1st Grade Curriculum
Phonics, Word Study and Handwriting
During this block of time, first graders look at spelling patterns, letter combinations and sight words. Activities are hands-on and differentiated based on students' needs. Our primary word study program is Fundations, which is a multisensory, structured language program. We also supplement with the Teacher’s College Phonics Program. Both sets of curriculum involves a lot of crossover into reading and writing workshops and authentically noticing word patterns through exploration. Our spelling instruction grows from individual letters and sounds, to digraphs, blends, suffixes, long and short vowels, glued sounds, bonus letters, and multisyllabic words. Children learn to segment and blend sounds to read and spell new words. Students will learn basic sentence writing mechanics (starting with a capital, ending with punctuation, white spaces between each word, neat handwriting.)
Math
We use EngageNY as our math curriculum, which provides a hands-on, inquiry based approach to learning math. By the end of first grade, first grade students will have developed a strong number sense and knowledge of operations, be able to solve addition/subtraction problems using a variety of strategies, practice measurement, data collection/analysis, understand how to compose and decompose one-digit and two-digit numbers and be able to solve multi-step word problems. Additional time is devoted to mathematics daily during morning math or with math strings. In morning math, first graders do mathematics related to the date and calendar, counting the days in school, weather data collection, and daily attendance. Strings are 10-minute whole group math lessons focused on solving a string of related math computation problems focusing on a big idea in math.
Reading Workshop
Reading Workshop occurs daily. We use the Teacher's College model for Reading Workshop. It is designed to build primary reading skills and to foster a love of reading. During the mini-lessons teachers teach reading skills, strategies, and habits of mind for successful decoding, fluency, and comprehension. After lessons children read independently for up to 20-30 minutes in just right books. Just right books are books that a child can read independently with good accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. While the children read independently, teachers conduct guided reading groups, small groups and/or reading conferences. This guided instruction and practice helps to move students forward. During conferences teachers check in with children to see how their reading is going and to offer coaching. By the end of the year, first graders will read for approximately 30-40 minutes a day in books at their independent reading level. Students will read a variety of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, opinion, and poetry.
Writing Workshop
We use the Teacher's College model for Writing Workshop as well. It is designed to teach primary writing skills, the writing process, the qualities of good writing, and to develop a love for the art of writing. During mini-lessons teachers teach elements of the writing process, and various skills and strategies (depending on our unit of study). After the lesson children write independently for 20-30 minutes. While the children write teachers conduct writing conferences to determine what individual writing needs. Teachers may pull a small group of children to give a reinforcement lesson. By the end of the year first graders will write for approximately 30 minutes a day. They will apply what they learn about spelling and punctuation to their written work. They will also know how to do basic revision and editing in their written work.
The children will write across several different genres, including personal narratives, realistic fiction, non-fiction, poetry, writing reviews, picture books and friendly letters
Social Studies
The ongoing theme in first grade Social Studies is Then and Now, with a focus on Brooklyn. We use JJ Byrne Park and other primary learning resources to study the lives of people from long ago, and compare/contrast them to our lives now. First graders will study geography, economics, transportation, and entertainment from Then and Now. Teachers conduct grade appropriate read alouds about many cultures, family structures, differently abled individuals, gender identity, holidays and traditions that represent people in a positive light both within and outside of our school community.
First grade explores their world through many hands on field trips such as:
Old Stone House
Prospect Park
Lefferts House in Prospect Park
Tenement Museum
Transit Museum
Puppetworks
Brooklyn Aquarium
Prospect Park Zoo
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Two Boots Pizza
Construction Kids
Our Social Studies curriculum also highlights Hispanic Heritage month, Black History month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, and Women’s History month. First graders study prominent figures from the past and present.
Additionally, a huge focus is placed social emotional learning. Throughout the year, teachers continue to tie in lessons on tolerance, empathy and real-world/real-life application of these traits through examples. Children will be encouraged to be observant and contribute thoughtfully and positively to group discussions. They will also be taught to express gratitude, advocate for themselves, and be an upstander for others.
Playshop
First grade students participate in Playshop. Playshop is a time where students are given the freedom to explore, imagine and create. They work together with open-ended manipulatives to become more flexible thinkers and problem solvers. Playshop follows the workshop model. There is a mini-lesson in which the teacher presents a teaching point, then work time and finally a share. During Playshop, students are learning social emotional skills, problem solving, math skills, literacy skills, language development, cause and effect and stamina building.
