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First Grade |
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A typical day in first grade begins with circle time where the class updates the calendar and discusses the days of the week and the weather. The morning lesson is mathematics, using the approved core program series. A math concept is reviewed and used as the basis for independent or group work. Sound spelling associations are the basis of language arts and reading. First graders study phonemics and grammar and then review reading comprehension and story analysis. Afterward, students work on handwriting exercises, vocabulary, journal writing and response. Language Arts The language arts program for first grade is composed of three main areas of study: reading, spelling, and handwriting. The goal of the reading/literature program is to fortify and develop the students’ reading and spelling skills. Both classic and contemporary pieces are read in class and the importance of fine literature is stressed to the students. Learning objectives:
Students are encouraged to:
The Scholastic Reading Counts program is available and encouraged. Reading Counts is a supplement to setting individual goals and choosing literature in which computer generated quizzes are taken for comprehension. Time allocation: about 1 hour each day Core Material: SRA/Open Court Reading Program, Level 1 Other Resources: Scholastic Reading Counts In addition, Jr. Great Books program is used with interpretive activities. Jr. Great Books is a shared inquiry discussion of literature. Time allocation: 45 minutes, twice a week Core Material Jr. Great Books Focusing on a word bank of high frequency writing words, first grade students become better spellers by utilizing composition, Cloze, and dictation activities. They begin to establish a strong “word bank” of words they will always spell correctly and use to write independently. During Cloze activities, a story is read aloud, while students follow along on their story worksheet, filling the blanks with the correct words. Sentence dictation combines careful listening, spelling and handwriting skills. Time allocation: 45 minutes, twice weekly Core Material: Spelling Sourcebook by Rebecca Sitton Other Resources: Spelling Sourcebook Reviews Handwriting instruction enables students to write legibly, clearly, and with ease. The children are expected to hold pencils correctly, form letters and numbers correctly, use proper placement on tablet paper, and proper spacing within and between words. To make the future transition to cursive handwriting easy, our goals in first grade are consistency, legibility, and good form. We also hope to encourage a love for writing and promote a sense of pride in their work. (45 minutes, twice a week) Resources Used: D’Nealian Handwriting Book & D’Nealian Handwriting Practice and Review. Social Studies The first grade social studies program looks at the relationships of the individual child as an active member of the world community. Discussion and activities begin with a student’s relationship to other individuals, his/her family, his/her neighborhood community, and the world at large including mapping and globe skills to reinforce space and place concepts. Social studies objectives:
Field Trips may include: Beauty & The Beast/Will Rogers Memorial Center and CATS Theatre Time allocation: 45 minutes, twice weekly Core Material: Harcourt Brace, Social Studies Level 1 Other Resources: Student Activity Books, www.hbschool.com, Time For Kids Magazine Science In first grade, students observe, classify, measure, explore, recognize relationships, infer, predict, use variables, hypothesize, interpret data, experiment and problem-solve. Our goal is to present science in ways that help the children begin to understand how the world works. Three main approaches used in our program are hands-on activities, observation and questioning. Our students gain rudimentary thinking skills, scientific methodology and a genuine respect for nature and the environment. Following are the main subjects: A Tree
On The Move
A Pond
The Sky
Matter
Movement
Human Body
Time allocation: 45 minutes, twice weekly Core Material: McGraw-Hill SCIENCE, Level 1 Other Resources: Teacher Resources for Practice and Support books Science Center Materials CDSA Living Campus and Wilkie Science Center Mathematics First graders further develop their ability of thinking, exploring, discovering, explaining and justifying everyday life with mathematics. At this level, we hope to instill a love for mathematics in our students and bring about independent problem-solving. Mathematics Objectives:
The Everyday Mathematics program objective is to develop the view that mathematics is not just learning numbers and amounts. Instead, this is a research-based program that involves a way of thinking, exploring, discovering, explaining and justifying every day life. This program is a “hands-on” approach that facilitates a variety of ways to solve math problems. The program’s dynamics work in a spiral and skills are introduced and re-introduced throughout the year. Our goal is to make math enjoyable as well as challenging. The mathematical strands include:
Numeration and Order: Counting Correct number sequences through rote counting and counting objects. Counting on from a number, backward, skip counting. Numeration and Order: Numeration Read and write numbers; use the term “digit”. Patterns, Functions, and Sequences Rules; dealing with more than one element; pairs and collections of things (objects and numbers); relationships; patterns. Measures and Measurement and Reference Frames: Measure Weight, linear measure; area. Customary and metric measurement units. Nonstandard units. Designate units; record results. Measures and Measurement and Reference Frames: Money Names and value of money; coins and bills. Underlying tool for teaching place value, fractions, equivalence, and the decimal system. Measures and Measurement and Reference Frames: Time Clocks; calendars; number line. Understanding the duration and relationship of time units. Ordering units of time. Geometry and Spatial Sense Informal and intuitive awareness about geometric shapes. Exploring Data and Chance Collect, organize, and display data. Tables and graphs. Make counts and comparison of data.
