Curriculum Night
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Life in Room 127
First Grade
Mrs. Boggs

Welcome to all! The following is a brief guide to curriculum and policies in room 127. Now, and throughout the year, let me know if you have any questions.
Classroom phone: 253-945-3236
Classroom E-mail: bboggs@fwps.org

Volunteers
Volunteers are welcome and VERY much appreciated. A sign up sheet is available at the back table. Help will be needed in the following areas:
Accelerated Reader Program
Reading Fluency Testing
Computer Lab

Homework Policy
Homework goes home on Monday and is due on Friday. During short weeks, homework is due on the last school day of that week. Most homework packets will include:
Spelling (first grade or second grade levels)
Math activity
5 minutes math facts/fluency practice
Reading to an adult for 15-20 minutes nightly
Optional reading comprehension activities for eager beavers

Homework Folders and Planners
Folder: There is only one folder coming home regularly. One pocket will be used for those things that need to be returned to school . The other pocket will be used for those things that should remain at home . Don't worry about which pocket your child uses as long as things are coming back and forth to school!
Planner: The planner is a special spiral bound notebook that all students (1 st through 5 th ) are given at the beginning of the school year. In Room 127 it will be used to provide communication opportunities between school and home, to take a Thursday evening practice spelling test and to give students the opportunity to report on their school day. It also contains a plastic pocket in the rear for parent or teacher notes. Write “see pocket” in the parent initial box area if you want to make sure that your child has given me the notes or messages you have sent. I will do the same.

Snack
Please use good judgment and keep nutrition in mind when choosing snacks. Send small quantities as we have fewer than ten minutes to eat our goodies. Many a HUGE apple has been thrown into the trash half-eaten by a 6 year old with a small tummy! Small sizes are just right!
NO
No candy, cookies, cakes or other sweets!
No snacks that require forks, spoons or other tools.
No sandwiches.
No snack drinks of any kind
YES
Nutrition bars
Trail mix, granola
Graham crackers
Peanut butter crackers/celery
Fresh fruit and vegetables (Apples should be in a baggie for sanitation reasons.)
Fruit leather, raisins, etc.
Crackers, cheese
(Water bottles are ok on the desks on a regular basis as long as they have spill proof lids and are not frozen. (Frozen bottles sweat!)

Classroom Share Time
Children will be invited to share thoughts, ideas, events and special objects with their classmates on Friday afternoons. Communicating with others is a Grade Level Expectation. Be sure that your child has some of the following information about his/her “share”:
1) Origin/age
2) Use or purpose
3) Special meaning/personal attachment/reason for interest
4) Comments or facts.
Toy parades are discouraged. An occasional fascinating toy is fine! Encouraged are: travel souvenirs, pictures, photos, objects from nature, family treasures, musical instruments, verbal experiences , etc.

Scholastic Book Club
K/1 and 2/3 order forms are sent home once a month. Scholastic is a good source of nightly reading materials at your child's reading level. Scholastic also indicates which books are AR books. Cash or checks made out to the book club should be sent in an envelope or baggie with your child's name on it.

Birthdays/Celebrations
Birthday treats are welcome! All birthdays will be celebrated during Friday Share time. Give me a day's notice so that I am prepared to set up the treats. All treats must be store-bought items. Please limit treats to mini-cupcakes , cookies or fruit. Juice drink boxes or pouches are fine too. (Obviously our snack rules don't apply for birthday celebrations!) Please send napkins to help keep our desks and fingers from getting too sticky.

Classroom Instruction

Reading
Phonics Instruction: Whole group, Flexible small group and independent settings.
Guided Reading: Small flexible ability groups to reinforce reading strategies and skills using adopted texts or chapter books..
Whole Group Reading: Grade level materials focusing on reading standards. (adopted reading texts, shared literature, National Geographic, Social Studies and Science)
Literature Circles: Individual ability groups assigned chapter books or other appropriate materials based upon reading levels. (often used with children exceeding grade level standards for reading)
Accelerated Reader: Personal choice reading followed by a computer quiz testing comprehension
Word Work: Word Wall, Making Words, Word Sorts, Scrambles, Making Words
AM Poetry Folders: Offers opportunity for shared reading, grammar instruction and teacher modeling.
Independent Reading: Chapter books, buddy baskets, AR, partner reading.
Read and Lead: Home reading supported and rewarded by PTA.
 
