Curriculum
Our reading, writing, and math units are designed to meet the needs of each individual child in the classroom at varying levels. Each day we focus on English-Language Arts and Math skills through whole group modeling and practice, small group practice, and independent practice.
In 1W we daily have...
Read Aloud done by me. I select and read stories to the children that are rich in meaning and language. This is a chance for me to model what good readers look and sound like. I also model strategies that good readers use for the children to practice.
Shared reading is accomplished by the whole group. This is the time we work on skills, reading strategies, and word patterns. Strategies are “in – the – head” problem-solving processes or actions used by readers to decode and gain meaning from the text. Learning targets and ways to practice at home will be shared with families to extend at home.
Guided Reading is done in small FLEXIBLE groups. Children are placed in groups according to their reading level. The purpose of this is to refine decoding and comprehension strategies at a student’s instructional level. During guided reading time, students read, discuss the story, explore vocabulary, extend the text, and practice strategies. Your child’s reading level is determined and constantly reassessed by taking running records of their accuracy and comprehension.
Self-Selected Reading is done individually. Children are taught and encouraged to read books at their independent reading level. We have lessons on choosing “just-right” books. A just right book is not too hard, nor too easy. We have discussed the IPICK method to use for choosing just right books to read. Try this when choosing books at home, too!
I choose a book.
P urpose- Why do I want to read this book?
I interest- Do I like this topic?
C omprehend- Do I understand what I am reading?
K now- I know most of the words
We also learned to use the “five-finger rule”. This is when they read one page and as they read they put up a finger each time they come to a word they don’t know. If they have 0-1 fingers up after reading the book is too easy. If they have 2-3 fingers up the book is just right. And, if they have 4-5 fingers up the book is too hard and will probably be at their frustration level.
Word Work is comprised of sight words and phonics skills. First grade students have 125 sight words. Children will be expected to spell these words correctly in their writing, as well as reading them. We will also do many activities that work with building words. With our phonics focus, students will explore words by comparing, contrasting, and analyzing to help them organize what they know about words and to form generalizations that they can then apply to new words they encounter in their reading.
Writing is accomplished in whole group, small group, and independent practice. Oh how the students will grow in this over the year! Our learning targets scaffold to assist students in opinion, narrative, and informative writing. During writing, we will also explore the 6 Traits + 1: Ideas, Voice, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, and Presentation. Writing in my room is much like reading – they write and grow at their own pace and get better by writing, writing, and more writing.
Daily Five is a literacy structure that teaches independence and gives students the skills needed to create a lifetime love of reading and writing. It consists of five tasks that are introduced individually: Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, Work on Writing, and Word Work. When introduced to each task, the students discuss what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like to engage in the task independently. Then, the students work on building their stamina until they are successful at being independent while doing that task. These are the literacy activities students are engaged in while I am working with a guided reading group or assessing individual students.
Waterford Early Reading Program is designed to enrich their phonemic awareness, phonics, exposure to sight words, working with words, fluency and comprehension of stories on the computer. This program is also designed to individualize your child’s instruction. It will review skills and strategies that your child has not yet mastered and move them more quickly through the ones they have mastered. It also allows us to go back and listen to your child’s story recordings.
Math objectives are accomplished through the use of Everyday Mathematics. This is a research-based program designed to meet the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, is incorporated into our math curriculum. Everyday Mathematics’ mission is to teach students to use math easily in everyday tasks, as well as to prepare them for higher mathematics. We focus on a “hands on-minds on” on approach. Students use many manipulatives to help them understand math concepts. Math and numbers can be very abstract, using math manipulative gives concrete examples to link their learning. The student will be using a “math journal” at school, and they will have home math homework (Home Links) almost daily in their Boomerang Binder.
Social Studies and Science are integrated into our English-language Arts. Social Studies topics include: me/myself, friendship, families, school community, holidays, seasons, and more! Science topics we explore are “Solids and Liquids” is our physical science unit will begin late fall and “Pebbles, Sand, and Silt” in the spring time.
