Course Overview

First Grade

Northside

 READING

The first grade reading program is Houghton Mifflin.   You may visit the website at www.eduplace.com. We will focus on these main areas:

   Phonics:  letter sounds and decodable words

   Fluency:  reading with expression and meaning

   Variety of texts:  library and trade books, basal textbook, phonetic books

   Word Wall:  high frequency words, word families, names

   Responding to Literature:  character, setting, main idea

   Guided Reading:  small groups to develop reading strategies

 LANGUAGE ARTS (ENGLISH)

The first grade curriculum is based on the Scholastic program.  We recognize that writing skills are developing continually.  Therefore, we model the writing process daily.

   D'Nealian Handwriting method is continued from its introduction in Kindergarten.

   Weekly spelling dictation sentence which demonstrates grammar, punctuation, and handwriting skills

   Daily Oral Language: writing sample daily to correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation

   Journals:  a collection of individually chosen topics to demonstrate writing for a purpose, as well as using complete sentences

 SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES

In the fall semester, we concentrate on Social Studies skills.  Harcourt Brace adoption MY WORLD is used.  We use themes such as America, Fire Safety, Pioneers, Texas, and Manners.  Map skills, safety, rules, and history are covered.

In the spring semester, we use the Harcourt book SCIENCE: Life, Earth, and Physical Science.  We emphasize weather and seasons throughout the year. Plants are a focal unit.  Dental health is studied also.  Activities are based on all areas of the curriculum:  reading, writing, and math.

Various other holiday and seasonal activities are done as projects throughout the year.

 MATH
    We use the Saxon Math Program. For more information, you may want to visit the Saxon website at www.saxonpub.com.   We cover these basic areas:

        Problem solving

        Addition facts to 20

        Subtraction facts to 20

        Counting by 1's, 2's, 5's, and 10's

        Telling time to the  hour and half-hour

        Coins

        Geometry

        Measurement:  standard and metric

        Fractions