Welcome to Curriculum Night 2005-2006

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Grade One Curriculum Information
Teacher Ms. B. Hawley
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Welcome to Curriculum Night
How we work How we learn
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Tips for Home Reading
Tips and Word-Attack Strategies Word-attack
strategies help students decode, pronounce, and
understand unfamiliar words. They help students
attack words piece by piece or from a different
angle.
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Model and instruct students

• Use Picture Clues
•  Look at the picture.
•  Are there people, objects, or actions in the
  picture that might make sense in the sentence?

• Sound Out the Word
•   Start with the first letter, and say each
  letter-sound out loud.
•   Blend the sounds together and try to say the
  word.
• Does the word make sense in the sentence?

• Look for Chunks in the Word
•    Look for familiar letter chunks. They may be
  sound/symbols, prefixes, suffixes, endings,
  whole words, or base words.
•    Read each chunk by itself. Then blend the
  chunks together and sound out the word. Does
  that word make sense in the sentence?

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• Connect to a Word You Know
•   Think of a word that looks like the unfamiliar
  word.
•  Compare the familiar word to the unfamiliar
  word. Decide if the familiar word is a chunk or
  form of the unfamiliar word.
•  Use the known word in the sentence to see if it
  makes sense. If so, the meanings of the two
  words are close enough for understanding.

• Reread the Sentence
• Read the sentence more than once.
• Think about what word might make sense in the
  sentence. Try the word and see if the sentence
  makes sense.

• Keep Reading
• Read past the unfamiliar word and look for
  clues.
• If the word is repeated, compare the second
  sentence to the first.
• What word might make sense in both?

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• Use Prior Knowledge
• Think about what you know about the subject of
  the book, paragraph, or sentence.
• Do you know anything that might make sense in
  the sentence?
• Read the sentence with the word to see if it
  makes sense.

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Word Rings

• From 50-75 of all words used in school books,
  library books, newspapers, and magazines are in
  the Dolch Basic Sight Vocabulary of 220 words
  (preschool thru Grade 3).  The Dolch word list is
  made up of "service words" (pronouns, adjectives,
  adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and verbs)
  which cannot be learned through the use of
  pictures. 

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Word Families

• Imagine how confusing our language must appear to
  emerging readers!  Sometimes vowels are long,
  sometimes they're short, and sometimes they sound
  altogether like another vowel.  How can a
  struggling reader make sense of it all?
• Word families (also known as phonograms or
  "chunks") can really help your students "crack
  the code" of our inconsistent language by
  providing some predictable patterns within
  words.  As you and I learned to read, we picked
  up these patterns effortlessly, and they still
  help us when we try to decode new words.  When we
  direct our students' attention to these same
  patterns, they too will be able to untangle the
  seemingly unrelated sounds of English.

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What patterns are these?  Here's an example 
       I see the word, "C-H-A-L-K ". Now, how
can I figure out how to say that word?  I'll try
breaking it into chunks that I'm familiar with. 
What words look like "chalk"?  Well, there's
walk" and "talk", so maybe "chalk" rhymes with
those words.  I know that "ch" has it's own
sound, so if I add it to the "alk" chunk, I get
"chalk."  That's it--"chalk.      
Can you see how much easier this method of using
"chunks" of letters is compared to sounding out
one letter at a time?  We break words into chunks
naturally, and we can teach our students to do
the same.
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It gets even better!  Once your students become
familiar with the 37 most familiar chunks, they
can use them to decode 500 words. (Wylie
Durrell, 1970)       Word families are indeed an
efficient way to get your children reading.
at, cat, mat, sat, rat, that, pat, fat, hat
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Writing and Invented Spelling
Benefits of invented spelling include

• encourages children to make vital connections
  between letters and sounds
• helps children to become independent writers as
  they ask for less help spelling words
• gives them the ability to write anything they
  say, leading to longer and more interesting
  stories

• allows children to write more words than they
  know how to read
• encourages children to take responsibility for
  their own learning as they have more control over
  what they write
• allows for extensive practice of phonics as they
  use letters to represent the sounds that they
  hear

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Sample of Invented Spelling
Der Parints, Az ur child brings home riting for
the ferst tim, do not be serprized at the
speling.  The Inglsh langwij is confuzing for
students.  Prematur insistints that students uz
standurd, or "correct" speling inhibits thair
dezir and ability to rit.  We wil uz "invntd
speling" in r wrk. Az parints, u can hlp ur
child by prazing awl thair riting.  Let ur child
red thair riting to u.  Displa thair riting
around ur hom.  No that as ur child becomz
familyer with riting, he or she wil mak the
tranzishun to standard speling. Thank u, Techer
 
The National Right to Read Foundation
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(No Transcript)
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Homework
Homework consists of nightly reading and word
ring practice. I will send home an occasional
activity that can be completed with minimal
parent support. All children can practice
lowercase letter formation.

• Recorded in students pink homework duotang
• To be checked and initialed nightly
• A homework area that is quiet and free from
  distraction is best
• Homework and nightly reading should not be a
  stressful time for you or your child

• Used to reinforce and practice concepts and skill
  development covered in class

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• Homework pouch should contain
• word ring
• papers, notices, scribblers or duotangs that are
  sent home
• home reading book (leveled books)
• The homework pouch is also used for
  communication. It is a place for you to write me
  a note. The homework pouch is meant to travel
  home every afternoon and return the next day.

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Routines

• Morning
• 845 the bell rings, students line up and then
  the students enter the building. They bring their
  homework duo tang into the classroom and I check
  for messages, book orders etc.
• The children listen to a classical piece, and
  read independently while I read with different
  students.
• We then begin our day by having a read aloud,
  reading or writing lesson, guided reading and
  Language Arts activities.

• Washroom and Drinks
• The children are encouraged to go to the
  washroom before they enter the classroom in the
  morning, before and after recess, lunch and
  during transition times (while work is being
  passed out). Water bottles are to remain in the
  hallway to prevent spills.

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End of the Day We begin to get ready at 240.
They pack their word ring, two or three leveled
books (at home reading books) homework and
notices. Once they are finished, they begin to
pack their back packs for home. They EXIT the
building at 245 approximately.
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At Home Reading Program The books are leveled.
Each student will read all the books in the level
prior to moving to the next level. Repeated
reading improves the students fluency. Have your
child bring their reading book and word ring to
school everyday I read with two or three
children a day and you never know when a
volunteer may show up to read with the children!
Computer During computer the children have the
opportunity to play educational games found on my
web page.
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Discipline

• PEPS (gotchas)
• 123 Magic
• Time Out
• Bullying Education

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Weekly Schedule
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Phys. Ed Music Computer Phys. Ed. Music Book Buddies Library Art
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Communication

• E-mail hawleyb_at_staff.ednet.ns.ca
• Web Page - http//hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/hawleyb/
• School Phone - 493-5164
• Homework Duotang - just write a note!

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Volunteers

• Grade One is a very important reading year. The
  children can always benefit from volunteers who
  read with them. If you have some time, drop by
  and support the childrens reading. It does make
  them feel special when a loved one takes the time
  to come in and get to know their classmates and
  see who they are in school.

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I look forward to working with you and your
child.
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Thanks for Coming