San Onofre Elementary

1st grade

2013-2014

• Born and raised in San Clemente

• BA from UCSB

• Teaching Credential from CSUSM

• 6th year teaching (all at San O)

• I LOVE 1st grade!!!

Habit #1 – Be Proactive (You are in charge of yourself)

Habit #2 – Begin with the End in Mind (Have a Plan)

Habit #3 – Put First Things First (Work First, Then Play)

Habit #4 – Think Win-Win (Everyone Can Win)

Habit #5 – Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

(Listen then Talk)

Habit #6 – Synergize (Together is Better)

Habit #7 – Sharpen the Saw (Balance is Best)

“65 percent of children entering grade school this year will end up working in careers that haven’t even

been invented yet.”

-Bureau of Labor Statistics

What?Students need to learn beyond the core subjects of language arts, math, and history. They also need to master skills, like creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, and digital literacy—skills they need in order to be successful in the 21st century.

How?

Project-based learning experiences that involve creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, and digital literacy. (Computers, ipads, ipods, etc)

Within the classroom every student has a clip that always starts on GREEN (You’re Ready to Go). Below are the rewards and consequences that go with each color.

Black You’ve found the Leader in you (prize from the prize bucket)

Blue – Your leadership skills are growing

Green – Ready to go!

Yellow – Get back on track (Warning #1)

Orange – Put first things first (Warning #2 & Loose Choice)

Red- Take a breath and get control (Call/Email home and loose recess)

Please plan for your child to arrive no sooner than 8:00, unless they are eating breakfast in the cafeteria. This is when we begin supervising the first graders.

Before school, students are to walk around the building, not through it, to get to the cafeteria.

Due to congestion and for safety reasons, we are asking that parents say goodbye to their children at the gate.

• Attendance

• Pledge of Allegiance

• Patriotic Songs (National Anthem, Anchors Aweigh, Marine Corp Hymn)

• PAWS Pledge/7 Habits Song

During this time we review many important 1st grade math concepts such as:

Counting, addition/subtraction, place value, graphing and time.

Our Reading program is CA Treasures. In order to best meet the varied needs of our first graders, our grade level will begin teaming for reading in a few weeks. All students will be doing the same stories and skills, but activities will be differentiated to reteach, reinforce and to enrich.

First and second grade may eat snacks at the picnic tables. They play on the upper playground.

All teachers expect them to be following PAWS Laws.

I will be using the Writing component of Treasures in conjunction with Nancy Fetzer. Nancy Fetzer writing uses a lot of visuals, body movements, and modeling to build a solid foundation for writing.

During writing we also work on spelling.

This is independent work and small group time. The class will work through centers with a “To-Do List” and I will pull small groups for reading.

Students may bring lunch from home or purchase lunch from the cafeteria. The application for free/reduced lunches is available on our school website or in the office. Students play for 20 minutes on the upper playground after they eat.

We have switched to the Common Core Math Standards this year. First graders will walk away having a solid foundation of addition and subtraction.

I also do an addition and subtraction program called Got Facts. These are timed addition and subtraction tests that they have to pass to earn dog tags.

Our science topics this year are:

Living/non-living, 5 senses, animals, plants, habitats, weather, matter and seasons.

Our Social Studies topics for the year are:

Citizenship, people and places, our country, changes over time, celebrating and goods and services.

We will visit the computer lab 1 or 2 times a week. We work on reading, writing and math programs.

Compass Odyssey is an online reading and math program. We will use this at school but you can also access it at home to complete assignments that I will assign.

DreamBox is an online math program we will use at school and you will be able to access it from home as well.

**I will be sending home your child’s username and password with homework**

Monday: PE

These activities range from learning a sport to Yoga and Tae Bo.

Friday: Jog/Walk

We go up to the track and jog or walk laps. For every 20 miles a student earns an award.

*Students may bring in a water bottle*

This is something each child must earn. If they are on Orange or Red they will loose free choice.

At this time students may read, do puzzles, create masterpieces with construction paper, use the ipod touches, or use the computers.

The students pack up their belongings and we discuss anything special that will be going on the next day.

We then walk out to the front to get picked up and students riding the bus walk to the cafeteria.

• Homework will begin next week

• A homework folder will be sent home on MONDAY with the Explorer News, Spelling and Treasure Words and is due completed on FRIDAY.

• I will be giving you access to computer programs for your child to use at home for more practice…

• ConnectEd (Treasure’s Online Component)

• DreamBox

• First in Math

• My homework should take about 25 minutes nightly.

180 1st grade words to know by June

These words are broken up into 14 lists and you can practice them at home for homework. When your child knows all of the words in a list (without hesitation or sounding out) initial next to the list number and I will test them.

If you need to contact me you can write a note, email or phone me. The best communication is email because I check it throughout the day and can respond quickly.

My contact info:

ahalpern@fuesd.org

Phone: 760-731-4410

www.fuesd.k12.ca.us/sos

Teachers > Halpern, Alison

I try to keep our website up to date with the weekly newsletters and what we are doing in the classroom (especially pictures ) so please check out our website periodically.

These folders are sent home on Friday with your child’s work and important school papers.

Please send them back EMPTY on MONDAY.

Your child’s birthday is an important event so if you would like to send in a healthy treat for the class you are welcome to.

These celebrations will take place at recess.

If you signed up to help in the classroom I will be contacting you to start sometime in October.

Our schedule is still in some flux so when it is all set I would love your help.

Volunteer in our Classroom!

“When you ask me what I’ve done at school today, and I say that “I just

played”, please don’t misunderstand me. For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I’m learning to enjoy and be

successful in my work. I’m preparing for tomorrow. Today, I am a child and

my work is my play.”

-Anonymous

for taking the time to attend Back to School Night!

I look forward to working with you and your child this year. It is going to be a

wonderful year filled with exciting learning activities!