have mastered most of the words can attempt more creative and challenging activities.  

Please note that the sight words learned each week are only one facet of the first grade spelling curriculum.  For more information about what your child will be learning in word study this year, please see the First Grade Curriculum section of this document.

Guidelines for Helping With Homework

So You Don’t Work Harder Than Your Child!

By: Dr. Charles Fay

• Set aside a time each day for family learning.

*Set aside at least 30 minutes, devoted to “family brain cell development.” During this time, there should be no TV, video games, computer games, etc.

*Model your own excitement for learning by reading a book, writing letters, etc.

*Your child may learn by doing their homework, reading about something they love, writing stories, etc.

• Help only when your child truly wants it.

*Some parents make the mistake of forcing help upon their kids. This only creates frustration, anger, and kids who believe they can’t learn without their parents’ help.

• Help only when there’s an absence of anger or frustration.

*When either you or your child gets frustrated or angry, learning becomes associated with frustration and anger.

• Help only when your child can describe what the teacher said.

*This ensures that your child continues to believe that it’s important to pay attention to teachers.

*Unfortunately, some kids learn that it’s best to “tune-out” at school and let their parents do all of the teaching at home.

• Move away from your child before he/she “gets it.”

*Some children believe they can only learn something, or “get it,” when an adult is in the same room…or is guiding them every inch of the way.

*To prevent this dependency, avoid falling into the habit of sitting at the table as your child does their homework, especially when they are on the brink of learning something new.

THE CARDINAL RULE FOR HELPING: Never Work Harder Than Your Child.

First Grade Supply List:

Time to get those backpacks ready! We are asking families to purchase the items below. Please keep in mind the number of each of the supplies we are asking for, as we are planning to use these items all year!  

We are asking all first grade parents and guardians to bring these supplies during the FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. We will send more information about this closer to the beginning of the school year!

Supplies to bring with you:

** Please note that these items will be shared as a class.  They do not need to be labeled.  **

• Dixon Ticonderoga Pencils #2 (2 Dozen)
• Cap Erasers, Pink (12/Pack)
• Crayola Crayons (64/Box)
• Crayola Markers, Broad line (12/Box) 2 boxes
• Crayola Markers, Fine Line (10/Box)  2 boxes
• Dry Erase White Board Markers (6/pack)
• 1 pair of kid friendly scissors

• 1 marble composition notebooks
• 1 ream of 8 ½” x 11” computer paper
• Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Glue Sticks (3/Pack)
• Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils (18/Pack) 2 pack

• 2 boxes of tissues
• 2 boxes of plastic spoons
• 3 rolls of paper towels
• 1 box Gallon Ziploc Bag

Supplies I may ask for later in the year:

These supplies will be asked for “as needed”.  I will work through the class list alphabetically and ask for specific supplies from the list below when we run out.  I will contact you personally when the class needs a specific item.

 If you would like to help us by bringing these items in September, please feel free to do so J

• 1 pack of baby wipes
• 1 pack of Clorox wipes
• Hand Sanitizer
• Healthy Back-Up Snacks (for students who forget snack or bring an unhealthy one)

●     1 box Sandwich Ziploc Bag

First Grade Curriculum

Literacy:

Literacy consists of both writing and reading, which are not isolated in a single period during the day.  They permeate into almost all aspects of our day in first grade.  The program focuses on developing skills in decoding words, reading comprehension, inquiry, phonics, spelling, grammar, mechanics, writing, study skills, and literary appreciation.  Literacy instruction occurs in the following ways:

●     Reading Workshop:

The idea behind Reading Workshop is to provide explicit instruction via a mini-lesson, and then allow students to independently practice their skills using authentic texts.  Students are free to explore different authors and genres and learn more about themselves as readers. 

The Reading Workshop block includes a short mini lesson on a reading skill or strategy, a 20-30 minute independent reading block in which students use the newly taught skill, 10-15 minute partner reading and a 5-10 minute sharing.

While engaged in their reading, I am able to conference with individual readers and also meet with small groups for guided reading and book clubs.

●     Guided Reading

Guided Reading is the perhaps the most significant portion of our daily reading instruction.  During Guided Reading, I meet with small groups of students.  We focus on a particular reading skill or strategy and read a book that is instructionally appropriate. 

●     Read Aloud

Students are exposed to wonderful literature when they are read books that are above their own independent reading level. Students hear rich language and vocabulary and have opportunities to make predictions, inferences, and share ideas as they listen.  Sometimes students will respond to these readings through writing. 

●     Word Study:

Beyond learning to read by using authentic texts, student’s phonemic awareness is developed using explicit phonics instruction.  As a whole class, we explore consonants, long and short vowels sounds, digraphs, and word families.  Spelling instruction is most effective when it meets each child’s individual spelling needs.  First grade students have a range of spelling capabilities, and this range is a healthy part of their normal development.  For this reason, the first grade utilizes differentiated instruction as the foundation for word study and spelling instruction.  Using a program called Words Their Way, students meet in differentiated small-groups and participate in activities that involve sorting words based on similar features.  By meeting in differentiated groupings, students are continually able to practice spelling patterns and features appropriate for their current stage of development.  It is most effective for me to teach spelling strategies in this way.

