Room 181st Grade Curriculum Night

McGovern SchoolMrs. Jackson

Welcome Parents!

Welcome to First Grade

My mission in Room 18 is to:

• Create an environment that promotes a love of learning, and an

environment where your child feels safe to make mistakes

• Create a community of learners where every child is valued

• Meet your child’s educational and social needs in school

•

All About Me

My Background:

- I grew up in CT and KY

- I have a B.A. in Marketing and Journalism from the University of Kentucky

- I have a Masters in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University

- I am certified in Special Education

-

My Experience

• I have been teaching for 12 years

• I taught pre school for 4 years

• I have been a reading specialist, learning center teacher and Title I math teacher in the Medway school system

• I have also taught 2nd grade, but 1st grade is my favorite!

My Family

• I live in Medway with my husband Jeff,

my daughters Meghan (11th grade) and Olivia

(8th grade), and my dog Maisy

• I have lived in Medway for 15 years

• My children attend Medway schools

A Typical Day in Room 18

Morning Schedule

•8:35-8:50 a.m.• Daily Jobs• Morning Work

•8:50 – 9:00 a.m.• Pledge, attendance, lunch orders, snack

•9:00 – 9:20 a.m.• Morning Message• Shared Reading

•9:25 – 10:10 a.m.• Specials (P.E., Library, Music,

Art)

•10:15 - 11 a.m.• Readers Workshop

•11:00 – 11:35 a.m.• Word Work• Read Aloud

•11:40 – 11:55 a.m.

• Recess

Afternoon Schedule

•12:05- 12:35 p.m.• Lunch

•12:35 – 1:25 p.m.• Writers Workshop

•1:25 – 2:15 p.m. • Math

•2:15-2:45

• Open Circle/Science/Social

Studies

•2:45 – 3:00 p.m.•Pack up•Read aloud•Dismissal

• Note: We do go to the tech lab and Library once a week.

• Children have an extra special (P.E.) on Thursday afternoon

A Day in Room 18 - Arrival

We come in and move our owl. We unpack. We hang up our backpack.

A Day in Room 18 – Morning Work and Pledge

We do our morning work. We say the pledge.

A Day in Room 18 - Snack

We have snack.

A Day in Room 18- Shared Reading

We have our Morning Meeting. During Shared Reading we read together with one voice, build our sight word knowledge and work on our fluency and expression.

A Day in Room 18 - Specials

We go to our special – Art, Music or P.E.

A Day in Room 18- Reading Workshop

During Reading Workshop the children have private reading time and partner reading time while small group reading instruction

takes place.

A Day in Room 18- Writing Workshop

During Writing Workshop we write stories. Right now we are writing personal narratives – or small moment stories. We are learning how to work with our writing partners to help us plan out our writing.

A Day in Room 18 - Recess

A Day in Room 18 - Lunch

A Day in Room 18 - Math

Each week we have a ‘calendar helper’ who leads our daily calendar routine. On Fridays we have “Game Day” which gives us a chance to practice math skills we have

learned that week.

A Day in Room 18 - Science

Each child keeps a science notebook to record his or her observations by drawing and writing.

Class Subjects

• Word Work (Phonics/Spelling)

• Reader’s Workshop

• Writer’s Workshop

• Shared Reading

• Interactive Writing

• Read Aloud with Accountable Talk

• Everyday Math

• Science

• Social Studies

• Open Circle

First Grade Literacy • Phonics/Spelling – Storytown

• Reading Workshop

• Shared Reading

• Writing Workshop – Lucy Calkins Units of Study

• Shared Writing

• Word Work

• Guided Reading/Small group instruction

• Poetry

• Read Aloud

First Grade Math

• Calendar

• Mental Math (basic skill practice)

• Math Notebook (morning work)

• Everyday Math Curriculum (Monday – Thursdays)

• Application Day (Fridays)• play math games to reinforce concepts learned during the week

• Specialized Units• apples, pumpkins, amaryllis

Spelling• Spelling tests will start next week

• A spelling pre-test will be given each Monday

• If your child spells at least 8/10 words correctly on the pre-test (not including the bonus word), he/she will be given a list of more challenging words to learn for that week (B list)

• Formal spelling tests are given on Fridays. Please review

words with your child each week.

