First Grade

FIRST GRADE

1.1 The student will experience continuing success and positive feelings about self.

Descriptive Statement: The teacher continues to provide a classroom environment that fosters experiences of success in school work, in self‑acceptance of body image, in the handling of routine situations, and in group activities. Parents are encouraged to reinforce successful experiences, self‑esteem, and good mental health practices at home.

1.2 The student will experience continuing respect from others.

Descriptive Statement: Teachers and other adults at school continue active listening and acceptance of the feelings and opinions of the child, providing a classroom climate that protects the child from physical, mental and emotional infringement by others. Difficult situations, such as how to handle a bully on the playground, are discussed.

1.3 The student will become aware of the effects of his or her behavior on others and the effects of others' behavior on himself or herself.

Descriptive Statement: The teacher continues to use appropriate descriptive language to explain to a child how his or her behavior affects others both positively and negatively, and how others' behavior affects him or her. The child learns to respect others and their feelings, and practices good mental health behaviors. The student is made aware of any behavior on his or her part that causes others to have hurt feelings.

1.4 The student will develop an understanding of the importance of a family and of different family patterns.

Descriptive statement: The emphasis is on the need for loving parents, or other responsible adult(s) in the family, regardless of the type of family. The student advances from awareness of family forms at the kindergarten level to understanding the importance of the family, the value of family relationships and its various forms at the first‑grade level. The following family patterns are included: two‑parent families; extended families‑relatives other than the immediate family living in the home; single‑parent families; adoptive families; foster families; families with stepparent; and other blended families.

1.5 The student will identify family members and their responsibilities in contributing to the successful functioning of the family.

Descriptive Statement: The focus is on the tasks that must be performed in order for a family to function successfully. Examples of tasks are providing food; providing shelter; providing and caring for clothing; providing money for these and other necessities; providing love and caring, including meeting the needs of elderly or physically and mentally disabled family members; and providing for fun and play.

1.6 The student will realize that human beings and other mammals have babies and that the babies can be breast‑fed.

Descriptive Statement: Content associated with this objective can be found in books, magazines, films, videos, and other materials, as approved by the school division. Pets may be used to demonstrate mammalian behavior. Parents are encouraged to assist with this objective during the course of normal family activities.

1.7 The student will use correct terminology when talking about body parts and functions.

Descriptive Statement: Scientific terms such as urinate, bowel movement, penis, vulva, and breast will be introduced as they occur in daily activities and are not taught directly. Parents are encouraged to reinforce correct terminology at home.

1.8 The student will express his or her feelings of happiness, sadness, and anger to the teacher.

Descriptive Statement: Teachers help children on an individual basis to recognize and express their feelings of happiness, sadness, and anger. Children are assisted in dealing appropriately with their feelings. If matters of a private nature arise, teachers are urged to contact parents so they can take a team approach to individual student problems. Positive mental health practices will be utilized.

1.9 The student will become aware of appropriate behavior to use in dealing with his or her feelings.

Descriptive Statement: The focus is on helping the child understand that feelings are different from behavior. The teacher helps the child understand that while feelings do influence behavior, each person can control his or her own behavior and the ways feelings are expressed. It is important for the teacher to help the child know that all feelings are valid. Appropriate strategies for expressing feelings include exercise, games, direct verbalization, art, music, dance, play, storytelling, and creative drama. Positive mental health practices will be utilized.

1.10 The student will experience the logical consequences of his or her behavior.

Descriptive Statement: The child needs to have the opportunity to make developmentally appropriate choices in his or her daily living and to experience the outcomes (both positive and negative) of his or her choices. The foundation for responsible decision making and positive mental health at all ages involves being allowed to learn from one's choices. Examples of appropriate choices at this grade level include choosing from a list of appropriate foods, choosing from a variety of activities and learning centers, and choosing the sequence in which learning activities are completed. An example of an appropriate consequence would be to clean up a spilled beverage rather than to be punished for this.

1.11 The student will realize that physical affection can be an expression of friendship, of celebration, or of a loving family.

Descriptive Statement: The child is reminded that appropriate expressions of affection are important for individual and family well‑being. The student will begin to understand the differences between appropriate and inappropriate expressions of affection and the impact on individual mental health. The importance of privacy and boundaries for self and others is discussed and the student is provided with tools to support the student in demonstrating respect for their personal privacy and boundaries of others.

1.12 The student will demonstrate strategies for responses to inappropriate approaches from family members, neighbors, strangers, and others.

Descriptive Statement: Elements of good (positive, healthy) and bad (negative, unhealthy) touching are reviewed, and methods of avoiding negative encounters are presented. Appropriate use of communication devices such as the phone and Internet will be discussed. Children learn how to tell a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, minister, grandparent, or guardian, about such incidents when they occur.