Come in and explore our room for a few minutes!

Please find your child’s desk and have a seat.

Take some time to respond to your child’s letter in their journal. Leave it on their desk when you are finished so they can read it in the morning!

If you haven’t had a chance to sign up for volunteering, please check out the list of what is still available (front board).

Welcome to

Curriculum Night!

Agenda

Teacher Introductions Reading

Making Meaning Daily 5 Spelling/Phonics

Writing Math Social Studies Science ISF Specialist Schedule Classroom Management Miscellaneous

Reading

This year we are using a brand new reading comprehension program called Making Meaning. This curriculum is based off of the very latest research in reading comprehension.

We will be teaching the following comprehension strategies throughout the year:Retelling

Using schema/Making ConnectionsVisualizingWondering/QuestioningMaking inferencesDetermining important ideasUnderstanding text structureSummarizingSynthesizing

Daily 5 In all first grade classrooms, the structure of The Daily 5 is

used to manage literacy. Each student participates in three, 20 minute rotations of authentic literacy activities in which they have a “controlled choice” of what to do. Prior to each rotation of independent time, a brief mini lesson is taught with an explicit focus on comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary.

Students will be engaged in the Daily 5, which are comprised of:

1. Read to Self2. Work on Writing

3. Read to Someone4. Listen to Reading

5. Word Work/Spelling

During this independent work time, the teacher will be meeting with individuals and small groups to reinforce strategies and skills taught in our reading curriculum.

Spelling/ Phonics

Our goal as a first grade team is to have our students be able to use the phonics skills and high-frequency words correctly in their daily writing, rather than memorize a specific list for the week.

Phonics lessons will be incorporated in to Daily 5, journal writing and hands on activities to give the students consistent practice and exposure to phonics skills.

Each student has received a personal dictionary which they will add or highlight their high-frequency words. They will also have an opportunity to practice during class time.

Writing Writing is incorporated throughout the curriculum. Journal writing is an excellent example of how a

whole-class activity can lend itself to the developmental level of each student.

Students will be taught the writing process from rough draft to final copy.

Each week, the students will be involved in a Writers Workshop time. This may include directed mini lessons, peer feedback, teacher conferring, and sharing in the Author’s chair.

We will be making class books as well as individual books.

Love Notes will be a weekly correspondence between you and your child that will provide them practice in letter writing.

MathEveryday Mathematics 75 minutes a day A family letter will be sent home at the start of each unit. Home Links (homework) connected with the Everyday Math

program will be sent home daily. Please return homework the following day.

Unit assessments: Part A (concepts mastered) Part B (concepts not expected to be mastered)

Math books and tool kit EDM online

In Everyday Mathematics you can expect to see… …a problem-solving approach based on everyday situations. …an instructional approach that revisits concepts regularly. …frequent practice of basic skills, often through games. …lessons based on activities and discussion. …mathematical content that goes beyond basic arithmetic.

Numbers and Numeration Counting, reading and writing numbers, place value, fractions

and moneyOperation and Computation Addition and subtraction facts, fact families, problem solvingData and Chance Collecting, organizing and displaying data using tables, charts

and graphsMeasurement and Reference Frames Using tools to measure length and weight. Using clocks,

calendars, timelines and thermometers.Geometry Exploring 2 and 3-dimensional shapesPatterns and Functions Exploring attributes and patterns. Finding missing numbers and

rules in problemsProblem Solving Solving story problems and explaining their thinking through

words, pictures and numbers.

Topics Covered in Math:

Social Studies

We will also be using Scholastic News which cover current events, science, and social studies topics. These newspapers teach students to read captions and subtitles and are printed in a newspaper format.

Cultures, families and holidays from around the world will be explored throughout the year.

Science

This Fall we will study Observing the Sun and Moon. In the Winter we will study Habitats, and in the Spring we will cover Motion and Magnets. All year long, we will have an ongoing unit on Classifying Plants and Animals.

