Your child will be receiving a great deal of information in the upcoming days. I hope that the following information and this packet will answer a few of your questions.

oHomework will begin promptly. Typically, homework will be given each night Monday through Thursday.

oHomework Folders: We will be using a 2 pocket, no prong, no ring binder folder as a homework/communication tool between your child and his or her teacher. You are encouraged to have your child select his or her own special folder to use during the year. Please provide the folder by the first day of school. Please replace the folder only when it is necessary.

oDaily Planners will be used to help students become organized and as a form of communication between parents and your child’s teacher. Planners will be available for purchase from the school. Students are required to have a parent initial the planner each night in order to facilitate the communication process.

oSnack Time/Nutrition Break: At the beginning of the year, many children often find themselves confused about what is their snack and what is their lunch. To help minimize confusion, please adhere to the following guidelines:

Provide separate bags for lunch and snack and label each bag accordingly with your child’s name.

Make sure your child knows which item is his or her lunch and which is intended for snack.

Each morning, students will place their snack and or lunch (if they bring one) into the appropriately labeled lunch or snack tub.

Please remember that morning recess (10:25 am) is a nutrition break. Snacks eaten at this time should be healthy. Good choices include fruit, granola bars, cheese, yogurt, etc.

Lunch Time: One important routine is lunchtime. Everyday the students will walk with me to the auditorium where the cafeteria is located. Students who bring their lunch are then excused to the lunch tables and the students buying will walk with me to the cafeteria. The students are supervised during their lunch and lunch recess by the noon duty staff.

Lunch Money should be sent to school in a labeled, sealed envelope and returned to the school office. Please ensure that your child’s lunch account is always up-to-date in the school cafeteria. Check your child’s account frequently.

Schoolgrams are sent home on Wednesdays. Announcements and letters from school will be enclosed. Please make sure you have read the entire contents and initialed the envelope before returning the Schoolgrams the following day. Please refrain from using the Schoolgram for teacher/office correspondence. Schoolgrams may be replaced by purchasing at the school office.

Please keep all toys and special school supplies at home.

Thank you very much for your continuous support!

First Grade Homework

Homework will begin next Monday and will be given each weeknight, Monday through Thursday.

Why do we have homework?

• It reinforces skills and materials learned in class.
• It prepares students for upcoming class topics.
• It teaches students to work independently.
• It aids in evaluating student progress.
• It provides enrichment.
• It helps develop responsibility.
• It keeps parents informed.

Guidelines:

• Students will copy homework assignments in his/her homework planners.
• All assignments will be completed and returned the following day, unless otherwise stated.
• Students will turn in work that is completed neatly.

Parent’s Involvement:

• Establish homework as a top priority for your child.
• Read your child’s homework planner daily.
• Assist your child with his/her homework.
• Please provide a positive work environment for your child.
• Establish a daily homework time.
• Provide positive support when homework is completed.
• Contact your child’s teacher if your child has a problem with homework.

Scoring Policy:

Your child’s teacher keeps a daily record of all complete and incomplete homework assignments. A homework grade is a recorded quarterly on the progress report. Your child’s teacher will contact you if your child is not turning in homework assignments.

Typical Schedule:

Typically, homework will include reading, a weekly poem, math and or writing. There will be no homework on Fridays.

Edited by - teacher on July 26 2010 03:10:41

Edited by - teacher on September 01 2009 17:09:38

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May 3rd-May 7th
Thank you so much for all the birthday goodies after break. I really appreciate how special you all make me feel! javascript:insertsmilie('')

It's that time of the year again!!! Testing has begun! We will finish our final MAPS (computer Language Arts and Math tests) on Wednesday. The students were so motivated to improve their winter score and were actually VERY excited to take these tests! I am so proud of their effort!

Thursday is our District Writing Prompt. The test will be an expository prompt. The students should include an "outstanding opening", three detailed sentences with descriptive words, and a "clever closing". Remind your child to use enough details to "paint a picture in their readers minds". We have spent a lot of time talking about sensory details (taste, touch, feel, smell, and sound) if needed to provide more details.

Math Instruction: The students each go to their math club classroom for math instruction. Each child is with a group of students at his/her own instructional level so the pacing may be different for every group. Homework will also be differentiated and distributed by your child's math club teacher. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Focus: Solid and flat shapes. Also positional words.
Next week we will be preparing for the Local Measures math assessment.

Language Arts:
Review for the Local Measures Reading assessment. Fluency (WPM) passage. Students will be assessed on their accuracy (% of words read correctly), speed (60 words in on minute) and comprehension.

Writing: Expository Writing
- A real story about real information
- Has an opening sentence
- Three detailed sentences
- Closing
We will continue to focus on Expository writing through next quarter. I have sent home your child's most recent writing prompt. Our end of the year Local Measures writing assessment will also be Expository.

Science: Plants
Talk to you child about the parts of a plant, and the life cycle of a plant. Ask your child about his/her plant in our classroom!

Also ask your child about our tadpoles. Katie the tadpole has legs!!!!

Reminders:
Thursday was the last day for library checkout. Please make sure your child returns his/her book.

Ask you child about his/her day everyday. Some questions to ask:
What did you write about in your journal today?
What books did you read during Independent Reading?
What activity did you play at recess? Who did you play with?
What color were you on at the end of the day? Why?
What is your reading/writing goal?
What vocabulary word did you learn this week? Can you use that word in a sentence?
Please remember to check your child's planner everyday!

Important Information
- School hours 8:45-3:15
- Friday 8:45-1:45
- Nutrition Break 10:25
- Lunch 11:30-12:15

Wish List
- Colored Note cards
- Glue Sticks
- Lysol wipes
- Sharpie markers
- White dot stickers
-Small white board markers
- Magnetic tape
-Headphones for the computers
-Erasers for pencil boxes
-White note cards
Thank you in advance for you generous donations!

Kelle Lemley
656-9676 X5632
Kelle.Lemley@cvesd.org

Edited by - teacher on February 17 2010 17:42:07

Edited by - teacher on February 17 2010 17:47:39

Edited by - teacher on May 04 2010 16:08:50

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