Writing Process
Quick Writes: Short topic writing, rarely using graphic organizers
Squiggle Books: “Doodles” with three to six supporting detail sentences
Writing Workshop: First and final draft writing using organizers and very focused upon the WA State writing standards.

Language Arts and Grammar Skills
DLR: Daily Language Review.
Poetry: Enjoyment and comprehension of poetry.
Highlighter Poetry: Use of poetry and a highlighter to study the grammatical make-up of the English language.
English Structure, Conventions and Grammar: Weekly step-by-step study.

Math
SF District Adoption.
Investigations: often hands-on, used to introduce concepts. includes problem solving, may be “game” oriented
Teacher-to-Teacher: Problem Solving using manipulatives, pictures, words and numbers.
Daily Math Practice Program: emphasizes spiral review
Facts fluency: (+,-) using games or written practice
Origo Mathementals Program: Focuses on mental math processes/strategies
Origo Fundamentals: Partner or group oriented games
Manipulatives.
  
Science
Fall: Balance and Motion
Winter: Weather
Spring: Organisms

Social Studies
Social Studies Text
Map, globe and geography skills.
Social Studies Journal
National Geographic
This magazine supports our Social Studies curriculum and keeps
us informed about current events. This is funded by your $2.50
contribution. Thank you!!!
 
Art
The PTA Art Docent Program will teach specific artists and their styles.
Library
We go to the library from 1:20-1:50 every Monday. Please return library books on Monday mornings so that new books can be checked out.


PE and Music
There are two half-hour periods of each during the school week. Remember to wear appropriate shoes on PE days. We can only keep our kids moving and healthy if they are dressed to boogie!
Schedules:
PE: Monday and Wednesday, 2:50-3:20
Music : Tuesday, 11:15-11:45/Thursday, 2:50-3:20


Computer Lab
We will work weekly in the computer lab. Our computer day is every Tuesday, 2:50-3:20.
Reading and math games
All the Right Type
Word processing quick writes and inserting clip art toward end of year

Classroom Expectations
Classroom rules are agreed upon by the class and posted on the wall.
We track daily behavior with our frog pockets. I report behavior to parents weekly on the homework coversheet!
Self-managers are rewarded: stickers, visits to class store with a full sticker card, invitation to Wednesday Lunch Bunch, recess game days, read around the room privileges, and visits to the office to announce that they have become a self-manager.
Consequences for breaking our rules are:
Warning
5 minute time-out
10 minute time-out
Lose Self-manager Badge for three days
Conference
Click here for a printable version of the Class Policies
Friday, August 28, 2009
Life in Room 127
Curriculum Night September 2009 (TBA)
First Grade
Mrs. Boggs

Welcome to all! The following is a brief guide to curriculum and policies in room 127. Now, and throughout the year, let me know if you have any questions.
Classroom phone: 253-945-3236
Classroom E-mail: bboggs@fwps.org

Volunteers
Volunteers are welcome and VERY much appreciated. A sign up sheet will be available at the back table on Curriculum Night. Help will be needed in the following areas: Accelerated Reader Program, Reading Fluency Testing, Computer Lab.

Homework Policy
Homework goes home on Monday and is due on Friday. During short weeks, homework is due on the last school day of that week. Most homework packets will include spelling, a math activity, 5 minutes math facts practice and 10 minutes nightly reading to an adult. Optional reading activities for eager beavers are also included, and parents may request a challenge second grade spelling list in lieu of first grade spelling.

Homework Folders and Planners
Folder: There is only one folder coming home regularly. One pocket will be used for those things that need to be returned to school . The other pocket will be used for those things that should remain at home .
Planner: The planner is a special spiral bound notebook that all students (1 st through 5 th ) are given at the beginning of the school year. In Room 127 it will be used to provide communication opportunities between school and home, to take a Thursday evening practice spelling test and to give students the opportunity to report on their school day. It also contains a plastic pocket in the rear for parent or teacher notes.

Snack
Please use good judgment and keep nutrition in mind when choosing snacks. Send small quantities as we have fewer than ten minutes to eat our goodies. Many a HUGE apple has been thrown into the trash half-eaten by a 6 year old with a small tummy! Small sizes are just right!
NO
No candy, cookies or other sweets!
No snacks that require forks, spoons or other tools.
No sandwiches.
No snack drinks of any kind. (Water bottles are ok on the desks on a regular basis as long as they have spill proof lids and are not frozen. (Frozen bottles sweat!)
YES
Please consider nutrition bars, trail mix, graham crackers, peanut butter crackers, fresh fruit and vegetables, fruit leather (Fruit Roll-Ups, etc.), raisins, crackers, cheese or any other nutritious snack that you can think of.

