Class Handbook

AR (Accelerated Reader):

ŸThis program will be used to assess your child’s independent reading level and to assist your child’s motivation for reading. The program allows students to read books on their independent reading level and then take a computer-based quiz. If your child scores 80% or higher your child passes the quiz and will receive points. Points will be used to earn rewards/prizes in the classroom and to earn quarterly rewards (see table below). Your child can read leveled AR books from school or your public library (book level will be sent home once your child’s reading level has been determined). Anytime your child reads one of these books (on their level) they can take a quiz at school. Once the program is implemented (later in the school year) you will be able to access their progress on-line through your personal computer.

Quarterly ACCELERATED READER Incentives:

ŸREADING LOG-Your child needs to read each night. Some nights there will be assigned reading and some nights your child can choose what to read. Each night your child’s “at home” reading should be logged in their Reading Log folder. I will check these on Monday mornings. This can also count towards their quarterly reading goal.

AGENDA:

ŸPlease check and sign your child’s agenda nightly and return it to school daily. It is used to record your child’s daily behavior, list homework assignments and any other pertinent information. It can also be used for parents to send notes or messages to school.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS:

You are welcome to send in birthday treats the day of (or as near as possible) your child’s birthday. I will pass them out at lunch or the end of the school day and we will sing to your child as a class.

CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE:

ŸPlease refer to the discipline handout for specifics. Your child will record their daily behavior by coloring in the agenda. The color codes are as follows:

ŸGREEN: punch for incentive card J

ŸYELLOW:Lose 5 minutes of recess

ŸRED: Lose 15 minutes of recess/Time-out

ŸBLUE: Lose all recess and note/call home

JAny students on green for the day will have a chance for a prize box choice. Any student on green for a whole week will receive a special snack. Students who are on green for 20 days in any quarter will have a pizza party lunch with Mrs. West.J

CLASSROOM FOLDERS:

*Purple Folders: Monday through Thursday your child will bring home a purple folder. In this folder your child can bring home graded papers and any other pertinent information. You can also use this folder to send in papers to school or notes. Please empty these nightly and return to school.

*Red Folders: On Friday, your child will bring home a red “Friday Folder.” This folder will contain my weekly newsletter, spelling words, a homework packet (due the following Friday) and any other district/community papers. Please empty these and return on Mondays.

CURRICULUM:

Language Arts (Reading Street):

Spelling (weekly word list)

ŸTIPS: Help your child master these by working on them every night (flashcards, write 5x each, oral spelling, etc.)

Writing(dictation sentences, journals, report, letter, etc.)

ŸTIPS: Help your child with this by reminding them in their written work to spell unknown words by the sounds they hear in each word (invented spelling). The only exception is if they are writing a sight word.

Handwriting (writing samples-correct letter formation and spacing)

ŸTIPS: Help your child with this by reminding them to put “finger spaces” between each word and to form each letter correctly.

Reading (Reading Street):

Reading Comprehension (Story test-weekly; Unit test-every 6 weeks)

ŸTIPS: Help your child with this by reading his assigned stories with him and asking question about the reading. Some examples of questions are: What was this story about? Where did this story take place? What was the problem in this story? How was the problem solved? Also, if your child makes a mistake reading aloud ask them if that sentence makes sense the way they read it. Then ask them to sound out the word and reread the sentence and see if it makes sense.

Sight Words (monthly check on Reading Street sight words-can be found weekly in class newsletter)

TIPS: Help your child with these by practicing each weekly sight word (listed in the class newsletter).

Fluency (weekly oral reading probe):

ŸTIPS: Help your child’s fluency by having them read daily. It’s O.K. if they reread familiar stories as long as they are reading daily.

***The oral reading fluency goal for 1st grade is 40 words per minute.***

Math (Everyday Math-math journal pages, unit tests, target skills):

TIPS: Help your child with this by working through each Homelink when they are assigned. Some main skills taught this year are: money (identifying and exchanging Q, D, N, P and $1), single digit addition/subtraction, geometry, simple number stories, telling time (analog and digital- to the hour, half, quarter, and to the nearest 5 minutes), measurement (to nearest inch and centimeter), writing numbers up to and beyond 100 and comparing numbers.

GRADING:

Your child will be graded in the following subjects:

ŸLanguage Arts (spelling, writing, handwriting, participation, homework)

ŸReading (weekly comprehension tests, sight words, fluency, unit tests, participation)

ŸMath (math boxes, unit tests, participation, homework)

ŸSocial Studies (projects, topic assessments -oral/written)

ŸScience (projects, topic assessments -oral/written)

The following grading scale will be used after the 1st quarter:

A: 100-93

B:92-85

C:84-77

N: 76 and below

HOMEWORK:

***I will send weekly homework packets on Fridays which will be due the following Friday. If you would like to do it by day you could follow the following schedule:

Monday=Spelling, Read-10 min.

Tuesday=Math, Read-10 min.

Wednesday=Spelling, Read-10 min.

Thursday=Math, Read-10 min.

Friday=No Homework

*Written homework should take about 15 minutes*

**Homework will be checked for completion not accuracy. Due to homework being PRACTICE work I only record that your child did or did not complete a homework assignment. Homework will not be returned. I then tally each subject for a completion percentage.***

SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE:

SPECIALS SCHEDULE:

VOLUNTEERS:

There will be times throughout the school that we will need parental help such as parties, special events, etc. When these times occur I will put requests in Friday folders and my newsletter. Please read these weekly so you can be well informed.

WEBPAGE:

Please check out my teacher website each week. I will post m weekly newsletter, spelling words and links to online spelling, math, and language arts games. My website can be located at http://glswiki.goshenlocalschools.org/groups/mc_students/wiki/c488c/Lori_West.html.