Welcome to Mrs. Sparks First Grade

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Welcome to Mrs. Sparks First Grade

• As you enter the classroom please
• Put the packet of information mailed to you in
  your childs file found in the black crate on the
  sign-in table
• Sign in
• Circle if your child is a car rider or bus rider
  including the bus number
• Sign up for a conference schedule time that best
  fits your schedule

• Please complete as much of the following before
  we begin at 545 PM.
• Thank you!
• First Grade Information Sheet
• Family Commitment and Classroom Management
  Agreement
• Title 1 School/Parent Compact
• Employment survey
• Acknowledgement of Student Handbook and Student
  Code of Conduct (1st form in
  handbook)
• Directory Information Form (2nd form in handbook)
• Whatever you complete before leaving please put
  inside your childs file.
• Thank you!

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Welcome to First Grade

• Meet the Teacher 2008

August 21, 2008
545 PM 615 PM
3
My Family

• husband
• David Sparks, teaches BCIS at QCHS
• children
• Mauri, 11th
  grader at QCHS
• Caleb, 8th grader at
  MUMS

4
Educational Background
Master of Science Degree in Elementary Education
Texas AM University Texarkana
1996 Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary
Education with a Minor in Reading Stephen F.
Austin State University 1990 Associate of Arts

Texarkana College
1988 High School Diploma Texas High
School Texarkana, Texas 1986 
5
Professional Experience

• First Grade J.K. Hileman Elementary Present-200
  5
• Fourth Grade Reading J.K. Hileman Elementary
  2005-2001
• Seventh Grade Reading Pine Street Middle School
  2001-1999
• Sixth Grade Math Westlawn Intermediate
  School 1999-1998
• Seventh/Eighth Reading Pine Street Middle School
  1998-1996
• First and Fifth Grades Dunbar Elementary School
  1996-1995
• First and Second Grades Kennedy Elementary
  School 1995-1991
• Pre-Kindergarten Lincoln School
  1991-1990

18 years teaching experience
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Classroom Management Plan
Classroom Expectations Be positive Be
responsible Be a good listener Be and do your
best Be a follower of directions Be respectful of
others and their property
Classroom Plan Each afternoon all cards are
pulled for a fresh new start the next day. no
problem no card problem 1 ? means GO but
remember you are warned problem 2 ? means Slow
Down think about your choice a consequence
problem 3 ? means Stop behavior immediately
a consequence problem 4 ? means Pull Over
straighten up a consequence severe
clause Principals Office/See Code of Conduct in
Student Handbook

• Possible Consequences
• apologize
• write an apology
• lose partial recess
• lose entire recess
• student conference
• write parent note
• call parent
  
• teacher writes note to parent
• teacher calls parent with child present
• lunch detention
• parent conference
• office referral
  
• administrative assistant conference
• principal conference
• ISS
• timeout
• recovery
• other consequences deemed by teacher

• Positive Recognition
• praise
• parent note and/or call
• treats
• treasure box
• stickers
• Awesome Bulldog
• lunch pass to sit with friend
• free 20 minute recess
• extra computer time
• first choice of stations
• extra reading time
• read in the tub
• bookmark
• ticket punch
• ?certificate
• ?read with puppet or bulldog
• ?choose a buddy to read with

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Classroom Procedures

• The Morning Show
• writing materials
• fluency folders
• work stations
• restroom
• hall position
• floor position
• The Gathering Place

example of floor position
non example of floor position
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H.O.M.E. folder

• Help Organize Me Everyday 

Please make sure your child brings his/her
backpack to school daily along with the H.O.M.E.
folder.
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schedule
Tier II interventionist, TPRI Tier II
supplemental reading, and classroom TPRI focus
groups are scheduled as the year progresses.
schedule subject to change
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special classes
935 AM 1020 AM

• p.e. MWF (first ½ of F) only wear tennis
  shoes
• music TTHF (second ½ of F)
• counselor guidance lesson TH (during music
  class)
• science lab T
• library W send library book daily
• computer lab F

145 PM 215 PM
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grades
Students with an N or U in conduct will not be on
the A or AB Honor Roll. (school policy)

• Promotion Students must pass language arts,
  math, science, and social
• studies to be promoted.
• Retention If a student fails language arts
  and/or math, he/she will be retained.

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reading

• Reading First School
• Harcourt Trophies

• reading components
• comprehension
• fluency
• phonics
• phonemic awareness
• vocabulary
• literacy workstations
• word work word wall, read the room,
  spelling, magnetic letters
• guided reading leveled and decodable readers
  (Mrs. Sparks / Mrs. Croschere)
• computer Earobics and Phonics
  Express Level B
• listening
• writing

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Accelerated Reader (AR)

• AR encourages children to read.
• Students earn points for each book read with a
  grade of 60 or above.
• Students are expected to use the book during take
  the test.
• Books may be read at home and at school.
• Books must be read three times before testing.
• Students must be able to read the AR book and
  test on their own before taking an AR test.
  Neither family members nor teachers are able to
  read the AR test to a student. It must be an
  independent effort.
• Students must have a parental consent form signed
  and turned in before using computers for any
  reason.

