Language Arts

Reading

All first grade classes are using the district adopted McGraw Hill reading series.  This is a balanced reading program that incorporates teaching phonics skills, comprehension skills, spelling and grammar.  The program comes with sets of leveled readers to compliment each story in the basal.

Spelling

The weekly spelling lists are linked directly to the reading program. The five and seven word lists are selected based on the phonics skill taught that week and the high-frequency words that occur in the weekly story. The nine word list consists of more challenging high frequency words. A pretest is given on Monday on the seven word list and based on the results of the pretest the students are assigned a spelling list.

Writing

Writing is incorporated throughout the curriculum.  Students write in journals, writing packets and complete writing frames.   Students will be taught the writing process from rough draft to final copy.  We also talk about the Six Writing Traits and begin to apply them in everyday writing. Students will also be using a program called Daily Oral Language, which teaches grammar and punctuation and Write One, which teaches general beginning writing skills.

Language Arts Websites

       McGraw-Hill Website

       Cascade Ridge library books for Accelerated Reader

       Handwriting 

       Reading A-Z

       Sight Word Lists 

Math

We will be using the Math Trailblazers series. This program is best described as “basics plus” (gathering data, graphing, patterning, etc). It requires students to use and understand math to solve problems and learn how to apply math as a part of everyday life. Trailblazers has numerous language arts and science connections. It still focuses on math facts and computation, but this is also an area that may be supplemented with practice sheets. There is a fair amount of homework connected with this program, which will be sent home periodically. Please return the next day. Other supplements that may be used include: Read It, Draw It, Solve It (problem solving & math communication), ADD math (number sense & problem solving), Superstar Math (problem solving, reasoning, geometry & money)

Math Links

       Math Trailblazers

       AAA Math-Basic Math Skills Practice for all ages.

       Math Games, Puzzles and fun stuff

       Rick's Math 

 Science/Social Studies

Fall

·        Sea life , Water, Weather, Map Skills

Winter

·        Polar Life, Magnets, Map Skills

Spring

·        Organisms, Plants, Insects, Butterflies, Flight

Science Websites

       Yahooligans

       National Atlas

Homework

Homework will be sent home monthly. Watch for it to come home on the first school day of the month. Complete at least three activities a week. In addition, we strongly encourage students to complete the attached bonus assignments. Turn in the signed calendar on the last school day of the month.