December 1, 2015
Dear First Grade Families,
The calendar behind this packet shows your child’s daily assignments for the month. Attached to this letter are
the half page worksheets that are to be completed (one per night). Please sign your child’s calendar nightly to
indicate completion of assignments. In first grade, students should be spending no longer than 20 minutes on
written homework (the half-page worksheet and Words Their Way activity). Our hope is that your child has
time to decompress from a day of hard work in the classroom while at the same time reviewing important concepts
and refining first grade skills. We encourage first graders to get 10-12 hours of sleep. Homework should not
interfere with your child’s sleep schedule.
We understand that students may complete the half-page worksheets quickly. If you would like to
supplement your child’s homework, please consider implementing one of the following ideas:
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Make a worksheet similar to one that your child brings home from class. Have him/her complete it.
Make a worksheet similar to the half page worksheets included in this packet but substitute the numbers with
higher numbers (please no double-digit addition until we teach it at school) and/or substitute the words with
more challenging sight words.
Read our First Grade Weekly Email for suggestions on what to work on with your child at home.
Have your child answer comprehension questions after reading or being read to using the questions we sent
home in the Back-to-School Night packet. Challenge your child to answer questions in complete sentences both
orally and in writing.
Take a look at the attached First Grade Mathematics Newsletters for explanations on what your child is
learning in math. Create activities to support these concepts at home.
Use the websites suggested in the Back-to-School Night packet to further enhance the learning experience at
home.
On the back of the calendar you will find a monthly reading log. Please document nightly reading on this log,
making sure to sign the log every night. Reading at home can take many forms. Your child may choose to read a
story alone or may wish to read a story to an adult or sibling. Some nights your child may want you to read aloud to
him/her while she/he enjoys the illustrations. Shared reading is another great option- adults and children can
switch off pages and/or adults can read more challenging words while students can read sight words and other
words that they are able to identify. Please make reading a relaxing part of your child’s daily homework
routine. Every positive reading experience is valuable. Together we will create lifelong readers!
At the end of the month, please have your child return the calendar page with the
reading log on the back only. He/she will receive a special “Sharky Surprise” for
turning in an initialed calendar and signed reading log.
Please remember that in addition to these monthly assignments, students will be completing Words Their
Way Homework in two-week cycles.
If you misplace any part of the homework throughout the month, please go to the Stonegate
website to print out a new copy. Thank you for your support and please contact your child’s
teacher with questions.
Sincerely,
The First Grade Team