• First Grade In A Nutshell: 

 

• Math: (EnVisions)
  

  Your first grader will be working on the following topics in math:

• • Add & Subtract within 20

  • Missing addends

  • Place Value (tens & ones)

  • Comparing 2 digits

  • Measurement & Data

  • Time (Hour & half hour)

  • Geometry

•  

  Writing: (Writer's Workshop)
  We are working on writing our thoughts and ideas down on paper! Everything we see and do can become a story!  
• Writers' Workshop is a student-centered framework for teaching writing that is based on the idea that students learn to write best when they write frequently, for extended periods of time, on topics of their own choosing. 
• Students will learn to write: *Personal Narratives that focus on small moments in their lives.  Their stories will have a beginning, middle, and end   *Information Texts are introduced and students learn to write "All About" Books and "How To" books that focus specifically on area that feel they are an "expert." (for example like: bike riding, sports, gymnastics, crafts, cooking etc.)  *Opinion Pieces focus on giving reasons to support their ideas. They write about their favorite things, things they hate, or arguments that they feel strongly about.   *Fiction Writing Unit, students learn to develop a setting, characters, and plot that tell a story with a specific problem and a solution. *Poetry Unit students learn to "paint pictures" with their words.   

• Reading: (A.R.C. American Reading Company)
  
• Your first grader will work on 4 units of study: * ARC Literacy Lab- Students will develop the academic routines of successful readers with a literacy block that builds on their interest and abilities * Informational Research Lab (Wild & Endangered Animals) Students study a topic while becoming experts in reading and writing informational text. *Literature Genre Lab (Family Stories) Students study a literary genre while constructing narratives in the same genre. *Argument Research Lab (Plants) students study a topic while constructing arguments using their own research.
• We use the IRLA which is a unified standards-based framework for student assessment, text leveling, curriculum, and instruction. Therefore, students work on THEIR OWN LEVEL with individualized reading goals. This allows to effectively meet the needs of ALL students.  

Power Words or Sight Words are usually non-decodable words and are typically the most frequently words seen in text. They are expected to be read upon sight, with automaticity (within 3 seconds). Please practice these words with your child regularly, they will help them to read with increased speed and accuracy.  You will find the words that your child is working on in their sight word booklet which can be found in their Reading pouch.  These words are reflective of your child's power goal & reading level. 

 

• Fundations

Fundations is a multisensory and systematic phonics, spelling, and handwriting program.  

 

• Trick Words /Spelling Words
  

  Trick words are phonetically irregular words that your child needs to memorize. They are selected for their high frequency of use in English school-aged texts.  These words are important for students to master for both reading and spelling.  The mastery of these words allow students to achieve greater reading and writing fluency.   Please take time to practice reading and spelling these words nightly. We have a weekly spelling test on Fridays. 

  Fundations - Level 1 - First Grade Trick Words : These are the spelling words we will cover throughout the year in 1st grade...

• Unit 2: the, a, and, is, his, of 

  Unit 3: as, has, to, into, we, he, she, be, me, for, or 

  Unit 4: you, your, I, they, was, one, said 

  Unit 5: from, have, do, does 

  Unit 6: were, are, who, what, when, where, there, here 

  Unit 7: why, by, my, try, put, two, too, very, also, some, come 

  Unit 8: would, could, should, her, over, number 

  Unit 9: say, says, see, between, each 

  Unit 10: any, many, how, now, down, out, about,  our 

  Unit 11: friend, other, another, none, nothing 

  Unit 12: people, month, little, been, own, want, Mr., Mrs. 

  Unit 13: work, word, write, being, their, first, look, good, new

  Unit 14: water, called, day, may, way

   

• Science

 Unit 1: Sky Watchers: In this Unit the students explore objects in the day and night skies. They are introduced to the phases of the moon and we explore how these changes occur as we analyze shadows. We explore the concepts of revolution, rotation and seasons. We also sequence the order of the planets and their distances from the Sun.

 

 Unit 2: Exploring Organisms: In this Unit the students are introduced to the structure and function in plants and animals and the ties that exist between parents and their offspring. Students investigate living and non-living things, the needs that all life depends upon, and the structures that organisms have to help them obtain these needs. We investigate the parental roles that exist in the animal kingdom and the similarities and variations that exist between parents and their offspring.  

  

Unit 3: Light and Sound Waves: In this Unit students are introduced to the physical science concepts of light and sound, including that both phenomena travel in waves. In the first part of the unit students use flashlights to explore and then discuss how light travels and interacts with different materials. In the second part of the unit students investigate sound and how it travels. By creating different sounds and examining how the sound is produced, students trace the wave from the origin of the sound to the ear.