AR Awards

• sticker for AR incentive chart (each 60?)
  ? AR trophy for 100 point club
• ? completed AR incentive chart treasure chest
  ? AR points club (classroom)
• 50 books read for the year Pizza Party
  ? AR class trophy (grade level)
• ? AR trophies to top 3 AR
  point earners for the year in 1st grade

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fluency

• fluency is the rate at which a person reads
  with intonation, expression, and smoothness.
• 60 wmp (words per minute)
• TPRI Texas Primary Reading Inventory
  (September, January, May)
• TPRI Progress Monitoring (every 3 weeks)
• Home reading program (Monday and Wednesday
  evenings)

fluency homework On Monday and Wednesday evenings
students will take home a paper decodable book.
Students need to read this aloud at least 3 times
while being timed. We will read it in class at
least 3 times together before it is sent home. I
will time the first reading of the class which is
the time to beat. The students goal is to beat
the clock three times. Students need to return
the decodable book with a family signature the
next morning.
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oral language

• Students must practice reading a book on his/her
  reading level each night. Please make sure an
  adult or older sibling listens to this read
  aloud. Students improve the more they read a
  passage. We read texts up to four times each to
  build accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.
• I will listen to each student read aloud a
  passage one time during a three week period.
  This grade is based on the accuracy of the
  reading not the speed. This grade will be
  recorded and weighted differently than the other
  reading grades due to its importance in first
  grade reading.
• Oral reading is one of the most important aspects
  of reading in first grade. Children learn to
  read more fluently as well as begin comprehending
  as they read orally (aloud).

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inventive spelling

• sound out phonetically
• stretch the word

Conventions of spelling are learned as the
student develops his/her writing skills.
handwriting

• traditional handwriting (print)
• correct formation Zaner-Blozer

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writing

• 6 1 Writing Triats
• Score Point 4, 3, 2, 1, 0

4 95 3 85 2 75 1 65 0 50
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math

• Pearlized Math
• hands-on learning (manipulatives daily)
• problem solving
• math journal
• calendar math
• math board
• math stations
• numeration

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science
living and non-living life cycle of the frog and
butterfly seasons and weather plants animals insec
ts water cycle magnets
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Social Studies
going to school good citizens the land around
us all about people looking back jobs people do
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workstations

• hands-on learning
• guided reading workstation
• listening workstation
• computer workstation
• word workstation
• fluency workstation
• writing workstation

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homework

• read one book per night
• write spelling words
• write sentence dictation
• read aloud sight and story words
• read decodable book to build fluency two times
  per week

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every Friday? spelling words
10 words 5 skilled
words (reviewed words from previous weeks)?
sentence dictation The cat had a hat.
1 - 2
known sentences 1 unknown sentence? math
assessment
Weekly

• every Thursday
• reading comprehension assignment weekly story
• read sight and story words of the week
  (10 19 studied words 5 previously
  learned words)
• 
  

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Assessments

• every three weeks
• read a fluency passage (wpm comprehension)
• G accuracy
• J rate
• L comprehension

• assessments given throughout the year
• ITBS May (one week)
• TPRI Texas Primary Reading Inventory
  (September, January, April)
• Pearlized Math (September, May)

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parties

• class parties
• ? Halloween Fall Carnival
• ? Christmas
• ? Valentines Day

birthday parties ? celebrated during snack time
(120 PM 135 PM in the cafeteria) ? small
snack such as cupcakes and/or ice cream ? notify
me at least 2 days in advance
after school party invitations ? send inventions
privately in your childs backpack ? Ill put
invitations in mailboxes as long as theyre
handed to me quietly. ? Students cannot pass
out invitations unless the entire class is
invited. ? This policy protects all children
from hurt feelings. Thank you!
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important information

• absences
• attendance
• tardies
• change in transportation
• book orders
• class newsletter
• restroom
• room temperature
• water bottles

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Sparks Place
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information packet

• parents
• L information packet
• I brochure
• J magnets
• N school handbook envelope (turn in tonight)
• students
• ? water bottle

Friday, August 22, 2008
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contact information

• school 903/796-6304
• home 903/799-6086
• e-mail ssparks_at_qcisd.net
• website www.sparksplace.com

family/teacher conferences
two required conferences per year ? beginning of
the year September ? end of the year
May
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wrap up

• sign in sheet
• sign bus or car rider
• sign back sheet of packet -- turn in
• checklist for all papers to be returned on MONDAY
• brochure to guide you through the classroom tour
  while finding your name
• supplies

Thank you!
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supplies
student desk 4 plastic folders with
brads supply box put the following inside supply
box 1 box of Crayola crayons 2 pencils 1
jumbo eraser 1 pair of Fiskar scissors 1 4-oz.
bottle of Elmers glue 1 Zipper pouch

• teacher closet (inside)
• Kleenex
• TV cart (inside)
• 2? binder
• mailbox
• 1? binder
• locker hanger
• backpack

extra supplies (U-shaped blue table) 1 box of
Crayola markers (primary only) 1 box of Crayola
crayons extra
pencils 1 4-oz.ounce bottle of Elmers glue 1
jumbo eraser