There will be two math pages each week: a basic math fact practice page and a skills review.

For the fact practice, please ensure your student writes the answer to all addition and/or subtraction problems IN PENCIL before coloring, when the page includes problems asking them color based on a sum or difference (for the first few weeks of school students will be coloring based on number recognition--addition fact skills will not appear in homework until late September).

The area on the right-hand side of the fact practice page does NOT need to be completed--they are simply problem solving strategies for your student to use in computing their addition or subtraction, if needed (by the time students begin receiving the addition pages, they will be proficient in using each of these strategies and will likely have a favorite to use if they are not yet ready for mental math.)

The skill review pages will change throughout the year based on our current lessons. The students should be able to complete the problems independently, but they may still need your support to understand what the page is asking them to do. Please let me know if they are having difficulty completing their math skill review.

For the weekly writing task, students will see a word bank accompanied by a small picture to help inspire writing. Students should start by adding more details to the picture to create an entire scene. 

Once they are done completing the picture, they write at least three sentences about it. These sentences should work together to tell a story about their picture, not just a list facts about their drawing.

They may use any number of word bank words, but they DO NOT need to use them if they do not wish! The purpose of the word bank is to give them some ideas of things they might want to write about, and to help with difficult spellings. If their picture and imagination take them in a different direction, let them go for it!

If the writing assignment is very difficult you can help your student by having them dictate their sentences for you to write, but the end-goal is for them to independently be able to write their 3 sentences.

After Spring Break, this writing page will change to a reading comprehension page where students will answer questions in complete sentences about the passage they have read (students will practice this A LOT in class before it becomes homework.)

In first grade this year, we do NOT have a list of words to memorize each week for a spelling test. Instead we will be learning a spelling pattern for a specific sound each week. The sample words on the front cover page of the homework packet are NOT a list to be memorized, but mearly an example of the types of words your student is learning to sound out and spell.

For the spelling homework (called Phonics Practice) students will follow the directions on the provided page to work with a variety of words containing their current spelling pattern. Most often this involves sorting the words by spelling or sound, or reading simple sentences to enter an appropriate word with the spelling pattern into the blank.

The bottom of their Phonics Practice will ask them to write a sentence using a word from their provided word bank.

Read the new sight words (provided on the front cover of the homework packet) with an adult, and make sure you know how to both read and spell any that you do not already know.

Help your student read the directions on the "High Frequency Words" page of the homework packet to correctly complete the provided task. This usually involves reading simple sentences to enter the correct high frequency word in the blank.

The bottom of their Phonics Practice will ask them to write a sentence using a word from their provided word bank.

If you are having trouble remembering a particular word, try writing it on a post-it note and placing it somewhere in your house where you will pass by regularly. Every time you see the post-it note, point to the word and say it correctly, using it in a sentence before you move on (it's helpful if the WHOLE family does this with you!)

The goal of the Family STEM Project is to get students thinking and acting in a creative way.

As it says in the title, this is a FAMILY project! Feel free to help your student brainstorm ideas and give assistance during the building process, but remember to let him/her take the lead and make the final decisions. They should be the ones crafting the project as much as possible.

Try to encourage your student to be creative in the completion of their project. For example, if the challenge is to build something that moves, try to have them put multiple objects together in a unique way that allows for movement of the combined pieces rather than just finding a part that already moves and starting with that. If they are creating something to wear, try to get them to move beyond a standard string bracelet or necklace and create something new (google can be a great resource for inspiration, but don't just follow a step-by-step tutorial, get your student to do the thinking about how to put it together!) Encourage creativity in thinking about a PURPOSE for their creation beyond just fulfilling the requirements of their assignments (for example, does their project that moves have an important task that it can accomplish with its movement?) If this seems daunting don't worry, we will discuss it a LOT in class during each review week!

All Family STEM Projects should be brought to school on FRIDAY of the review week. The students will take turns presenting their creations to the class. Projects completed early may come to school on Thursday, but please do not try to turn them in earlier than Thursday--the project should be worked on over multiple days, and your student should practice presenting their project at home at least two different days to make sure they are ready for their class presentation!

There will be a sheet in the homework packet with questions to answer about the Family STEM project. You may write these answers for your student, but make sure he/she is giving you the words to write--the questions will be asked of them during the presentation, so they should know the answers and have practiced saying them aloud! I will use the answers they have written to prompt them during their presentation if they get stuck.

California Language Arts Standard SL1.4a (Speaking and Listening) requires first grade students to "memorize and recite poems, rhymes, and songs with expression."

Each Review week, students are given a selection three poems in their homework packet. We read through all of the poems in class and discuss them all throughout the week.

At home, students should select ONE poem from the provided options which they would like to memorize and present to the class. They should not only work on memorizing the words, but reciting their poem with feeling and good body posture. 

The more students practice their poems in front of friends and family members at home prior to Friday, the better their final presentation will be!

I will send home a poetry presentation rubric with the first review week homework packet for you to view as you help your student practice.