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First Grade

In first grade, building reading and writing skills are an essential part of a student’s learning process, and so they are constantly using these skills in all their other subjects too. In math, students continue to develop their addition and subtraction skills and use math tools and manipulatives, such as blocks, tiles, and different shapes which help students retain abstract mathematical concepts and connect them to concrete ideas. In Science students are taught to observe, ask questions, and record their observations and answers. In Social Studies students begin to explore their communities and the world around them more deeply, which enhances their research skills, general knowledge and their ability to compare and contrast different groupings.

Language and Literacy:

The book read aloud listing in first grade will be a representative selection of books including different genres and are chosen to infuse more culturally responsive, multicultural and inclusive stories into the classroom. Read aloud listing also includes selected nonfiction topics and biographical selections to supplement curricular areas of study.

Lucy Calkin’s Reading Workshop:

Units of Study

Building Good Reading Habits

Learning About the World: Reading Nonfiction

Readers Have Big Jobs to Do: Phonics, Fluency, Comprehension

Meeting Characters and Learning Lessons: Story Elements

Lucy Calkin’s Writing Workshop:

Units of Study:

Small Moment Stories

Nonfiction Chapter Books

Writing Reviews

From Scenes to Series: Writing Fiction

Word Study:

Wilson Fundations

Math:

Bridges in Mathematics

Science:

Following the Next Generation Science Standards, science is fully integrated into the classroom, through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics)

Units of Study

Exploring light and solar patterns:

  • How do we see objects?

Light, sounds and waves:

  • How do we hear and see objects?

Structures and behaviors in living things:

  • What structures and behaviors help plants and animals survive?

Engineering design:

  • How can a problem be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool?

Social Studies:

My Family and Other Families, Now and Long Ago

  • Family and Community are Important
  • Families Now and Long Ago
  • The Community
  • Community Economics

Racial Literacy: First grade lessons are designed to actively build a positive sense of self and expand students’ social awareness in an effort to create a more open-minded inclusive community; one that celebrates diversity.

Technology:

  • Keyboarding without Tears- The program for teaching keyboarding is developmentally appropriate by grade.
  • Digital Citizenship: Common Sense Media
  • Google Classroom - Google tools and SeeSaw

Field Trips:

All field trips in First Grade support the curriculum in the classroom, are local, accessible by walking or involve limited transportation.