1st/2nd Grade Curriculum Guide

During the first few weeks of school, our main focus is building a strong community. We accomplish this in various ways. We spend a lot of time sharing about ourselves. We play games to foster cooperation and problem-solving skills. We have lessons in conflict resolution. Much of our first month is spent exploring classroom materials and having discussions about how we will share and use them throughout the year. We also enlist the children in creating classroom expectations that we will follow for the rest of the year. This approach begins with students and teachers articulating their personal goals for the school year and identifying the way they want to feel while at school. We move from talking, writing and drawing about our personal goals to establishing expectations that will help us to reach our goals. It is important that we continue to learn how to be a part of a community in which we feel respected by others so we will revisit this idea throughout the year. We use a number of resources to support the development of our classroom community. This year, each of the students will have a bear which classes will use as a means of expressing personal feelings and taking care of each other. Some of the resources that we use in developing our classroom community come from the programs Responsive Classroom and R.U.L.E.R Program. We also are using resources from Bank Street’s Emotionally Responsive Practice program. If you are interested in learning more about these programs, please visit their websites: http://www.responsiveclassroom.org and http://ei.yale.edu/ruler/

II. CORE CURRICULUM STUDIES

Each year our classes focus on one or two central themes. These units become the core curriculum studies for the year. We use these thematic units to integrate various subject areas, such as reading, writing, math, art, science, and social studies. The core curriculum provides a context for the children’s learning and adds meaning and purpose to their work. Students are highly motivated when given the opportunity to study a subject closely and find it empowering to attain a level of “expertise.”

Community and Architecture Study

This year, we will focus on community and architecture. We begin the study with a focus on our classroom and school community. Then we broaden our concept of community to our immediate neighborhood and consider the questions: What is a neighborhood? What do neighborhoods need? Who lives and works in our neighborhood? Who are the community helpers? We will then study various neighborhoods in New York City and discover that our city is made up of a wonderful patchwork of diverse communities. Later in the year we will zoom in on the built environment through a study of architecture.

In the architecture study, children will study shapes and different structural elements (such as column, arch, post and beam – among others) and begin to identify different styles of architectural design. We begin with a study of our homes, neighborhoods/communities, and school. Then we branch out to include buildings in our neighborhood, landmark buildings in New York City, and the introduction of different kinds of homes in different geographical environments. This curriculum is integrated with many subject areas such as: reading, writing, science, social studies, math, and art. Trips will include visits to neighborhoods and museums around the city. You are invited to share any expertise you may have in any of these areas!

III. LITERACY

We have found that children develop their reading and writing best through active exploration in a nurturing, print-rich environment. In addition to Language Arts lessons, the children are immersed in reading and writing activities throughout the day. They are encouraged to build on their own experiences and knowledge, take risks, and make discoveries. “Invented” or “phonetic” spelling is encouraged as a temporary step for beginning writers to maximize their freedom of expression and to develop independence. We begin to encourage “correct” spelling as children become more proficient readers and writers.

The components of our balanced literacy program include independent reading, expressive and informational writing, and word study.

Reading

Teachers create classroom environments that are rich in opportunities for reading and writing. Teachers read aloud to help children experience and enjoy literature beyond their current reading level. In shared reading, early readers participate in reading and learn how print works, and get the feel for reading. During reading, students may read ‘just right books’ individually, with a partner, or in a small guided reading group with a teacher. Throughout the year, students will have experience reading a variety of literary genres, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and folktales.

Writing

Students have many opportunities to write throughout the curriculum. They write letters to friends and family, responses to books, strategies for math problem solving, journal entries about their day, and create labels for projects and drawings. Students will also have the opportunity to work on the craft of writing through personal narratives, poetry, folktales, and nonfiction pieces.

Word Study / Spelling

Students will be studying spelling patterns, such as long and short vowel sounds and beginning and ending blends. We draw from multiple programs such as Words Their Way and Fundations that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of individual students. In addition, an important component of success in reading and writing is a student’s ability to read and spell high frequency words which will be introduced weekly in class.