This document provides information for parents about what to expect in first grade. It summarizes that first grade aims to develop students' reading, writing, math, problem-solving, science, social studies, and independent learning skills. It outlines expectations in various academic areas and procedures for the school day, including recess, lunch, snacks, parties, and the take-home folder system. The document is intended to prepare parents for their child's first grade experience.

1. Welcome to
First Grade!
2012-2013

2. Donna
Gregg
Nan Sheryl
Neale Hernandez
Michelle
Audrey
Orobitg
Colwell
-Baca

3. First Grade is designed to…
*Stimulate a good self image
*Transition from emergent to authentic and fluent reading
*Provide opportunities to increase phonological awareness
and comprehension strategies
*Develop writing skills
*Provide opportunities for independent and cooperative
group activities
*Develop math concepts that students will use for life
*Develop problem-solving abilities
*Provide opportunities to think and reason mathematically
*Develop an understanding about the world around them
*Develop self-directed, independent learners

4. Recess 10:15-10:45
Please check the
weather each
day and help
your child dress
appropriately.
If the
temperature is
too hot or cold
according to
district
guidelines, or it’s
raining, we will
have indoor
recess.

5. Lunch Time 10:45-11:15
-15 min. eat time and 15 min. talk time
-Parents are welcome…
Sign-in at the office & meet us in the cafeteria.
-Please no visitors the first 2 weeks as we establish rules
& procedures for the cafeteria.

6. NO FOOD is allowed for
birthday celebration. You can
bring a special prize such as
pencils.
We will have 3 parties this
year: a winter holiday party, a
Valentine’s Day party, and an
end of year party on the last
day of school! All food will
need to be store bought with
ingredients labels attached.

7. Snack & healthy food choices
Please make sure your child has a
good breakfast. It’s a long time from
the time school starts at 8:00am to our
lunch time at 11:00am.
Please make sure your child has a healthy lunch.
Eating or drinking a lot of sugar at breakfast or
lunch, can inhibit quality learning at school.
We will have a quick snack time each afternoon.
Please make sure the snack is healthy and “kid-
friendly” and “classroom friendly.” Spills bring
bugs! NO PEANUTS!
Only water bottles in class please, no juice.

8. Art PE
Please make sure your child
is wearing appropriate shoes
on PE days.
Music

9. Math Expectations
•identify individual coins by name and value/ describe
relationships
•Computational fluency of addition and subtraction facts
through 10
•When given a word problem, identify the thinking pattern,
solve the problem by showing and explaining mathmatically.
•Identify and describe 2-D and 3-D shapes
•draw conclusions and answer questions from graphs
•Read, write, compare, skip count, and order whole numbers
using place value up to 99
•use patterns to develop strategies to solve basic addition
and subtraction problems
•Tell time by the hour and half hour and by using a calendar

10. Reading Expectations
-Comprehension: Monitoring own comprehension and
using strategies when comprehension breaks down
-Print Awareness
-Phonological Awareness: blending sounds and
manipulating sounds
-Use letter-sounds knowledge to decode words
-fluency
-using a variety of strategies to figure out new words
independently
-vocabulary development
-Dibels and DRA are used for assessments
-Daily 5/contracts – independent & guided reading

11. Book Binders
Tools to communicate and sources for
reference: reading strategies, letter
sounds, poems.
Carries leveled readers for daily
practice.
Please make sure your child takes care
of the books and the binder!
Reading anything in the book binder
counts towards 20 minutes of nightly
reading.

12. Writing Expectations-Writer’s Workshop
-compose complete sentences in written texts and use the
appropriate end punctuation
-write to record ideas and reflections and to communicate with a
variety of audiences in a variety of forms
-Use Writing Process: generate drafts on self-selected topics
and revise and edit own stories
-increase control of penmanship: improve handwriting
-use resources to find correct spelling for writing in final drafts

13. •Authority figures and their roles Social Studies
in the home, school, community,
state, and nation.
•Rules and laws, authority figures
•Texas and US Symbols
•Goods and services; Needs and
wants
•Requirements of jobs
•Past, present, and future
•Contributions of historic figures
•Use maps to locate places
•How technology has affected daily
life, past and present

14. Science Expectations
•Follow safety procedures
•Understand and explain life cycles of chicks,
pumpkins, and other living things.
•Use appropriate tools to collect information
•Sort objects based on properties and patterns
•Observe and record changes in weather from day to
day and over seasons
•Group and compare living organisms and nonliving
objects
•Identify rocks, soil, and water and how they are used
and how they can be recycled

15. WOLFPACK
Daily Take Home
Folder
What is it? It is a folder, put together by the teacher,
that houses EVERYTHING the students and parents
need to keep up with what is going on at school. You will
find notes from the teacher, newsletters, homework, and
calendars.
Why is it important to have? This folder helps
students to establish good organizational skills early in
their school career – skills that will carry on
throughout their time in school. It also provides a
tool for communication between school and home.

16. Newsletter
•goes home each Monday
•brief outline of what will be covered in class
•important dates and announcements
•Last week’s alpha wolf
Homework
•Printed on the back of the newsletter
•Reading Log – please initial daily
•Return on Friday – student responsibility!
•Additional assignments will sometimes be sent
home in the folder

17. Report Cards
• Reporting student performance on specific objectives
(Texas Education Knowledge & Skills aka TEKS)
• Nine week reporting period
• Unique card for every grade level based on that grade’s
curriculum
• Grades are given based on a rubric with numbers 1-4.
• First report card will be distributed in a parent-teacher
conference – look for sign-up sheet.
• Report Cards will be filled out electronically
and a copy will be sent home for you to keep
each 9 weeks. Please return the signature card.

18. All teachers have district initiated websites. To find
the website, start at the MISD homepage. Click on
“Parents.” Click on “Teacher Websites” at the
bottom. Choose “Slaughter Elementary” and then
your child’s teacher’s name.

19. Questions?
Please email your
child’s teacher with
any questions.