Grade 1

Integrated Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Health

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Integrated Language Arts

Integrated language arts in the first grade begins with the same approach to language that children experienced in kindergarten (including speaking, listening, reading, and writing). Big books, language experience stories and/or basal readers are used as children learn to read by actually reading meaningful texts. They need to discover reading makes sense. They notice familiar sight words and common sound-symbol relationships (phonics). They self-monitor by predicting, looking at pictures, re-reading, reading on, inserting a word that makes sense, and using letter sounds. They also use comprehension strategies such as predicting, retelling, and using their prior knowledge as they read. Graphic organizers are used to help them process their ideas. Spelling is modeled through the use of big books, language experience stories, word walls and personal dictionaries. Children acquire skills needed for formation of manuscript letters and numerals.

Essential Unit Outcomes

Some first grade children may still be working towards independence on initial experience level outcomes (see Kindergarten) at the beginning of the year. Many will be progressing on transitional level (see Grade 2) outcomes by the end of the year. The first grade child will:

1. Attend to oral reading.

2. Show an interest in reading and writing.

3. Participate in shared reading.

4. Attempt varied kinds of reading and writing.

5. Try modeled techniques (i.e. retelling, brainstorming, graphic organizers, think aloud)

6. Listen effectively.

7. Demonstrate directionality.

8. Recognize the reading components - letter, word, sentence.

9. Begin to read.

10. Begin to write.

11. Begin to integrate cuing systems and fix-up strategies to read.

12. Spell some sight words.

13. Begin to spell other words logically.

14. Know reading is supposed to make sense.

15. Recognize story elements: setting, characters, problem, events, and solutions.

16. Use prior knowledge to predict and identify purposes for language experiences.

17. Demonstrate global understanding by writing, discussing, or drawing the overall concept of what was read.

18. Develop interpretation by revisiting the text to examine relationships, events, characterization, vocabulary, and other elements.

19. Give personal responses by connecting personal experience to the author's ideas.

20. Develop an understanding of author's craft by the use of author's style, story pattern, point of view, and illustrations.

21. Identify topics and purposes for writing.

22. Begin to express ideas in writing.

23. Use simple conventions of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling when writing.

24. Begin to prewrite, write a rough draft, edit/proofread, and publish.

25. Speak in complete thoughts focused on a topic.

Helpful Parent Tips:

Read to and with your child 10-15 minutes daily. All types of reading material can be used: books, magazines, and newspapers. Talk about what was read.
Use your child's class work to help retell the day's activities.
Talk or draw about daily life experiences, such as shopping trips, family outings, and family routines. Encourage your child to write words or sentences to tell about the picture.
Point out literacy in the real world (menus, signs, labels, posters).
Visit the public library regularly (attend story hour, choose books).
As your child begins to read independently, celebrate all work. If a word is unknown, prompt by asking, "What would make sense there?".
Provide many types of writing paper, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, and magnetic letters to encourage your child to form words or sentences.
As your child begins to write independently, celebrate any attempt to spell correctly.
If your child needs help writing a word, prompt by asking, "What sounds do you hear?".
Set aside a time that you and your child can talk.

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Mathematics

Mathematics website

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Science

The hands-on approach in science, begun in kindergarten, continues in first grade. The curriculum emphasizes the development of the processes of science as a means of problem solving. These processes include observing, classifying, measuring, recording, inferring and predicting.

First grade students work primarily on observation in the units of seeds, patterns, magnetism and liquids. Students observe and classify seeds and learn their parts. Observation continues in the study of patterns in seeds, tracks, shadows, letters of the alphabet, and geometric shapes. In magnetism students observe properties of magnets and predict attraction and repulsion of various materials. In the study of liquids, students observe, record, infer and predict the behavior of liquids on different surfaces.

Essential Unit Outcomes

The first grade child will:

1. Observe, measure, and describe the properties of a variety of seeds, individually/cooperatively.

2. Compare, classify, and describe the properties of a variety of seeds, individually/cooperatively.

3. Serially order seeds by one property at a time, individually/cooperatively.

4. Observe, compare, describe, and record the parts of a variety of seeds, individually/ cooperatively.

5. Describe the parts of a germinating seed as they compare to the parts of a growing plant, individually/cooperatively.

6. Conduct a simple experiment on seed germination and communicate observations in cooperative groups.

7. Observe, describe, and record tracks made by living and non-living things, individually/ cooperatively.

8. Predict, verify, and record the track an object will make.

9. Compare and describe patterns in fingerprints within cooperative groups.

10. Explore and describe how a shadow is made.

11. Predict, explore, describe, and record how shadows change in size and position, individually/ cooperatively.

12. Identify, reproduce, and create sequential patterns, individually/cooperatively.

13. Identify and describe symmetrical patterns, individually/cooperatively.

14. Identify the line of symmetry in an object, individually/cooperatively.

15. Explore and describe magnetic and non-magnetic objects, individually/cooperatively.

16. Explore and describe how poles attract or repel, individually/cooperatively.

17. Use knowledge of how poles attract or repel to identify north and south poles on a magnet, individually/cooperatively.

