First Grade Curriculum

  Math Program

Goal: To enhance the understanding of mathematical ideas and promote the growth of thinking sills in all students.
Strands: Number, Measurement, Geometry, Patterns and Functions, Logic, Algebra, Statistics and Probability

  Reading/Language Arts Program

Goal: To create lifelong readers who possess strong phonetic skills, good sight word vocabularies, and a love of reading.

Types of Activities:

1. The phonetic component begins with a review of letters and sounds learned in Kindergarten and with the introduction of Slingerland which uses auditory, visual, and kinesthetic cues to teach letter sounds and correct letter formation.  We then move into word families and longer phonetic patterns in a way that teaches both encoding (spelling) and decoding (reading).  The Formula Phonics program and its use of "pals" (group of letters that always make a specific sound) is also integrated in this component.
2. Guided Reading - The teachers work with the children in homogenous groups using books at their instructional level to teach reading strategies.
3. Whole Language/Literature - Repetitive stories will be used for the beginning reader and rich, authentic literature for the more advanced.  We will work to develop concepts of print, sight word vocabularies, and an understanding of the elements of literature.
4. Writing - Structures and/or unstructured writing will be used daily.

Materials: We use a variety of materials which includes the adopted series by Silver-Burdett/Ginn.

Science and Social Studies

Most of classroom themes and literature studies will tie into the areas of science and social studies.  Examples of our social studies themes are: Ourselves; Our School Environment; Neighborhoods; Basic Map Skills & Geography; Rules; Family and Friends.  Our science units include Balls and Ramps (Insights developed by EDC - Education Development Center); Oceans; Pebbles-Sand-Silt (FOSS - Full Option Science System developed by Lawrence Hall of Science); and Organisms (NSRC - National Science Resource Center at the Smithsonian).   Many science activities will be hands-on.  Our class themes will be coordinated with our Perceptual Motor Program and be integrated into other curriculum areas such as language arts, math, art, and music. 

Art  Music P.E. 

Formal instruction in the elements of music, art, and physical education will be provided in the classroom and by our specialists.  Further exploration in these areas will occur on a daily basis as these subjects are woven into our theme studies.

Library 

Every week the first grade classes will be going to the Walter Hays School Library.   Each child will be encouraged to check out two books and may keep them for up to two weeks.  One book will be allowed to go home at a time.  If your child completes both books in one week, he/she may check out two more library books at our next visit.  Children with overdue books will be allowed to check out more books only when the others are returned.

Homework

The most valuable homework your child can do is to read or be read to for a minimum of fifteen minutes each day.  Beginning in January, spelling and math will be given on a weekly basis.  If your child does not complete his/her assignments during the school day, papers may be marked "homework" and sent home with your child to be completed.   Children needing extra practice on a specific area may also have papers sent home marked "homework."  If possible, work missed when a child is absent may also be completed at home if a parent would like to request the work; however, please be advised that much of the work we do in class cannot be make up outside of the classroom.

Math Time Tests

In the second half of the school year, first graders will be taking math time tests to help them develop speed and accuracy with basic addition and subtraction facts. We will already have been working on, and will continue to work on, math facts with manipulatives, so that children will have a solid conceptual understanding of what addition and subtraction are all about. Time tests are added to the program to provide the children with an incentive to commit facts to memory and to give them more practice in doing math with paper and pencil. Below are guidelines for studying that will help your child feel success in this process.

Time tests will be given once a week. With the exception of the first two tests, each test covers 11 math facts, either addition or subtraction. The facts for each test will be sent home when we begin this process in January.

A practice test similar to the actual test will be sent home in your child’s Friday Folder. It should be completed by your child, timed and corrected by an adult, and returned by the following Wednesday. After your child has completed the practice test, he/she should study the math facts as needed to prepare for the actual test that will occur in class.  Additional practice tests can be accessed on the internet at http://www.pausd.palo-alto.ca.us/hays/Home/resource.html (look for the math drill sheets link).

Each test consists of 50 problems.   Facts are repeated many times on a single test.  Your child must get 45 or more problems correct in 10 minutes or less to move on to the next test.  Your child will be tested on the same set of facts each time until he/she reaches this level of proficiency.  The test given in class, not the practice test, will determine whether or not your child will be able to move to the next set of facts.

Parents: Please speak to your child's teacher if your child is following these guidelines for studying and is still having difficulty passing the tests.

Last updated: June 2, 2000