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First Grade Theme: Relationships
- Conflict and Harmony
- Respect and Appreciation
August- October
Family Relationships/Friendships/Character/Heroes
- Fairy Tales (Multicultural comparison)
- Famous athletes and their lives: Basketball, Track, Baseball, Soccer, Golf
Key Questions:
- How do people impact my life?
- How do I respect differences?
- How do I solve conflict?
- What virtues do heroes (both fantasy and real) possess?
- How does strong character make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others?
November/December
The Artist in Me: Picasso, Seurat, Renoir, Matisse, Degas
Key Questions:
- How does artist perspective affect my perspective?
- What can I learn from different perspectives?
- What are my gifts, talents, and ideas?
- How do I show appreciation for differences?
January/February
The Author in Me: Kevin Henkes, Lester, Charlotte Zolotow, Judith Viorst, Ezra Jack Keats, Robert McCloskey (choose 4)
Key Questions:
- How does author style affect my emotions?
- How does author style affect my writing?
- What are some of the techniques that authors use to make their writing more interesting and appealing to readers?
- How do illustrations help to make stories more interesting?
March/April
Famous Americans: Neil Armstrong, Wright Brothers, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr.,
With an emphasis on music: Classical, Reggae, Country, Blues, etc.
Key Questions:
- How do famous people impact my life?
- How am I alike and different from others?
- How can people come together and make the world a better place?
- How do art and music affect the world in which we live?
April /May
Endangered Species:
Grasslands, Wetlands, Jungle, Great Barrier Reef (choose 1)
Key Questions:
- How do animals become endangered?
- What are my responsibilities to my world?
- How and with whom do I share my ideas, thoughts, and opinions in an attempt to help our world?
- How do the arts teach us about our world?
- How do I impact the ecosystem?
- How do animals and plants survive in the environment?
A Typical Day
| 8:30 - 8:45 |
Arrival and Welcome |
| 8:45 - 9:00 |
Group Time
(Calendar, weather, Pledge of Allegiance, poetry reciting, math concepts, class happenings, important events, mini lessons (skills such as phonics, word chunks, etc.) |
| 9:00 - 10:15 |
Literacy Block - "Independent Time"
Six main activities: Reading Conferences, Writing Conferences, Making Words (phonics/spelling), Independent Reading, Independent Writing, Individualized Spelling. Although we focus on a lot of skill work during this time, the integrated unit of the month is also evident during this block of time as students often choose to read and write about the theme as it is typically of high interest to them. *Morning snack takes place during this time. |
| 10:15 - 10:45 |
Group Time
(Dance/movement, singing, story, discussion of thematic unit and explanation/review of center activities) |
| 10:45 - 12:00 |
Centers (Thematic Unit) & Small Group/Individual
(One required center and then choice centers) Additional activities that take place during choice center time include: HWT (Handwriting Without Tears), fine-motor work, visual memory/discrimination/sequencing work, knitting, embroidery/stitch work, chess, manipulatives, puzzles, games, etc. |
| 12:00 - 12:30 |
Bathroom, wash hands, Lunch |
| 12:30 - 1:15 |
Whole group mini lesson (math) |
| 1:15 - 1:30 |
Chapter Book Read Aloud |
| 1:30 - 2:00 |
Outside Play |
| 2:00 - 2:20 |
Standing Ovation, Class Pledge, Reflection Time, Story |
| 2:20 - 2:30 |
Dismissal |
The following teachers come to work with the students during the week:
Art Teacher
Music Teacher
PE Teacher
Spanish Teacher (twice per week) |
