Course Description:  GPS/ Curriculum Standards and Elements (Yearlong Overview):

 

1st Grade

Students who enter first grade from kindergarten continue phonological development, making major growth in learning to read. They develop more advanced phonics skills and begin to build a bank of sight words. First graders continue to learn as their ability to read grows. They read, listen to, and discuss more complex stories, and they begin to make connections between what they read and hear and the experiences of their lives. They begin to monitor and self-correct their reading. First graders also continue to produce text through speaking and writing. They make major developments in writing, learning to write a story that shows focus and organization. First graders begin to use the writing process to plan and produce their writing experiences. They continue to use drawings to illustrate their stories. The conventions of language gain importance to first graders as they begin to have a desire for neatness and correctness. They learn to expand sentences and recognize paragraphs, and they begin to learn the rules of language and spelling. First graders expand their listening and speaking vocabularies by reading and hearing a wide variety of texts. They show evidence of expanding their language repertoire, including increasing the appropriate use of more formal language registers. First graders are moving towards mastery of language use in order to read and write both for information and pleasure. Students also write in a variety of genres.

Reading

Reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills are necessary tools for effective communication. The mastery of these skills is essential for enrichment and lifelong learning. Several years of research has yielded much information about how children learn to read. This research tells us that to become more skilled and confident readers over time, students need multiple opportunities to build essential skills. In their formative years of instruction, children must be read to and provided opportunities to practice independent reading. Children must develop their ability to read with fluency and understanding in order to build their knowledge of the world.

CONCEPTS OF PRINT

ELA1R1 The student demonstrates knowledge of concepts of print. The student

a. Understands that there are correct spellings for words.

b. Identifies the beginning and end of a paragraph.

c. Demonstrates an understanding that punctuation and capitalization are used in all written sentences.

PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS

 

ELA1R2

The student demonstrates the ability to identify and orally manipulate words and individual sounds within those spoken words. The student

a. Isolates beginning, middle, and ending sounds in single-syllable words.

b. Identifies onsets and rimes in spoken one-syllable words.

c. Adds, deletes, or substitutes target sounds to change words (e.g., change top to stop; change smile to mile; change cat to cap).

d. Distinguishes between long and short vowel sounds in spoken, one-syllable words (can and cane).

e. Orally blends two to four phonemes into recognizable and/or nonsense words.

f. Automatically segments one-syllable words into sounds.

PHONICS

 

ELA1R3

The student demonstrates the relationship between letters and letter combinations of written words and the sounds of spoken words. The student

a. Automatically generates the sounds for all letters and letter patterns, including long and short vowels.

b. Applies knowledge of letter-sound correspondence to decode new words.

c. Reads words containing consonant blends and digraphs.

d. Reads words with inflectional endings.

e. Reads compound words and contractions in grade appropriate texts.

f. Reads words containing vowel digraphs and r-controlled vowels.

g. Uses spelling patterns to recognize words.

h. Applies learned phonics skills when reading and writing words, sentences, and stories.

FLUENCY

 

ELA1R4

The student demonstrates the ability to read orally with speed, accuracy, and expression. The student

a. Applies letter-sound knowledge to decode quickly and accurately.

b. Automatically recognizes additional high frequency and familiar words within texts.

c. Reads grade-level text with appropriate expression.

d. Reads first-grade text at a target rate of 60 words correct per minute.

e. Uses self-correction when subsequent reading indicates an earlier misreading within grade-level text.

VOCABULARY

 

ELA1R5

The student acquires and uses grade-level words to communicate effectively. The student

a. Reads and listens to a variety of texts and uses new words in oral and written language.

b. Recognizes grade-level words with multiple meanings.

c. Identifies words that are opposites (antonyms) or have similar meanings (synonyms).

COMPREHENSION

 

ELA1R6

The student uses a variety of strategies to understand and gain meaning from grade-level text. The student

a. Reads and listens to a variety of texts for information and pleasure.

b. Makes predictions using prior knowledge.

c. Asks and answers questions about essential narrative elements (e.g., beginning-middle-end, setting, characters, problems, events, resolution) of a read-aloud or independently read text.

d. Retells stories read independently or with a partner.

e. Distinguishes fact from fiction in a text.

f. Makes connections between texts and/or personal experiences.

g. Identifies the main idea and supporting details of informational text read or heard.

h. Self-monitors comprehension and rereads when necessary.

i. Recognizes cause-and-effect relationships in text.

j. Identifies word parts to determine meanings.

k. Begins to use dictionary and glossary skills to determine word meanings.

l. Recognizes plot, setting, and character within texts, and compares and contrasts these elements among texts.

m. Recognizes and uses graphic features and graphic organizers to understand text.

