Curriculum 

First Grade Heart Words

We will learn many heart words in First Grade this year! These are sight words that are frequently seen in our reading and writing. They go up on our word wall and we practice them daily. You can reinforce this practice at home with the following activities. I recommend doing one activity every afternoon or alternating afternoon when possible and varying the choices. They have been created to accommodate your busy schedule, your child’s ability, and their interests. Enjoy! 

• Create Word Wall cards and read through all your cards to someone in your family.

• Write 3 (or more) sentences or questions using one or more new Word Wall words.

• Make and spell your new Word Wall words and any others you need to practice with using a different material. (noodles, etcha-sketch, magnetic letters, sand, shaving cream, magnadoodle, Alphabet cereal, cookies, pretzels, clay, rice, glitter, paint, foam, felt, or wood letters from the craft store, letter beads, string, etc. )

• Write a short story, poem, rhyme, play or song using your new Word Wall words.

• Play Spelling Bee with someone in your family using your new Word Wall words. (Parents say the word to your child and the child repeats the word, spells it, and repeats it).

• Look in magazines for letters and make a collage of your new Word Wall words.

• Play I SPY in your favorite book at home for Word Wall words.

• Put your Word Wall words in alphabetical order.

• Type your Word Wall words on the computer in any font three times each.

• Read your new Word Wall words and think of at least 2 words that rhyme with each. Write them down.

• Unscramble your Word Wall words after an adult writes them scrambled.

• Have your parents dictate sentences or questions made up of Word Wall words and write them down. Check for finger space between words, spelling, upper and lower case letters, and punctuations if you can.

• Practice writing your Word Wall words that your parents say to you (especially those tricky ones.) This is like a practice spelling test.

• Practice turning your Word Wall words into new words. (examples: new- chew, am- clam, to –today, can- cantaloupe)

• Play Hangman with your word wall words. Take turns being the guesser and the writer.

• Make up a cheerleader cheer for your word wall words.

• Write your word wall words three times using special pens or gel pens.

• Play “Guess my Word Wall word.” (Parents think of a Word Wall word. Child makes Guess #1. Parent gives one clue about the word: it has 3 letters, it has 2 vowels, it has an e in it, it ends with the /t/ sound, and it rhymes with pan. The child makes a new guess each time until he/ she guesses the word. Start with little clues and move to bigger ones. This game works best with 15 or more words. Children can think of a new word and learn to give clues as well.)

• Speed read your word wall cards. Time how many seconds it takes to read all of your words clearly and accurately.

• Play “How much is that Word Wall word worth?” (Consonants are worth one cent and vowels are worth five cents. Add up the value of your Word Wall words. For a challenge you can make consonants worth two cents or different values.

Bridges Math

Math Workshop Approach

1. Mini-Lesson

   • Whole Class Direct Instruction using a Concrete-Pictoral-Abstract Progression

   • Includes opportunities for students to discuss concepts and big ideas in each unit.

2. Practice

   • Games

   • Activites

   • Writen Practice

3. Small Group Instruction

4. Infused Technology

5. Goal Based Fact Fluency Practice

6. Problem Solving Experiences

Science 

First Grade Science Includes:

Changes in the Sky

• • Observing patterns in our sky over time

Light and Sound

• Discovering how shadows and sound are made

Living Things: Why Do They Look Like That?

• Identifying why some animals may look the same and others different

First Grade Focus: To Verbally Communicate Thinking!

How You Can Help:

• Stop answering questions

  • • INSTEAD, work with your child to discover answers 

• Ask questions and problem solve together

  • • Model how to solve a problem and what steps you take to find the answer

This article explains how the new science standards are changing the how we teach science in the classroom.

https://hechingerreport.org/will-new-standards-improve-elementary-science-education/ 

SOCIAL STUDIES

First Grade Social Studies Includes:

Classroom Community

• Rules

• Acceptance

• Conflict Resolution

Character Education (Character Counts Pillars)

• Trustworthiness

• Respect

• Responsibility

• Fairness

• Caring

• Citizenship

American Symbols

Visit the Technology Tab on the OHES Website for many other educational programs!

https://www.mtsd.k12.nj.us/Page/9398