Overview of first grade
The leap from kindergarten to first grade is enormous. First grade offers many more teacher directed, whole group learning opportunities as well as a significant amount of independent activities. In addition, there are numerous occasions for hands on, multi-sensory group activities and partner work.
Frameworks
Reading: In accordance with the Common Core you will find that by the end of the year it is our goal for your child to be able to: read and comprehend enriched literature. Our reading program titled “Wonders” will be implemented this year. Some genres of literature that we will be working with include fiction, non-fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, fairy tales, folktales, poetry, and biographies. Children will be required to read selections fluently and identify the story elements such as the characters, problems, solutions, themes, settings, and morals of the story. Graphic organizers help our students to classify information. Retelling stories and referring back to the text to state where the answer was found will also be skills that are developed in preparation for MCAS.
Writing: We also will be writing paragraphs that include topic sentences, supporting detailed sentences and a concluding sentence with correct grammar usage and the implementation of details. Open response questions will also prepare our students for MCAS. Our Language Arts Curriculum has a strong phonemic foundation in which correct applied spelling will also be encouraged as it is introduced.
Math: In math, your child should be able to demonstrate a knowledge of addition and subtraction and be able to support their solutions with appropriate math language. While it is important to solve problems accurately, we will also be fostering higher level critical thinking skills to encourage students to develop multiple strategies to explain their answer. In doing so, we will begin to build a foundation for solving future math operations which include multiplication and division in the years to come. For example a child may explain 5+6=11 by saying that two groups of 5 equal 10 and one more is 11.
Writing: We also will be writing paragraphs that include topic sentences, supporting detailed sentences and a concluding sentence with correct grammar usage and the implementation of details. Open response questions will also prepare our students for MCAS. Our Language Arts Curriculum has a strong phonemic foundation in which correct applied spelling will also be encouraged as it is introduced.
Math: In math, your child should be able to demonstrate a knowledge of addition and subtraction and be able to support their solutions with appropriate math language. While it is important to solve problems accurately, we will also be fostering higher level critical thinking skills to encourage students to develop multiple strategies to explain their answer. In doing so, we will begin to build a foundation for solving future math operations which include multiplication and division in the years to come. For example a child may explain 5+6=11 by saying that two groups of 5 equal 10 and one more is 11.
Assessments
We are routinely assessing student achievement through the use of DRA, Dibels, Go Math Assessments, curriculum based tests, student participation and observations, independent student work, project based learning initiatives, and grade level rubrics.