First Grade Curriculum
Throughout the school year, your child will be introduced to the
following concepts in each subject area.
Reading
I use the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s 2012 Journey’s reading series. The students will have the
opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the following concepts:
1. Phonetic Awareness ~ to identify and apply the following concepts: * beginning sound,
*blend phonemes, *Final Sound, *Segment Phonemes, *Middle sounds• Blend and
Segment Phonemes• Substitute Phonemes: Initial• Substitute Vowel Sounds• Delete a
Phoneme
2. Phonics ~ to identify and apply the following concepts: • Short a • Consonants n, d •
Consonants p, f • Short i• Consonants r, h /z/s • Consonants b, g • Phonogram –it •
Short o • Consonants l, x • Inflection – s • Short e • Consonants y, w • Consonant k, v, j •
Phonogram –et • Short u• Consonants qu, z • Review Short a• Double Final *
Consonants and ck • Phonogram -ack • Review Short i• Clusters with r • Phonogram
–ip • Review Short o • Clusters with l • Phonogram -ock • Review Short e • 2- and 3Letter Clusters with s • Review Short u • Final Clusters • Phonogram –ump • Digraph th
• Base Words and -s, -es, -ed, -ing • Digraphs ch, tch • Possessives ‘s • Phonogram –
atch • Possessives ‘s • Digraphs sh, wh, ph • Contractions with ‘s, n’t
3. Fluency ~ to identify and apply the following concepts: * Accuracy: Word
Recognition, *Accuracy: Words Connected in Text, *Phrasing: Punctuation
(Period), *Intonation, *Accuracy: Self-Correct, *Expression, *Rate,* Phrasing: Natural
Pauses, *Stress, *Phrasing: Attention to Punctuation (Comma),* Phrasing: Attention to
Punctuation (Question Mark), *Accuracy: Connected Text, *Accuracy: Self-Correct, and
*Rate: Adjust Reading Rate to Purpose.
4. Concepts of Print ~* Print Represents Speech Introductions and Names,* Words and
Sentences *Capitalization and Punctuation, *Photo Captions (Names of Countries),
*Print Represents Speech (Comments About Text), *Punctuation Marks and Intonation,
*Directionality, *Capitalization, *Match Oral Words to Printed Words,* Chapter Titles
and Headings
5. Comprehension Skills~ *Cause and Effect, *Visualize,* Dialogue, *Understanding
Characters, Summarize, Infer/Predict, Story Structure, Analyze/Evaluate, Text and
Graphic Features, Monitor/Clarify, Compare and Contrast, Summarize, Understanding
Characters, Question, Sequence of Events, Monitor/Clarify, Conclusions,
Analyze/Evaluate
6. Author’s Craft ~ Onomatopoeia. Dialogue, Word Choice: Emphasis, Word Choice:
Comparisons, Word Choice: Descriptive Details, Word Choice: Signal Words, Descriptive
Details (Exact Adjectives, Verbs), Word Choice: Names of Animals, Body Parts,
Repetition, Patterned Text, Word Choice: Descriptive Details, Predictable Text, Dialogue.
7. Listening, Speaking and Viewing ~ Listen for Enjoyment, Discussion: Raise Your hand,
Discussion: Take Turns Talking, Conversation: Take Turns, Conversation: Listen and
Respond, Follow Directions, Use Nonverbal Cues, Tell About a Personal Experience,
Participate in Songs and Chants, Retell a Story, Adapt Spoken Language: Volume, Adapt
Spoken Language: Rate, Listen to Compare and Contrast, Listen for Story Details, Make
Introductions, Tell a Story, Listen for Information, Give Directions, Gather Information,
Use Description Language, Monitor Understanding and Ask Questions, Participate in a
Group Discussion, Giving Important Information, Make Connections, Main Idea and
Details, Describe Visuals, Listen Critically, Listen to Summarize.