Time allocation: 1 hour each day Core Material: University of Chicago’s Every Day Mathematics 1st Grade
Foreign Language The importance of learning a foreign language is not overlooked at CDSA, and our students begin take either Spanish or French. Our program for first graders consists of five focus areas: listening, speaking, reading, writing, culture.
Listening:
Speaking:
Reading:
Writing:
Culture:
Time Allocation: 45 minutes twice weekly Art First grade students are exposed to life drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, crafts, color theory, and art history. Noted artists, artwork and art books are explored, while hands-on projects develop an understanding of space, texture, shape and other important elements. Working with two- and three-dimensional materials, students learn to share their feelings and tell a story through artistic expression. A variety of the art projects assigned are in collaboration with classroom studies and other disciplines. Major goals:
Time allocation: 45 minutes each week, with an additional 45 minute class every 3 weeks (also an elective opportunity) Physical Education In grades K-2, children learn fundamental movement skills and begin to understand how the muscles, bones, heart, and lungs function in relation to physical activity. Students develop a vocabulary for movement and apply concepts dealing with space and body awareness. First grade students are engaged in activities that develop basic levels of strength, endurance, and flexibility. In addition, students learn to participate safely in group- and individual-movement settings. A major objective is to present activities that complement their natural inclination to view physical activity as challenging and enjoyable. In first grade, we continue to focus on learning basic body control while moving in a variety of settings. Students can identify key performance cues for basic movement patterns such as throwing and catching. First graders expand their knowledge of rules and procedures of simple games and they apply safety practices associated with physical activities. Time allocation: 45 minutes, three times weekly Music CDSA offers students a very comprehensive and appealing music program. Music provides a vehicle for students to become confident, creative and expressive individuals. Their discipline, practice and hard work are rewarded by recognition, growth in self-esteem, character development and enhanced intellectual functioning. The curriculum provides musical growth through a variety of programs. First grade students study the basic elements of music through several approaches. Movement, rhythm instruments, dance, and body percussion activities teach rhythm. Melody is explored in song. Singing fun songs, informative songs that link with academic curriculum, sons from here, and songs from far away lead to positive musical experiences. Listening experiences, utilizing multi-media, add to age appropriate participation in music history/appreciation activities. First grade students are offered activities involving music theory, music appreciation, music history, composers past and present, instruments of the orchestra, introduction to the basic elements of music, composition, dance, music vocabulary, and learning opportunities in creative performance and movement through the Orff-Schulwerk method. First Grade students are offered electives which can involve, music theory, music appreciation, composers past and present, instruments of the orchestra, music history, composition, form, dances, making instruments, performing, and learning to play basic instruments. Time Allocation: 45 minutes weekly, with an additional 45-minute class every 3 weeks (also an elective opportunity) Computer The technology program is conducted through hands-on projects that integrate computer instruction with language arts, math, science, and social studies, health, music, and art. Categories covered include:
Time Allocation: 45 minutes weekly, with an additional 45 minute class every 3 weeks (Also an elective opportunity) Special offerings for first grade students: Electives: Each week students also attend a self-selected elective class of their choice. Options may include courses such as Drawing, General Art, Painting, Creative Dramatics, Story Writing and Performance, Puppetmaking, Learning about my Body, Music Explorers, Percussion on the Move, Insects of CDSA, Birds of CDSA, Nature Journaling, Keyboarding, Desktop Publishing, and Exploring the Internet. Library: Students have a 45 minute library class weekly with the school librarian Families Program: All K-8th grade students form small groups of mixed ages to work on special events and community service projects. Each group is led by an eighth grade family head and consists of about nine other members. Enrichment: First grade students are enriched through two partnership initiatives with second grade students during the second semester:
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