Mrs. Cassidy,

Mrs. Houpe,

& Mrs. Thomas

This web page was created to guide you through the first grade.  There is a lot of useful information for you and your parents.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact your first grade teacher and we would be happy to help you in any way! 

Field Trips:

We will go to the Farm in October.

Grade Level Expectations

Classroom Expectations – Consequences – Grading Scale

Homework Policy:   It is vital for you to practice skills with your children at home that they have learned in school.  Therefore, we expect the first graders to complete homework and turn it on time.  There will usually not be homework on the weekends.  Homework packets will be sent home on Mondays and due on Fridays.  If homework packets are turned in complete and on time your child will receive 10 points.  If your child did not turn in their homework, then a reminder note will be sent home.  If the homework has not been turned in by the following Monday, your child will lose 15 minutes of their first recess.

• 1 Day late- 9 pts.

• 2 Days late- 8 pts.

• 3 Days late- 7 pts.

• 4 Days late- 6 pts.

• 5 Days late- 0 pts.

Students will be receiving math and language arts homework.  There will be spelling and sight words to practice.  Each child is expected to read or be read to daily for 10 minutes.  One AR book each week will be required toward the end of the first quarter. 

*If a student is absent, sufficient time will be given to make up the work.

Grading:   First graders will receive four midterm reports that are a general summary of how the student is doing so far in the current quarter.  If a parent conference has occurred close to the middle of the quarter, a written report will not be sent home.  First graders also receive a report card at the end of each quarter.  The grading scale is O for Outstanding, S for Satisfactory, N for needs improvement.

Snacks:  Your child may bring a nutritious daily snack to eat in the afternoon since we have such an early lunch.  No sweets!

Birthdays:  Please send us a note ahead of time to let us know you would like to send in a birthday treat so we can plan for it during our day.  Summer birthdays may pick a day or contribute to a Summer Birthday Day during the last week of school.  Remember to send napkins, spoons, cups, etc. that may be needed.

Academic Information

Language Arts:

We will be using two basic approaches to reading this year.  The phonics method works on letter names and sounds and blending them into words.  We will work on many phonics rules that make decoding words easier such as silent e and two vowels walking.  However, some words do not follow the rules.  Therefore, we also need the whole word method that requires students to memorize words until they can be recalled automatically by sight.

This year we will be using the Scott Foresman Reading Series that includes reading, phonics, oral language, spelling, grammar and writing skills.  It closely follows the Ohio Standards that we are required to teach.  There are many parent suggestions given on a weekly newsletter from the practice book and on the bottom of workbook pages.  Be sure to reinforce the skills at home.

(Link to reading series)

Math: 

For the 2007-2008 school year we will be adopting a new math curriculum.  The company is Scott Foresman which also provides our Language Arts curriculum.

 Each day your child will participate in calendar time along with a math lesson that includes hands-on experiences, discussion, and exploration.   The curriculum is set up in chapters with diagnostic checkpoints, cumulative review, and test prep.

    Topics covered in math include:

• Patterns and Readiness for Addition and Subtraction
• Understanding Addition and Subtraction
• Strategies for Addition Facts to 12
• Strategies for Subtraction Facts to 12
• Geometry and Fractions
• Time
• Counting to 100
• Place Value, Data, and Graphs
• Money
• Measurement and Probability
• Addition and Subtraction Facts to 18

Science, Health, & Social Studies

Students will receive instruction from all 3 first grade teachers.  Each subject is taught for 30 minutes twice a week.  The teachers move to the different classrooms.  Students will receive study guides and have tests throughout the year.  Occasionally homework and projects will also be assigned .

Science- Mrs. Houpe:

We will study the following topics:

Health/Character Ed.- Mrs. Cassidy

In first grade health and character education, students will learn about many different concepts including:

• Ways to stay healthy

• Medicine safety and uses

• Food Guide Pyramid

• Growth

• Personal and Stranger Safety

• Identifying and Coping with Feelings

• Good and bad choices affect others

• Monthly Words of Character

Social Studies- Mrs. Thomas

     Students will learn about the following topics:

• Role of authority figures
• Need for fair rules
• Respect the rights and opinions of others
• Achievements of people associated with holidays
• Distinguish past, present and future
• Voting can be used to make group decisions
• Compare how families lived in the past and present
• Similarities and differences in cultures
• Recognize symbols of the United States
• Good citizenship traits
• Calendars
• Map and globe skills
• Goods and services