●     Shared Reading

Morning messages, poetry, and curriculum-related big books provide students with a chance to read chorally.  These opportunities build student’s reading skills while also building confidence, as students can read aloud without the pressure of reading alone. 

●     Writer’s Workshop:

Writer's Workshop begins with a mini-lesson.  These short 10-15 minute lessons focus on topic choice, organization, elaboration, revision and editing strategies, and anything else that seems to be a student need.  Students then work independently, writing in a variety of genres.  While working independently, students receive further instruction via teacher one-on-one conferences and small group strategy groups.  At certain points, students will choose favorite pieces for publication.  These works will be revised, edited, and then put into book form. 

●     Shared Writing:

Shared writing will give the teacher to model how to use proper mechanics, grammar, and other steps of the writing process. Students will spend time writing as a group on various topics like opinion pieces, non-fiction social studies unit or letters to different individuals.

●     Poetry

Poetry serves as an excellent way for students to develop phonemic awareness and recognize sight words.  One poem will be introduced each week.  Each student will be given a copy of the poems we complete in class in their poetry journal.  Students will often be given the task of reading and illustrating the latest poem during morning work.  Later in the year, poetry journals may be sent home to assist with homework.

Math:

Philips Academy uses a curriculum called Eureka Math. This curricular program is used in many schools. However, at Philip’s Academy we understand the importance of adopting any program to fit the needs of our students. We use best practices and adapt Eureka lessons so our mathematicians grow to understand mathematical concepts, rather than regurgitate procedures and steps. Students are taught the importance of tinkering with ideas, representing thoughts through manipulatives and pictures, and engaging in mathematical debates. Our goal is to help our students all feel like they can “do math” and are “math people”. Often times, we hear parents say that they are confused about all the “new math” that is being taught. Rest assured, we will be sending home parent letters and homework helpers to make sure that the language we use at home and at school are consistent.

The large mathematical ideas that will be taught in first grade are:

·         Sums and differences to 10 (knowing our facts automatically)

·         Place value concepts

·         Various addition and subtraction strategies within 120

·         Measurement (length, weight, height)

·         Identifying, composing, partitioning shapes

At the close of each module, we will have a Math Test. We review the material from the module in class, but also encourage students to practice concepts at home. Practice sheets of each unit will be sent home in advance.

I ask for patience and understanding as we work together to teach math. I assure you some of the material will be new to many of us, since math concepts were taught to us differently as children! However, there is a shift in the pedagogy behind teaching mathematics in America because to most of us, mathematics held little meaning or importance in the real world. This shift is important because we want our students to grow up without fear of mathematics and to be able to understand/use math in a flexible way!

Science:

The Science curriculum consists of many hands-on activities, along with shared reading experiences. This year we will be teaching science through our school’s EcoSpaces program as well as, having science be taught as a special with Mrs. LaValle twice a week. Scientific processes and critical thinking will be focused upon this year. Students will be asked to wonder, plan, investigate, reflect, share, record their observations, and apply their knowledge to everyday life.  Our science curriculum is enriched through hands-on learning experiences on the rooftop garden and in our teaching kitchen!

 

Social Studies:

The Social Studies curriculum takes a holistic approach, which focuses on inviting students to be active learners in experiencing the past, present, and future.  Students engage in activities that allow them to learn more about their world.  Students will study the school community, neighborhood community, and global community. Using the Harcourt Social Studies curriculum, many of the concepts will be supplemented to strengthen our teacher made curriculum. Mapping skills and an awareness of different cultures are main goals that thread through each of these units.  In addition, we will also study African American history with a unit devoted to African American heroes and the civil rights movement.

Character Education:

Developing positive character traits is an underlying goal of the first grade curriculum.  Although the development of social skills and respectful behavior is integrated into many academic activities in our classroom, these qualities will also be specifically taught in our classroom and during whole school activities.  Although many character traits (or virtues) will be explored this year, the first grade’s focus will be on “kindness.” Other Philip’s Virtues that will be taught and explored through assemblies and various activities within our classroom include, friendship, courage, loyalty, respect, responsibility, honesty, self-control, and open-mindedness. 

Why Can’t I Skip My Twenty Minutes of Reading Tonight?

(Source Unknown)

Let’s figure it out --- mathematically!

Student A reads 20 minutes five nights of every week;

Student B reads only 4 minutes a night…or not at all!

Step 1:  Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.

Student A reads 20 min. x 5 times a week = 100 minutes/week

Student B reads 4 min. x 5 times a week = 20 minutes/week

Step 2: Multiply minutes a week x 4 weeks each month.

Student A reads 400 minutes a month

Student B reads 80 minutes a month

Step 3: Multiply minutes a month x 9 months/school year

Student A reads 3600 minutes in a school year

Student B reads 720 minutes a school year.

Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.  Student B gets the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.

By the end of 6^th grade, if Student A and Student B maintain these same reading habits, Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days.  Student B will have read the equivalent of only 12 school days.

One would expect the gap of information retained will have widened considerably and so, undoubtedly, will school performance.  How do you think Student B will feel about him/herself as a student?

Some questions to ponder:

Which student would you expect to read better?

Which student would you expect to know more?

Which student would you expect to write better?

Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary?

Which student would you expect to be more successful in school?