8. Vocabulary Strategies ~ Classification/Categorization of Words: Actions, Context Clues,
Multiple-Meaning Words, Alphabetical Order, Antonyms, Using a Glossary,
Classification/ Categorization of Words: Time, Antonyms, Synonyms
Classification/Categorization of Words: Colors, Homophones, Classification/
Categorization of Words: Numbers, Suffix -er, -est, Suffix -y, -ful,
Classification/Categorization of Words: Transportation, Multiple-Meaning Words,
Synonyms, Compound Words, Prefix re-, Using a Dictionary Entry,
Classification/Categorization of Words: Family, Synonyms with Introduction to
Thesaurus, Figurative Language (Idioms), Classification/ Categorization of Words:
Emotions, Homographs
9. Grammar~ Words that name people, animals.places , and things, Action verbs~words
that show action, Adjectives that identify size, shape, numbers and color, Complete
Sentences, Sentence Parts, Statements, Singular and Plural Nouns, Questions,
Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases, Proper Nouns, Subjects and Verbs, Verbs and
Time, The Verb be, Kinds of Sentences, Names of Months, Days, Holidays, Commas in
Dates, Future Tense, Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases, ubject Pronouns, The
Pronoun I, Possessive Pronouns, Pronouns and Verbs, Contractions, Exclamations, Kinds
of Sentences, Adjectives, Adverbs
10. Writing~ Journey’s follows six-trait writing.Writing using : labels, captions, sentences,
class story, Write to describe- poetry, thankyou note, sentences, discription, Write to
inform, friendly letter, personal narrative, write a paragraph, create a story
English
I use Shurley Method as an additional supplement to the Journey’s Reading program to teach
English concepts.
1. To identify and apply nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, article adjectives, preposition,
and article of proposition, pronouns, subject pronoun, and possessive pronoun
2. To identify and apply the following reference skills: table of contents, index, title page,
glossary
3. To identify and apply the following dictionary skills: alphabetical order, guide words, and
entry words
4. To use and apply the following library skills: organization, card catalog, fiction,
nonfiction, biography, autobiography, dictionary, almanac, and encyclopedia
5. To use and apply the following vocabulary skills: synonyms, antonyms, homonyms,
vocabulary words, prefixes, and suffixes
Phonics
I use Saxon Phonics as an additional supplement to the Journey’s Reading Program to develop a
deeper understanding of phonetics and decoding words.
1. Phonemic Awareness ~ Awareness to think about, and manipulate the sounds in words
* Developing knowledge of alphabetic principles
* Understanding that letters and sounds are related
• Recognizing patterns and relationships between letters and sounds
• Changing the beginning, middle, and ending sounds to produce new words
• Recognizing rhyming patterns
• Counting the syllables in a word
2. Decoding ~ Ability to translate a word from print to speech, usually by using
knowledge of sound-symbol relationships
• Recognizing consonant letters and associated sounds
• Differentiating vowels from consonants
• Recognizing short vowel patterns such as: -at, -ed, -it, -ot, -un
• Recognizing long vowel patterns: ay, e (me), y (my), and o (go)
• Recognizing plurals: s
• Recognizing and using knowledge of sound-letter relationships to decode
regular one-syllable words
• Self-monitoring by using one or more decoding strategies (beginning letters,
rimes, pronunciation, length of word, ending letters)
• Recognizing verb endings: s, ed, ing
• Recognizing digraphs such as: sh, ch, th, wh, qu
• Recognizing r-controlled vowels- ar, or, er, ir, ur
• Recognizing consonant blends such as: bl, br, cl, cr, dr, fl, fr, gl, gr, pl, pr, sc, sk,
sl, sm, sn, st, sw, tr
• Recognizing common long vowel patterns CVVC, CVCe
• Recognizing irregular long vowel patterns such as: oo, ow, oi, oy, and igh
• Distinguishing between different vowel patterns
• Recognizing verb endings: es, ies
• Recognizing consonant blends such as: str, sch, thr
• Recognizing the silent letters in words with kn, gn, wr
• Recognizing prefixes such as: un, re
• Recognizing suffixes such as: ful, ly, y
• Recognizing base endings such as: es, er, est
3. Word recognition (In Text)
• Recognizing repetitive text structure to figure out unknown words
• Using sentence meaning, story meaning, picture clues and syntax to confirm
accurate decoding or to self-correct errors
4. Word recognition (Word Wall)
• Using the word wall as a visual cue for reading high frequency words
Math
I teach mathematical concepts using Saxon Math. The students will have the opportunity to
develop a deeper understanding of the following concepts:
1. Number sense and numeration
 Count by 1s, 5s, 10s, and 100s.
 Counts backwards.
