First Grade Curriculum

Our curriculum is based around the first grade program of inquiry. We will use to From Sounds to Spelling to teach students phonemic and phonological awareness and the phonics components of reading, and writers workshop is the structure we use to teach students the writing process. During reading and writing, our current planner is always evident. The books and writing prompts correlate with our central idea and/or lines of inquiry. We integrate reading, writing, science, social studies, and social skills in each planner.

Connections to Math in Focus and word work will be integrated into our units of inquiry whenever possible and applicable.

Differentiation to meet the needs of each learner is an integral part of first grade at Meridian. We start off by assessing each child, then we use small groups to focus on specific skills and needs. Students will participate in small group instruction with the teacher, as well as in various stations to gain independence. Students will also meet with their teacher for writing conferences.

Please see below for specifics about our curriculum...

Units of Inquiry:

Who We Are (ongoing connections throughout the year)

Central idea: Our understanding grows through learning and reflection.

Lines of Inquiry:

Building self-knowledge
Our role in the community
Global awareness

How we Organize Ourselves

Central idea: Decisions shape our lives and society.

Lines of inquiry:

Safe, responsible, and respectful choices
Problem solving
The impact of our choices

How We Express Ourselves

Central Idea: Exploring cultures helps build respect.

Lines of inquiry:

Understanding our own culture
Various customs, traditions, and celebrations
Appreciation of others

Where We Are In Place and Time

Central idea: Representations help us understand a complex world.

Lines of Inquiry:

Symbols of the world
how representations convey meaning
Local and global perspectives

Sharing the Planet

Central Idea: People work together to share and protect the environment.

Lines of inquiry:

Our responsibility to the environment
Natural resources in regions
Factors that influence the environment

How the World Works

Central idea: Living things depend on each other and the environment.

Lines of inquiry:

What living things need to survive
characteristics that promote survival
relationships within the natural world

Literacy Stations Students will participate in literacy stations to practice skills learned and make meaningful literacy connections. Stations will include:

Read to Self

Work on Writing

Word Work

Listen to Reading

Read to Someone

Reading instruction and literacy stations will focus on comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary.

Students will learn reading strategies within each category. These strategies will become tools for the children to use to help themselves become better readers and writers. Students will also participate in guided reading small groups with the teacher.

Word Work

Word study teaches students how to look closely at words to discover the regularities and conventions of English orthography, or spelling. It takes the place of traditional spelling and vocabulary approaches, such as skill instruction, scope and sequence, or repeated practice.

Our word work will include phonemic and phonological awareness, as well as work with high frequency words.

Math

Math in Focus is our curriculum for teaching mathematics. The primary focal areas in Grade 1 are understanding and applying place value, solving problems involving addition and subtraction, and composing and decomposing two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional solids. We also have daily calendar connections and routines.