Literacy

Module 1:  Nice to Meet You!

Essential Question: How can making new friends and learning new things help us?

Learning Mindset: Seeking Challenges

Guiding Vocabulary Words: challenge, emotions, friendship

The start of a new school year is an exciting time for children. They will meet new people. They will try and learn new things. For some children, though, this time of year can also be challenging.

In this module, children will read about how the people they meet and the experiences they have can help them. Children will read about the different activities they can do at school. They also will read about what makes a good friend, the many different types of friends they can have, and what makes each person special.

Foundational Skills:  short a, short i, short o, short u, short e, closed and open syllables (ex: met and me), and closed syllable exceptions (ex: -ind, -old)

Module 1 Heart Words ❤️:   was, of, you, or, for, put, push

Module 2:  My Family, My Community

Essential Question: What makes families and communities special? 

Learning Mindset: Belonging

Guiding Vocabulary Words: area, population, working

Young children seek to discover their place in the world. They begin their search by exploring how they fit within their family and their local community. It is important that they feel a sense of belonging to both.

This module describes communities as special places to live. It explains how the people who live there, including family members, work together to make it better for everyone.

Foundational Skills:  floss rule (-ff, -ll, -ss, -zz), words with -all, -oll, -ull, and digraph -ck

Module 2 Heart Words ❤️:   my, by, why, walk, talk, into

Module 2:  My Family, My Community

Focal Statement: Our world is a special place. 

Writing Mode and Form: Informational Text - Descriptive Writing 

Writing Prompt:  Write a short description of what makes your world wonderful.

In this module, students will work independently to describe a special place in their community. Students will use descriptive adjectives and sensory words to further describe their special place. 

Module 3:  Amazing Animals

Essential Question: How do animals' bodies help them? 

Learning Mindset: Curiosity

Guiding Vocabulary Words: camouflage, characteristics, mammal

In this module, children will discover many details about animals as they read both nonfiction and fiction selections. These texts encourage readers to be curious as they investigate animal life.

Children will learn about the various characteristics of animals that allow them to grow and survive in the natural world. They will also explore the different kinds of structures animals build for homes and protection. After reading the module’s texts, children should have a

greater appreciation the diversity of the animal kingdom.

Foundational Skills:  digraphs sh, wh, ch, th, and -ng

Module 3 Heart Words ❤️:   wash, want, what, who, some, come, done, none

Module 3:  Amazing Animals

Focal Statement: Animals are Amazing!

Writing Mode and Form: Informational Text - Research Essay

Writing Prompt:  Write an “all-about” book about your favorite animal.

In this module, students will research a favorite animal using online resources. Students will create a table of contents, use text features to describe where their animal lives, what their animal eats and what makes their animal amazing. 

Module 4:  Better Together

Essential Question:  Why is it important to do my best and get along with others?

Learning Mindset: Asking for Help

Guiding Vocabulary Words: courtesy, honest, sport 

Playing games and doing fun things with other people is part of being a child. In this module, children will listen to and read stories and informational texts about getting along and being a good sport. They will discover that playing games is a great way to spend time with friends and get healthy exercise, too!

As children explore this topic, they will also learn about the importance of playing fairly and persevering when things get challenging.

Foundational Skills:  initial two-consonant blends, contractions (am, is, has, not), final blends, closed and open multisyllabic words 

Module 4 Heart Words ❤️:   our, out, about, almost, among

Module 4:  Better Together

Focal Statement: To make a friend, be a friend

Writing Mode and Form: Informational Text - Procedural Text

Writing Prompt:  Write a “how-to" book about something you are an "expert" in. 

In this module, students will choose a specific thing they define themselves as "experts" at. They will use transition words to explain specific steps that allow their reader to also learn how to be an expert at that thing. 

Module 5:  Now You See It, Now You Don't

Essential Question:  Why do light and dark come and go?

Learning Mindset: Problem Solving

Guiding Vocabulary Words:  orbit, period, solar

“Wake up and get ready for school!” “Come in now because it’s dark outside!” “It’s time for bed!” Children have become very familiar with the routines they follow during times of light and dark or day and night. They may want to know why daytime turns to nighttime.

This module describes how sources of light affect people. It explains the relationship between Earth and the sun. Children learn that the rotation of Earth causes night and day. They also learn how the seasons change as Earth revolves around the sun.

Foundational Skills:  VCe long a, VCe long i, VCe long o, VCe long  u /ū/ and /yū/, VCe long e, and VCe patterns

Module 5 Heart Words ❤️:   have, live, give, could, would, should, there, where

Module 5:  Now You See It, Now You Don't

Focal Statement:  We’ve got the sun in the morning and the moon at night.

Writing Mode and Form: Narrative Writing - Imaginative Story

Writing Prompt:  Write a folktale about how something in nature came to be.

