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First  Grade  Curriculum  Overview    

   

The  Classroom  Learning  Environment  The  first  grade  classroom  experience  seeks  to  deepen  a  love  for  school,  the  confidence  to  face  new  challenges,  the  curiosity  for  exploration,  and  a  growing  interest  in  new  friendships.    The  year  includes  positive  recognition  of  the  social  and  academic  milestones  common  for  the  six  to  seven  year  old.    This  program  is  designed  to  meet  the  needs  of  young  children  who  are  ready  to  immerse  themselves  in  reading,  writing,  the  foundations  of  mathematics,  and  to  learn  about  the  world  around  them.    The  classroom  environment  is  a  happy  and  secure  place.    Like  kindergarten  students,  first  graders  continue  to  have  opportunities  to  explore  their  own  interests;  however,  there  is  an  increase  regarding  teacher-­‐directed  activities,  multi-­‐step  directions,  and  listening  respectfully  to  another’s  viewpoint.    An  equal  amount  of  time  is  set  aside  for  social  and  academic  development.    Opportunities  for  one-­‐on-­‐one  interactions  with  the  teacher  occur  regularly  throughout  the  day,  an  invaluable  benefit  of  a  small  class  size.    Social  skills  develop  during  Storyline,  community  time,  and  interclass  projects.    Connections  are  made  with  the  other  lower  school  classes,  as  well  as  middle  and  upper  school  students  during  buddy  time,  school  assemblies,  Storyline,  seasonal  performances,  community  time,  school  traditions,  and  other  activities.  

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First  Grade  Academics:  Writing  The  first  grade  writing  program  concentrates  on  helping  students  write  with  confidence,  and  finding  joy  in  written  expression.    The  curriculum  seeks  to  provide  a  solid  foundation  for  teaching  helpful  writing  habits  (as  in  pencil  grip  and  body  positions  while  writing,  etc.)  to  the  young  writer  –  all  the  while  helping  them  to  recognize  their  best  writing.    Handwriting  Without  Tears  is  the  basis  for  penmanship.    Students  write  in  various  fiction  and  nonfiction  genres  including  lists,  notes,  stories,  descriptive  writing,  poems,  how-­‐to  writing,  reports,  working  in  workbooks,  journals/folders,  and  writing  captions  to  complement  their  exploration  of  Storyline  as  well  as  other  curriculum  areas.    Students  write  stories  using  books,  their  imagination,  and  other  resources  for  content.    Students  are  exposed  to  the  writing  process  of  brainstorming  ideas,  writing  rough  drafts,  discussing  their  writing  with  peers  and  teachers,  revising  their  work,  and  producing  a  finished  and  illustrated  piece  of  work.        Skills  • Prints  legibly  while  staying  on  a  line  with  good  spacing  between  letters  and  words  • Practices  good  writing  habits  (grip/body  positions)  • Masters  proper  letter  formation  of  upper-­‐case/lower-­‐case  letters  • Illustrates  writing,  dictates  sentences  and  stories  • Employs  new  vocabulary  in  speech  and  writing  • Uses  elementary  punctuation  correctly  (periods,  caps,  commas)  • Uses  inventive  spelling  and  sight  words  in  writing  • Decodes  short  vowel  sounds,  consonant  sounds  and  most  consonant  blends    • Apply  other  phonetic  instruction  to  written  work  • Work  towards  independent  writing  with  complete  sentences  • Apply  the  writing  process  with  help  from  adults  • Create  original  writing  • Comment/share  on  various  writing  with  peers/teachers    

Materials:  Various  writing  and  illustrating  tools  (pencils,  pens,  markers,  crayons,  paints)  Assorted  sizes  and  styles  of  paper  (with  and  without  lines)  Dictionaries  and  other  reference  materials  Personal  chalk  and  chalkboards    Whiteboards  and  markers  Tracing  templates,  stamps  and  ink  pads,  clay  and  play-­‐dough  Word  games  Textbooks/Curriculum:  Handwriting  Without  Tears  curriculum  Write  One  curriculum  

Assessments:  Observational  Student  writing  samples  

   