18. Observe, describe, and record patterns of force and their strengths.

19. Conduct an experiment on the strength of a variety of magnets and communicate findings in a cooperative group.

20. Classify and describe materials that do and do not block magnetic force.

21. Observe and describe the properties of bubbles, individually/cooperatively.

22. Conduct a simple experiment to determine and describe the properties of a good bubble maker in cooperative groups.

23. Explore the use of bar graphs and pictographs cooperatively to show quantitative data.

24. Explore the use of a simple line plot to show quantitative data.

Helpful Parent Tips:

Allow time to explore and experiment with items around the house (cooking, gardening, woodworking). Sort and compare common objects (shells, stones, leaves, flowers, seeds).
Make predictions (examples: predict tomorrow's date, if it will snow on Christmas, if the ball team will win, how many pets are in the neighborhood).

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Social Studies

In social studies, first graders begin learning about themselves and move outward. They develop an understanding of self and one's relationship with others. The program establishes an awareness of a variety of cultures and the basic likenesses and needs all people have. The curriculum is designed to allow students to develop an investigative attitude about themselves, their families, their society, and their world. It provides students with opportunities to interpret, analyze, and apply significant and relevant facts about themselves, other people and their environment.

Essential Unit Outcomes

The first grade child will:

1. Discuss and generate methods for positive interaction within the classroom and family unit.

2. Read and interpret fiction and nonfiction stories to review family members and their roles.

3. Recognize generational changes.

4. Apply geographic concepts and skills to distinguish between state and county as well as rural, suburban, and urban neighborhoods/regions.

5. Recognize and differentiate between the wants and needs of individuals and groups.

6. Describe how families use goods and services to meet individual and group wants and needs.

7. Examine the impact of physical and cultural geography on the lives of people in Mexico, Canada, and Japan.

8. Define and identify limited resources; then demonstrate an understanding of how to conserve them.

9. Identify problems and devise possible solutions to environmental and economic concerns of individuals and groups.

10. Discuss relevant news events, both individually and as part of a group.

11. Use a variety of fiction and nonfiction materials, demonstrate an understanding of familiar symbols, holidays and political figures in American history.

Helpful Parent Tips:

Help your child become aware of himself and others through discussions, stories, and pictures.
Provide opportunities to talk to older family members (heritage).
Keep a trip journal.
Point out destinations on maps, tell them where they are going (pinpoint on maps, road signs, globes.) Include directional words - east, north, south, west.
Tell your child the proper names of places (example, "Grandma lives in Manchester, MD.," "Let's go to Walmart/Super Fresh.")

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Health

The health and safety program is designed to introduce children to good health and safety practices. In health, first graders learn to recognize their own feelings and how to relate to feelings of and behaviors in other individuals. They also learn personal safety; health and dental care; safe use of medicines and household substances; and safety on the bus, at home, and at school.

Essential Unit Outcomes

The first grade student will:

1. Establish criteria for expressing emotions verbally.

2. Analyze factors and events which trigger emotional responses.

3. Suggest strategies for modifying emotional responses.

4. Avoid self-destructive behavior by choosing other forms of emotional expression.

5. Describe the relationship between personal health and physical environment.

6. Identify food groups.

7. Describe behaviors and settings that place individuals at personal risk of assault.

Helpful Parent Tips:

Discuss fire safety in the home. Go over fire escape routes and STOP, DROP, ROLL.
Help your child understand how to make appropriate food choices.
Use grocery lists to classify foods into food groups. Talk about healthy foods.
Expose your child to healthy habits (nutritious foods, smoke-free and drug-free environments, non-polluted areas.)
Encourage your child to make healthy decisions about his/her body.
Make dental care important. For example, chart good brushing habits.
Point out ways you, as an adult, make safe decisions.
Discuss "Stranger Danger," good touches/bad touches.