Reading
Our reading curriculum is Scott Foresman Reading Street. It consists of five
units. Each unit is divided into six weeks. Each week there are a variety of
skills taught such as oral language, word attack (phonics, spelling, and high
frequency words), reading (comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency), and
language arts (writing and grammar).
Reading Logs
Starting in September, your child will be required to complete a monthly
reading log. The log will be sent home at the beginning of each month and is
due at the end of that month. More information about reading logs will come
later.
Guided Reading
In addition to the whole group and small group instruction that the students
recieve during reading, I also meet with guided reading groups weekly.
Guided reading groups focus more on the individual reading needs of each
child. During guided reading, I work with students at their instructional
level to guide them in using context, visual, and structure cues in stories
to generate meaning. By using instructional level texts that gradually
increase in difficulty, students apply strategies in context and can
hopefully feel successful! The end goal, as with any literacy component in
1st grade, is for students to become confident, proficient readers. The
Scholastic guided reading series helps us reach these goals. Students are
tested regularly on their reading levels, and grouped accordingly.
Comprehension
Later in the year, Read- A-Loud pages will be sent home every Friday. The
Read-A-Loud page is to be completed together. These are stories that your
child should read aloud to you. Reading aloud helps your child become a more
fluent reader. After he/she reads the selection, there are questions to be
completed which focus on your child’s comprehension of what was read. These
are to be returned to school with their homework folder on Thursdays.
Spelling
In your child’s homework folder you will find a weekly spelling list, along
with weekly high-frequency words. A particular phonetic rule will be
emphasized on each spelling list. Your child is to learn, spell, and
complete all corresponding homework pages by the following Thursday. I will
assess the students on those particular words every Friday.
Writing
Your child will learn the Six-Traits of writing. They are focus/ideas,
organization/paragraphs, voice, word choice, sentences, and conventions.
There are weekly writing lessons and at the end of each unit there will be a
Writer’s Workshop. This includes topic, pre-write, draft, revise, edit, and
publish writing.
Handwriting
Handwriting is taught using the Zaner-Bloser Handwriting curriculum. Zaner-
Bloser uses a step-by-step approach for teaching and learning handwriting.
The four keys to legibility that are explored include shape, size, spacing,
and slant. This systematic program builds automaticity in reproduction of
the alphabet, so students are free to focus on meaning and expression as they
write.
Journaling
Journals are a great tool for your child to practice and experiment
expressing their ideas, creativity, and feelings through their writing.
Journals are also good for inventive spelling and word play. Each student
will have a writing journal that they will keep in their desk. The children
will be given opportunities to share stories, write about new discoveries,
and write using new grammar concepts taught. Writing journals allow students
to incorporate sight words and spelling words recently learned. Journals are
kept as a portfolio of your child's writing and will be given to you at the
end of the year. You'll be amazed at your child's writing progress over the
next several months!
Math
First grade has adopted the Scott Foresman/Addison Wesley Mathematics series.
Throughout the year, your child will be exposed to patterns, addition &
subtraction, geometry, fractions, time, place value, money, measurement,
probability, and problem solving. The students will be using a comprehensive
workbook, along with various manipulatives corresponding with each unit. The
homework program provides opportunities for additional math practice at home.
These mandatory homework pages are tied to the lessons that the children have
learned in school. Some will be easy and some will be more difficult. In
order for your child to understand and remember these new concepts,
additional practice or guidance may be necessary. I will send math
worksheets home in your child’s Homework Folder. Please return the work on
Thursdays in the homework folder.
Science
1st grade uses the Scott Foresman Science curriculum. This series includes
four units: Life Science, Physical Science, Earth Science, and The Human
Body. The program provides inquiry-rich activities, lab experiments with
every chapter, and cross-curricular connections that link reading and science
skills throughout.
Social Studies
The curriculum that 1st grade uses for Social Studies is Scott Foresman
Social Studies. The students will explore the following six units: Time for
School, In My Community, Work Work Work, Our Earth/Our Resources, This Is Our
Country, and Our Country/Our World. With rich content that captures students'
imaginations and built-in reading and vocabulary instruction, this series
teaches students about respect, caring, responsibility, fairness, courage,
and honesty. Plus, exciting lessons from Colonial Williamsburg, the nation's
largest living history museum, give students unique opportunities to connect
with the past.