Rambling about Reading

Mrs. Scoma at First Grade Fundamentals is having a homework linky party and I'm joining in the fun! 


First Grade Homework: 

Homework is given every day. The students write their assignments and spelling words in their agenda. They are expected to do the homework assigned for that specific night in their homework journal.  I check homework daily and give  a stamp for neatness and completion or a "I" for incomplete. If a child receives an "I" please complete the homework and return the next day. Homework is very important and I encourage every parent or guardian to review their child's homework daily. 

Daily Homework: 

Spelling: On every Monday your child will write their spelling words in their agenda. Each night they are expected to study their words as follows:

Monday-write words 3 times each in different colors

Tuesday-write words in alphabetical (ABC) order

Wednesday-write words 1-5 in sentences (please underline words) 

Thursday-write words 6-10 in sentences

Every Friday we will have a spelling test. The test will not be graded until Monday so please check your child's O.W.L binder then. 

Reading: The more time a child spends reading the better they will get at reading! Each night students need to read for 15 minutes but they can always read longer if you wish.  Students may read any books they are engaged in. Books will be sent home weekly from students book boxes and from guided reading group. I encourage the students to read these books at least one night during the week but they may also select a book from home. Students can read with anyone they would like such as a sibling, parent, or any family member. I want this to be a time for students to read aloud but if you are reading to your child make sure you discuss the book. I send home a list of discussion questions and CAFE strategies for parents to talk about what they read with their child. I do not require you to record your reading but I expect that when the parent signs the agenda each night they are ensuring your child is doing all of their homework including reading. Reading is the key to success!

Math: Each night students have one math worksheet. This will always be over something that we have learned in class. I will not send any homework home that has not been taught. The students tear out their homework sheet each night from our interactive homework book from Envision math. The homework reviews the lesson that was taught that day. It only has six to eight questions on it so it is the perfect amount of review and not overwhelming. 

Other Homework:

Dolch word book: Once I have assess each student on their sight word knowledge, I will send home a Dolch word book. Dolch words are words that are most commonly seen during reading and often cannot be sounded out, children need to know these words by sight. This book consists of a list of words and sentences that use the words. It should take 5-10 minutes to read the list and sentences of words your child is working on. 

Reading worksheets: If I see that a student is struggling in a certain area in reading, I will send home additional homework to assist your child. I just want to ensure they are understanding the concept and the parents are getting the material they need to help. 

Projects: During the school year we have some family projects. These are meant to be a fun way to bring the family together to create or build something for the class. I  send home a paper explaining each project in detail and when it is due. Some projects we did last year were: math man, disguising Tom Turkey, speaking about your family holiday traditions, and making a habitat. 

As soon as I know how to upload documents to google docs I will upload the O.W.L binder, strategy sheet for parents, Dolch word book, and project information. If you could give me step by step instructions of how to use google docs it would be appreciated. 

Keep reading! 

Jess