Welcome to Grade One!
Bienvenue au première année!

OUR ROOM:
Classroom Expectations: Room 110

Français/French

• Know all alphabet letter names and sounds, including é
• Start recognizing basic blended sounds (ex: ch, ou, oi, on, eau,…)
• Learn vocabulary for themes (ex: fruit, classroom objects, weather, seasons, …) and holidays
• How to communicate needs and wants
• Write (with assistance) and read basic sentences and phrases
• Exposure to literature, technology, and vocabulary
• Although not an expected outcome in grade one, students will start home reading and guided reading

English Language Arts

• Reading and spelling sight words
• Home reading and guided reading - students aim to read at a level H by the end of grade one (however a level C is more common in French immersion, due to learning a second language)
• Printing - correct letter formation, correct use of lines ad spaces (including finger spaces between words), correct use of upper and lower case letters
• Communication and expression
• Writing - stories, sentences, phrases, ideas, …
• Exposure to various types of literature, exposure to technology
• Presenting through various forms (spoken, art, science, writing,….)

Mathématiques/Math

• Numeracy
• Patterning (creating, extending, explaining)
• Shape and Space (2D and 3D shapes: comparing, discussing, exploring, re-creating, weighing)
• Measurement (using standard and non-standard units)
• Counting by 1's to 100, 2's to 60, 5's and 10's to 100
• Addition and subtraction up to and including 20 (with the use of manipulatives)
• Recognizing what number comes before and what number comes after a given number

Science

• The five senses
• Objects and materials
• Daily and seasonal changes
• Characteristics and needs of living things

Theme

• This year, the overall theme of the classroom is the Rainforest. This is a year-long theme that I have tied into the curriculum to meet general and specific outcomes.  Students will be engaged in Science, English, Math, and Art activities that focus on various elements of the Rainforest - from the indigenous people, to the environment, to animals and their habitats. 
• This year's theme will have students submersed in Rainforest.  They will be learning about the Rainforest community, they will learn how to do the national dance (Samba), they will create various projects, and participate in creating fundraising activities to adopt a piece of the endangered Rainforest. 

Author Studies

• This year, students will participate in three large author study units.  These units will expose students to various authors and their works (age appropriate) and will have them creating art, stories, and plays around what they are reading and learning.  We will be working and sharing our work with other classes.  The activities and assignments tie into the curriculum outcomes for grade one.  The authors that we will be studying this year including Where the Wild Things Are, Fairy Tales, and Franklin.

Classroom

• I am a firm believer that education can be fun.   My classroom is centre-based, and students participate in hands-on Math, French, and Literacy centres throughout the day.  The centres in my class are a mix of concrete and non-concrete activities (pencil and paper work, work books, games, and art to name a few), which meet the needs of all the various learners in my room.  While students are at their centres I work with a small group of students in English and French guided reading, as well as guided Math.  This provides me with the opportunity to work more one-on-one with students in smaller groups to cater to their individual needs.

Homework

• Homework should NOT take hours!  The amount of homework your child should be doing should correspond with their age ( ex: a six year-old should be doing no more than about six minutes of homework a night).  The most important homework a child should have is quality time with their family and physical activity.  Kids need to be kids.  The following is what I expect from  my students:
• Agenda - goes home every night, parents sign it, and it comes back every morning.  This is also a way for us (parent/guardians and teacher to communicate - if you have something to tell me, you can write it in the agenda). Please use the agenda to let me know of any change in your child's pick-up or drop-off schedule.\
• Sight Words -  Every second Friday students will take home their five sight words (on a piece of card stock).  They are to practice reading and spelling these words nightly.  If your child is struggling, relax and leave it for the night.  The words that are sent home are the words we are working on in the classroom, most of the 'studying' happens at school, at home it is like a review.  The first Friday after they receive their words they will be tested on the reading (can they read the words), the second Friday they will be tested on the spelling (can they spell the words).  They are tested until they are able to do both.
• Home Reading - This begins in November.  Students will take home their home reading bags which will have an English book at their reading level in it.  They are to read the book to you.  If they struggle with the book and become frustrated you may read it to them, but pleases let them try.  These books are designed to be books that are at their independent level (meaning they should be able to read them with ease).  You must sign their home reading folder and send it back the next day.
• T.W.A.S. - This is parent homework! Fridays, students write in their T.W.A.S. journals, letting you know what we have been doing throughout the week.  They rake them home for the week end and have you read it.  You must sign it and send it back on Monday.  Please take this time to discuss with your child what they are doing in the class, comment on what they have written and ask them questions.  Also, DO NOT correct your child's spelling.  If they made a spelling mistake that is okay, it is how they learn and we work on that in the classroom, this is something they need to feel proud of, not criticized for.

Behaviour/Discipline

• I work with the red, yellow, green card system in the classroom.  Students start every day at green, if they are not doing their job or following classroom rules they move to a yellow card (warning).  If the inappropriate behaviour continues they get a red card (time out).  If they receive a yellow or red card they can work their way back to green.  In my class they are allowed to make mistakes, as long as they learn from them.  If they hit, kick, punch, spit on someone phone calls are made and the principal becomes involved.  There is zero tolerance for bullying and violence.

Communication

I believe in working together for what's best for the child.  I encourage all parents/guardians to contact me when needed through email (aborton@wsd1.org), phone (669-4482), or in person (I am at school by 7 A.M. and Wednesday-Friday I am there until at least 5 P.M.).
I look forward to a great, fun, successful year with you!

Sincerely,
Mme. Borton

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