Romano:gromano@LWSD.org / September 12, 2008

Curriculum Night: Thursday September 18^th

·        Grades 4-6 presentations from 6-6:45

·        Principal’s Presentation from 6:50-7:10

Ø Grades K-3 presentations from 7:15-8:00

(I will begin in our first grade classroom at 7:15.)

Routines and Behaviors

In these first weeks of schools I focus on learning classroom routines, behaviors and expectations.  My goals are for students to feel safe and comfortable in the classroom and in our school, and for students to understand appropriate classroom behaviors and class work expectations.

The class work in September is largely a review of key kindergarten skills.  Reviewing familiar curriculum allows me to hone in on establishing good work habits that will benefit us the rest of the year. 

Morning Routine

I would suggest saying good-bye to your child either outside of school or outside the door to the first grade pod.  Once students walk into the pod they are responsible for themselves.

Students should:

·        Hang-up coats

·        Take out their folders

·        Hang-up backpacks

·        Get right to work on the “Morning Work”

They know to do this and have been great about it.  You can remind your child of these expectations as they come in each morning.

Folders

Students should:

·        Put their paper work into their folder at the end of the school day

·        Give you his or her folder when they get home for you to see

·        Give me their folders each morning so I can hand them out at the end of the day

Unit 1 Reading Curriculum

Please be aware I am aware students are reading at very different skill levels.  In about 2 weeks I will start reading groups where students will start reading challenging texts at their level.  The rest of September will be review work so I can establish class routines.

This first unit is a review of kindergarten skills, specifically mastery of all letter sounds and 36 sight words (attached). 

In approximately two weeks I will begin Guided Reading Groups where students will read books at their individual reading level.

This week ask about:

·        Meeting our 6^th Grade buddies (Friday)

·        Big Book: Lunch

·        Story: Picture Perfect

·        Class book like Picture Perfect (Friday)

·        Story: There’s a Wocket in My Pocket

·        Class Book like There’s a Wocket in My Pocket

·        Pattern activities

·        Science lesson about air

·        Crayon Pack Color Dictionary

·        Franklin Stories

·        Sweet Pickle Stories (Moose, Rabbit, Stork, Bear)

DIBELS

On Thursday (18^th) I will be working one on one with students doing the first of three rounds of DIBELS testing.  (DIBELS stands for the slightly ridiculously named Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills.)  I will be assessing:

1.  Letter Recognition: Students will have to name as many letters as they can in 1 minute.

2.  Phoneme Segmentation: In one minute students will have to break words into individual sounds.  For example, I say ship and the student says /sh/ /i/ /p/

3.  Nonsense word blending: in one minute students blend (sound-out) ‘nonsense’ words: for example: zum, sep.  The reason ‘nonsense’ words are used is to distinguish the skill of blending sounds from the ability to recall words.