First grade is going to be an exciting academic year for your child. It is one of the most important years in your child’s academic growth. It will be the foundation for your child’s entire future learning. This year you will be amazed and proud of the rapid progress your child will make. In order for this year to be a success, I welcome your help and support at home. In school, I have prepared and organized a structured environment to best promote your child's academic growth. I hope the following information will help you better understand how our classroom will be managed and make for a smooth and successful year.
Important First Grade Skills
To help make the transition successful we have compiled the following list of things your child should know before entering first grade. If your child is still approaching mastery of some of these skills, please work with them at home on these things:
Fine motor skills: Cutting, threading, play dough, drawing, lacing, and painting are all great ways to keep those finger muscles strong! All of these things help your child be able to correctly grip a pencil.
Independence skills: Being able to zip your coat, tie your shoes, and open and close your water bottle/snack/lunch are great things to practice.
Stretch out sounds: Blend, segment, and write CVC words (e.g. dog, mat, hut, pit). Read and write words with consonant digraphs (e.g. /sh/, /wh/, /ch/, /ck/, and /th/).
Math: A strong number sense is important. Playing games is a great way to help your child understand the value of numbers. Help your child develop fluency by asking basic addition and subtraction problems. If your child needs support, encourage the use of physical objects or fingers as problem-solving tools.
I also hope you have time to relax and have fun this summer!! You will be best prepared for first grade when you are rested and ready to learn!
