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The following supplies are requested and are to be left at school:
- a book bag (No rolling book bags please!)
- Regular sized number two pencils (USA Gold, preferred)
- 4 Large erasers (usually pink)
- 4 boxes of crayons (no boxes larger than 24 count)
- 1 box of Crayola THIN markers
- 1 box of Crayola colored pencils
- Primary child’s scissors
- 12 Glue sticks
- 4 cans Playdough (4 oz.)
- Fine Tip Black Expo Markers
- 1 large zippered supply pouch (for supplies kept in desk)
- Headphones: I recommend a cushioned over the ear monitor headphone that has an adjustable headband and uses the standard 3.5mm jack connection. Sony ZX110 Headphones are a good example and run between $15 and $20 on Amazon. Ear buds are not recommended for this age group.
- leak proof water bottle
**Please note that your child will also need supplies at home to complete homework assignments. The following supplies should be kept at home:
- pencils
- erasers
- crayons
- colored pencils, markers, or pens
Anything extra you can send in will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
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Homework Policy
Students will be given homework nightly. Students are required to copy homework assignments in their agendas each day. Please look in your child’s agenda for homework assignments and check to make sure they have completed each assignment! Each student will also be given a Homework Folder and should bring homework home in the folder every day it is assigned. Please look in your child’s Homework Folder each day for work that was completed at school and homework assignments. Failure to turn in a homework assignment will result in completing the assignment at home the following night. Should your child miss 3 homework assignments in one week, parent contact will be made and a conference scheduled to correct the problem. Homework is a very important part of learning! Encourage your child to do his/her best work every day!
Graded Paper Policy
Graded papers will be sent home every Tuesday with your child. They will be sent in a folder marked as the “Tuesday Folder” that will also include important school information. Attached will be a sheet informing you of your child’s grades for the week. Grades will consist of weekly assessments or projects in reading, ELA (spelling/grammar/composition)as well as Social Studies. Please note that some assessments will be done electronically on computers in our classroom. Numerical grades will be given in all academic areas (please see your child’s agenda for more information). You will need to sign the information sheet inside the Graded paper folder and return the folder on Friday. Please look through these papers carefully with your child and review them as needed.
Agenda Information
This year each student will have a Chukker Creek Elementary Agenda that will be brought back and forth each day to school. This Agenda will allow for an open line of communication between school and home. After you have checked both your child’s homework folder and his/her Agenda, please initial in on the right side of the agenda for that date. I will be checking your child’s homework folder and Agenda daily. Feel free to write comments or questions on the right side of the agenda. Any notes about behavior or discipline will be written or clipped to your child’s Agenda when needed.
Reading/Writing
This year we will be using the Aiken County Workshop model for reading and writing instruction in our classroom. This allows for students to be taught reading at their independent reading level and allows for flexible small grouping instruction. Students will work each week on reading and writing skills taught in class. They will practice these skills independently and with a partner, while also meeting in small groups or one-on-one with the classroom teacher. Students will be held accountable for their work by conferring with the teacher during the week. Students are expected to practice skills they learn in class and apply that knowledge each week as they read and write texts designed to supplement the classroom instruction. Using the workshop model, your student will be able to choose what they want to read and write, talk about what they read and write with other students, read and write a variety of texts and learn to make sure they understand what they are reading and writing.
Please look for skills taught each nine weeks under the reading tab on our classroom website. These skills will be tested in a variety of ways. At the beginning of the school year, oral tests will be given to assess weekly sight word lists and reading fluency. Assessments will change over the course of the year as students gain sight word knowledge and fluency. Our goal is to move towards a "cold comprehension" assessment that students will be required to read independently and answer questions about for a test grade.
We will be introducing sight words each week to increase your child’s sight word fluency. Students will be responsible for five words each week that are taught and reviewed daily. Students will be tested on these words and are responsible for reading them not only in isolation, but in phrases and short stories. These words will be found on the classroom website as well as in your child’s agenda or Homework Folder/notebook.Spelling
This year I will be using the First Grade Sight Words for spelling. Students will review the sight words each day at school and practice them during our Reading and Writing Workshop. Once the words have been reviewed for a week, they will be placed on our classroom Word Wall for future reference. Spelling tests will consists of “called tests” using the words from the Word Wall as well as dictated sentences where students will apply the knowledge of sight words and writing skills.
Math
We will be using McGraw-Hill My Math this year for math instruction. Math instruction will take place each day and your child will have homework from his/her math workbook each night. Please look for more information about skills taught using the math tab on our classroom website. Math skills will be tested weekly as needed.
In order to help your child succeed in first grade math, I request that they begin to memorize addition and subtraction facts to 20. An easy way to help your child is to go buy a set of flashcards to use at home. You can find them at any discount store (Wal-mart, Target, Dollar Tree, etc.) and they will be invaluable in helping your child learn his/her math facts. There are also great apps for Smartphones that you can download to help your child practice. Please look for a list of these on our classroom website.Science and Social Studies
We will be using the Aiken County Public School curriculum maps for Science and Social Studies instruction. Science and Social Studies will be taught in units to address the first grade state standards. Units will consist of hands-on activities and projects so that students are fully engaged in learning.
Digital Learning
Our classroom is equipped with one-to-one technology. Each student will be using a computer every day in our classroom to supplement classroom instruction. Students will be using a digital platform to create digital portfolios of their work during the year. We will be using Seesaw as our digital platform. Please look for information regarding Seesaw in your child’s homework folder. Please sign up for a Seesaw account so you are able to keep up with what your child is learning and creating each day as well classroom announcements and celebrations!