***Minnesota State Standards guide the instruction and academic goals for first grade. We use various resources and methods to help your child master the standards.***
Language Arts Lessons
The whole class works together during these lessons. It consists of a combination of phonemic awareness, phonics, reading, comprehension, writing, grammar, spelling, and handwriting.
Reading:
Instruction in reading combines a combination of Units of Study for Teaching Reading and MN State Standards. All lessons are delivered using a Balanced Literacy approach; utilizing whole-group mini-lessons, guided practice, interactive read-alouds, shared reading, independent reading and practice, and small-group guided reading lessons. The class will practice listening and reading comprehension skills, sight words,
and decoding in large and small groups.
Writing:
Primary students can often be at different stages of their writing development. Techniques introduced will increase from basic sentences to complete paragraphs to essays!
Writing content includes handwriting, spelling, grammar, and creative writing. We will learn about different types of writing, adding details, using conventions, spelling, editing, and publishing.
Word Study:
Each week, we will be learning about phoneme sounds and the corresponding phonics rules. We will study, read, and spell words that follow that rule throughout the week. Words and spelling patterns will be practiced daily in school. There will be no spelling list sent home to practice and no spelling "test" given. The goal is for each student to understand the rule and apply it to words when reading and writing independently.
Math Lessons
Everyday Math is our main math resource. This program includes individual math journals, manipulatives, and math games to practice various math skills. Everyday Math has six content strands: numeration, operations and computation, patterns and functions, geometry, measurement, data, and chance. Math is taught in large and small groups.
We also conduct Calendar Math as a whole class. We review many math skills like skip counting, creating patterns, graphing, problem solving, place value, adding, subtracting, telling time and money.
Unit Studies
Unit Studies will also include STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Challenges. STEAM lessons are teacher guided, rather than teacher directed. They allow students to explore a variety of topics and encourage creativity, critical thinking, flexibility, and perseverance. STEAM lessons may include the use of Maker-Space carts.
Social Skills
Social Skills are an important part of our school and community life. We use this time to work on the interpersonal health standards in fun and engaging ways. We will practice many skills in order to work together as a community. Our focus will be on six character traits: self-control, kindness, leadership, courage, perseverance, and creativity.
Specialist Classes
The following subjects are taught by our specialist teachers.
Art with Mrs. Vanderbilt
Science with Mr. Wait
Physical Education with Mr. Springborn
Music with Ms. Rognlin
Technology with Mrs. Rick
The specialist schedule works on a rotation system. The classroom newsletter will include the specialist schedule for each week. Please wear tennis shoes on Phy Ed days.
Library Check - Out
Library day will be listed on your child's weekly newsletter. Please help your child to return their old library books on or before checkout day. We keep a book return box in the classroom for early returns. Students are not allowed to check out new books unless their old books are returned. They may check out two books at a time.