Writing

 

The student begins to write text that develops a central idea or tells a story. The writing begins to show consideration of the audience and purpose. The student progresses through the stages of the writing process. The student’s writing begins to reflect the conventions of written English.

 

ELA1W1 The student begins to understand the principles of writing. The student

a. Writes texts of a length appropriate to address a topic and tell a story.

b. Describes an experience in writing.

c. Rereads writing to self and others, revises to add details, and edits to make corrections.

d. Prints with appropriate spacing between words and sentences.

e. Writes in complete sentences with correct subject-verb agreement.

f. Uses nouns (singular and plural) correctly.

g. Begins to use personal pronouns (e.g., I, me, we, us) in place of nouns.

h. Uses singular possessive pronouns.

i. Begins to write different types of sentences (e.g., simple/compound and declarative/interrogative).

j. Begins to use common rules of spelling.

k. Begins to use a variety of resources (picture dictionaries, the Internet, books) and strategies to gather information to write about a topic.

l. Uses appropriate end punctuation (period and question mark) and correct capitalization of initial words and common proper nouns (e.g., personal names, months).

m. Uses commas in a series of items.

ELA1W2

The student writes in a variety of genres, including narrative, informational, persuasive and response to literature. The student will write a narrative that:

a. Begins to capture a reader’s interest by writing a personal story.

b. Begins to maintain a focus.

c. Adds details to expand a story.

d. Begins to use organizational structures ( beginning, middle, end, and sequence of events) and strategies (transition words and time cue words).

e. Begins to develop characters and setting through dialogue and descriptive adjectives.

f. Begins to develop a sense of closure.

g. May include oral or written pre-writing (graphic organizer).

h. May include a draft that is revised and edited.

i. May be published.

The student produces informational writing that:

a. Begins to capture a reader’s interest.

b. Stays on one topic and begins to maintain a focus.

c. Adds details to expand a topic.

d. Begins to use organizational structures (steps, chronological order) and strategies (description).

e. Begins to use graphic features (charts, pictures, headings).

f. Begins to use a variety of resources (picture dictionaries, Internet, books) and strategies to gather information to write about a topic.

g. Begins to develop a sense of closure.

h. May include oral or written prewriting (graphic organizers).

i. May include a draft that is revised and edited.

j. May be published

The student produces a persuasive piece that:

a. Captures a reader’s interest by stating a position/opinion.

b. Begins to maintain a focus.

c. Adds details to support an opinion.

d. Begins to use formats appropriate to the genre (letter, list of reasons, poster).

e. May have a sense of closure.

f. May include oral or written prewriting (graphic organizer).

g. May include a draft that is revised and edited.

h. May be published.

The student produces a response to literature that:

a. Captures a reader’s interest by stating a position/opinion about a text.

b. Begins to demonstrate an understanding of the text through oral retelling, pictures, or in writing.

c. Makes connections: text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world.

d. Begins to use organizational structures (beginning, middle, and end with details from the text).

e. May have a sense of closure.

f. May include oral or written prewriting (graphic organizers).

g. May include a draft that is revised and edited.

h. May be published.

Listening/Speaking/Viewing

 

The student demonstrates an understanding of listening, speaking, and viewing skills for a variety of purposes. The student listens critically and responds appropriately to oral communication in a variety of genres and media. The student speaks in a manner that guides the listener to understand important ideas.

 

ELA1LSV1 The student uses oral and visual strategies to communicate. The student

a. Follows three-part oral directions.

b. Recalls information presented orally.

c. Responds appropriately to orally presented questions.

d. Increases vocabulary to reflect a growing range of interests and knowledge.

e. Communicates effectively when relating experiences and retelling stories read, heard, or viewed.

f. Uses complete sentences when speaking.

