F.I.S.H. Binders

F.I.S.H. Binders

Family Involvement Starts Here

What is a F.I.S.H. Binder? It is a 3-ring binder notebook, put together by the teacher, that houses EVERYTHING the students and parents need to keep up with what is going on at school. No more wrinkled papers in the bottom of book bags. No more lost notes, newsletters, or calendars. No more searching the house to find paper to write the teacher a note. Everything is in one notebook!

Why is it important to have? This notebook helps students to establish good organizational skills. These organizational skills will carry on throughout their time in school. The F.I.S.H. Notebook contains the sections listed below. Entries are made daily so please look at all of the sections, especially the Parent/Teacher Communication section in the back of the notebook. Please see that your child returns this notebook daily.

Class Newsletter

A newsletter will be inserted into the clear sheet protector at the front of the binder each 6-weeks.

Monthly Calendar

A class calendar will be put in the binder at the beginning of each month. The calendar will have important dates and reminders of special events in our classroom.

Important Notices From School

This folder will contain any notes from our school, principal, school district, etc, as well as any classroom information. Please send any notes that need to be signed and returned back in this folder.

This folder is also for sending excuses to school when your child is ill. If a doctor has seen your child, please send notification of that as well.

Reading Log

In addition to the homework you may find in the homework section, your child will also have reading homework on a nightly basis. Please have your child read to you for a minimum of 20 minutes and then have him/her record it on the reading log sheet. Your child can choose to read a book from home, an A.R. book or other library book, a children's' magazine, etc.

Each student has colored a picture of his or herself and put it on our classroom window. When a reading log is complete, your child will get to add a cut-out of a paper book to "stack on his/her head".

Please note that I do encourage our class to read the same books multiple times to increase their reading fluency and reading comprehension. Your child may want to read his/her A.R. book several times in order to be ready for the computer quiz.

Spelling List

You will find our your child's spelling list for the week in this section.

Spelling Cards Zipper Pouch

Your child will make cards to match the weekly spelling list every Monday. These are for you and your child to use to practice for the Friday spelling test.

Sight Words

You will find your child’s current sight words in this pocket. When your child has mastered the list, this is where you will find his/her new list. Please review these with your child at home.

On the back of the sight words list, you will find a Reading Contract. This is to be signed by me, you, and your child to show our commitment and agreement to work together as a team in reading.

Sight Words Zipper Pouch

You will find your child's sight word cards in this pouch. Please review them with your child nightly! Also, make sure you shuffle them around so that your child does not become dependent on the order of the cards.

Homework

This folder will contain homework papers. Please return them in the same pocket.

Great Work to Keep At Home

This folder will contain super duper work done by your “smart brained kid.” Please remove it nightly and discuss it with your child. After you have “oooed and ahhhed” over it, I’m sure you’ll want to show off the work on the refrigerator. ENJOY!!!

AR (Accelerated Reader) Report

Your child is required to get at least one A.R. book from the library each week. A.R. books have a colored sticker on the spine that correspond with a certain level. Every week, your child will take a quiz on the computer. You will find the results of those quizzes in this section.

Your child will be able to earn reading points with each book quiz he/she takes and passes. With these points, your child can earn prizes such as bookmarks, appearing on the morning announcements to “twist a top” (students twist a top off of a cold bottle of water), choosing an item from the library’s treasure chest, and, if your child makes it to the top, he/she will receive an A.R. trophy.

The better your child does on the quizzes, the more points he/she can earn. Also, higher level books are worth more points.

Parent/Teacher Communication

This section will be for notes between you and me. I will be writing notes to you in this section. Please check it daily and I will do the same for communications from you. Please remind your child that this section is only for you and the teacher to write in. I would also ask that you leave any notes that we may write in this section so that we can look back and remember any communications we may have had. Also, please remind your child to tell me when there is a note in the notebook from you. I try to check it regularly, but occasionally we get busy and a note goes unread.

(not included) Money Pocket

Inside the binder you may add a pencil pouch to send lunch money, book orders, money for field trips, etc. (I have a label made and ready if you choose to add this.)

Lunch menus

Monthly cafeteria menus will also be included in the last pocket of the binder.

BISD Calendar

For a quick reference, inserted in the back cover, you will find the 2007- 2008 BISD school calendar.

*Feel free to call (209-1567), send in a note, or e-mail me (awalsh@bryanisd.org) with any questions about the F.I.S.H. notebook.

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