Cheshire Public Schools

Curriculum Overview

Grade 1

The school district publishes this grade level curriculum overview to provide parents with information about

the major topics, concepts, and skills students study in Grade 1. This document also contains information

about the most recent curriculum revisions in various subject areas.

Please review this document and keep it handy. It can be an excellent reference when you meet with teachers

about your child’s academic progress. Ask to see your child’s class work for specific examples of assignments

collected over time. If you have questions or concerns about the information in this document, please do not

hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, principal, or the school district Curriculum Office (250-2439).

MEETINGS, REPORT CARDS, AND CONFERENCES

Teachers distribute report cards in December, March, and June. Each elementary school conducts parent

conferences in October and March. Consult your child’s teacher and the school calendar for specific dates and

times. During the conference the teacher will discuss your child’s reading level and skill strengths and needs,

and his/her writing and math strengths and needs. In addition, they will share several work samples and

assignments from various subject areas.

We encourage all parents to communicate their questions, suggestions, or concerns regarding the curriculum

or the needs and strengths of their child as they relate to the curriculum. These conversations can occur at any

time during the school year. Telephone, email, notes, and conferences also foster school and home

communication. We suggest that you arrange any conferences in advance to ensure the teacher’s,

counselor’s, or principal’s availability.

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TYPICAL DAY

The first grader’s typical day involves learning in many subject areas. During a routine day children spend

140 minutes studying language arts (reading, phonics, writing), one hour with math, and 25 minutes each

with social studies and science. Each school also provides 45 minutes of physical education, music, and art

each week. Students also have time for library and computer lab classes, health and guidance education,

and supervised recess. Ask your child’s teacher for more information about the specific schedule in each

classroom.

ASSESSMENTS

Teachers use a variety of informal, and commercial assessments to identify students’ understanding or

mastery of the knowledge and standards they are expected to learn as they progress through first grade.

Conferences, work samples, checklists, surveys, standardized assessments and observations are the most

common examples of these assessments. Teachers also use assessments to identify students’ learning needs

and to differentiate assignments, resources, and instruction. Parents can receive information about these

assessments during conferences, by written communication, or through the telephone or e-mail.

GUIDANCE

The school's counselor makes a few annual visits to each Grade One class. Students are taught interpersonal

communication skills to help them learn how to work productively in small and large groups and to respect

the rights of others. Students begin to recognize their own abilities and attitudes and become aware of

strategies for interacting successfully with others. The counselor also assists individuals and small groups as

needs arise. Individual appointments are also available for interested parents.

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HOMEWORK

Homework is a valuable instructional technique for fostering responsibility and independence and providing

additional practice opportunities. In Grade One we recommend a minimum of three reading assignments

weekly, each about 15 minutes in length. Parents can help by monitoring this reading time and by reading

to their child. Teachers may also assign one to three additional assignments per week, each lasting about 15

minutes. Students should read for pleasure each evening.

READING

First grade reading instruction is designed to address the individual strengths, interests, and needs of

students. Each daily reading block contains a variety of instructional pieces. One piece is the whole group

lesson where teachers use a common text with all students to introduce the Common Core State Standards

for ELA by modeleling, instructing, and providing guided practice. A second piece is the independent reading

time. During this time students read from a personalized selection of books that are at their independent

reading levels. Independent reading time helps students develop their reading stamina to be able to read

independently for longer periods of time. It also provides students with the opportunity to apply the reading

standards and skills they are learning to texts at their appropriate reading level. During independent reading

time, teachers conference with individual students to assess student’s work, identify personal learning

objectives, provide individual skill instruction, and monitor work habits. Teachers may also work with

students in small groups when similar needs are noted.

