FIRST GRADE WEB PAGE

First grade is an exciting time for all!There are so many “firsts”: the first time most children attend school “full-time”, the first time they manage a whole page of math problems, and especially, the first time they read a book independently cover to cover.  Even though your child may have started these tasks in kindergarten, it is amazing, and each first grade teacher is honored and excited to share these firsts with your child.

Here at GBS, first graders use the Harcourt Brace StoryTown core literacy program.This wonderful research based program includes: writing, listening, vocabulary, and ideas for whole group and small group instruction. StoryTown also incorporates the study of literature, and children are provided with daily opportunities to read in a variety of different ways.This includes the exploration of various genres including; reader’s theatre, poetry, nonfiction, and fiction story books.Students receive direct instruction in decoding, recalling sight words, fluency and comprehension.Parents are able to access classroom reading materials online, and all literacy content is aligned with the program. Children will develop solid problem-solving strategies for “decoding” (connecting letters to sounds) and “comprehending” (making meaning).   The best way to help at home is to read, read, read with your child, and try to have fun with it! Teachers will use StoryTown to guide your child as they learn to write complete sentences with capitals and punctuation, and to create simple stories.  Be patient with your new spellers! We are building and fostering fearless spellers that, with our word wall words, phonemic awareness, and phonics instruction will grow over the year. Remember that a story doesn’t have to be a novel.It can be a three-sentence masterpiece!

Everyday Mathematics is set apart from other math programs, because it’s focused on real-life problem solving. It offers children an opportunity to recognize the way math fits in their world. Children are able to work on skills individually and further develop them through games and community learning.You can expect your child to learn place value; to read and write numbers up to 100; and learn early addition, focusing on sums between 1 and 10. Children will also work with concepts like more, less, same; and the basics of telling time.  At home, this is a great time to count everything in sight.Remember to use traditional clocks, not just the digital ones. Expect children to come home almost every night with an EDM Homelink – our home/school connection!