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Reading  First  grade  students  are  exposed  to  the  joy  that  reading  brings  and  to  the  beauty  written  language  can  convey.    The  first  grade  reading  program  focuses  on  daily  reading  to  complement  student  writing,  listening,  speaking,  and  general  classroom  participation.    Whole  language  and  phonics-­‐based  instruction  are  both  used  throughout  the  curriculum  to  best  meet  students’  needs.    A  broad  range  of  fiction  and  nonfiction  selections,  including  poetry,  legends,  magazines,  rhymes/riddles,  biographies,  songs,  chapter  books,  and  science-­‐based  books  are  enjoyed  in  the  classroom.    Students  read  with  partners,  in  small  peer  groups,  in  large  mixed-­‐age  groups,  with  teachers,  and  independently  throughout  the  year.    Through  lively  discussions,  students  explore  character,  setting  and  plot  (to  some  extent,  theme  and  style,  also)  during  Storyline  time  and  other  language  arts  times.    The  first  graders  take  reading  assessments  three  times  a  year  to  chart  reading  progress.        Skills  • Establish  letter-­‐sound  correspondence  for  all  letters  and  many  letter  combinations  • Recognize  high  frequency  sight  words  • Decode  unknown  words  using  knowledge  of  reading  strategies,  context,  and  spelling  patterns    • Respond  to  literature  • Recite/memorize  poetry  and  verse  selections  • Recall  and  summarize  reading  • Borrow  library  books  and  treat  them  respectfully  • Work  towards  reading  independence  • Develop  awareness  of  elementary  punctuation  while  reading  • Cultivate  a  rich  and  descriptive  vocabulary  • Discuss  story  elements    

   

Materials  Picture  and  chapter  books  Anthologies  and  dictionaries  Student-­‐authored  selections  Perceptual  materials  and  games  Spelling  patterns  and  sight  word  cards  Computers,  film/movie  and  other  classroom  projection  materials  Audio  stories  Poetry  Textbooks/Curriculum:  Fountas  and  Pinell  leveled  readers  Everybody  books  National  Geographic  Young  Explorer  magazine    

Assessments:  Fountas  and  Pinell  leveled  reading  assessments  Reading  with  the  teacher    

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Math  The  first  grade  math  curriculum  strives  to  foster  a  life-­‐long  enjoyment  of  number  relationships  and  thinking  based  in  logic.    Observing  patterns  in  our  natural  world  is  reinforced  in  all  areas  of  the  curriculum  but  especially  in  mathematics.    Young  mathematicians  are  encouraged  to  explore  their  environment  in  both  a  qualitative  and  quantitative  manner.    First  graders  build  on  a  solid  set  of  skills  learned  in  kindergarten,  including  basic  number  sense,  designs  and  symmetry,  and  knowing  numbers  to  100.    These  skill  sets  are  reinforced  with  various  strategies  including  direct  instruction,  manipulatives,  stories,  books,  science-­‐based  inquiries,  worksheets,  physical  activities,  individual  or  partner  or  group-­‐working  conditions,  various  games  and  discussions.        Skills  • Count  0-­‐100  by  ones,  tens,  and  skip  counting  • Writing  and  reading  number  sentences  • Recognize  numerals  0-­‐100  and  write  numbers  to  100  • Understands  the  concept  of  number  (recognize  "how  many"  in  a  set)  • Use  calendar  math,  sorting,  estimation,  prediction,  collecting  data,  telling  time  and  monetary  value  • Demonstrates  accurate  one-­‐to-­‐one  correspondence  to  20  • Computes  one  digit  addition  and  subtraction  equations  and  word  problems  with  manipulatives,  

pictures  and/or  numbers  • Using  mathematical  tools  with  standard  units  of  measure  including  a  calculator,  ruler,  and  scale  • Identify  and  understand  the  place  value  for  ones  and  tens                • Identify  the  pattern  unit  (what  repeats  in  the  pattern)              • Reading  and  creating  picture  and  bar  graphs  • Use  mathematical  language  associated  with  graphs  (e.g.  most,  least,  equal)  • Sort  and  classify  objects  by  attributes                                                                      • Identify  and  reproduces  basic  2d  and  3d  shapes  • Recognize  relationships  between  shapes,  similarities  and  differences      

 