In this module, students will write an imaginative story of how something in nature came to be. Students will learn to give human characteristics to something in nature, and develop a problem and solution while thinking about the sequence of the story. 

Module 6:  Celebrate America

Essential Question:  What do holidays and symbols tell about our country?

Learning Mindset: Purpose

Guiding Vocabulary Words:  appreciate, duty, participate

Even at their young age, children have almost certainly experienced patriotic holidays, such as the Fourth of July. They can likely identify the American flag and other patriotic symbols.

Children in first grade are ready to examine the purposes for celebrating patriotic holidays and symbols. In this module, they explore why people sing patriotic songs. In addition, they learn about a variety of patriotic topics, including monuments, the Liberty Bell and other U.S. symbols, and the nation’s presidents.

Foundational Skills:  VCe syllables, soft c, and soft g

Module 6 Heart Words ❤️:   one, once, love, above

Module 7:  The Big Outdoors

Essential Question:  How do things in nature change?

Learning Mindset:  Noticing

Guiding Vocabulary Words:  cycle, evaporation, liquid

In this module, children will examine a variety of environments and natural changes in the world. They also will grow to recognize the importance of recycling and protecting the land.

Children will discover that they can use their observation skills to notice natural changes, such as changes in weather and changes in water as it moves through the water cycle. They will reinforce their knowledge through a variety of text genres, including an engaging song to wrap up the module.

Foundational Skills:  trigraph -tch, -dge, and inflectional suffixes -s and -es

Module 7 Heart Words ❤️:   woman, women, they, does

Module 7:  The Big Outdoors

Focal Statement:  Take a walk in nature!

Writing Mode and Form: Poetry - Poem

Writing Prompt:  WRITE a poem about things you like.

In this module, students will write poetry about things they like. 

Module 8:  Tell Me a Story

Essential Question:  What lessons can we learn from stories? 

Learning Mindset:  Resilience

Guiding Vocabulary Words:  amuse, entertain, literature

In this module, children will enjoy classic tales and contemporary stories as they get to know storytellers from long ago and from the present.

Children will deepen their understanding of the lessons stories can teach, such as the importance of resilience in the face of challenges. Children will discover that characters in stories rarely get things right the first time they try something new. Like real people, characters often overcome challenges by refusing to give up and trying again.

Foundational Skills:  inflectional suffix -ed, y as /ĭ/, all jobs of y, and vowel teams ee and ea

Module 8 Heart Words ❤️:   friend, been, great,  break

Module 8:  Tell Me a Story

Focal Statement: Special people can help us solve our problems.

Writing Mode and Form: Narrative Writing - Personal Narrative

Writing Prompt:  Write a story about someone who helped you solve a problem.

In this module, students will write a story about something who has helped them solve a problem. 

Module 9:  Grow, Plants, Grow!

Essential Question:  What do plants need to live and grow?

Learning Mindset:  Setting Goals

Guiding Vocabulary Words:  absorb, emerge, vegetation

An excellent way for children to learn about growth, development, and change is through the study of plants. Children can read about a variety of plants and watch them “grow” before their very eyes. In this module, they will learn about the life cycles and characteristics of plant life as they read informational texts, fiction, and poetry.

Children will explore the great variety in the plant world as well as how plants grow and survive from season to season. They will uncover many of the reasons why people grow and protect plants.

Foundational Skills:  Vowel Teams ai, ay, vowel teams oa, ow, and vowel Teams ie, igh

Module 9 Heart Words ❤️:   again, against, today, away, always, also, know, knew

Module 9:  Grow, Plants, Grow!

Focal Statement: One can learn a lot just by watching things happen.

Writing Mode and Form:  Informational Text - Descriptive Essay

Writing Prompt:  Write an essay telling what you learned from doing a science experiment.

In this module, students will write an essay to help describe what they learned from doing a science experiement. 

Module 10:  Dare to Dream

Essential Question:  How can thinking in new ways help solve problems?

Learning Mindset: Perseverance

Guiding Vocabulary Words:  applaud, future, genius

In this module, children will recognize that good things can happen when a person is brave enough to try something new. They will read about inventors, architects, and others who have been brave and tried new things. 

Children will also find that people can meet challenges and solve problems through perseverance. They will discover that by persevering, they can achieve their own dreams, which can benefit individuals, their communities, and the world.

Foundational Skills:  r-Controlled Vowel ar, r-Controlled Vowel or, and r-Controlled Vowels er, ir, and ur /er/

Module 10 Heart Words ❤️:   work, word, world, your, four, fourth, pear, wear, tear, bear

Module 10:  Dare to Dream

Focal Statement: People who follow their dreams can inspire us.

Writing Mode and Form: Informational Text - Biographical Essay

Writing Prompt:  Write an essay about someone who inspires you.

In this module, students will write an essay about someone who inspires them.