Grade One reading standards focus on:

● Informational text

○ Key Ideas and Details

○ Craft and Structure

○ Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

○ Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

● Literature

○ Key Ideas and Details

○ Craft and Structure

○ Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

○ Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

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● Foundational skills

○ Print Concepts

○ Phonological Awareness

○ Phonics and Word Recognition

○ Fluency

For more specific information about grade one ELA Common Core Standards go to:

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/ Click on Reading

WRITING

Students and teachers use the Common Core State Standards to guide their work within the writing

curriculum. Essential Grade 1 writing standards include the following:

Argument Writing

● Write opinion pieces, introduce the topic, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and

provide some sense of closure.

Informative Writing

● Write informative texts, name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of

closure.

Narrative Writing

● Write narratives, recount two to or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details, use

temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.

Production and Distribution of Writing

● With support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add

details to strengthen writing as needed. With support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to

collaborate and to produce and publish writing.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

● Participate in shared research and writing projects. With support from adults, recall information from

experience or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Conventions of Standard English

● Demonstrate use of grade level standards for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

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Students participate in ten writing units each year, two for each of the basic genre (argument, informative,

narrative, research) and two units that teach students how to demonstrate their understanding of literature

and informative text through writing. Conventions (grammar, punctuation, and spelling) and technology are

incorporated in all genre. Students conduct information research and use technology to collaborate, gather

information, write, revise, edit, and share their written work. Student work is assessment in the basis of five

criteria (purpose/focus; organization, elaboration, language and vocabulary; and conventions) using a four

level rubric.

Teachers spend approximately one half of each curriculum unit and lesson providing explicit,

standards-based instruction, modeling related writing strategies and skills, sharing exemplary adult and

student examples of specific standards, and offering specific and differentiated feedback as students practice

each standard in a supportive learning environment. During the second half of each unit and lesson, students

demonstrate their new learning by applying the related writing standards to an original piece of text in the

genre. As students plan, draft, edit, and revise their original writing, teachers conduct individual conferences

with students to guide their work and provide individual coaching. During the last portion of each unit,

students share their work with others and reflect on their learning and growth.

For more specific information about grade one ELA Common Core Standards go to:

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/ Click on Writing

MATHEMATICS

The classroom environment supports the development of math concepts, skills, problem solving, and logical

thinking. During math class, students actively explore math concepts and problems, develop questions,

practice new skills, use reasoning and thinking skills, develop problem solutions, and communicate their

understanding of mathematical skills and concepts. The curriculum stresses students’ ability to apply

learned math facts, skills, and concepts to authentic math problems and situations. The Grade One math

curriculum is based on the Common Core State Standards and emphasizes four topics. Within these four

topics the students are expected to:

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction. Understand and apply properties of

operations and the relationship between addition and subtraction. Add and subtract within 20. Work with

addition and subtraction equations.

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Numbers and Operations in Base Ten

Extend the counting sequence. Understand place value. Use place value understanding and properties of

operations to add and subtract.

Measurement and Data

Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating unit lengths. Tell and write time. Represent and interpret data.

Geometry

Reason with shapes and their attributes.

For more specific information about grade one Math Common Core State Standards go to:

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/ Click on Math

SCIENCE

Our science program enhances students’ attitudes toward science and encourages their natural curiosity. It

provides students with a substantial knowledge base of facts, concepts, and principles. We also teach

students to use and apply science-related thinking and process skills (e.g. observation, questioning, data

gathering, note taking, analysis, and hypothesizing). During each curriculum unit in science, students learn to

work cooperatively in small groups with an emphasis on learning essential content and developing science

process skills.

The science curriculum provides lessons and curriculum units in all three science disciplines: earth science,

life science, and physical science. During the school year, parents can expect their children to study the

following units of study:

Earth Science

● Each student will investigate changes in the earth’s structure and explore the concepts related to soil.

Life Science

● Each student will observe and record differences between plant and animal life, and will predict,

observe, and measure seed and plant growth.

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Physical Science

● Each student will examine the properties of different materials by comparing their attributes such

as size, weight, and texture.

