Welcome to Canyon Ridge Elementary

1st GradeParent Orientation

First Grade Team• Rose Burdwell

• Patti Evans• Kit Seddighzadeh

• Alicia Venegas

1st Grade CurriculumLANGUAGE ARTS – 4 Blocks 1. Self-Selected Reading

- read aloud, students read independently and share their reading

2. Guided Reading - guided reading groups, centers, or Daily 5

3. Writing- teach mini-lesson, students write and share

4. Working with Words (WWW)- word wall, spelling and decoding activities, poems, tongue twisters, and guess the covered word

Daily 51. Read to Self

- The best way to become a better reader is to make it a habit to read to yourself everyday.

2. Read to Someone- Reading to someone allows for more time to practice strategies, hear your own voice, and share in the learning community.

3. Listen to Reading- We learn more words and expand our vocabulary when we hear examples of good literature.

4. Writing- Just like reading, the best way to become a better writer is to practice writing each day.

5. Word Work- Word study focuses on spelling and vocabulary work by allowing children to experiment with different words and spelling patterns.

Curriculum Cont…

• MATHWe will be building a foundation of basic understanding

in:– number operations– number arrangements– quantitative reasoning– patterns– algebraic thinking– geometry and spatial reasoning– measurement– probability and statistics.

Curriculum Cont… • 5-Day Problem Solving

The purpose of the problem solving process is to help students slow down and dissect a problem through a consistent, persistent method. This process used overtime will help students develop confidence with solving problems.

Day 1: UnderstandingDay 2: StrategiesDay 3: SolvingDay 4: Communication /SharingDay 5: Assessment of similar problem

Curriculum Cont…• SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES

Science and Social Studies are based on the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills).

Other Scheduled Activities• Computer Lab (every other week)• Library (once a week)

Grading System• Your child will get a report card every nine

weeks .• Progress reports go out every third week

for students with challenges and every six weeks for all students.

• Your child’s reading level will be included with their report card every 9 weeks.

• Numerical grades are given in these content areas: Math, Language Arts, Reading, Science, and Social Studies.

Grading System cont…• A Grades from 90 to 100 • B Grades from 80 to 89 • C Grades from 75 to 79 • D Grades from 70 to 74 • F Grades 69 and below • NG No Grade if student has not been enrolled in

school for a sufficient length of time – or other extenuating circumstances

• E Indicates that achievement is Excellent • S Indicates that achievement is Satisfactory • N Indicates that achievement Needs Improvement

• U Indicates that achievement is Unsatisfactory

Grading System cont…Failing Grades• Teachers will provide re-teaching when

necessary allowing students a reasonable opportunity to make-up or re-do a class assignment or assessment for which the student received a failing grade.

• A maximum grade of 70% will be recorded when re-doing, re-testing and/or re-assessing for a failed grade.

Leader in Me• The Leader in Me program:

– Develops students who have the skills and self-confidence to succeed as leaders in the 21st century.

– Teaches and develops character and leadership.

– Improves academic achievement.• A leader badge will be given to

each student to wear.

The 7 Habits

The Clip Chart• The Clip Chart System

is a simple discipline strategy that promotes positive behavior.

• Clips move up and down depending on the behavior that is being shown.

• All clips start back on Ready to Learn at the end of the day.

Agendas• Your child will be filling out their

agendas daily. Please sign and return them everyday.

• They will be reflecting on their habits and will let you know where there clip was at the end of the day.

• If your child was on Reflecting at the end of the day, your teacher will write a note explaining the situation in your child’s agenda.

Agendas

Agendas

Parent/Teacher Communication

• Conferences – Fall conferences will be scheduled soon for October. Student-led conferences will be scheduled in February.

• E-mail is very effective. It is checked daily. Emails to parents have already been sent out so if you have not received an email please let your child’s teacher know.

Newsletter/Homework• A grade level newsletter will be sent

out on Mondays with homework on the back. Please read the front and back.

• Homework is due on Friday. Please wait until Friday to turn it in unless your child is going to be absent.

• Homework needs to be done with pencil in your child’s own handwriting.

• Please make sure your child’s name is on the top of their homework sheet.

Attendance• The first bell rings at 7:20 am and a child is tardy

after 7:30 am. (On Time and Ready to Learn)• Attendance is a priority! Please limit doctor and

dentist appointments during school. • Please notify the school and your child’s teacher

of absences. • Please send a note after your child is absent and

call the office if he/she will be absent for more than 3 days.

• Children should be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school.

General Procedures and Policies

• Breakfast is served at 7:00 am.• Please send a book or journal in your

child’s backpack each morning to read while waiting for the bell to ring.

• Students may be dropped off at the top by the gym and will all report to the front gym.

Procedures Cont. . .

• We will have a snack each day, so please send 1 HEALTHY snack. Your child may bring in a water bottle.

• Birthday celebrations are from 2:00-2:20 in case you want to bring treats (no home baked goods, please). Please notify your teacher ahead of time so necessary schedule changes can be made.

• Your child MUST have a note or email for afternoon transportation changes.

Parent Volunteers• All parents wishing to volunteer in

the classroom must have DPS clearance.- Please fill out the form at the office or online. This is also a must if you wish to join us on field trips.

• You will be notified when help is needed in the classroom.

From:

The First Grade Team