During this block of time, first graders look at spelling patterns, letter combinations and sight words. Activities are hands-on and differentiated based on students' needs. Our primary word study program is Fundations, which is a multisensory, structured language program. We also supplement with the Teacher’s College Phonics Program. Both sets of curriculum involves a lot of crossover into reading and writing workshops and authentically noticing word patterns through exploration. Our spelling instruction grows from individual letters and sounds, to digraphs, blends, suffixes, long and short vowels, glued sounds, bonus letters, and multisyllabic words. Children learn to segment and blend sounds to read and spell new words. Students will learn basic sentence writing mechanics (starting with a capital, ending with punctuation, white spaces between each word, neat handwriting.)
- Handwriting - At the beginning of the year the children will learn formation for all lowercase letters. They will also learn how to grip a pencil and to use handwriting lines to correctly form letters. After learning lowercase letters they will learn formation for numbers 1-10. By the end of the year, first graders should be using all lowercase letters and capitals only when necessary.
Math
We use EngageNY as our math curriculum, which provides a hands-on, inquiry based approach to learning math. By the end of first grade, first grade students will have developed a strong number sense and knowledge of operations, be able to solve addition/subtraction problems using a variety of strategies, practice measurement, data collection/analysis, understand how to compose and decompose one-digit and two-digit numbers and be able to solve multi-step word problems. Additional time is devoted to mathematics daily during morning math or with math strings. In morning math, first graders do mathematics related to the date and calendar, counting the days in school, weather data collection, and daily attendance. Strings are 10-minute whole group math lessons focused on solving a string of related math computation problems focusing on a big idea in math.
Reading Workshop
Reading Workshop occurs daily. We use the Teacher's College model for Reading Workshop. It is designed to build primary reading skills and to foster a love of reading. During the mini-lessons teachers teach reading skills, strategies, and habits of mind for successful decoding, fluency, and comprehension. After lessons children read independently for up to 20-30 minutes in just right books. Just right books are books that a child can read independently with good accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. While the children read independently, teachers conduct guided reading groups, small groups and/or reading conferences. This guided instruction and practice helps to move students forward. During conferences teachers check in with children to see how their reading is going and to offer coaching. By the end of the year, first graders will read for approximately 30-40 minutes a day in books at their independent reading level. Students will read a variety of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, opinion, and poetry.
Writing Workshop
We use the Teacher's College model for Writing Workshop as well. It is designed to teach primary writing skills, the writing process, the qualities of good writing, and to develop a love for the art of writing. During mini-lessons teachers teach elements of the writing process, and various skills and strategies (depending on our unit of study). After the lesson children write independently for 20-30 minutes. While the children write teachers conduct writing conferences to determine what individual writing needs. Teachers may pull a small group of children to give a reinforcement lesson. By the end of the year first graders will write for approximately 30 minutes a day. They will apply what they learn about spelling and punctuation to their written work. They will also know how to do basic revision and editing in their written work.
The children will write across several different genres, including personal narratives, realistic fiction, non-fiction, poetry, writing reviews, picture books and friendly letters
Social Studies
The ongoing theme in first grade Social Studies is Then and Now, with a focus on Brooklyn. We use JJ Byrne Park and other primary learning resources to study the lives of people from long ago, and compare/contrast them to our lives now. First graders will study geography, economics, transportation, and entertainment from Then and Now. Teachers conduct grade appropriate read alouds about many cultures, family structures, differently abled individuals, gender identity, holidays and traditions that represent people in a positive light both within and outside of our school community.
First grade explores their world through many hands on field trips such as:
Old Stone House
Prospect Park
Lefferts House in Prospect Park
Tenement Museum
Transit Museum
Puppetworks
Brooklyn Aquarium
Prospect Park Zoo
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Two Boots Pizza
Construction Kids
Our Social Studies curriculum also highlights Hispanic Heritage month, Black History month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, and Women’s History month. First graders study prominent figures from the past and present.
Additionally, a huge focus is placed social emotional learning. Throughout the year, teachers continue to tie in lessons on tolerance, empathy and real-world/real-life application of these traits through examples. Children will be encouraged to be observant and contribute thoughtfully and positively to group discussions. They will also be taught to express gratitude, advocate for themselves, and be an upstander for others.
Playshop
First grade students participate in Playshop. Playshop is a time where students are given the freedom to explore, imagine and create. They work together with open-ended manipulatives to become more flexible thinkers and problem solvers. Playshop follows the workshop model. There is a mini-lesson in which the teacher presents a teaching point, then work time and finally a share. During Playshop, students are learning social emotional skills, problem solving, math skills, literacy skills, language development, cause and effect and stamina building.