Technology

Classroom teachers provide weekly instruction in the computer lab. Their lessons assist students in learning

how to use computers, software, and the internet to acquire and communicate information. First grade

classes also share iPads which students use for reinforcement of skills in reading and math as well as research

for writing. First grade students learn how to:

● Open and exit programs. ● Navigate with programs. ● Locate and use appropriate keyboard characters. ● Participate in computer based assessments and surveys . ● Use a play list with links to articles and activities to research curriculum topics or topics of choice. ● Publish writing by creating a Google Doc with graphics, and print the document. ● Save and share documents within Google Drive. ● Create a Google Presentation to share information with teachers and peers. ● Use coding programs such as Code.org to create and run simple codes. ● Use curriculum-related software. ● Access and navigate bookmarked sites on the internet. ● Demonstrate understanding of the responsible use of policy.

HEALTH/GUIDANCE

Classroom teachers provide the majority of the weekly thirty-minute health lessons. At times, students also

receive lessons from the district health teacher, classroom teachers, nurses, and guidance counselors.

Teachers use discussion, role-playing, examples, stories, videos, and pictures to teach students about:

nutrition; safety; accident prevention and disease; and human growth and development. First grade students

learn about:

Personal Health and How to Stay Healthy

● Why it is important to keep teeth clean, how to keep teeth clean and describe the proper way to brush their teeth.

● How germs spread from person to person and how to protect the body against germs. ● What a virus is. ● Why adequate sleep is important for physical, emotional and intellectual well being.

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● What skills used for good personal hygiene and the importance of those skills.● What being responsible is and how that relates to making good choices (hygiene choices).

Mental and Emotional Health

● Distinguish between comfortable and uncomfortable feelings

● Identify positive ways to deal with uncomfortable feelings.

● Identify conflicts and demonstrate conflict resolution techniques

● Explain what it means to be a friend and identify characteristics of a friend.

Physical Activity ● What physical fitness is, distinguish between activities that are physically active and are not.● What fitness activities students participate in.● How physical activity help a person.

The social studies curriculum in Cheshire provides students with a foundation of facts, concepts, and skills that

enhance their understanding of the major ideas and generalizations in history, physical geography, cultural

geography, political science, and economics. Each grade level studies different topics in each of these five

disciplines. Teachers use discussions, primary source documents, stories, pictures, videos, role playing, and

simulations to foster learning during small and large group learning activities. Parents support the curriculum

by discussing family history, maps, geography, appropriate newspaper articles, and current events with their

children.

Children participate in the following curriculum units:

Physical Geography

● Students learn about basic landforms and place names on maps and globes. They create and read

simple maps. They practice direction words such as north, south, east, and west.

Comparative Cultures

● Students compare and contrast the lifestyle, shelters, food, transportation, and family structures of

people living in the United States, Kenya, and China.

American Symbols

● Students learn about some of the important symbols and places related to United States government.

Economics

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● Students investigate the economic concepts of wants, needs, resources, good and services. They

identify and compare these concepts across and within various communities.

LIBRARY/MEDIA

Grade One students participate weekly in library classes and lessons. Students learn to select and enjoy

fiction and nonfiction selections. Teachers introduce many new books and genre. At the end of first grade,

most students should be able to:

● Select library materials for personal enjoyment.● Check out and return materials from the library appropriately.● Recognize that libraries organize books according to the author’s name and the book’s title.● Use the automated circulation system correctly.● Identify a book’s format and back cover and spine.● Recognize the differences between factual and fictional materials.● Understand that reading is a worthwhile activity.● Understand that there are award-winning books that other people accept as examples of quality

literature.● Ask informational questions and work together to find answers within library resources.

MUSIC

In partnership with families and communities, it is the mission of the Cheshire Public Schools Music

Department to instill in each student the inspiration for a lifelong participation in music. The ability to create,

perform and respond to music emotionally and intellectually is an integral part of a student’s overall

education. The skills, knowledge and habits acquired through the study of music enrich students’ lives and

prepare them to live and work in a culturally diverse society.

