Grade One Curriculum Information

Teacher

Ms. B. Hawley

Welcome to Curriculum Night

How we work How we learn

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.

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?

Model and instruct students:

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?

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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

Writing and Invented Spelling

• 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

Benefits of invented spelling include:

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  

Sample of Invented Spelling

The National Right to Read Foundation

Homework

• 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

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.

• 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.

RoutinesMorning:

• 8:45 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.

End of the Day:

We begin to get ready at 2:40. 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 2:45 approximately.

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 student’s 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.

Discipline

• PEPS (gotchas)

• 123 Magic

• Time Out

• Bullying Education

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Phys. Ed MusicComputer

Phys. Ed. MusicBook

Buddies

Library Art

Weekly Schedule

Communication

• E-mail – hawleyb@staff.ednet.ns.ca

• Web Page - http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/hawleyb/

• School Phone - 493-5164

• Homework Duotang - just write a note!

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 children’s 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.