First Grade Curriculum (Orange Room)
Building a sense of community in which each child recognizes and realizes the importance of compassion, communication, respect, cooperation and problem solving is central to the Orange Room class structure. The children have a variety of opportunities to direct their learning based on their natural curiosity and interests. The Orange Room curriculum is both theme and literature-based incorporating the four core content areas: Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. Artistic expression using a variety of media is integrated into all of the four core content areas. The children are immersed into the themes with opportunities to transform the appearance of the classroom based on the theme. Children are encouraged to become "experts" and teach each other and other classes the thematic concepts covered in class. Diverse approaches are used in the presentation of content in order to incorporate the children's individual learning styles. Activities are hands-on and experiential. The children are encouraged to move at a pace that is right for them as individual learners. Developing a positive learning environment that supports and encourages a love of learning is an important goal in the Orange Room.
Community Circle
The Orange Roomers meet on the carpet after Math each day to go over the calendar, count the days of school, observe and record the weather, go over the schedule for the day, and discuss the morning question. Many calendar concepts are covered using both the English and Spanish languages. Children count in Spanish to find out what day it is. The date (day of the week, number, and month) are repeated in both languages. Spanish is also used when discussing types of weather. The calendar activities incorporate the following concepts: number recognition, writing the date, recognizing and predicting patterns, understanding place value, graphing, and reading a thermometer.The children read the schedule as a class and learn to recognize the words relating the daily events. The Morning Question provides the children with the opportunity to express and articulate their feelings in a non-threatening environment. Most Morning Questions relate to the theme and encourage discussion to enrich the children's understanding of thematic concepts. Community Circle is designed to set a positive tone for the day.
Math
BNS utilizes the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project curriculum, Everyday Mathematics in addition to other math resources. The curriculum provides opportunities for problem solving and concept application through the use of games and hands-on routines. Everyday Mathematics is a spiraling curriculum in that it introduces new concepts and revisits these concepts at different points throughout the year and subsequent years. Other resources are used to supplement Everyday Mathematics based on the need for further review or extension of the concepts covered in the curriculum. The following is a list of the math concepts that will be covered during the year in the First Grade Everyday Mathematics curriculum:
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*The students are divided into Math groups based on their end-of-the-year Kindergarten evaluations. Groups will move through the concepts in the Everyday Mathematics curriculum at a pace that meets the needs of the students in each group. We will play math games the first Thursday of each month to reinforce concepts covered in math.
Theme Book
The Orange Room uses a literature-based approach to shared reading. Each week a different book, based on the theme, is used to reinforce a variety of Language Arts skills and concepts. The teacher reads the theme book each day. Mini-lessons, following or preceding the reading, will incorporate the following concepts:
- Identifying the main idea of the story
- Making predictions before and during the reading
- Retelling story events using the structure of beginning, middle, and end
- Summarizing orally what was read
- Recognizing the difference between fiction and non-fiction texts
- Identifying and describing the setting of the story
- Answering who, what, when, where, why, and how questions
- Creating a timeline of events
On the third day of each week, the children illustrate and practice reading a "Little Book." This book is either a scaled down version of the theme book or the same text of the theme book. The children read and draw their own illustrations to match the text on each page. At the end of the week, the children meet in small reading groups to practice reading their "Little Books" out loud. The purpose of the "Little Books" is to connect reading comprehension skills with decoding strategies in order to build confidence in reading as well as develop reading skills.
On the fourth day of each week, the children take turns retelling the story, providing an assessment of the children's reading comprehension skills. On the fifth day of each week, the children choose parts and act out the story. This approach allows children to "jump into the book" and develop an appreciation of literature.
Handwriting
Once a week the children will receive specific handwriting instruction using the Zaner-Bloser First Grade Handwriting Book. Children will practice writing using upper and lower-case letters appropriately. Handwriting practice is also incorporated into Reading and Writing Workshop.
Reading and Writing Workshop
Several approaches to literacy are incorporated into Reading and Writing Workshop. Lessons based on the literacy objectives are presented at the beginning of Reading and Writing Workshop. Children will exhibit their understanding of the concepts presented in a variety of styles, including, but not limited to, creating and publishing class books, writing stories, composing poems, correcting grammar and punctuation in sentences, handwriting practice, expressing ourselves through words and illustrations. Children have the opportunity to write about topics that are meaningful to them in journals. After journals or when a child completes the literacy task following a lesson, each child chooses a book, based on their comfort level, to read independently. The children are encouraged to use the "Five Finger Rule" when choosing a book. If they cannot read more than five words on the first page, they are encouraged to choose a different book that better fits their reading abilities. The children read their books silently, with teacher support if needed, and respond to questions posed by the teacher in their Reading Response Notebooks. Each child corresponds with the teacher in the notebooks. The questions posed by the teacher are designed to reinforce and assess the child's reading comprehension skills.
Twice a week, the children are divided into small groups for Literacy Centers. The children rotate between six centers each week. The six centers include a listening center, a guided reading center, two literacy game centers, journal writing center, and a reading response center. In the listening center, the children listen and read along to books on tape. In the guided reading center, the children read books at their reading level aloud with the teacher. In the literacy game centers, the children play games practicing a specific literacy skill or objective. In the journal writing center, the children practice expressing their thoughts and ideas in writing as well as practice their penmanship. In the reading response center, the children choose a book at their reading level to read. After reading the book, children respond to questions posed by the teacher in their Reading Response notebooks or complete activities designed to assess their reading comprehension skills of the books they read.