It is the goal of the music department to instill in every student an appreciation for music, provide

opportunities for students to experience music as a listener, performer and composer, develop music literacy

skills and become independent learners. Our program is based on the National Standards for Music Education

found below.

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National Standards for Music Education

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments

4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines

5. Reading and notating music

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music

7. Evaluating music and music performances

8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts

9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture

In Kindergarten through Grade Six general music classes, Standards 1 (singing), 3 (Improvising/Creating) and

5 (Read/Notate) have been designated as “Power Standards.” All Grade Two, Four, and Six students will be

assessed in these areas once yearly.

VISUAL ARTS

Teachers base the visual arts program on the National Standards for Arts Education/Goals 2000 and the

Connecticut Content and Performance Standards for the Visual Arts. The program uses the Discipline-Based

Art Education Model and encourages listening, problem solving, and decision- making.

Art is fundamental to the entire learning process and it contributes to the growth and development of the

whole child. Teachers design the visual art experience to integrate with the classroom curriculum. Students

develop skills and understanding as they achieve the following:

Content Standard One: Media

Students will understand, select and apply:

● Media (such as pencil, crayon, crapas, tempera paint, watercolor, clay and other materials, color chalk, mixed media);

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● Techniques (such as portrait/figure drawing, painting, brush control, mixing colors, creating washes, cutting on the fold, stamp printing, gluing, collage, stenciling, creating depth by using overlapping, size and placement on paper), and

● Processes (such as printing, additive sculpture, modeling, crayon resist, mixed media construction, rubbings, weaving).

Content Standard Two: Elements and Principles

● Students will understand and apply elements and organizational principles of art.

● Students discover, recognize and form discriminations in space, texture, pattern, shape, line, form,

contrast, creating tints and shades of colors, value, balance, symmetry and foreground/background.

Content Standard Three: Content

● Students consider, select and apply a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas.

● Students will understand that content for art comes from many different sources such as personal

experience, imagination, natural and man-made objects, environments, storytelling, children’s

literature, diverse cultures, historical periods, artistic styles, art and artifact reproductions, and

celebrations.

Content Standard Four: History and Culture

● Students will understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.

● Teachers introduce students to various types of art and a variety of artists specifically in the areas of

portraits, still lifes, printmaking, painting, collage and sculpture.

Content Standard Five: Analysis, Interpretation and Evaluation

● Students reflect upon, describe, and discuss their own and others’ work using a vocabulary of basic art

terminology.

Content Standard Six: Connections

● Students make connections between the visual arts, and other disciplines and daily life.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Physical education is an integral part of the total educational program. The physical education department

directs the student’s participation in a planned, sequential program. Realizing that children have varied

abilities, teachers make necessary accommodations to meet each individual child’s needs. National and state

standards guide the curriculum for this program. These activities are part of the Grade One program:

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● Review gross motor movements ● Participate in low organizational games and non-competitive games, ● Move to an uneven/even beat in various patterns with others ● Strike an object with a hand, foot, or a long or short handled implement ● Jump rope ● Enhance physical fitness ● Perform tumbling and mat skills ● Begin sport, leisure, and recreational activity units ● Participate in movement exploration activities ● Develop an understanding of physical fitness concepts ● Throw and catch a ball or other manipulative object

CURRICULUM INITIATIVES

Each year the district Curriculum Office works with grade level teachers to write or refine the grade level

curriculum. This year first grade classes will be implementing a new math curriculum which is aligned with the

Common Core State Standards for Math. The program is called Eureka Math.

PARENT COLLABORATION

We encourage parents to take an active role in their children’s education by:

● Communicating regularly with classroom teachers,

● Encouraging at-home use of skills learned at school,

● Supporting frequent recreational reading to and by children, and

● Making real-world connections to the subjects and topics studied in school.

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