Classroom Share Time
Children will be invited to share thoughts, ideas, events and special objects with their classmates on Friday afternoons.
Be sure that your child has some of the following information about his/her “share”: 1) origin/age 2) use or purpose 3) special meaning/personal attachment/reason for interest 4) comments or facts.
Toy parades are discouraged. An occasional fascinating toy is fine! Encouraged are: travel souvenirs, pictures, photos, objects from nature, family treasures, musical instruments verbal experiences, etc.

Scholastic Book Club
K/1 and 2/3 order forms are sent home once a month. Scholastic is a good source of nightly reading materials at your child's reading level. Scholastic also indicates which books are AR books. Cash or checks made out to the book club should be sent in an envelope with your child's name on it.

Birthdays/Celebrations
Birthday treats are welcome! All birthdays will be celebrated during Friday Share time. Give me a day's notice so that I am prepared to set up the treats. All treats must be store-bought items. Please limit treats to mini-cupcakes, cookies or fruit. Juice drink boxes or pouches are fine too. (Obviously our snack rules don't apply for birthday celebrations!) Please send napkins to help keep our desks and fingers from getting too sticky.

Classroom Instruction
Reading
Phonics Instruction: Whole group, Flexible small group and independent settings.
Guided Reading: Small flexible ability groups to reinforce reading strategies and skills using adopted texts or chapter books..
Whole Group Reading: Grade level materials focusing on reading standards. (adopted reading texts, shared literature, National Geographic, Social Studies and Science)
Literature Circles: Individual ability groups assigned chapter books or other appropriate materials based upon reading levels.

Accelerated Reader: Personal choice reading followed by a computer quiz.
Word Work: Word Wall, Making Words, Word Sorts
AM Poetry Folders: Offers opportunity for shared reading, grammar instruction and teacher modeling.
Independent Reading: Chapter books, buddy baskets, AR, partner reading.
Read and Lead: Home reading supported and rewarded by PTA.
 
Writing Process
Quick Writes: Short topic writing, rarely using graphic organizers
Squiggle Books: “Doodles” with three to six supporting detail sentences
Writing Process: First and final draft writing using the Four Square Writing Guide and very focused upon the WA State writing standards.

Language Arts and Grammar Skills
DLR: Daily Language Review.
Poetry: Enjoyment and comprehension of poetry.
Highlighter Poetry: Use of poetry and a highlighter to study the grammatical make-up of the English language.
English Structure, Conventions and Grammar: Weekly step-by-step study.

Math
SF District Adoption.
Investigations: Used to introduce concepts.
Teacher to Teacher: Problem Solving using manipulatives, pictures, words and numbers.
ADD: Daily Math Practice Program.
Facts: Daily fluency (+,-).
Origa Mathementals Program: Focuses on mental math processes/strategies
Games
Manipulatives.
  
Science
Fall: Balance and Motion
Winter: Weather
Spring: Organisms

Social Studies
Social Studies Text
Map, globe and geography skills.
National Geographic
This magazine supports our Social Studies curriculum and keeps
us informed about current events. This is funded by your $2.50
contribution. Thank you!!!
 
Art
Art will be a part of the classroom activities as it relates to topics explored. The PTA Art Docent Program will teach specific artists and their styles.
Library
We go to the library from 1:20-1:50 every Monday. Please return library books on Monday mornings so that new books can be checked out.


PE and Music
There are two half hour periods of each during the school week. Remember to wear appropriate shoes on PE days. We can only keep our kids moving and healthy if they are dressed to boogie!
Schedules:
PE: Monday and Wednesday, 2:50-3:20
Music : Tuesday, 11:15-11:45/Thursday, 2:50-3:20


Computer Lab
We will work weekly in the computer lab. Our computer day is every Tuesday, 2:50-3:20.
Reading and math games
All the Right Type
Word processing quick writes and inserting clip art toward end of year

Classroom Expectations
Classroom rules are agreed upon by the class and posted on the wall.
We track daily behavior with our frog pockets. I report behavior to parents weekly on the homework coversheet!
Self-managers are rewarded: stickers, visits to class store with a full sticker card, invitation to Wednesday Lunch Bunch, recess game days, read around the room privileges, and visits to the office to announce that they have become a self manager.
Consequences for breaking our rules are:
Warning
5 minute time-out
10 minute time-out
Lose Self-manager Badge for three days
Conference
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