Antigonish Education Centre
“Growing and Learning Together”
Loreen Allen GradeOne Communication Plan 2015-2016
Welcome to Grade One!
The following outlines some of the learning outcomes, activities and daily routines that students will engage in throughout the school year. The main objective is to provide a safe, encouraging and comfortable classroom environment for the children to learn and grow. The children are encouraged to share their ideas and opinions and are given time to express themselves orally in a variety of situations.
Curriculum and Assessment
Many activities make up the language arts program. Some of these include:
Literacy centres: Children participate in a variety of activities at literacy centres such as, recording pictures, words and sentences. They use magnetic letters, play alphabet memory and bingo games for letter and word recognition, act out stories using puppets, make small books or listen to stories at the listening centre.
Vocabulary Calendar: Each week the students learn or review 5 sight wordswords.These 5 words will be used throughout the week to help build your child’s sight word vocabulary.
Reading: There are many opportunities for reading in the classroom every day. These include shared reading, choral reading, reading with a buddy and quiet reading. Students are also read to daily from a variety of sources to promote and develop good listening skills and reading strategies. There are also a variety of reading materials, including books of different genres, songs and chants.
Songs and poems: The children sing and chant songs and poems daily. This provides a wonderful opportunity for the children to use their language orally. We will use many songs and poems as a valuable reading tool to learn about letter sounds, rhyming and fluency.
Morning message:We begin each morning by reading a daily message aloud and sometimes write it together. Our morning welcome message helps students to continue learning about basic concepts of print, to recognize a number of commonly used sight words and learn to read with fluency.
Daily Guided Reading:Students work with the teacher in a small group according to their reading level. A book at their reading level is introduced and read together. It is during these times that reading strategies are taught and practiced.
Writing: Students will explore writing in a variety of ways such as journals and writing folders, lists and invitations, daily messages written together and reading responses. They will write about a variety of topics using pictures, words and simple sentences.
Printing: The students will review the proper formation of each letter of the alphabet. Students will have printing books in the classroom for practicing the proper formation of letters.
Calendar activities-: Calendar time will cover many language, science and math concepts. We determine the day’s date and weather, and look for patterns as we go along. We also keep track of the days at school and engage in some simple estimation and problem solving activities.
Math: Children learn math concepts through activity-based learning and hands-on experiences and pencil/paper work to reinforce concepts. They use manipulatives such as large building blocks, animal counters, pattern blocks, coloured cubes, etc… to explore ideas and make new discoveries. Grade one math outcomes include exploring number sense, simple addition and subtraction, patterns, measurement, data management, shapes, spatial sense and problem solving.
Science, Social Studies and Health are integrated into the LA curriculum.
Class Helper: Every child will have a chance to be the helper. That student gets to lead classmates in line ups, be the helper for the day and help the teacher with classroom jobs.
Evaluation: Much of the evaluation done in Grade One is ongoing and embedded in everyday interactions with the students. Anecdotal comments, samples of student’s work, and formal assessments are also part of my evaluation. Formal reports are sent home in November, March and June.
Phys Ed is three times a cycle on days B2, D4 and F6
Music is twice a cycle on days C3 and E5
Library is twice a cycle on days B2 and D4. Borrowing on day B2 only.
Homework
Your child will be beginning a home reading program towards the end of September. Five books will go home with them every Monday. They read these books all week at home and return them the following Monday.
Adventures with Andy- Each student will be taking our special stuffed friend Andy home one time this year. With help from their parents the students are to write a story about the adventures they had with Andy over the weekend. Students and parents are also asked to complete an All About Me sheet that will be displayed in the classroom for the week.
Book Order
Scholastic book order forms for books (See Saw and Elf) will be sent home monthly. You are under no obligation to purchase books but it is a good opportunity to increase your collection of grade appropriate books. Please send any book orders to school in a clearly labeled bag or envelope. A cheque made payable to Scholastic is the preferred method of payment. If this is not possible please include exact change.
Teacher Communication
Communication between home and school is very important. It will allow us to work together to support your child’s education this year. I plan to share information with you in a variety of ways.
Strait Up for Parents will be available for news on what’s going on in the classroom and important events that may be upcoming.
The agenda that your child takes back and forth each day will have information under the appropriate day. Please check daily both the plastic pocket and the current date. I will check the agenda at the beginning of each day to see if you have written any notes for me. Please use the right sideof the page for your notes and initials. At this time I will put a sticker or a stamp if it is signed by you.
There are two parent teacher conferences during the school year. The first in November, and the second in April.
I plan to use the telephone to keep you up to date on some school issues rather than send a note. If you have concerns, and would like to contact me by phone, please call the school (867-8800). You can also leave a message with the secretary during the day, and I will return your call. You may also email me at:
I will also be generating a class email list to inform you of upcoming special events.
I will also be sending home two letters about the home reading program and student of the week. I will continue to use letters as a form of communication.
The children will be taking home samples of their work at the end of every month. Please go through the work with your child, and complete any incomplete work as time allows. I hope you find this information helpful, and I look forward to a very successful year.
Sincerely,
Loreen Allen
School Communication
We do our best at Antigonish Education Centre to maintain open and thorough communication with families. Each month a newsletter will be sent home with all students. In addition, this newsletter can be found on the school website as well as an updated calendar of events.
School Contact Numbers:902-867-8800 (P) School Website: aec.srsb.ca
Office email: Principal: : Vice Principal:
: Secretaries: &
School Address: 30 Appleseed Drive, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 3B6
Volunteering in the school/Classroom
If you anticipate that you will be volunteering in the classroom, school or on a field trip; you must have an updated Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Checkon file in the office.
Visitor Sign-In
Remember to check in at the office once you have been buzzed into the school. An office staff member can assist you at that point.
Absenteeism
Please remember to call the school to let us know if your child will be late or absent.
Report Card and Parent Teacher Conference Timelines
-November 16 - 19: Grade Primary to Twelve Report Cards
-November 23-26: Grade Primary to Twelve Parent Teacher Conferences
-April 4- 7: Grade Primary to Twelve Report Cards
-April 11-14: Grade Primary to Twelve Parent Teacher Conferences
-June 29, 2016: Grade Primary to Twelve Final Report Cards
P-3 Integrated Streamlined Curriculum
Beginning this fall, grade P-3 teachers will be implementing astreamlined curriculum with a strong foundation in math and literacy skills. Science, Social Studies, Health and Art will be integrated into Math and Literacy instructions. This will be reflected on the report card as well. Parents can expect to receive a simplified report card that focuses mainly on literacy and math outcomes. Thischange comes as part of the Minister’s Action Plan for Education: “The 3 R’s: Renew, Refocus, Rebuild”