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Our first grade integrated language arts curriculum includes reading, writing, listening and speaking.

In order to best meet the needs of all students a variety of methods and materials are used to teach reading.  Students are taught to use decoding strategies including phonics skills, pictures and context clues and sight words to read quality children's literature, Harcourt readers, poetry and songs.  We use folktales to explore story structure.  The study of this genre gives students a basis for writing original stories.

First graders begin writing the first week of school.  They start using sound spelling to draft stories, respond to literature and events.  Students will  use more "book spelling" as the year progresses.  We often use computers in the writing process.  We learn about the elements of story structure including beginning/middle/end, setting and characters to create class and individual stories.  We work with the writing process throughout the year as we brainstorm, draft, revise, edit and publish.

The first grade mathematics curriculum using the Everyday Mathematics was developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP).  The content of the curriculum emphasizes the following content strands, skills and concepts:  Numerations, Operations and Computation, Data and Chance, Geometry, Measurement and Reference Frames and Patterns, Functions and Algebra.  Within the content of Everyday Mathematics, emphasis is placed on:  A problem solving approach based on everyday situations that develop critical thinking, frequent practice of basic skills through ongoing programs routines and mathematical games, an instructional approach that revisits topics regularly to ensure full concept development, and activities that explore a wide variety of mathematical content and offer opportunities for students to apply their basic skills to geometry, measurement and algebra. 

The first grade mathematics curriculum also includes a variety of instructional techniques and activities designed to meet each child's individual needs.  The content strands, skills and concepts are emphasized through the implementation of small/large group instruction, hands-on-centers, activities, games and computer programs

Social Studies and Science are taught using an integrated thematic approach.  Throughout each unit of study students will experience many hands on activities in addition to reading, writing and problem solving activities.  Some of the units include animals, farms, seasons, plants, holidays, different countries, famous Americans, the solar system, rocks, magnets, and our earth.

Here are some cool web sites for first graders!