Writer's Workshop - Writing is taught using Lucy Calkin's Units of Study in Opinion, Information and Narrative Writing. Each Writer's Workshop begins with a mini-lesson taught to the entire class. Students then work on their individual writing pieces which are kept in their writing folders. Students learn about the writing process, from brainstorming ideas, drafts, rewriting, editing and publishing. During writing, I will meet with students one-on-one to help them expand their writing and work on both craft and conventions of writing. Students meet with partners at the end of Writer's Workshop to share their writing and get peer feedback.
Math Workshop - Math is taught using the TERC Investigations Math Program.
How Many of Each? : This unit is about addition (combining), subtraction( breaking down, decomposing) and knowledge of the number system. Students will be solving story problems, how many of each problems, counting and writing the numbers up to 100, learning calendar concepts and graphing weather patterns.
Making Shapes and Designing Quilts: In this unit, the students will learn about 2D Geometry. Students will learn about different shapes and explore their characteristics. Students will also be studying quilt patterns and eventually creating their own quilts!
Solving Story Problems: This unit contains addition (combining), subtraction ( breaking down, decomposing) and number system problems. It will take what students learned in How Many of Each? and extend their knowledge.
What Would You Rather Be?: This is a data analysis unit. Students will be learning about surveys, representing data in different ways, taking their own surveys and turning their results into bar graphs and pie graphs. Students will also be using The Graph Club software during this unit.
Fish Lengths and Animal Jumps: In this unit the students will be learning all about measurement! We will be using traditional measurement units as well as hands, feet, cubes and fish!
Number Games and Crayon Puzzles: This will be a very important unit in which students will be working their way through addition and subtraction story problems. Students will be learning to solve problems using different strategies as well as showing their answers using pictures, numbers and words.
Color, Shape, and Number Patterns: Students will be exploring patterns of all kinds in this unit! Students will be making patterns with cubes, colors, clapping and more! Students will also be practicing their skip counting!
Twos, Fives and Tens: This unit revists addition and subtraction problems as well as diving into skip counting. Students will be counting by 2's, 5's and 10's. We will also be exploring even and odd numbers.
Blocks and Boxes: Students will be exploring 3D Geometry in this unit! We will be learning how to draw and build with 3D shapes. Our class will even design and build an entire block town!
Science -
Earth Science topics include Seasonal Patterns and Patterns in Space.
Seasonal Patterns -make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.
Patterns in Space - use observations of the sun, moon and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
Physical Science topics include Sound, Behavior of Light and Communication.
Sound - Students explore vibrations and how they relate to sound.
Behavior of Light - Students conduct observations about illumination, reflection and refraction.
Communication - Students will conduct experiments to find ways to use light and/or sound to communicate.
Life Science topics include Parts of Plants & Animals, Animal & Plant Survival, Protecting the Young and Animal & Plant Inheritance and Variation.
Parts of Plants& Animals -Students will use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.
Plant & Animal Survival - Students will use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.
Protecting the Young - Students will read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.
Animal & Plant Trait Inheritance and Variation - Students will make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
Social Studies
Map skills: Students learn about what maps are, compass roses, cardinal directions through our map skills unit.
U.S.A symbols: First graders explore the Statue of Liberty, White House, Mount Rushmore, Bald Eagle, American Flag through our unit on U.S symbols.
Globeskills: We discover what globes are, determine the equator, and learn to recognize the north and south poles.
Continents & Oceans: Students will be asked to identify and locate a few of continents and oceans.
American Holidays: First grade students will be asked to identify and describe at least two holidays in detail.
Important Individuals: Students will learn about important individuals throughout history through primary and secondary documents throughout the year. We will read biographies and folk tales about important people, look at photographs, listen to speeches, and watch videos about important American figures.
