First Grade Curriculum

Reading - Guided Reading groups, big books, small decodable readers, leveled stories, reading centers, vocabulary words (word wall words included), main idea, details of a story, sequencing, making predictions, cause/effect, realism/fantasy, exploration of poetry and folk tale, following directions and listening skills.  Phonics: decoding beginning and ending consonant sounds, short and long vowels, word families, blends, digraphs, contractions, compound words and synonyms/antonyms.

Zaner-Bloser Handwriting -Printing: Upper and lower case letters formation, using appropriate spaces, letter/line relationships, left to right progression, number formations

Spelling -The first graders will be responsible for learning high frequency words (word wall words) and phonics words each week.  The words will be introduced on Monday through a spelling “pre-test” and a final spelling test will be given on Fridays.  The list of words will be sent home every Monday.  Once these words are sent home and tested, the students will continue to be assessed on how the words are applied in everyday work.

Expressive Writing - Capitalization, punctuation, handwriting, spelling and creative story writing (including journal entries)

Math- Use of manipulatives to develop concepts in solving addition and subtraction number sentences, basic facts, basic and skip counting, telling time, coin value and combinations, measurement, basic

Science - Plants and Animals are Living Things, The Sky and Weather, Caring for the Earth, Force and Motion, Magnets and Sound and Dental Health

Social Studies - Home and School, Communities and Neighborhoods, Map Skills, Needs and Wants, Our Earth and its Resources, Our Country and World, Social Skills, Current Events and Personal Safety

Weekly Schedule

2:15-2:40

Physical Education

2:00-2:30

Library

12:35-1:00

Physical Education

3:00

Mystery Readers

Homework:

The most important homework your child can do this year is read.  Your child should try to read for twenty minutes every night, practice spelling words and practice math facts between 10-15 minutes.  This practice can be recorded on the weekly “Practice Log” that will be sent home the beginning of each week.  A weekly homework assignment (handwriting practice, math facts, writing, etc.) will be on the back of your child’s spelling list.  This homework assignment should be completed and returned to school on the following Monday.  Occasionally, I will send other homework home either as a follow-up activity (review) to what was done in class or something your child should individually practice.  

Field Trips:

Each field trip we take during the year pertains to our curriculum focus at that specific time of the year.  Our first field trip will be to Royal Oak Apple Orchard on September 23^rd. 

Volunteers:

I am interested in utilizing parents in the classroom, small groups, reading and math centers or being a mystery reader.  If you are interested in volunteering somehow in the classroom, please fill out the volunteer sheet.  I will contact the parents that are interested to begin a schedule.

Newsletters:

I send home weekly newsletters summarizing activities and skills the first graders are learning.  Also, I will add extra information regarding any special events, dates and reminders.  Please make sure you take a few minutes to read through it.  I also provide suggestions on ways to help your child practice at home.  Please make sure I have your email address so you can receive it via email.

Classroom Management:

We follow all of First Class Rules!  To keep you informed on your child’s weekly behavior and progress, I send home a “Weekly Report” every Friday.  This should be read over and signed by a parent/guardian.  Please return them back to school on Monday.  I also have a monthly behavior calendar, which tells the parents what color  their first grader ended the day.

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Questions? Email me at kwinters@d118.org

Last Updated on September 16, 2011