Materials  Unifix  cubes,  hexilinks,  geoblocks,  pattern  blocks,  geoboards,  tiles,  beads  Counting  materials  Board  games,  playing  cards,  dice,  attribute  blocks  and  puzzles  Hundreds  chart  Number  line  Math  trade  books  Calendar    Textbooks/Curriculum:  Trailblazers  curriculum  Handwriting  Without  Tears  (Numbers)  

Assessments:  Unit  assessments  Observational  assessments  Homework  

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 Experiential  Education  Experiential  Learning  at  Cascades  Academy  is  implemented  at  all  levels  of  curriculum  (PK  -­‐  12)  and  revolves  around  the  central  idea  of  learning  by  doing.    The  central  tenets  of  this  learning  methodology  include  engaging  students  in  a  cycle  of  (1)  activity  /  experience,  (2)  reflection,  (3)  conceptualization  and  (4)  application  of  and  on  our  desired  learning  outcomes.    In  the  Lower  School,  students  are  involved  in  experiential  education  both  inside  and  outside  the  classroom.    Experiential  learning  is  manifested  through  a  variety  of  programs:  Storyline  (K-­‐5)  and  Robotics  (4-­‐5),  Outdoor  Education  (PK-­‐5),  Traveling  School  (3-­‐5),  Service  Learning  (K-­‐5),  and  Enrichment  Classes  (PK-­‐5).        Storyline  (K-­‐5)  One  of  the  most  popular  programs  in  the  lower  school  is  Storyline,  a  teaching  method  developed  in  Scotland  that  integrates  a  theme  across  curriculum  subjects.    During  Storyline,  students  become  characters  related  to  a  theme  and  are  asked  to  respond  to  various  incidents  using  teamwork,  problem  solving,  and  critical  thinking  skills.    In  past  Storylines,  our  Lower  School  Commons  area  has  come  to  life  as  a  rainforest,  medieval  castle,  research  ship,  art  museum,  and  invention  factory.    Students  are  active  participants  in  the  Storyline  via  their  characters;  they  are  engaged  and  invested  in  the  learning  process.        Throughout  the  Storyline,  kindergarten  and  first  grade  students  work  individually  and  cooperatively  on  various  projects.    These  projects  may  include  research,  construction,  art,  science  experiments,  brainstorming,  inventions,  or  musical  performances.    Storyline  topics  culminate  with  a  showcase  of  the  student’s  knowledge  through  performances,  topic  books,  service  learning  projects,  or  celebratory  activities.    In  addition,  each  teacher  brings  the  Storyline  theme  into  the  classroom  by  integrating  related  topics  throughout  other  curriculum  areas.    For  example,  in  a  Venice  Storyline,  children  learned  about  famous  Italian  composers,  poetry,  musical  elements,  movement,  and  art  history  all  combined  with  reading,  writing,  art,  and  cooperative  learning.  In  the  most  recent  Native  People  Storyline,  students  learned  about  the  native  tribes  of  North  America  with  an  emphasis  on  moral  character  and  the  sacred  quality  of  nature.      Outdoor  Education  (PK-­‐5)  Experiential  learning  is  showcased  through  the  Outdoor  Education  program  and  is  facilitated  around  teaching  responsibility  for  (1)  self,  (2)  others,  and  the  (3)  environment,  through  participation  in  a  host  of  outdoor  activities  and  experiences.    Outdoor  activities  take  place  in  a  variety  of  outdoor  settings  and  occur  regularly  in  the  context  of  standard  Field  Trips  (PK-­‐5),  the  Outdoor  School  Program  (K-­‐5),  the  Winter  Ski/Snowboard  Program  (K-­‐5),  and  the  Traveling  School  Program  (3-­‐5).      Field  trips  (PK-­‐5)  Field  trips  afford  Lower  School  students  with  real  world  hands-­‐on  learning  experiences.    Field  trips  are  designed  to  enhance  classroom  curriculum,  build  culture,  and  expose  students  to  new  experiences.  Examples  of  field  trips  include:  museums,  local  businesses,  plays,  musicals,  art  shows,  and  more.  

