first week, first grade

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first week, first grade
By Cathy-Dee

First, welcome to the world of Grade 1. It is a terrific grade but can be challenging at times too.

Someone else mentioned to just focus on classroom management and Christmas things for the next few weeks which I would
say would be the best way to go. For older grades you probably would want some sort of lessons organized because they need to be kept more on task than the younger kids especially this time of year.
For both of the new teachers who posted here - spend this next week getting to know your kids. Do a survey - in grade 1 you write down their responses, - in grade 4 they can do it themselves.
Ask

them what their favorite colour is, favorite animals, what they want for Christmas. Then graph all the results. They'll love to see their names on the graphs and you'll be teaching them about graphing.

I'll focus more on Grade 1 as that is the grade I teach.

Read a lot of stories this next week, sing Christmas carols, do some fun art projects. As you do these activities you will begin to notice some of the various skill levels. Take some time and have free centers (let them play with puzzles, games, manipulatives) and call each one up to choose a book to read to you. You can make quick notes on who is reading, who is not reading, etc., and be better prepared for January.

I'm assuming your Principal told you to not worry about diving in, so I'd take that advice. Don't worry about your lesson plans right now, classroom decor, etc., that will come with time. If your administrator is good, they will allow you the time to grow with your position. It will be amazing but by the end of January you will feel so much more settled and focused on what you need to do.

I have quite a few websites as well as a page with classroom managment ideas that if you are interested in just send me an email and I can send you the links.

Don't worry, you'll do great at your job! And grade 1 kids are so much fun to work with.

A few other fun "learning" activities you can do this next few weeks before Christmas.

- have them write Christmas sentences. I teach in an area that has "low-academic" learners so I often give them sentence patterns to work with.
I like the ________, Look at the ________ I can see a __________.
Then I have quite a few pictures up on my walls where they can choose words to add to the sentences.
Another way is to write a list of words for Christmas on the board. I always number the words so that if I'm sitting with a group of children helping them I do not have to get up and go to the board to point to a word they need, I can just glance up and tell them the number for the word. Helps them to learn numbers too.

For math - do some adding and subtracting with mini candy canes, or other Christmas candy. And for the last few questions on subtracting let them eat what they subtract.

First thing Monday morning start with a fire-drill practice - then you can see how they do and where they need to improve. It will also help you to see if there's anything you forgot to organize - like a list of their names handy to take out the door with you.

MOST OF ALL HAVE FUN GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CLASS!