First Grade Homework:
Through homework, first graders will learn to balance responsibilities from school and from home, while practicing and reinforcing skills and strategies taught throughout the day. First grade homework includes: a reading log, math menu, Home Links, and a sight word and math facts list. We feel that the work our students do at home should be done with flexibility, therefore the reading log, math menu, and Home Links will be sent home on Mondays and will need to be completed and returned by the following Monday. Sight words and math facts need to be practiced Monday through Thursday, as the assessments on these lists takes place on Fridays.
Reading Log: We believe that students should have specific goals during reading time. Our goal is for your child to read at least 15 minutes 4 out of 7 nights. We realize that some children may wish to read more and we encourage this. Your child's reading should include a variety of genres (such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, periodicals, etc.) and time for independent reading and/or reading with an adult. We would like for you and/or your child to complete the reading log until December, and then have your child complete the log independently for the remainder of the year.
Reading Bag: Most nights, your child will also bring home book(s) in a reading bag. The teacher and your child have taken time to choose books based on both his/her individual ability and interests. The number of books given to your child encourages rereading. In first grade, we feel that it is not only important to be exposed to new books, but also to reread familiar books. This helps to boost confidence and sustains excitement of reading. It is important that these bags be brought back and forth from school to home each day, as your child will often use these same books throughout the week at school. Please feel free to include the books we send home in your child's weekly reading log.
Math Menu: We believe that students should learn how to set individual math goals for themselves with the assistance of an adult. We also believe that students should have some choice in their learning. Therefore, each week, we will help your child choose from a variety of goals. The highlighted goal(s) on your child's math menu are the ones we would like for you to focus on during that week. Children should work on these goal(s) through the assigned Home Links, as well as, math games, math websites, and other challenge activities. The math menu can be found on the back of your child's weekly reading log. These math goals will change weekly based on your child's needs.
Word Study: By definition, "Word Study" encompasses phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction. In first grade, word study occurs both within the classroom, and at home, as part of the students' weekly at-home practice. In class, children examine the familiar relationships between words (e.g., "fall," "call," and "ball" are within the same /-all/ word "family," and also follow a specific rule dictating the need to double the final letter (in this case, the final "l")). Through the Words Their Way approach, children examine and sort words via numerous activities, thereby deepening their understanding of the order of sounds within words, their meaning, and their spelling. By engaging in these activities, children not only enhance their understanding of words presented to them, but also their understanding of new words. For example, children working in class with the words "fall," "call," and "ball," will apply their familiar understanding of these words to new words, such as "hall," "mall," "small" and "stall"). Additionally, and as a result, children are better prepared to understand and spell future, more advanced words (such as "install" and "recall").
At home and in class, first grade students will begin to practice reading a weekly list of 8 to 12 words. These words come from the "Dolch" word list, and are important for children to read fluently upon "sight." "Dolch" words are those words that appear most often in the majority of children's literature. We refer to this weekly list as your child's "SIGHT" word list. We ask, that as parents, you quickly review the reading of these 8 to 12 "SIGHT" words each night with your child, so that he or she can quickly and fluently read each word on Friday.
Additionally, some of the words on each week's sight word list will have a star next to them. We call these your child's "STAR" words. "STAR" words are very important to practice spelling, because they often do not follow any obvious familiar pattern, and/or young children routinely misspell them. These are words such as "the," "who," or "buy." First grade teachers maintain these words in their classrooms (either through Word Walls, or students' individual dictionaries), yet simple rote spelling practice of these "STAR" words at home is an easy and quick way to support your child's learning. Your child will be asked to spell these words each Friday as well.
All of the items needed to complete first grade homework will be coming home each Monday in your child's weekly folder. Please go over these with your child each Monday and make a plan together about how to best complete the work by the due dates.
Through homework, first graders will learn to balance responsibilities from school and from home, while practicing and reinforcing skills and strategies taught throughout the day. First grade homework includes: a reading log, math menu, Home Links, and a sight word and math facts list. We feel that the work our students do at home should be done with flexibility, therefore the reading log, math menu, and Home Links will be sent home on Mondays and will need to be completed and returned by the following Monday. Sight words and math facts need to be practiced Monday through Thursday, as the assessments on these lists takes place on Fridays.
Reading Log: We believe that students should have specific goals during reading time. Our goal is for your child to read at least 15 minutes 4 out of 7 nights. We realize that some children may wish to read more and we encourage this. Your child's reading should include a variety of genres (such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, periodicals, etc.) and time for independent reading and/or reading with an adult. We would like for you and/or your child to complete the reading log until December, and then have your child complete the log independently for the remainder of the year.
Reading Bag: Most nights, your child will also bring home book(s) in a reading bag. The teacher and your child have taken time to choose books based on both his/her individual ability and interests. The number of books given to your child encourages rereading. In first grade, we feel that it is not only important to be exposed to new books, but also to reread familiar books. This helps to boost confidence and sustains excitement of reading. It is important that these bags be brought back and forth from school to home each day, as your child will often use these same books throughout the week at school. Please feel free to include the books we send home in your child's weekly reading log.
Math Menu: We believe that students should learn how to set individual math goals for themselves with the assistance of an adult. We also believe that students should have some choice in their learning. Therefore, each week, we will help your child choose from a variety of goals. The highlighted goal(s) on your child's math menu are the ones we would like for you to focus on during that week. Children should work on these goal(s) through the assigned Home Links, as well as, math games, math websites, and other challenge activities. The math menu can be found on the back of your child's weekly reading log. These math goals will change weekly based on your child's needs.
Word Study: By definition, "Word Study" encompasses phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction. In first grade, word study occurs both within the classroom, and at home, as part of the students' weekly at-home practice. In class, children examine the familiar relationships between words (e.g., "fall," "call," and "ball" are within the same /-all/ word "family," and also follow a specific rule dictating the need to double the final letter (in this case, the final "l")). Through the Words Their Way approach, children examine and sort words via numerous activities, thereby deepening their understanding of the order of sounds within words, their meaning, and their spelling. By engaging in these activities, children not only enhance their understanding of words presented to them, but also their understanding of new words. For example, children working in class with the words "fall," "call," and "ball," will apply their familiar understanding of these words to new words, such as "hall," "mall," "small" and "stall"). Additionally, and as a result, children are better prepared to understand and spell future, more advanced words (such as "install" and "recall").
At home and in class, first grade students will begin to practice reading a weekly list of 8 to 12 words. These words come from the "Dolch" word list, and are important for children to read fluently upon "sight." "Dolch" words are those words that appear most often in the majority of children's literature. We refer to this weekly list as your child's "SIGHT" word list. We ask, that as parents, you quickly review the reading of these 8 to 12 "SIGHT" words each night with your child, so that he or she can quickly and fluently read each word on Friday.
Additionally, some of the words on each week's sight word list will have a star next to them. We call these your child's "STAR" words. "STAR" words are very important to practice spelling, because they often do not follow any obvious familiar pattern, and/or young children routinely misspell them. These are words such as "the," "who," or "buy." First grade teachers maintain these words in their classrooms (either through Word Walls, or students' individual dictionaries), yet simple rote spelling practice of these "STAR" words at home is an easy and quick way to support your child's learning. Your child will be asked to spell these words each Friday as well.
All of the items needed to complete first grade homework will be coming home each Monday in your child's weekly folder. Please go over these with your child each Monday and make a plan together about how to best complete the work by the due dates.