 Matches sets and numbers.
 Counts and groups numbers in 10 and ones.
 Use expanded form to represent numbers.
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Writes digits 0-9
Writes numbers using words.
Writes and reads whole numbers to 30
Reads and writes whole numbers to 100 (2- digit numbers above 30).
Reads and writes whole numbers to 1,000 (3-digit numbers).
Identify numbers before, after, and between.
Identify numbers on the hundreds chart
Compares 1-and/or 2-digit numbers
Orders 1-and/or 2-digit numbers.
Rounds numbers to the nearest ten
Identify place value of each digit in numbers to 100.
Identify place value of each digit in numbers to 1,000.
Represents 2-digit whole numbers using concrete materials and/or pictures.
Represents 3-digit or larger numbers using concrete materials and/or pictures.
Identify and describes using equivalent sets
Estimate and counts collections of objects.
Represent equivalent forms of the same number.
Compare sets of objects and identify sets using more, fewer, and the same.
Identify sets with the greatest and least number of objects.
Renames numbers using regrouping.
Identify rational numbers from pictures and draws pictures using rational numbers
Locate rational numbers on a number line.
Identifies even and odd numbers.
Identifies ordinal position.
Identifies and creates pairs
Identifies dozen and half dozen.
2. Concepts of whole number operations.
 Shows meaning of addition.
 Act out to show addition situations.
 Uses manipulatives to model and solve addition problems.
 Draw pictures to solve and model addition problems.
 Creates addition problems situations.
 Writes number sentences to show addition.
 Identifies addends and sums
 Identify and uses commutative and associative proprieties of addition.
 Shows the meaning of subtractions.
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Act out to show subtraction situations.
Use manipulatives to model and solve subtractions problems.
Draw pictures to solve and model subtraction problems.
Creates subtraction problems situations.
Writes number sentences to show subtraction.
Identifies differences.
Use the inverse relationship between subtraction and addition to check answers.
Writes addition and subtraction facts families.
Shows the meaning of multiplication
Acts out to show multiplication situations.
Uses manipulatives to model and solve multiplication problems.
Draws pictures to model and solve multiplication problems.
Shows meaning of division.
Acts out division situations.
Uses manipulatives to model and solve division problems.
3. Whole number Computation
 Uses concrete objects or pictures to model and solve addition problems.
 Identifies one more than a number.
 Identifies ten more than a number.
 Masters addition facts to 18.
 Identifies missing addends.
 Estimates a sum.
 Adds using mental computation.
 Adds three or more single-digit numbers.
 Adds 2-digit numbers without regrouping.
 Adds two 2- or 3-digit numbers.
 Uses addition to check subtraction problems.
 Solves problems involving addition.
 Uses concrete objects or pictures to model and solve subtraction problems.
 Identifies one less than a number.
 Identifies ten less than a number.
 Masters subtraction facts with minuends to 10.
 Masters subtraction facts with minuends of 11 to 18.
 Checks subtraction answers using addition.
 Subtracts 2-digit numbers without regrouping.
 Solves problems involving subtraction.
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Divides sets of objects into equal groups.
Divides by 2.
Solves problems involving division.
4. Fractions and Decimals
 Identifies one half and/or one fourth of a whole.
 Identifies a fractional part of a whole.
 Writes a fraction to show a part of a whole.
 Finds half of a set of objects.
 Indentifies a fractional part of a set.
 Compares fractions.
5. Money
 Identifies and counts pennies, dimes, nickels, quarters and one-dollar bills.
 Finds the value of a set of coins.
 Trades pennies for dimes and nickels.
 Reads and writes money amounts to $1.00 using dollar and cent symbols.
 Selects coins for a given amount.
 Pays for items and/or makes change using coins.
 Counts bills.
 Pays for items using bills.
 Adds and subtracts money amounts.
6. Calendar and Time
 Identifies today’s date.
 Identifies dates on a calendar.
 Solves problems using a calendar.
 Identifies yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
 Identifies days of the week and/or months of the year.
 Identifies morning, afternoon, evening, and night.
 Uses digital and analog clocks to tell and show time.
 Tells and shows time to the hour.
 Tells and shows time to the half hour.
 Sequences daily events.
 Compares events according to duration.
 Orders events by time.