The following Literacy Objectives are covered in the Orange Room:
- Applying knowledge of how print is organized and read
- Identifying isolated words and sentences in text
- Using phonetic strategies to self-correct reading when possible
- Recognize and read appropriate high-frequency words
- Accurately read common, irregularly spelled words
- Use beginning and ending consonants to decode one-syllable words
- Use two-letter consonant blends and digraphs to decode unfamiliar words
- Use word patterns to decode unfamiliar words
- Use end punctuation to guide oral reading
- Use pictures and context to assist meaning-making
- Self-check for meaning during reading
- Read leveled text with fluency and comprehension
- Answer who, what, when, where, and why questions after reading independently
- Recognize and decode compound words
- Use appropriate spacing of words and sentences
- Write legibly in manuscript on all assignments
- Generate pre-writing idea or plan
- Focus on one idea or topic when writing independently
- Capitalize the beginning of each sentence
- Capitalize proper nouns
- Use inventive spelling and phonics to spell independently
- Use beginning and end consonants to spell unfamiliar words
- Use vowels (a,e,i,o,u and sometimes y) in each word when writing
- Recognize long and short vowel sounds when reading
- Recognize long and short vowel sounds when writing
- Use two-letter consonant blends and digraphs to spell unfamiliar words
- Represent each syllable of a word when writing independently
- Spell common, high-frequency words accurately
- Use complete sentence structure
- Punctuate using basic end punctuation (period, question, and exclamation point)
- Alphabetize words to the second letter
- Use descriptive vocabulary in writing
- Correctly spell assigned words on a weekly assessment
- Use a dictionary to find unfamiliar words, with assistance if necessary
Children are encouraged to use inventive spelling when writing independently. Formal Spelling instruction is taught with the Zaner-Bloser book, Spelling Connections. The students will have a weekly spelling list of words from the book and words related to the theme. A Spelling assessment is given each Friday.
Read Aloud
Each day, after lunch, the teacher reads to the children from a chapter book. Children are encouraged to relax, listen, and create illustrations in their minds.
Theme Activities
The themes for the year are based on the children's interests and the Virginia Standards of Learning for Social Studies and Science for First Grade. The themes vary in length. Some themes may be covered in one week and others may be covered in three weeks. The length of the themes is based on the children's curiosity and enthusiasm for the subject matter. Theme activities is a time in which the class engages in discussions, conducts experiments, and participates in hands-on related activities related to the theme. The loft in the Orange Room is often a focal point for different themes. As the year progresses, the loft will transform into different things related to many of the themes. The children have an opportunity to explore and become immersed in the themes. They also assume the role of teacher and showcase their knowledge of the themes while giving tours and educating students from other classes and parents.
This year the following themes will be covered in the Orange Room:
| Month | Theme |
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| August | Free to Be You and Me (Celebrating Individuality) |
| September | Communities Maps and Mapmaking |
| October | Seasonal Changes (Fall/Harvest) Geology Bats |
| November | Native American Cultures Matter |
| December | Space |
| January | Polar Regions Machines and Motion |
| February | Exploring the Ocean Important Americans in History |
| March | Scientific Explorations (preparation for BNS Science Fair) What We Buy-Our Economy Rain Forest |
| April | Pollution Reduce, Reuse, Recycle |
| May | Plants Insects |
Star-of-the-Week
For the first 15 weeks of the school year, each child has the opportunity to be the Star-of-the-Week. Three days a week, for 15 minutes following Read Aloud, the Star-of-the-Week shares something about him or herself. This exercise helps children gain valuable experience speaking in front of a group. The class community also gains an appreciation of the individuality and uniqueness of each child.
Resident Expert
During the second half of the year, each child has the opportunity to be a Resident Expert. Each child chooses a Social Studies or Science subject he or she is interested in learning more about (preferably a subject that will not be covered in the Orange Room Themes). With family support, the child conducts an in-depth study of the subject and prepares three 15 minute presentations or activities related to the chosen subject. The child becomes the "expert" and teaches the class.
Additional Subjects
Orange Roomers will receive regular instruction in Art, Physical Education, Spanish, and Music. Teachers specializing in these subjects provide the curriculum and instruction.
Assessment
Assessment is both formal and informal. Formal assessments to assess progress are used in Reading, Math, and Spelling. The Qualitative Reading Inventory is used to assess the reading level of each student at the beginning and end of the year. The assessments used in Math are provided by both the teacher and the Everyday Mathematics curriculum. Spelling assessments are given on a weekly basis. Informal assessments include anecdotal records, teacher observations, as well as the assessment of skills and participation in small and large group discussions and activities. Samples of the children's work across content areas are put in portfolios to provide evidence of progress made throughout the year. Assessment of Science and Social Studies concepts is gauged through project work and participation. Parent-teacher conferences are held three times during the school year to discuss the children's progress. A formal written evaluation is prepared at the end of the year and reviewed by the teacher and parents.