 

 Mathematics

By the end of grade one, students will understand and use the concept of ones and tens in the place value number system. The students will add and subtract small numbers with ease. They will represent quantity with numbers, models, diagrams, and number sentences. They will begin to use tools for measuring and observe, create, and decompose geometric shapes and solve simple problems including those involving spatial relationships. The students will pose questions, record data, and interpret simple charts and picture graphs. Instruction and assessment should include the use of manipulatives and appropriate technology. Topics should be represented in multiple ways including symbolic, verbal/written, numeric/data-based, graphical, and concrete/pictorial. Concepts should be introduced and used in the context of real world phenomena.

Concepts/Skill to Maintain Number words Ordinal numbers Equivalence Basic 2-Dimensional and 3-Dimensional geometric shapes Spatial relationships – positional words Calendar time and daily schedule Estimating-using 5 and 10 as benchmarks Name and value of coins Measurement -comparing and ordering by direct comparison

NUMBER AND OPERATIONS Students will understand how to represent numbers, and be able to add and subtract small numbers.

M1N1. Students will estimate, model, compare, order, and represent whole numbers up to 100.

a. Represent numbers up to 100 using a variety of models, diagrams, and number sentences. Represent numbers larger than 10 in terms of tens and ones using manipulatives and pictures.

b. Correctly count and represent the number of objects in set using numerals.

c. Compare small sets using the terms greater than, less than, and equal to.

d. Understand the magnitude and order of numbers up to 100 by making ordered sequences and representing them on a number line.

e. Exchange equivalent quantities of coins by making fair trades involving combinations of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters up to one dollar; count out a combination of coins needed to purchase items up to one dollar. f. Identify bills ($1, $5, $10, $20) by name and value and exchange equivalent quantities by making fair trades involving combinations of bills; count out a combination of bills needed to purchase items that total up to twenty dollars.

M1N2. Students will understand place value notation for the numbers 1 to 99. (Discussions may allude to 3-digit numbers to assist in understanding place value.)

a. Determine to which ten a given number is closest using tools such as a sequential number line or chart.

b. Represent collections of less than 30 objects with 2-digit numbers and understand the meaning of place value.

c. Decompose numbers from 10 to 99 as the appropriate number of tens and ones.

M1N3. Students will add and subtract numbers less than 100, as well as understand and use the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction

a. Identify one more than, one less than, 10 more than, and 10 less than a given number.

b. Skip-count by 2s, 5s, and 10s, forward and backwards; to and from numbers up to 100.

c. Compose/decompose numbers up to 10 (e. g. 3+5=8, 8=5+2+1).

d. Understand a variety of situations to which subtraction may apply: taking away from a set, comparing two sets, and determining how many more or how many less.

e. Understand addition and subtraction number combinations using strategies such as counting on, counting back, doubles and making tens.

f. Know the single-digit addition facts to 18 and corresponding subtraction facts with understanding and fluency. (Use strategies such as relating to facts already known, applying the commutative property, and grouping facts into families.)

g. Apply addition and subtraction to 2 digit numbers without regrouping (e.g.15 + 4, 80-60, 56 + 10, 100-30, 52 + 5).

h. Solve and create word problems involving addition and subtraction to 100 without regrouping. Use words, pictures and concrete models to interpret story problems and reflect the combining of sets as addition and taking away or comparing elements of sets as subtraction.

M1N4. Students will count collections of up to 100 objects by dividing them into equal parts and represent the results using words, pictures, or diagrams.

a. Use informal strategies to share objects equally between two to five people.

b. Build number patterns, including concepts of even and odd, using various concrete representations. (Examples of concrete representations include a hundreds chart, ten grid frame, place value chart, number line, counters, or other objects.)

c. Identify, label, and relate fractions (halves, fourths) as equal parts of a collection of objects or a whole using pictures and models.

d. Understand halves and fourths as representations of equal parts of a whole.

MEASUREMENT

Students will measure basic quantitative attributes of concrete objects.

M1M1. Students will compare and/or order the length, height, weight, or capacity of two or more objects by using direct comparison or a nonstandard unit.

a. Directly compare and/or order length, height, weight, and capacity of concrete objects.

b. Estimate and measure using a non-standard unit that is smaller than the object to be measured.

c. Measure with a tool by creating a ―ruled‖ stick, tape, or container by marking off ten segments of the repeated single unit.

