16. Home Reading / Homework Year 1 homework guidelines P. 31 Elementary School Parent Handbook Cuddle up and read Reading Presentation for Parents Thursday 1st October.
5 minPYP units – 6 – major review, important for best practice to ensure all areas of learning are being covered, new units.Science, social studies, personal social ed are all included. Math and language arts are also incorporated. Students are enouraged to develop higher level thinking, program is differentiated according to ability. Open endedFirst one – year longAll the rest 6-8weeks
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Year 1 Guidelines – 10 – 15 mins Mon – Thurs. Students may also be asked to collect materials and/or information to bring to class.Cuddle up and read – special time together to develop a love of reading and gains a lifelong desire to read and learn. Before bed is a great time. Parent reading to child. Together if book is predictable, familiar or memorized. Please do not make your child read these books independently to you.After parent presentation on Thursday 1st October – independent reading practice and cuddle up and read.
5 minMathematics in the PYP focuses on making students competent users of the language of mathematics. Mathematics should be viewed as a way of thinking rather than a series of facts and equations to be memorised.Due to our rapidly changing world the PYP program starts with the children exploring their own personal experiences before they can apply their knowledge to other areas.The children will be guided through different stages of development; they will play and explore through the use of manipulatives and conversation while they construct meaning. As they start to connect mathematical notation and symbols to what they know they begin to work more independently and explain their reasonings.
Number: Works on the language for describing quantities and the relationship between quantities, how we record and represent them. Through the number strand students are encouraged to inquire into our number system, to think about how it works, how it is used to organize the world around us and the jobs it does. *Students will develop number knowledge (counting, number recognition, ordering of numbers) as well as strategy – the solving of number problems). *Hands on activities are planned for the students to develop their number knowledge and strategies. These activities encourage students to work collaboratively and to express their understanding and solutions with each other. If you really understand you can teach it to someone!Addition and subtraction come under the number strand.Pattern and function: Explore the repetitive features of patterns around us and describe their rules. They can then use this knowledge to extend or create new patterns. This pattern works is a foundation for the later study of algebra.
The Data handling, Measurement and shape and space strands are mostly incorporated into our units of inquiry. This allows students to research, describe, represent and understand different types of information that is of significance to them. Data Handling: The children are exposed to a variety of ways of collecting, recording and organising data. Surveys, pictographs etc.Measurement: The children learn to measure mass, capacity, length and height using comparison and non-standard units such as blocks. Focusing at this early stage on being accurate and making sure the units used to measure are an appropriate size. We also look at time and the duration of time. Time is integrated into our daily routines.Shape and space: Looks at the relationship between 2 and 3D shapes as well as the use of directional language.
The children will experience problem solving in a variety of ways over the year in all of the maths strands as well as in their units of inquiry. Problem Solving Strategies will be specifically taught to students which will enable them to apply their mathematical knowledge to everyday situations. Some of the strategies that they learn to use include acting out, using pictures and logical reasoning.Children are encouraged to think about problems, use a variety of strategies to solve them, and share their solutions.Students explore the idea that there is almost never just one way to reach the right.
In Year One we cover at least one hour of math throughout the day. This includes our morning routine where we look at the days of the week and calendar date.Mental Calculation is taught on a daily basis for 15-20 minutes this usually occurs at the beginning of our Numeracy lesson as a warm up activity.Often maths will be integrated into our units of inquiry and this is included in the 5 hours of Numeracy each week.At the beginning of each maths unit a note will be emailed outlining the units, relevant vocabulary and ideas for supporting the learning at home. It is a good idea to talk about these concepts with your child in your mother tongue however any activities suggested in the notes are only there to help you. N.B. At the beginning of the year and at regular intervals we carry out assessments for each individual child which then allow us to differentiate for their own needs this is essential so that we are able to challenge and support each student in the areas required.
5minTeachers received specialized training from an OT to support reading, writing and mental processing.It may seem that these things are not as important as sitting down and ‘doing work’. Do not dismiss this it is very important. This check list helps teachers know whether children are ready for the academic rigours of Year One. These also indicate whether a child may need extra help.If you find your child can not do any of these things, practise and come and chat to the teacher for ideas to help.Pencil gripMany fingers on topCar : driver passenger everyone else in the back SPONGEHigh low grip: CAR: Don’t drive in the boot/ trunk or the engineThumb wrapped around: Results from small pencils and pens to soonHigh pencil: weigh it down with plastercene or toy.M sit:Orthopedic surgeons advise against this becauseWeak core muscles- bad backTurned in feet duck walkSupported: writing, sitting, walking up and down stairs