Here are some pictures of my family. My husband Tom and I have three children-Wendy, Sean and Grant. We enjoy biking, going to the beach and just hanging out together!

Step up to Writing teaches writing strategies to help students organize their thinking and their writing. It is used  for informational, expository writing and also has an organizational component for story writing.  First graders start out learning how to write good, solid paragraphs.  As they progress through the grades, they will learn to expand each detail into its own paragraph, eventually forming a well-constructed essay. 

First graders learn some key strategies in the Step-Up to Writing Program for expository writing:

·         How to write topic sentences.

·         How to use transitions between ideas (first, next, then, last).

·         How to write conclusion sentences.

Accordion Paragraphs: use color to define the paragraph components and structure. You will hear your child talk about the stoplight and refer to their greens, yellows and reds.

Greens     = Go!  Write a topic sentence or concluding sentence.

Yellows    =  Slow Down.  Using a transition,  give a reason, detail or fact.

Reds         = Stop! Explain your reason, detail or fact. Give an example.

By the end of first grade, your child should be able to write a basic paragraph following this structure:

Green: Topic Sentence

 Yellow:

 Red:

 Yellow:

Red:

  Yellow:

Red:

Green: Conclusion sentence

Topic Sentences (Green):  

Number statements: This is a type of topic sentence that contains a number. Here are some commonly used examples:

some

several

a couple

three

many

four

a number

few

Example Sentences:

1.  I love baseball for many reasons. 

2. I have learned three things about penguins.

Question statements: Contain a question as part of the topic sentence. The question can be part of the first sentence or the second.

          Examples:

1.       Have you ever been to Disneyland? I have.

                                                       or flip it like this:

2.      I’ve been to Disneyland. Have you?

Transition sentences (Yellow): are used in a paragraph to let the writer/reader know that a new detail (yellow) is being introduced.

*If a paragraph has more than 3 yellows (details) students should choose all of their transition words with the exception of the first and last from the middle column.

Here's what it looks like when it's all put together.

* dog

* fetch

* balls

* swim

* swimming pool

*walk

* keep safe

*dog 

Using the stoplight plan above, this is how the finished paragraph with a number statement sentence may look. I've color coded it so you can see how the "colors lay in" from the plan.

I love my dog for three reasons. First, my dog love to play fetch with me. He fetches almost anything that I throw. Next, he really loves to swim. Anytime I’m in the pool, he jumps right in and swims around with me. Last, I enjoy taking my dog on walks with me.  He keeps me company and makes me feel safe. My dog loves me and I love him!. 

Language Arts : Reading & Writing 
We use a program called Wonders through ConnectEd. 

Step 1: Go to www.google.com 
Step 2: Click SIGN IN. 
Step 3: Log into your child’s district issued Google account. 
Step 4: Go to www.etiwanda.org/chromebooks. 
Step 5: Click ConnectEd. 
Step 6: Click on the book you want to use online.

Math 
We use a program called Go Math through ThinkCentral. 

Step 1: Go to www.etiwanda.org/chromebooks 
Step 2: Click on ThinkCentral. 
Step 3: Change State to California. 
Step 4: Change district to Etiwanda School District. 
Step 5: Change School to your School’s Name. 
Step 6: Enter your child’s user name and password.
Step 7: Click LOG IN. 
Step 8: Choose the book you want to use from the library or click Things To Do.

Directions for iReady at home

1. Direct web browser to www.etiwanda.org/chromebooks

2. Click on "I-Ready" link.

3. Click on "Log in with Google" (do not log in with Clever)

4. Enter child’s username and password they use to login to the chrome books at school. EX:xxxxxx@etiwanda.org . This is their username with @etiwanda.org added to the end-  it should begin with their first initial capitalized.  Their password should start with School__.

5. You should now be logged into I-ready.