Preparing for First Grade

Mrs. Fleming Burnell, Mrs. Powers, Ms. Speegle, & Mrs. Terhune

BE PREPARED!As soon as school begins, we hit the ground running with homework, spelling tests, and high expectations!

Expectations of Students Entering First Grade

• Students recognize all 26 letters (both uppercase and lowercase) and know the corresponding sounds.

• Students begin spelling tests the first full week of school.

• Students can blend 3 letter words.• Students know at least their kindergarten sight

words.• Students are writing sentences by sounding out

words.

Expectations of Students Entering First Grade

• Students are starting to use capital letters and punctuation, appropriately, in sentences.

• Letters are wrote correctly and legibly.• After reading or listening to a story, students can

retell in sequential order what happened in the story.

• Students will start the Accelerated Reader (A.R.) program within a month of starting school.

• Students can count to 100, and have basic understanding of math facts to 10.

What Can Parents Do to Give their Children the Best Start?

• READ, READ, READ! Have your child read to you every night, and read to him/her.

• Practice those sight words from kindergarten, and begin adding first grade sight words through the summer break.

• Practice letter writing and letter sounds.• Practice math facts and counting to 120.

Practicing Letters/Sounds

• Leap Frog Letter Factory video/song

• Between the Lions shows

• Estoria-Scholastic Books• Letter Sound BINGO• Fiddle!• Check our websites for

great resources!Letter/sound Activity

Fun Ways to Practice Sight Words

• Play Concentration• Sight-Word Twister• Beachball• Bang!• Slap-it Sight Word

Game• Word-OPracticing Sight Words

10 Fun Ways to Practice Sight Words

Fun Ways to Practice Letter Writing & Fine Motor Skills

• Write letters in shaving cream or sand

• Write on mirror or in bath tub with washable markers

• Use play-doh or wikki stix (found at Dollar General) to form letters

• String Fruit Loops• Cut play-doh with scissors• Picking up rice (small objects)

with tweezers**Watch for correct scissors

hold/pencil grip and that your child is writing letters from top down.

•household items for counting: beans, buttons, clips, etc.•check the $1 bins at Target for manipulatives•Greater Than/Less Than with cards•Play War with cards•Adding dots on dominoes or dice•Show a handful, take some away, and ask how many are missing.

Fun Math Skills

Fun Ways to Practice Math Skills

What Parents Should Expect When School Starts:

• Homework starting the first full week of school. Due every Friday. Regularly doing homework will be an important key to your child’s success!

• Students will read 2 A.R. books a night.• Spelling Test every Friday starting first full week of

school.

What Parents Should Expect When School Starts:

• Mandatory Accelerated Reader (A.R.) meeting to explain the program and expectations.

• Bronco Binders: White binder that travels to and from school EVERY DAY with your child. It contains a behavioral calendar that needs to be checked and signed, daily. Homework is stored here and important home/school communication.

Sample Passage (Beginning of Year):

Sample Passage (December):

PTA will have a prepackaged Supply bundle for purchase

online.

For more helpful information you can visit our classroom webpages!

http://www.mooreschools.com/site/default.aspx?PageID=1