We will be using the district provided curriculum as well as other supplementary activities and materials.

What is ISF?

26 year-old, community powered non-profit organization

Partners with the Issaquah School District to drive resources to help all students achieve the promise of their academic potential

Bridges the gap between state funding and what our schools need to operate at the high standards we expect for our children

ISF Programs

ISF raised over $1.1M for Issaquah schools during the 2011-2012 school year, with recent programs including : Academic excellence (e.g., leveled reading rooms

and K-5 science curriculum – both directly benefiting Cascade Ridge!)

Struggling students (e.g., pre-Kindergarten programs, after school homework labs, VOICE mentoring for at-risk students)

Professional development (e.g., National Board Certification scholarships for teachers, new teacher start-up grants)

PTSA alone cannot provide these resources to our schools – we need both ISF and PTSA!

ISF relies on parents for over 80% of its revenue…But only 1 in 5 families currently donates!O ISF raises money primarily through the All in for Kids annual fund campaign and the Nourish Every Mind Luncheon in May

O Be All in for Kids! O Annual fund campaign now through NovemberO Every gift matters, every year! O Donate online now at www.isfdn.org and you

will not be called during the November phone campaign!

O Thanks to ISF and the parent community, Cascade Ridge if fortunate enough to have a brand new book room! These leveled books are an integral part of our reading curriculum. THANK YOU!!!!!

Classroom Management

Behavior:Warm Fuzzies: Warm fuzzies are earned when the entire class is doing a great job making good decisions.Team Points: Table groups earn team points if they are seen making good decisions, showing respect, or solving their problems.Golden Tickets: Students who are individually showing positive behavior and making good choices can earn golden tickets. Each Friday a raffle will be held and small prizes can be earned.Cube System: Students who have trouble following our class rules will be given warnings/reminders to make better choices. If the behavior continues, “the cube system” goes in to effect…

Other Important Information

Specialists P.E.: Monday and Thursday 10:30-11:00 Music: Tuesday and Friday from 12:45-1:45

Library: Wednesday 12:15-12:45 Computer Lab: Monday 12:30-1:10

Drama with Mrs. Harcourt for eight weeks

Snack:Please pack a snack for your child everyday. Our snack will take place in the morning. Please place your child’s snack in their backpack for easy access. Please try to send in healthful, easy opening snacks (crackers, small baggie of fruit or veggies, etc.)

Miscellaneous

Newsletters:Newsletters will be sent home via email every Friday, as well as posted on our classroom website.

Star Student:Star Student has already started! A letter will be sent home the Thursday before your child’s week outlining the different activities your child will get to participate in each day.

Book Orders: Monthly book orders will be sent home with your

child. This is a great opportunity to build your child’s home library. Our class receives points for all books ordered and may redeem these points to purchase books for our classroom library.

Miscellaneous Cont’d…

Field Trips- Renton Carco Theater to see Pinocchio: January 25- Toymaker “In-house” field trip: March 13th

Parties: Halloween – Monday, October 31st Winter Holiday Celebrations– TBD - Week of December 12th Valentine’s Day – Tuesday, February 14th End of Year – June (exact date will be announced later)

Volunteers:Classroom volunteers will start in October

Miscellaneous Cont’d…

Report CardsReport cards are sent home three times a year – November 30th, March 15th, and June 18th (the last day of school). Report cards and classroom work are based on a 4-3-2-1 scale.

4-consistently exceeds standard (above grade level work)

3-meets standard (grade level work)2-approaches standard (needs some

teacher guidance)1-below standard (area of concern)

Thank you for coming!!

Don’t forget our Volunteer Sign-Up!WE STILL NEED: A Room Coordinator A Reflections Coordinator

Don’t forget to reply to your child’s letter in their journal!

Please remember to fill out your demographic form and leave it on your child’s desk.

Please call or email us with any questions or concerns.