M1M2. Students will develop an understanding of the measurement of time.

a. Tell time to the nearest hour and half hour and understand the movement of the minute hand and how it relates to the hour hand.

b. Begin to understand the relationship of calendar time by knowing the number of days in a week and months in a year.

c. Compare and/or order the sequence or duration of events (e.g., shorter/longer and before/after).

GEOMETRY Students will understand the concepts of basic geometric shapes and spatial relationships of concrete objects.

M1G1. Students will study and create various two and three-dimensional figures and identify basic figures (squares, circles, triangles, and rectangles) within them.

a. Build, draw, name, and describe triangles, rectangles, pentagons, and hexagons.

b. Build, represent, name, and describe cylinders, cones, and rectangular prisms.

c. Create pictures and designs using shapes, including overlapping shapes.

M1G2. Students will compare, contrast, and/or classify geometric shapes by the common attributes of position, shape, size, number of sides, and number of corners.

M1G3. Students will arrange and describe objects in space by proximity, position, and direction (near, far, below, above, up, down, behind, in front of, next to, and left or right of).

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY Students will pose questions, collect, organize and interpret data about themselves and their surroundings.

M1D1. Students will create simple tables and graphs and interpret them.

a. Interpret tally marks, picture graphs, and bar graphs.

b. Pose questions, collect, sort, organize and record data using objects, pictures, tally marks, picture graphs, and bar graphs.

Process Standards

Each topic studied in this course is developed with careful thought toward helping every student achieves the following process standards.

M1P1. Students will solve problems (using appropriate technology).

a. Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving.

b. Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts.

c. Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems.

d. Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving.

M1P2

. Students will reason and evaluate mathematical arguments.

a. Recognize reasoning and proof as fundamental aspects of mathematics.

b. Make and investigate mathematical conjectures.

c. Develop and evaluate mathematical arguments and proofs.

d. Select and use various types of reasoning and methods of proof.

M1P3

. Students will communicate mathematically.

a. Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication.

b. Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others.

c. Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others.

d. Use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely.

M1P4. Students will make connections among mathematical ideas and to other disciplines.

a. Recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas.

b. Understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and build on one another to produce a coherent whole.

c. Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics.

M1P5. Students will represent mathematics in multiple ways.

a. Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas.

b. Select, apply, and translate among mathematical representations to solve problems.

c. Use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and mathematical phenomena.

Social Studies and Science

Social Studies and Science will incorporate the GPS and will be guided by these six transdisciplinary themes that are virtually units of inquiry.  These units of inquiry transcend and articulate conventional subject boundaries.  Six transdisciplinary themes of global significance provide the framework for exploration and study of:

 

• Who we are
• Where we are in place and time
• How we express ourselves
• How the world works
• How we organize ourselves
• Sharing the planet.

 

 

 

The blending of the IBO curriculum delivery framework with the Chancellor-Beacon Curriculum (CBC) sets Imagine IAM apart from other public schools. This program actively engages students in their own learning and asks them to work with their teacher to set goals, plan and carry out learning activities, and assess what they have and have not learned. The IBO summarizes it this way:

 

 

 Core Instructional Materials and Resources (Textbook/Publisher/web links):

 

Everyday Math             http://www.mhschool.com/math/2002/student/2/index.html

Harcourt Storytown      http://www.harcourtschool.com/storytown/

 

Web Links for Parental Support:

            U.S. Dept. of ED.                  www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/index.html

GA. Dept. of ED.                   http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/parents.aspx

            GA. Math Standards            http://www.georgiastandards.org/math.aspx

            Bi-Lingual Math Ed.                        http://www.aaamath.com/

            Math Education                    http://www.math.com/parents.html

            Online Math Games                        http://www.coolmath4kids.com/

Homework Help                  http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/hh/rapidresearch/0,19469,73174,00.html

 

 

International Baccalaureate Grading Scale

 

Quality Points

 

A    4    Above Average

B    3    On grade level

C    2    Average

F    0   Below grade level

 

Grading Policy:  Grades are derived from the following:

 

• Classwork/Participation
• Tests & Quizzes
• Projects
• Homework