Syllabus

 2025-2026 Syllabus

Mrs. Nichole Leopard                    First Grade/All subjects                                   Classroom: B3

Phone: 355-5223 Email: nleopard@greenville.k12.sc.us

Website:https://sites.google.com/a/greenvilleschools.us/mrs-leopard-s-first-grade/home 

Long Range Plans

Math:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k-0yOJmW2JDg1fGHtW5v1g1Z4v_uC_dDSQrBF9lJCQ8/edit?usp=sharing

Science: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bKrTKTjuxQoD_l-89_xgT9mpPxd8D1kOc7X3vjgZGgg/edit?usp=sharing

Social Studies: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VRylnLNP8kBANpVwsskpp11TU2hEPsKJS1bYQ8zp5iM/edit?usp=sharing

ELA: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gg3yC46igE6ReflUQy1z00icjfYATPGKXmqorIjZG-w/edit?usp=sharing

Instructional Materials and Resources

Early childhood programs actively involve children in learning experiences consistent with their development and help children acquire a strong foundation for future learning.  Teacher’s guides for state adopted textbooks are used as planning resources:  

Math: McGraw Hill Reveal Hill

Language Arts: HMH (Using LETRS and Reading Horizons)

Social Studies: South Carolina: Right Under Our Feet, Grade 1 

Science:  online access with Carolina Biological

Units of Study

Science: Intro to Science and Engineering Practice and Crosscutting Concepts, Shadows, Light and Motion in the Sky, Animals Communicate, Plant Shapes

Social Studies: We are Citizens of our School and Community, We are Citizens of Our State, Inquiring About History: SC Then and Now, S.C. our Unique State, Economic Impacts

Health: Personal & Community Health, Mental, Emotional & Social Health, Injury Prevention & Safety, Alcohol, Tobacco & Drugs, Nutrition & Physical Health, Growth & Development, Erin’s Law

Math: Getting Started - Give Fall Benchmark, Understanding Ten Ones Make a Ten, Developing Addition and Subtraction Strategies, Exploring Quantities to 100, Measuring, Ordering and Comparing Lengths, Using Data to Add and Subtract within 20, Telling Time to the Hour and Half Hour, Distinguishing Attributes of Shapes and Patterns, Extend +/- Strategies to 20 & Story Problems, Using Place Value, Adding Multiples of Ten, Composing Shapes, Understanding the Equal Sign, Understanding Place Value to Add and Subtract, Applying Properties of Operations to Add 3-Digits, Finding Equal Shares of Shapes, Identifying Coins, Demonstrating Proficiency in Addition and Subtraction  

Reading: Building Strong Reading Habits, Becoming Problem Solvers in Reading, Learning about the World Through Reading, Getting to Know Characters, Reading through the Hard Parts, Deepening Comprehension, Reading Across Genres

Major Assessments

Reading – Individual assessments will be given on comprehension and fluency

Spelling - Weekly tests will be given on 5 high frequency words and 5 ‘chunk/word family’ words (most weeks).

Math – District unit assessments

Science/Health/Social Studies - Unit tests or projects will be given for each unit studied.

Classroom Assessment

First grade students are assessed on a daily basis in addition to assessments required by South Carolina and Greenville County.  Daily assessments allow the teachers to provide appropriate assistance to each child.  Evidence for these assessments will include the following:

- Student work samples   -Teacher-made checklists   -Observational notes   -Student and parent interviews

Report Cards

Report Cards go home at the end of each nine-week period. In-person conferences are held at the end of the first nine weeks. Progress reports will be sent home halfway through the nine weeks if the student is struggling. Report cards are marked M= The student consistently meets or exceeds end-of-year expectations for this standard , P= The student shows expected growth/progress in meeting this end-of-year standard, B= The student is beginning to progress toward meeting this end-of-year standard, and N= The student needs intensive support at school and home to develop this end-of-year standard. If left blank, this standard was not addressed or assessed during this reporting period

Student Records

The teacher will be keeping artifacts from each subject. The teacher will also have copies of some assessments the students complete.

Homework

Your child will have homework nightly.  Please assist your child with their homework and look over any work sent home in their homework folder. Homework must be done in pencil. Homework is meant to reinforce what we are learning in school as well as involve parents in the learning process. Homework should not exceed 20 minutes, this includes reading nightly. 

Attendance and Tardy Policy

Every learning day is important.  Regular prompt attendance helps young children build a lifetime of good habits.  After five unexcused absences, your child’s name will be referred to the District Office for action.  If your child is absent from school they are required to bring a written excuse from their doctor or parent when they return.  The excuse needs to include your child’s name, dates of absence, and reason for the absence.  Families will be contacted when attendance or late arrival impedes learning.  If your child is tardy more than 5 times, he/she will be ineligible for the attendance award at the end of the school year. 

Missed Work Policy: 

*In the event your child misses work due to an absence he or she will be allowed 5 days to complete the missing assignments if the absence is an excused absence.

*If a written excuse is not turned in, the absence is considered unexcused. Teachers are not required to help students make up work when an absence is unexcused. 

Procedures for Non-Instructional Routines

Morning Routine: Students are to put their homework folders in the tray on their table, unpack Chromebooks, and begin morning work.

Restroom:   Students may use the bathroom at any time during the day except during instructional times. If there is an emergency your student will be allowed to use the restroom. Restroom time can be a distraction and using it during instructional time must be an emergency.

Lunch: Students will be going to lunch at 11:05 am and will be leaving at 11:25 am. Students will be expected to open their lunch materials and to clean up after themselves. Students are allowed to buy extras (snacks, ice cream & drinks) on Tuesday and Thursday. Please send me a written note if you do not want your child buying these items at lunch.

Toys:  Toys are not allowed unless indicated by the teacher.  If toys are brought to school they will be taken away and kept at school until picked up by a parent.  There will be times throughout the school year when special prizes are given.  These items are expected to immediately be placed in your child’s book bag until taken home.

Communication with Parents

The first grade program supports the development of children as lifelong learners through partnerships with each child’s home and family.  Parents will be contacted throughout the school year and are encouraged to call the school or send a note if a concern arises.  Student folders are sent home every day to share any communication from the teacher or school and to show student work completed. 

Each family will receive:

-Weekly Newsletters describing class, social activities, and important information

-Personal one on one communication with the teacher in the homework folder 

-Copy of classroom procedures                                   -Daily student work samples to keep at home      

-Invitations to special class and school events           -SeeSaw App

-Telephone calls or letters concerning student behavior or work reflecting progress or need for improvement. 

-Notification of scheduled parent/teacher conferences to be held at least once a year.

Behavior Expectations

Students will be expected to follow the classroom and school rules. Students will be given pennies for positive reinforcement for positive behavior. Other positive reinforcements include special privileges and recognition through our passes, desk pets, and treat jar.  When misbehavior occurs, the student(s) will lose a penny and be asked to sit with the teacher during some of their recess time, to talk about what issues are going on and what they can do to help correct the problem(s).  Notes are also sent home in the homework folder regarding positive or negative behavior on the month calendar. If a student is having a difficult time following the rules, the teacher will come up with an alternative plan based on the student’s needs. *The behavior plan was sent home the first week of school.

Inclement Weather

For the purpose of inclement weather days, eLearning is defined as live instruction throughout the day. This live instruction may be whole group, small group, and/or individual sessions similar to the Virtual Program instruction. Students are expected to log on to the live instruction during inclement weather days. If students are unable to join the live meets due to power loss, sickness, etc., work must be made up within five days of returning to school.