In 1W we daily have...
Read Aloud done by me. I select and read stories to the children that are rich in meaning and language. This is a chance for me to model what good readers look and sound like. I also model strategies that good readers use for the children to practice.
Shared reading is accomplished by the whole group. This is the time we work on skills, reading strategies, and word patterns. Strategies are “in – the – head” problem-solving processes or actions used by readers to decode and gain meaning from the text. Learning targets and ways to practice at home will be shared with families to extend at home.
Guided Reading is done in small FLEXIBLE groups. Children are placed in groups according to their reading level. The purpose of this is to refine decoding and comprehension strategies at a student’s instructional level. During guided reading time, students read, discuss the story, explore vocabulary, extend the text, and practice strategies. Your child’s reading level is determined and constantly reassessed by taking running records of their accuracy and comprehension.
Self-Selected Reading is done individually. Children are taught and encouraged to read books at their independent reading level. We have lessons on choosing “just-right” books. A just right book is not too hard, nor too easy. We have discussed the IPICK method to use for choosing just right books to read. Try this when choosing books at home, too!
I choose a book.
P urpose- Why do I want to read this book?
I interest- Do I like this topic?
C omprehend- Do I understand what I am reading?
K now- I know most of the words
We also learned to use the “five-finger rule”. This is when they read one page and as they read they put up a finger each time they come to a word they don’t know. If they have 0-1 fingers up after reading the book is too easy. If they have 2-3 fingers up the book is just right. And, if they have 4-5 fingers up the book is too hard and will probably be at their frustration level.
Word Work is comprised of sight words and phonics skills. First grade students have 125 sight words. Children will be expected to spell these words correctly in their writing, as well as reading them. We will also do many activities that work with building words. With our phonics focus, students will explore words by comparing, contrasting, and analyzing to help them organize what they know about words and to form generalizations that they can then apply to new words they encounter in their reading.
Writing is accomplished in whole group, small group, and independent practice. Oh how the students will grow in this over the year! Our learning targets scaffold to assist students in opinion, narrative, and informative writing. During writing, we will also explore the 6 Traits + 1: Ideas, Voice, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, and Presentation. Writing in my room is much like reading – they write and grow at their own pace and get better by writing, writing, and more writing.
Daily Five is a literacy structure that teaches independence and gives students the skills needed to create a lifetime love of reading and writing. It consists of five tasks that are introduced individually: Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, Work on Writing, and Word Work. When introduced to each task, the students discuss what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like to engage in the task independently. Then, the students work on building their stamina until they are successful at being independent while doing that task. These are the literacy activities students are engaged in while I am working with a guided reading group or assessing individual students.
Waterford Early Reading Program is designed to enrich their phonemic awareness, phonics, exposure to sight words, working with words, fluency and comprehension of stories on the computer. This program is also designed to individualize your child’s instruction. It will review skills and strategies that your child has not yet mastered and move them more quickly through the ones they have mastered. It also allows us to go back and listen to your child’s story recordings.
Math objectives are accomplished through the use of Everyday Mathematics. This is a research-based program designed to meet the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, is incorporated into our math curriculum. Everyday Mathematics’ mission is to teach students to use math easily in everyday tasks, as well as to prepare them for higher mathematics. We focus on a “hands on-minds on” on approach. Students use many manipulatives to help them understand math concepts. Math and numbers can be very abstract, using math manipulative gives concrete examples to link their learning. The student will be using a “math journal” at school, and they will have home math homework (Home Links) almost daily in their Boomerang Binder.
Social Studies and Science are integrated into our English-language Arts. Social Studies topics include: me/myself, friendship, families, school community, holidays, seasons, and more! Science topics we explore are “Solids and Liquids” is our physical science unit will begin late fall and “Pebbles, Sand, and Silt” in the spring time.