Hi First Grade Families!
Welcome to the first grade. This will be a wonderful year of learning and growth. It will be important to keep in mind that first grade builds on small success. Applaud every accomplishment, not matter how small it may seem. This will keep enthusiasm for learning alive and growing. Learning how to read, write, and think mathematically are the core subjects in first grade. Please read with your child every day if possible. Your BEE book provides the site words we’ll be working on learning each day, as well as a school wide program to promote reading in the form of a reading log. You can record the stories that you’re reading at home, and your child can earn extra prizes for doing so at school. The more your student is exposed to language the easier it will be for them to incorporate new skills in reading, writing, and thinking.
The following subjects will be taught this year in first grade: Reading, Writing, Phonics, Health, Science, Handwriting, Math, English, Art, Social Studies, Spelling, Physical Education, Music and Computer skills.
School Supplies:
Here is a list that we will need and use throughout the school year. Please send these items in as soon as possible for an effective start to our year together. Please put your child’s name on EVERYTHING! I will be supplying things that are not on the list. That includes pencils (I’m trying something new this year).
- A backpack large enough to fit the BEE book (Kellogg does not allow backpacks on wheels).
- An old clean sock for cleaning white boards, and chalk boards.
- An old shirt for art class (to keep at school)
- 100 Pennies in a zip lock bag
- An eraser
- One box of gallon sized zip lock bags (To be used throughout the year by the entire class). Cont…
- One box of tissue
- One container of Lysol wipes
- Colored pencils
- One box of no more than 24 crayons although each child will have a box supplied by me on the first day. You can send another if you like.
- A supply of number two pencils for home
- Two highlighter markers
- Two large glue sticks
- One dry erase marker
- One pair of fiskers scissors (the other break very easily)
All other items will be provided at school so that all of the
Children have the same materials to work with throughout the year. There will be opportunities for you to send in items as we need them, but I honestly prefer that all the children have the same supplies. Please remember to put your child's name on all of his or her
supplies, it will make our year run much smoother. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with all of this!
The following items we will need in our classroom. If you’d like to send these items in, please feel free to do so throughout the school year.
- Small toys for our class treasure chest
- For Halloween we will need one pumpkin for each child. Perhaps you know someone that can donate them, or someone that would be willing to help us out with a festive lesson?
- We also need large coffee filters to serve snack on.
Snacks/Lunch
First grade lunch will be from 12:00-12:30. We will have an afternoon snack time. Please send in a healthy snack once per month for the entire class. Some ideas include: pretzels, dry healthy cereal, granola bars, etc. Students will be encouraged to visit the water fountain during snack time. Your child may also choose to bring in a water bottle labeled with his or her name on it. Please do NOT sending in juice or pop for a drink at snack time… it will be sent home in your child’s back pack.
It will be very important for your child to eat a large, healthy breakfast each morning.
Discipline:
In our room we have five rules. Discipline is simple. We work hard as a class to make the classroom a positive and safe place for all. Our five rules are:
1. Be a friendly listener
2. Be a friendly learner
3. Have a friendly attitude
4. Always do your personal best.
5. Always be safe and kind.
As a class we will spend time each day talking about these rules and how they apply to us. Each student will start with at the green dot. After a reminder your child will move to the yellow dot, and with one more reminder your child will move to the red. The last reminder your child will be responsible for giving me his or her stick and writing a note home with me at recess to explain the behavior. A yellow dot will result in loosing 5 minutes of recess time in the classroom, or sitting on the bench outside. A red dot will be ten minutes, instead of 5. Children that remain in the green all day will receive a ticket at the end of the day toward earning a prize from our treasure chest. In addition your child will also receive a green stamp on their hand. If your child doesn’t come home with a green stamp you know to ask about why. If your child injures another child, uses inappropriate language, or behaves in any extreme manner (5 days in a row in red for the same repeated behavior), he or she will automatically be sent to the principal’s office and written a disciplinary form. Students who are responsible, or demonstrate an outstanding behavior, or are helpful have a chance to earn extra tickets. Each day is a new start, so your child will always have a chance to demonstrate positive behaviors. Our school rules also encourage positive behavior by giving out Ahoy slips (see school notes and handouts for additional information).
Common behaviors:
As the school year begins your child will be tired! The transition between Kindergarten and First grade is HUGE! An entire school day takes time to adjust to. Your child may think it’s hard, or be reluctant to want to come to school. This is common at the beginning of the year for first graders. Please don’t feel that you are alone in this. We’ll all be working together closely to be sure that your child enjoys first grade and I assure you I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure your child has a wonderful school day.
ABC’s Of First Grade:
Please refer to the ABC’s of first grade that are listed in your child’s BEE book. Please leave this in the folder as I will be updating and changing them throughout the school year. I’ll try to print them on different color paper so you know that changes of have been made. If you have any questions at all please feel free to contact me! I’m really looking forward to our teacher parent partnership.
Yours in learning,
Kari Freling