First Grade is a year full of firsts. It's the year students start writing stories, adding and subtracting, and even conducting small science experiments.

Reading - First graders learn new words and strategies to help them figure out unknown words. They also begin to have a better understanding of what they read.

Ways to Help at Home

• Practice reading wherever you go. Ask your child to point out words he/she recognizes, and to sound out unknown words that he/she sees on signs and on packages in the grocery store.

• While reading a story, ask your child questions such as, "What do you think will happen next?" "How do you think the character felt?"

• Read to your child every day, and have your child read to you. Visit the library and have your child choose fiction and nonfiction books.

Writing - First graders writing and spelling skills grow throughout the year, making it possible for them to write longer and longer sentences. They also learn how to use capitalization and punctuation.

Ways to help at Home

• Together write a thank you note for a gift, letter to a favorite relative, or a get well message to a sick friend. Talk about how to use the correct capitalization and punctuation.

• Have your child draw a picture of a family outing or birthday party and write a sentence or two about it.

• Take a break from paper. Have a whiteboard or chalkboard your child can use to practice writing.

Math - In first grade, children practice counting higher, learn how to skip count, and work on addition and subtraction.

Ways to help at Home

• Provide small objects such as cereal or blocks for child to practice counting up to 120.

• Use drawings or small objects to practice adding and subtracting. For example, ask your child to draw 3 apples and six oranges. Then ask him/her to count the number of fruit all together. You might ask how many pieces of fruit would be left if you ate two of the apples.

• Practice drawing basic shapes, talk about terms such as greater than, less than, and equal.

First graders are learning many new skills, and they can become frustrated at times. If your child is feeling discouraged or frustrated, provide encouragement, keep a positive attitude, and be available to help. It is also important for first graders to develop a positive self-image, and to become independent, confident learners. We would like him/her to be successful both in and out of the classroom.

Ways to help at Home

• Give your child small jobs such as putting clothes away. When you give your child a task, make sure that it's completed. It's important for children to learn to finish what they start.

• Let your child make choices. Allow him/her to choose a book at bedtime, what game to play, or what clothes to wear.

• Praise your child for a job well done, and also for good effort. Make the praise as specific as you can: " I like how neatly you put the books on the shelf."

• Have conversations with your child and encourage them to speak clearly and in complete sentences.

• Set up play dates with classmates, and look for social opportunities with family and friends.

• To help improve fine motor skills, put together puzzles and do art projects. To help develop gross motor skills, dance, play sports, jump rope, and ride bikes.

• Be open to your child's questions, and encourage his/her curiosity by taking trips to the museum, zoo, or explore nature.

• Consider your child's interests and look for group activities they might enjoy. (swimming, legos, karate, gymnastics, acting, yoga, ice skating)