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 Outdoor  School  (PK-­‐5)  The  Lower  School  "Outdoor  School"  occurs  three  times  a  year:  one  day  in  the  fall,  one  day  in  the  winter,  and  a  final  three-­‐day  outing  in  the  spring.    Outdoor  School  takes  place  at  local  parks  and  focuses  on  a  central  theme.    Students  participate  in  variety  of  experiential  activities  ranging  from  academic  to  artistic  that  connect  students  to  self,  others,  and  the  environment.  

Winter  Ski/Snowboard  Program    (K-­‐5)  Students  take  all-­‐day  ski  or  snowboard  lessons  at  Mt.  Bachelor.    Students  are  grouped  by  ability  and  age  and  are  assigned  an  instructor  that  will  work  with  them  throughout  the  five  weeks.    First  timers  are  riding  the  lifts  by  the  end  of  the  session!    The  program  not  only  teaches  ski  and  snowboard  skills,  but  it  also  affords  students  the  opportunity  to  challenge  themselves,  gain  confidence,  be  adventurous,  and  take  responsibility  for  themselves  and  others  in  a  winter  environment.    

 Service  Learning  (K-­‐5)  Through  Service  Learning  opportunities,  students  learn  the  value  of  giving  back  to  the  greater  community.    Lower  School  students  mainly  participate  in  Service  Learning  as  a  part  of  the  Storyline  theme.    In  the  past,  students  have  become  stewards  of  Tumalo  State  Park,  as  well  as,  our  own  campus  through  weed  pulling  and  native  planting  projects.    Lower  School  students  also  visit  senior  friends  at  Fox  Hollow  and  organize  food  and  clothing  drives.        Enrichment  Classes  (PK-­‐5)  Cascades  Academy  believes  that  offering  Enrichment  Classes,  which  include  fine  arts,  foreign  language,  and  physical  education,  is  an  important  way  to  promote  rich  and  diverse  learning  experiences  and  to  enhance  whole  child  development.      Studio  Art,  Music,  Spanish,  and  P.E.   Twice  a  week  for  45  minutes  Science   Once  a  week  for  45  minutes  FLIGHT/Lower  School  Community  Time   Once  a  week  for  45  minutes  Mindfulness   Once  a  week  for  30  minutes  Storyline  and  Robotics   Approximately  3  hours  a  week      Studio  Art  Art  in  the  first  grade  continues  to  build  on  the  seven  elements  of  art:  line,  shape,  color,  value,  form,  texture,  and  space.    Students  delve  deeper  into  each  element  and  are  also  introduced  to  more  principles  of  design  that  help  to  create  balance,  unity,  emphasis,  and  contrast.    Art  projects  have  a  historical  and/or  cultural  context  and  help  students  begin  to  critique  and  discuss  works  of  art  using  the  appropriate  art  vocabulary.    At  least  one  art  project  connects  to  the  Storyline  theme  of  the  semester.    Students  experience  color  theory  via  the  color  wheel,  as  well  as  with  concepts  such  as  tint,  shade,  and  tone.    Positive  and  negative  space  and  contrast  are  elements  that  are  highly  emphasized  and  demonstrated  in  both  abstract  and  representational  pieces.    Students  also  have  many  

