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Math
Number Sense-
- Students will understand that a group of objects is represented by a number. They will be able to count in a sequence starting at a designated number. The students will also be able to count by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s.
Measurement-
- Students will order objects by comparing lengths, measure with non-standard units of measure, and then will learn how to measure using inches and centimeters. Students will learn about how to measure with a ruler.
Geometry-2D and 3D shapes-
- Students will describe, compare, and contrast the characteristics of both 2D and 3D shapes.
Place Value-
- Students will understand that two digit numbers represent the amount of tens and ones. They will be able to compare numbers (<, >, =) and use mental computation to determine numbers that are 10 more, 10 less, 1 more, 1 less and explain why.
Time/Money-- Students will be able to recognize and identify the value of coins and add small groups of coins together. They will tell and write time to the hour and half hour using analog and digital clocks.
Fractions-- Students will be able to partition shapes and describe the parts using words such as fourths, halves, and quarters. They will be able to explain why some fractions are larger than others.
Addition and Subtraction fluency with facts up to 10-- Students need to be fluent with facts through 10 and be familiar with facts through 20. Throughout the year, this will be a major focus in the math curriculum. Students are expected to learn and practice the addition and subtraction facts at home.
- Flash cards, math games, AAA math on first grade links are useful tools when practicing at home.
Reading
Word Work-
- Word Work provides students with opportunities to investigate and understand the patterns in words, while also using many strategies to make sense of unknown words. The desired result is for students to become proficient readers and writers, using their knowledge of how words work to help them in all areas of communication. The first grade teachers lead whole group word work lessons and students also have the opportunity to practice using their own word lists at Literacy Stations.
Listen to Reading/Raz-Kids-
- Children listen to and read books on cd, tapes, or on the computer (Raz-Kids). Students take quizzes or fill out response sheets about the books they have listened to.
Read to Self-- Children read books from their book boxes. The books are chosen by the students and are at their reading level.
Read to Someone-- Children read books from their book boxes to a partner. Partners act as reading coaches for one another.
Guided Reading-- While students are engaged in Literacy Stations, teachers lead small group Guided Reading lessons. Students are assessed and assigned a guided reading level based on word-knowledge, comprehension, and fluency. This allows the teacher to work closely with each student to help them become better readers by introducing them to increasingly challenging texts while meeting the varying instructional needs of each child in the room.
Read Aloud-- During a read aloud, the teacher will read a variety of genres to the children. The text will be at a higher level than the children can read by themselves. Texts are chosen to highlight certain teaching points. Teachers verbally interact with the class throughout the process. This includes pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading activities to ensure they understand and make connections with the text. Some of the activities include: making predictions, emphasizing story elements, guiding students with questioning, discussing text features, and closing the session with oral or written responses from the children.
Shared Reading-- Shared Reading is when the teacher and the students read the text together using big or projected books. Shared reading may include echo reading (students echoing the words after the teacher), choral reading (teacher and students reading aloud at the same time), or fill in the gap reading (teacher reading the majority of the text and then pausing for students to fill in and say the missing words.) All of these ways of reading are used to encourage fluency and enjoyment of the text. Students may be asked to predict masked words to encourage them to use story context, or students may be asked to tell the rhyming words in the text or words that contain a certain sound. Shared reading is most often done at the beginning of first grade.
Dolch Word Packets-- Another important component of our reading program is memorizing the most frequently occurring words in text. We call these words sight (Dolch) words. These are words that usually cannot be sounded out and thus must be memorized. Being able to recognize and read these words quickly and fluently is an important part of progressing as a reader. The children work on learning these words and Dolch Word phrases at home and at school. The home component of this program is very important and we encourage the students to practice these words frequently at home. As each list of words is mastered, a new list will be sent home to work on.
The more you read, the better you read!Science
- Sun and Shadows
- Plants
- Butterflies
- Animal groups and families
- Life cycles of plants and animals
- S.T.E.A.M. Room
Social Studies
- All About Me
- Communities
- American Holidays and traditions
- Famous Americans Leaders
- Geography
- Cultural Heritage
Writing
- Writing Workshop
- Express thoughts and ideas on paper
- Write stories with beginning, middle, and end
- Write for different purposes
- Use beginning punctuation and capitalization
- Use grade appropriate spelling and spelling units