1A 

The link for Blackboard, which teachers are using this year, is http://bb.stjohnlincoln.org/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp. You will then need to enter your child's user name and password.

Welcome to 1st Grade!! There will be general information and any notes sent home about 1st grade below, and you will be able to "Meet Mrs. Mattson" on her page. The other pages are linked above.

Here are a few things I thought you might like to know for 2007-2008:

1)  Friday Folders:  Most of our work is sent home every Friday in your child's take home folder.  Please sign and date the communication sheet that is stapled to the folder.  Remove the papers and return the empty folder on the following Monday.  Please make sure to go through the papers with your child and ask questions about their work.  This is a great way to show that you are interested in what they are doing at school.  There is no need to send back work that you help your child correct at home unless I ask you to do so.  (In addition to the 1st Grade Friday Folders, the office sends home communication on Wednesdays in a special envelope.  Please go through the envelope and return any communications as the case may be the next day.)

2)  Book Orders:  Book orders are sent home once a month in the Weekly Folder.  You will have one week to return the order and the money.  Checks may be made out to the book company or to the teacher, but do not make it out to the school.  Please make sure your child’s name is on the order form. 

3) Label Clothing: Throughout the year we have many duplicated items in our rooms.  Please make sure to label your child’s lunchbox, sweatshirts, and any outer wear such as coats, mittens, hats, boots, etc...  

4) Religion: The title of your child’s First Grade Religion book is Who Has God’s Life? The first grade curriculum stresses the dignity of each individual as a person made in the image of God. The first grade program emphasizes the two key truths of the Faith: grace and sacraments.[1] The prayers that the children learn are, “Sign of the Cross”, “Our Father”, “Hail Mary”, “Glory Be”, “Prayer to the Guardian Angel”,  “Grace Before and After Meals”.  

5) Reading:  Our Reading program is taught in a very developmental way.  Each new component is built on the past and is reviewed over and over throughout the year.  I will be sending home vocabulary words every few weeks after they have been introduced.  The children do not need to know how to spell these words... but they do need to practice reading them for instant recognition.  They will be tested on these words at the end of each unit. 

6)  Math: Your child will be introduced to many mathematical concepts this year.  The beginning of the year we will spend our time reviewing number words for recognition, patterning, comparing, matching numerals and sets, etc...   Later, as we learn addition and subtraction, you will need to help you child practice with flashcards a few minutes each night for rapid recall of facts.  We will also be touching on time, and money. This is also another area that will need your help at home!

7) Spelling:  When spelling tests begin we will have the practice test at the beginning of the week and the final test at the end of the week.  When the practice test is sent home, please study with your child. 

8) Creative Writing:  Throughout the year your child will be asked to write many things without spelling help from the teacher.  I do not expect them to be able to spell every word correctly, but I do want them to try to do their best.  My goal is to make them aware of the sounds that make up words.  I will be encouraging the children to write the letters for the sounds that they hear in each word... especially the beginning and ending sounds, the vowels will come as we learn the sounds that they make.   

9)  Handwriting/Penmanship:  Please encourage you child to print carefully and to use the writing lines correctly.  The writing guide*** in this packet shows the correct strokes and placement on the lines.  There is a reason for the way we teach the children how to make each letter.  Please encourage your child to follow the guide as it leads into cursive strokes which are introduced in second grade. 

10)  Science & Social Studies: These two subjects are integrated across the curriculum. Some of the things we will be studying in science are plants, animals, the human body, & weather. In social studies we will be studying our world, families, neighborhoods, communities, wants and needs, rules and laws, holidays and symbols.

11)  Birthdays: First Grade would like you to participate in out Birthday Book Program. Here’s how it works. Your child treats our class to a “Birthday Book”. It can be new or used, wrapped and decorated with a ribbon if you’d like. Your child will get to unwrap the gift and we will then celebrate by reading he book at school. The book will then become part of the classroom collection to be shared over and over again. What a special gift! 

12)  Rules:  Children need to know what their “boundaries” are to get along and learn while at school. In order to have a happy environment in which to learn, we will be practicing these “rules” in first grade.

[1] Smith, Gardner, and Hudrlik.  “Who Has God’s Life?” Grade One Teachers Manual. 1991. Ignatius Press.  San Francisco, CA.

  

Mrs. Mattson ~ St. John’s School ~ First Grade