Grade Level Objectives

Mount Prospect School District 57

LANGUAGE ARTS

READING

A first grade student:

• Knows consonant sounds
• Knows long and short vowel sounds
• Reads grade level sight words
• Reads by moving from left to right on a printed page
• Uses a variety of strategies to identify unknown words
• Uses picture clues to develop meaning
• Figures out unknown words using the sentence meaning
• Searches for little words within big words
• Looks at the first letter and listens to how it sounds
• Back tracks and reads again
• Sounds out words
• Follows oral directions
• Reads with expression
• Pays attention to punctuation marks (. ? !)
• Knows story elements (characters, setting, problem, solution)
• Previews, predicts, and retells literature
• Recognizes different types of literature (non-fiction, fiction, poetry)
• Demonstrates an understanding of materials read
• Chooses reading materials at an independent reading level

Resources:

Story Box and The Wright Skills, The Wright Group, http://www.wrightgroup.com/

WRITING/GRAMMAR

A first grade student:

• Speaks clearly using correct vocabulary and grammar
• Writes simple words, sentences, and stories
• Creates a story using pictures and words
• Understands and uses punctuation in writing (. ? !)
• Uses capitalization correctly
• Takes turns speaking and listening to others without interruption

Resources:

http://www.eduplace.com

SPELLING

A first grade student:

• Uses spelling patterns to sort words
• Uses developmental spelling in daily work while moving towards conventional spelling
• Spells correctly on weekly tests

HANDWRITING

A first grade student:

• Forms letters and numbers neatly

Resources:

Palmer Method Handwriting, Macmillan, 1987

MATH

A first grade student:

• Reads and sequences days of the week/months
• Estimates the number of objects in a set
• Counts forward varying the beginning number by 2's, 5's, and 10's, up to 100
• Writes, identifies, and reads numerals to 100
• Reads corresponding number words 0-10
• Identifies the number(s) between two given numbers up to 100
• Identifies a number that comes before and after a given number up to 100
• Compares and orders numbers less than 100
• Uses manipulatives to solve problems
• Knows the addition facts to 10
• Knows the subtraction facts to 10
• Writes and solves simple addition and subtraction problems
• Recognizes, names, and reproduces pattern block shapes
• Recognizes and uses the pattern block shapes in a picture
• Identifies the next sequence in a pattern
• Identifies, reproduces, and creates patterns of shape, color, and size
• Understands basic concepts of time, money, and measurement
• Uses problem solving strategies

Resources:

Everyday Mathematics, Everyday Learning Corporation, 2002, http://www.wrightgroup.com/

SCIENCE

A first grade student explores science through the following units:

• Life Science: Kinds of Living Things (theme: systems)

• Similarities and differences between plants and animals
• Classify plants and animals according to one characteristic
• Life cycles of plants and animals

• Earth Science: Weather and Seasons (theme: constancy and change)

• Factors that affect weather
• Seasonal weather changes
• How people, plants and animals respond to weather conditions

• Physical Science: Magnets (theme: systems, scale)

• Properties of magnets
• Magnetic force
• Temporary magnets
• Magnets and compasses

Resources:

Discovery Works, Houghton Mifflin, 2003, http://www.eduplace.com/

SOCIAL SCIENCE

The first grade social science curriculum focuses on the concept of families in neighborhoods;

• Exploring world neighborhoods
• Beginning to develop global perspectives
• Changing families and neighborhoods
• Family needs and wants
• Schools as communities
• Working in groups
• Maps and physical features
• Schools long ago

Resources:

Social Studies Alive! My School and Family, Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2005, http://historyalive.com/curriculum/curriculumSSA.asp

TECHNOLOGY

The first grade child has the opportunity to experience technology in the classroom and in the lab. Children use selected software that is integrated with the curriculum.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

A first grade student:

• Explores spatial awareness through finding open and closed space, tagging, and dodging activities
• Recognizes and demonstrates left and right orientation
• Demonstrates basic locomotor skills (skip, gallop, jump) through continued practice, organized games, and dance
• Explores basic ball handling skills (throw, roll, shoot, catch, kick, dribble - hands and feet) through continued practice, organized games, and activities
• Explores body relationships (side by side, face to face, right-left) through rhythm and dance activities
• Explores basic skills to manipulate and control objects through the use of bats, balls, bean bags, hoops, ropes, parachutes, paddles, and scooters
• Has opportunities to learn the fundamental skills of sharing, taking turns, and working independently of others
• Demonstrates educational gymnastic skills through the practice of tumbling, balance, basic stunts, and movement sequencing
• Participates in an environment that promotes physical fitness, maximum effort, enjoyment, and sportsmanship
• Follows basic rules and strategies to enhance participation and safety

MUSIC

A first grade student:

• Demonstrates the ability to listen, sing, move, and play music in duple and triple meter
• Identifies strong, weak, steady, and silent beats
• Identifies and performs rhythmic and melodic patterns
• Reads pitches from a two line staff
• Reads rhythms using quarter and eighth notes, rests, and half notes
• Identifies families of instruments (wood, metal, skin, aerophones, electronic)
• Identifies and uses appropriate dynamics in music: p, f, mp, mf
• Recognizes basic forms in music (chorus/verse, call and response, cumulative)
• Explores spatial awareness using movement in personal space, shared space, and planned and free movement
• Identifies and creates patterns in movement
• Demonstrates pattern recognition while participating in circle and line dances
• Sings with good posture in a clear, relaxed head voice
• Explores folk music and dances from many lands
• Demonstrates performance skills by singing, playing, and dancing together in a concert setting

Resources:

Share the Music, McGraw-Hill, 1998, http://www.mhschool.com/

ART

A first grade student:

• Recognizes line, shape, and color in a composition
• Uses repetition of line and shape to form patterns in a composition
• Develops basic skills of drawing, painting, and construction

• Uses art tools in a safe and responsible manner when painting, drawing, and constructing

CHARACTER COUNTS in District 57

http://www.charactercounts.org
A person of character is trustworthy, treats people with respect, is responsible, is fair, is caring, and is a good citizen.