Reading
Reading is one of the most important aspects of the first grade curriculum. Students will have a variety of opportunities to practice reading. They will use shared reading as well as independent reading daily. Students will be able to share their ideas and or responses to reading through a variety of opportunities such as oral communication, illustrations, and writing.
Students will be bringing home a book-in-a-bag to read. They will bring home books Monday through Thursday. (There will not be homework over the weekend.)Please read the book, complete the enclosed form, and return the book the next day. Students will often bring a book home that they choose from the classroom library as well as books we have read together in Guided Reading groups. Encourage your child to choose a book that will stretch their learning.
Writing
The second trimester writing focus is on creating opinion pieces. Students will learn the difference between fact and opinion. Following that understanding, students will write a variety of pieces stating an opinion about something and supporting that opinion with details. Students will use rubrics to assess their own progress.
Some of our favorite authors in first grade include Kevin Henkes, Mem Fox, and Eileen Spinelli. We will be sharing many books from these and many more authors throughout the year.
The third trimester will be focusing on informative writing. Students will be be writing to teach or tell their audiences about a topic of which they feel they are an "expert." Together, we will be creating writing that tells all about Hilliard Crossing. Then students will comprise a list of topics that they will be able to use for individual writing pieces. Students will eventually research an Ohio animal and will create a presentation about it. This will usually occur much later, possibly May. By now, students should mostly be enhancing basic writing activities with more descriptive language. They should be varying how they begin a sentence and should have pretty much mastered beginning and ending punctuation. As you write with your child, please review these concepts.
Reading is one of the most important aspects of the first grade curriculum. Students will have a variety of opportunities to practice reading. They will use shared reading as well as independent reading daily. Students will be able to share their ideas and or responses to reading through a variety of opportunities such as oral communication, illustrations, and writing.
Students will be bringing home a book-in-a-bag to read. They will bring home books Monday through Thursday. (There will not be homework over the weekend.)Please read the book, complete the enclosed form, and return the book the next day. Students will often bring a book home that they choose from the classroom library as well as books we have read together in Guided Reading groups. Encourage your child to choose a book that will stretch their learning.
Writing
The second trimester writing focus is on creating opinion pieces. Students will learn the difference between fact and opinion. Following that understanding, students will write a variety of pieces stating an opinion about something and supporting that opinion with details. Students will use rubrics to assess their own progress.
Some of our favorite authors in first grade include Kevin Henkes, Mem Fox, and Eileen Spinelli. We will be sharing many books from these and many more authors throughout the year.
The third trimester will be focusing on informative writing. Students will be be writing to teach or tell their audiences about a topic of which they feel they are an "expert." Together, we will be creating writing that tells all about Hilliard Crossing. Then students will comprise a list of topics that they will be able to use for individual writing pieces. Students will eventually research an Ohio animal and will create a presentation about it. This will usually occur much later, possibly May. By now, students should mostly be enhancing basic writing activities with more descriptive language. They should be varying how they begin a sentence and should have pretty much mastered beginning and ending punctuation. As you write with your child, please review these concepts.
Math
In math, first graders will spend considerable time using manipulatives to solve real life problems. They will begin the year reviewing oral counting to 120, object counting to 20 , identifying and writing numbers through 20, and using 5 and 10 frames. Students will participate in daily Number Talks in which students are given the opportunity to problem solve and to describe their process. Students will be brining home a math homework journal several times each week. Please assist your child in completing the assignment and return the journal the next school day. ( No homework will be assigned over the weekend.) Students will also participate in daily Math Work Stations which provide reinforcement of skills recently taught. The second trimester will continue to build on the skills mentioned previously, while stretching understanding to place value and addition and subtraction strategies through 20.
The third trimester of math instruction will mostly be aimed at geometry, measurement, graphing, and the continuation of mastering addition and subtraction strategies. Please continue to work with your child on these skills.
Social Studies
2013 brings a new focus to Hilliard Crossing. This is depicted in our front hallway. We are encouraging students to Live Kind, Choose Happiness, andUnleash Learning. Our first few weeks of school will be spent discussing how these goals can be accomplished at Hilliard Crossing. What will it look like and sound like? During these discussions, we will be establishing a classroom community and outlining expectations and guidelines for creating collaboration and fairness within our room.
In math, first graders will spend considerable time using manipulatives to solve real life problems. They will begin the year reviewing oral counting to 120, object counting to 20 , identifying and writing numbers through 20, and using 5 and 10 frames. Students will participate in daily Number Talks in which students are given the opportunity to problem solve and to describe their process. Students will be brining home a math homework journal several times each week. Please assist your child in completing the assignment and return the journal the next school day. ( No homework will be assigned over the weekend.) Students will also participate in daily Math Work Stations which provide reinforcement of skills recently taught. The second trimester will continue to build on the skills mentioned previously, while stretching understanding to place value and addition and subtraction strategies through 20.
The third trimester of math instruction will mostly be aimed at geometry, measurement, graphing, and the continuation of mastering addition and subtraction strategies. Please continue to work with your child on these skills.
Social Studies
2013 brings a new focus to Hilliard Crossing. This is depicted in our front hallway. We are encouraging students to Live Kind, Choose Happiness, andUnleash Learning. Our first few weeks of school will be spent discussing how these goals can be accomplished at Hilliard Crossing. What will it look like and sound like? During these discussions, we will be establishing a classroom community and outlining expectations and guidelines for creating collaboration and fairness within our room.