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opportunities  to  practice  and  learn  about  observational  drawing  from  figures,  still  life,  and  nature.    Students  are  challenged  to  explore  their  creative  potential  in  the  beginning  stages  of  thumbnail  sketching  and  are  introduced  to  tools  that  aid  in  the  creative  process.      Music    In  first  grade,  the  understanding  of  musical  concepts  such  as  beat,  volume,  speed  and  pitch  are  reviewed  and  given  more  formal  names  in  music  class.    These  concepts  are  practiced  using  voice,  percussion  instruments,  and  barred  instruments.    Students  continue  to  work  on  listening  skills  and  good  citizenship  while  playing  instruments,  learning  simple  dances,  and  singing  in  a  group  and  as  soloists.    In  addition  to  expanding  musical  knowledge,  the  first  grade  class  begins  learning  about  major  composers  and  works  of  the  classical  music  tradition.      Spanish  Through  lessons,  games,  songs,  stories,  and  art  projects,  students  are  engaged  and  having  fun  while  learning  the  Spanish  language.    Students  learn  various  ways  to  greet  one  another,  count,  say  the  days  of  the  week  and  months  of  the  year.    They  learn  to  describe  the  seasons,  weather,  parts  of  the  body,  colors,  and  shapes.    Students  identify  family  members,  and  learn  to  use  phrases  associated  with  bedtime  and  waking  up,  and  where  something  or  someone  is  located.    They  also  learn  how  to  say  where  things  are,  what  they  like  and  don’t  like,  and  to  describe  something  by  its  size,  good  or  bad,  and  clean  or  dirty.    Science  First  graders  are  able  to  draw  on  their  experiences  in  class  and  outside  the  classroom  to  make  conclusions  to  explain  how  the  world  works.    They  are  empowered  by  what  they  understand  and  are  able  to  discover  more  by  observing  and  connecting  past  information  to  present  experiences.    They  explore  nature,  weather,  insects,  gardens,  animal  behavior,  and  more,  depending  on  the  Storyline  topic.  Physical  Education  In  P.E.  class,  students  learn  a  variety  of  games  and  activities  to  encourage  effective  movement  skills  (running,  hopping,  skipping),  space  awareness  (personal,  directional,  pathways),  as  well  as,  specific  manipulative  skills  (catching,  bouncing,  dribbling).    Through  interactive  lessons  and  team  building  activities,  students  also  work  on  cooperation  with  others  and  what  it  means  to  be  a  team  player.  Students  are  asked  to  try  each  new  activity  with  a  positive  attitude  and  to  be  kind  to  others  while  doing  so.    The  class  takes  place  in  the  gym  as  well  as  outside  on  the  field.      

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Social  Emotional  Learning  (K-­‐5)  The  social  emotional  program  at  Cascades  Academy  is  a  Lower  School  multi-­‐grade  program.    This  program  consists  of  introducing  the  students  to  and  exploring  with  them  positive  character  traits  and  values.    The  community  vision  is  to  impart  a  common  culture  and  language  so  that  the  students  can  feel  empowered  and  safe.  The  acronym  that  is  used  in  this  program  is  F.L.I.G.H.T.    F.L.I.G.H.T.      F  =  Friendship  L  =  Leadership  I  =  Imagination  G  =  Gratitude  H  =  Honesty  T  =  Tolerance        Within  each  of  these  traits,  students  are  encouraged  to  take  ‘flight’  and  investigate,  determine  and  experience  for  themselves  and  with  their  small  groups  the  trait  through  various  activities.    The  5th  graders  are  considered  the  FLIGHT  Captains  and  the  4th  graders  are  the  ‘captains  in  training’,  co-­‐captains.    Each  captain  has  a  mixed  grade  group  between  Kindergarten  and  4th  grade.    The  intention  of  this  program  is  to  enhance  the  Lower  School  community  across  all  grade  levels.    For  each  trait,  students  explore  the  meaning  and  the  action  behind  possessing  the  trait  for  themselves.      Mindfulness  Mindfulness  means  paying  attention  to  the  here  and  now  and  being  in  the  present  moment,  with  awareness  to  breath  and  body.    During  the  Mindfulness  Program,  students  learn  specific  methods  of  attending  to  their  breath,  body,  thoughts,  feelings,  and  the  world  around  them.    Students  learn  to  know  and  navigate  their  “inner  landscape”  by  allowing  for  observation  of  thoughts  and  feelings,  without  being  derailed  by  them.      Technology  First  grade  students  will  review  the  responsible  use  of  the  computers  and  build  on  their  knowledge  of  the  appropriate  terminology.    They  will  learn  to  print,  copy  and  use  the  navigation  keys,  scroll  bars  and  find  appropriate  applications  and  software  directed  by  the  teacher.  Assessment  Once  a  year,  Cascades  Academy  administers  ERB’s  Comprehensive  Testing  Program  (CTP)  standardized  assessments.    The  assessments  provide  instructionally  useful  information  about  individual  student  growth  and  performance  in  key  areas  of  school  achievement:  reading,  vocabulary,  math,  writing,  as  well  as,  verbal  and  quantitative  reasoning  and  auditory  comprehension.    The  purpose  of  standardized  testing  is  not  “high  stakes,”  but  rather  is  used  to  assess  student  growth  and  performance  in  order  to  inform  best  practice  for  classroom  instruction.