• www.spellingcity.com is a great website!

Writer’s Workshop Lucy Calkins Units of Study

Small Moments

Nonfiction Chapter Books

Writing Reviews From Scenes to Series

Science and Technology• Balls and Ramps

• Living and Non-Living

• Properties of Matter

• Life Cycles

• Computer Lab and I-Pads

Social Studies

• Chronology and Time (calendar, holidays, time lines and biographies)

• Wants and Needs (Economics)

• Physical Spaces on Earth (Cardinal directions, poles, equator, continents and oceans)

• Mapping Skills

• American Symbols and Citizenship

Open CircleA universal social and emotional program that focuses on:

• strengthening students' social and emotional skills

• helps students recognize and manage emotions

• develops care and concern for others

• establishes positive relationships and making responsible

decisions

• handling challenging situations constructively

The program fosters safe, caring and highly-engaging

classroom and school communities

Homework• Weekly homework packet (Language Arts)

Given on Monday ~ Return on Thursdays

• Take Home Books: Read 15-20 minutes each night

Mon. – Thurs. Book Bag MUST be returned to School

Everyday!

• Math homework given Mon. – Thurs. (except after assessments) Return the next day

• Your child’s homework will be put into their B.E.E. folders before they are dismissed

Take Home Book Bags – Reading Homework

• “Take Home Book Bags” are an important part of our reading program. Each day

(M-Th), the children will bring three ‘just right’ books home to practice reading for

15-20 minutes each day. Books must be returned the next school day.

• A ‘Take Home Book Bag’ Contract will be sent home this week. Please sign and return.

• A Reading Log will be attached to the language arts homework packet

• Encourage your child to retell the story (Beginning,

Middle, End) to you

• Discuss the characters and the setting

Participation Opportunities

• Classroom Volunteer – please sign up tonight!

• Come in and read to the class on your child’s birthday. Contact me to schedule a date/time.

• Mystery Reader Program will begin in January!

• Watch the blog for more opportunities

Room 18 Wish List • Paper towels• Black Expo dry erase markers• Tissues• Lysol or Clorox Wipes• Glue sticks• Bright colored copy paper• White card stock• Colored card stock• Ziplock bags (sandwich and gallon size)

Thank you in advance for your donations!

Communication

• Email: hjackson@medway.k12.ma.us preferred method

• Phone: (508) 533-6626 x 5318

(note I check messages at the end of the school day)

Blog and Webpage

Check my blog and webpage frequently for updates and pictures about what is going on in our classroom and for important

upcoming dates!

• First Grade Fun in Room 18:

/http://mrshjackson.blogspot.com/

• Mrs. Jackson’s Webpage:

http://www.medwayschools.org/

Go to McGovern School teacher

websites.

Checklist for Tonight:

• You should have received an email from me to sign up for parent teacher conferences on Nov. 17 or Dec. 5.

• Let me know if you are not receiving my emails or blog.

• Sign up for Volunteering in the classroom

• Use the clues to find your child’s self portrait in the hallway

• Find the Map of your child’s Heart which will serve as a source of inspiration for Writers Workshop

Questions?

Thank you for sharing your child with me!

B.E.E. Book

• Bring Everything Everyday!

• The B.E.E. book is a tool that I am asking Room 18 families and students to use everyday. I believe that the primary grades (K-2) are foundational years for developing ‘school organizational’ skills.

• My goal is that your child be responsible for taking his/her B.E.E. book out of their backpack, review the items with you, and return the B.E.E. book to their backpack on their backpack on a daily basis

• Lunch Money, pin numbers and notes to me should be placed in the pouch

Snack and Lunch• We do have children with peanut, tree nut, and sesame seed allergies in

the class; please be sensitive to this when planning your child’s snack

•  Please send your child’s snack/drink in a separate bag from your child’s lunch. We keep our snack and lunch in different places in the classroom and this helps to streamline the snack process.

• In addition, please do not send any loose food in for snack. Make sure to use a brown bag or zip lock baggie labeled with your child’s name.