7. Temperature
 Identifies cold, cool, warm, and/or hot.
 Compares differences in hourly, daily, and/or seasonal temperature.
 Compares situations and objects by relative temperature.
 Reads a Fahrenheit thermometer.
8. Linear Measure
 Compares the length or height of objects.
 Orders objects by length or height.
 Creates a measuring tool.
 Estimates and measures length or distance using nonstandard units.
 Estimates length or distance.
 Selects and/or uses appropriate tools for measuring length.
 Measures length using customary units (inch, foot, and yard).
 Draws line segments using customary units (inch).
 Measures length using metric units (centimeter, millimeter, and meter).
 Draws line segments using metric units (centimeter and millimeter).
 Compares the size of the unit and the number of units used to measure an object.
9. Weight
 Compares and orders objects by weight (mass).
 Weighs objects using nonstandard units.
 Estimates weight (mass).
 Selects and/or uses appropriate tools for measuring weight.
 Identifies customary and/or metric units of mass.
10. Capacity
 Compares and/or orders containers by capacity.
 Identifies customary and/or metric units of capacity (cup, quart, gallon, and liter).
 Selects and/or uses appropriate tools for measuring capacity.
 Estimates capacity.
 Measures capacity.
 Identifies and uses measuring cups.
11. Area, Perimeter, and Volume
 Compares and orders objects by size (area).
 Finds area using nonstandard units.
 Estimates area.
12. Spatial Relationships and Geometric Shapes
Identifies first, last, between, and middle.
 Identifies right and left.
 Describes, compares, and orders concrete objects by relative position and attributes.
 Gives and follows directions about location.
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Arranges and describes objects in relative space.
Makes and covers designs with pattern blocks or tangrams.
Makes and copies designs on a geoboard.
Creates, identifies, and/or draws congruent shapes, designs, and/or line segments.
Combines geometric shapes to make new shapes.
Identifies, describes, sorts, and/ or compares two-dimensional geometric shapes.
Identifies, describes, and classifies polygons.
Identifies angles and sides.
Identifies and sorts concrete objects by attribute.
Identifies, describes, sorts, compares, and/or constructs three-dimensional
geometric solids.
13. Transformations and Symmetry
 Identifies and draws a line of symmetry and/or creates symmetrical designs.
 Explores, identifies, and/or shows transformations: translations (slides), rotations
(turns), and reflections (flips).
14. Patterns and Sequences
 Identifies, reads, and extends patterns in shapes, colors, designs, and/or numbers.
 Identifies the missing shape or design in a repeating pattern.
 Identifies the missing number in a sequence.
 Identifies the missing item(s) in an array or matrix.
15. Readiness for Algebraic Reasoning
 Constructs a number line and/or locates points on a number line.
16. Relations and Functions
 Writes and solves number sentences for problems involving addition or subtraction.
 Creates problems for addition and subtraction number sentences.
 Uses comparison symbols(>, <, and =)
17. Data and Statistics
 Sorts and classifies objects by common attributes.
 Identifies a sorting rule.
 Tallies data
 Collects and sorts data
 Finds the range and mode of a set of data
18. Graphing
 Makes a real graph
 Graphs a picture on a pictograph
 Graphs data on a bar graph
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Identifies most, more, fewest, less, and/or same on a graph
Draws conclusions, answers questions, and writes observations about a graph
19. Probability
 Describes the likelihood of an event
 Conducts a probability experiment
 Predicts the outcome of a probability experiment
20. Developing Skills for Problem Solving
 Identifies steps in a process
 Classifies and categorizes information
 Identifies important/unimportant information
 Looks for a pattern
 Makes predictions
 Chooses appropriate methods for finding the answers to problems
21. Strategies for Problem Solving
 Acts out a problem or makes a model
 Draws a picture
 Guesses, checks, and revises
 Looks for a pattern
 Uses logical reasoning
 Writes a number sentence
 Makes an organized list
 Makes a table or chart
22. Communication
 Questions and responds
 Works with partners or in groups
 Communicates mathematical idea through objects, words, pictures, numbers,
technology, and symbols
 Writes about math
23. Mathematical Reasoning
 Recognizes patterns
 Classifies and sorts
 Solves spatial problems
 Estimates
 Explains an answer
24. Connections
 Connects math to everyday life
 Connects math to science