Kindergarten Curriculum:
ELA
READING UNITS OF STUDY
This year we will be using Reading Units of Study. Reading Units of Study is an integrated curriculum that builds student foundational reading skills and strategies. Students in first grade will engage in six integrated units of study throughout the school year. These 6 units include: Our Stories, Learning Something New, Experts, Everyone Has an Opinion, Survival Disguise, and Our Beautiful Earth. Each unit is greatly connected with the Writing Units of Study curriculum. We will also be covering all of the first grade Common Core Standards throughout the year. We are fortunate that Mrs. Jane Sheth, our Language Arts Specialist, will be a reading resource for the first grade classes and will work with the students in small groups as needed.
SIGHT WORDS
One of the major goals of first grade reading is to become fluent reading high-frequency words. There are 100 sight words that students will be exposed to throughout the year. We will help build sight word recognition with our classroom “Word Wall”.
SPELLING
This year we will be using Words Their Way, a literacy program that provides valuable phonics and spelling instruction. Students will practice their spelling words throughout the week using the Spelling Choice Board in their homework packet. Spelling tests will take place every Friday. Each list will contain 15 words. Words Their Way provides lists for students that are individualized. Your child will be expected to read and spell these words to meet grade level expectations.
WRITING UNITS OF STUDY
We will continue using Writing Units of Study for this school year. Writing Units of Study is an integrated curriculum that helps students develop and refine strategies for writing. This curriculum also supports greater independence and fluency through explicit writing opportunities. Throughout the school year, first grade students will master narrative writing, opinion writing, and information writing. As students work on their pieces of writing, support will be provided through small group and individual conferencing. Throughout the writing process, students will be taught to plan, draft, revise and edit their own writing. The children are also allowed to use temporary spelling so that the flow of language and ideas are not interrupted. When a story is chosen for “publication”, the teacher and the student will confer to clarify content and correct spelling and mechanics. Students have a personal spelling dictionary to enhance vocabulary and spelling within their writing activities. Additional first grade writing will take many forms, including journal writing, shared writing and independent writing, especially across other subject areas.
MATH
This year we will continue using Eureka, and other resources to educate all students using the Common Core Standards. This new focus will be very different from the spiral curriculum we had using Everyday Mathematics. We will be exploring and investigating the areas of:
Operations and Algebraic Thinking Geometry
Measurement and Data Number and Operations in Base Ten
Throughout these strands, the students will learn how to use problem solving strategies in real life mathematical contexts. The use of manipulatives is a priority, as the students will discover the broader aspects of mathematics as well as its more traditional computational aspects. Students will experience rich activities and focus deeply on one strand at a time. Children will learn to communicate mathematically, make real-world connections.
SCIENCE
District 97 has embraced a commitment for students to experience in-depth investigations in the physical, earth and life science frames by the conceptual themes of systems, models, stability, patterns of change, evolution and scale (THE SCIENCE REPORT). There are three science units provided by Foss Curriculum that emphasizes basic science concepts and content while developing the process skills. The units are inquiry based with a hands-on approach. Students will practice observing and questioning various scientific concepts. Our units are Materials and Motion, Trees and Weather, Animals 2 by 2. Personal safety, emotional health and substance use and abuse will also be covered as part of our health curriculum.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Social Studies will be integrated throughout all subject areas, especially through our reading and writing curriculum. The goal of this program is to promote the study of history, geography, and citizenship while also strengthening reading and critical thinking skills. Over the course of the year, the students will learn the following units: family, school, community, earth, people, places, choices, needs, wants, exploration, settlement, technology, and rights and responsibilities.
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL
We will continue to use Second Step as this year’s social and emotional curriculum. Second Step is a program that provides students with emotion management, situational awareness, and academic achievement. This year students will be taught skills for learning such as focusing attention and following directions and how to identify and manage their feelings.
ELA
READING UNITS OF STUDY
This year we will be using Reading Units of Study. Reading Units of Study is an integrated curriculum that builds student foundational reading skills and strategies. Students in first grade will engage in six integrated units of study throughout the school year. These 6 units include: Our Stories, Learning Something New, Experts, Everyone Has an Opinion, Survival Disguise, and Our Beautiful Earth. Each unit is greatly connected with the Writing Units of Study curriculum. We will also be covering all of the first grade Common Core Standards throughout the year. We are fortunate that Mrs. Jane Sheth, our Language Arts Specialist, will be a reading resource for the first grade classes and will work with the students in small groups as needed.
SIGHT WORDS
One of the major goals of first grade reading is to become fluent reading high-frequency words. There are 100 sight words that students will be exposed to throughout the year. We will help build sight word recognition with our classroom “Word Wall”.
SPELLING
This year we will be using Words Their Way, a literacy program that provides valuable phonics and spelling instruction. Students will practice their spelling words throughout the week using the Spelling Choice Board in their homework packet. Spelling tests will take place every Friday. Each list will contain 15 words. Words Their Way provides lists for students that are individualized. Your child will be expected to read and spell these words to meet grade level expectations.
WRITING UNITS OF STUDY
We will continue using Writing Units of Study for this school year. Writing Units of Study is an integrated curriculum that helps students develop and refine strategies for writing. This curriculum also supports greater independence and fluency through explicit writing opportunities. Throughout the school year, first grade students will master narrative writing, opinion writing, and information writing. As students work on their pieces of writing, support will be provided through small group and individual conferencing. Throughout the writing process, students will be taught to plan, draft, revise and edit their own writing. The children are also allowed to use temporary spelling so that the flow of language and ideas are not interrupted. When a story is chosen for “publication”, the teacher and the student will confer to clarify content and correct spelling and mechanics. Students have a personal spelling dictionary to enhance vocabulary and spelling within their writing activities. Additional first grade writing will take many forms, including journal writing, shared writing and independent writing, especially across other subject areas.
MATH
This year we will continue using Eureka, and other resources to educate all students using the Common Core Standards. This new focus will be very different from the spiral curriculum we had using Everyday Mathematics. We will be exploring and investigating the areas of:
Operations and Algebraic Thinking Geometry
Measurement and Data Number and Operations in Base Ten
Throughout these strands, the students will learn how to use problem solving strategies in real life mathematical contexts. The use of manipulatives is a priority, as the students will discover the broader aspects of mathematics as well as its more traditional computational aspects. Students will experience rich activities and focus deeply on one strand at a time. Children will learn to communicate mathematically, make real-world connections.
SCIENCE
District 97 has embraced a commitment for students to experience in-depth investigations in the physical, earth and life science frames by the conceptual themes of systems, models, stability, patterns of change, evolution and scale (THE SCIENCE REPORT). There are three science units provided by Foss Curriculum that emphasizes basic science concepts and content while developing the process skills. The units are inquiry based with a hands-on approach. Students will practice observing and questioning various scientific concepts. Our units are Materials and Motion, Trees and Weather, Animals 2 by 2. Personal safety, emotional health and substance use and abuse will also be covered as part of our health curriculum.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Social Studies will be integrated throughout all subject areas, especially through our reading and writing curriculum. The goal of this program is to promote the study of history, geography, and citizenship while also strengthening reading and critical thinking skills. Over the course of the year, the students will learn the following units: family, school, community, earth, people, places, choices, needs, wants, exploration, settlement, technology, and rights and responsibilities.
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL
We will continue to use Second Step as this year’s social and emotional curriculum. Second Step is a program that provides students with emotion management, situational awareness, and academic achievement. This year students will be taught skills for learning such as focusing attention and following directions and how to identify and manage their feelings.