Consolidating skills and broadening learning
Thinking Skills
SCIS emphasizes skills for students to be productive, self-directed learners who can independently pursue excellence and life-long learning. Integrated into all subject areas is the emphasis on the processes of high-level thinking.
Critical thinking: Observe, classify, compare and contrast, sequence, determine cause and effect, find patterns, predict, problem solving
Creative thinking: Fluency
Reading
Through the use of both phonics and whole language, with an emphasis on comprehension, students will explore diverse literature genres from around the world. Teachers will utilize a variety of grouping formats (individual, small group, whole class) and teaching strategies in order to meet the individual needs of students. Instructional materials include a wealth of literature books along with books on tapes, songs, big books, and a print rich environment. Instruction will emphasize:
- Letter and high frequency word recognition
- Strategies to decode print
- Developing regular reading habits
- Basic story structure awareness
Language Arts
Writing is essential for students to discover, develop, clarify, and communicate thoughts and feelings. Students will be writing different types of text for a variety of purposes and audiences. Using the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, publishing), students will focus on applying four traits that make writing effective: Ideas and content, organization, sentence fluency, and the conventions of spelling, grammar and mechanics. Students will apply the writing process and writing traits in their oral communication as well as incorporating interpersonal communication skills and skills of presentation. Other skills include:
- Forming words and simple sentences
- Recognizing basic grammatical features and punctuation
- Writing for self -expression
- Recognizing writing as a process
Social Studies
Students will understand and appreciate their own cultures and backgrounds as well as respect and understand the history, geography, culture, societal organizations and the economics of other societies.
Topics covered at Grade 1 include: Neighborhoods, maps and globes, family history, community helpers, heritage
Science and Health
Knowledge of science is necessary for all students to understand the world in which they live, value the systems and processes that support life on our planet and to make responsible decisions as citizens. Students will construct their own understanding of their world through discovery, inquiry and interactive investigations to develop solid scientific processes.
Topics covered at Grade 1 include: Plants, air and weather, water cycle, balance and motion, movement, layers of the body, nutrition, fitness, safety
Math
Mathematics is a language and science of patterns. Students will be provided a rich problem-solving environment filled with manipulative and hands-on activities. Students will explore the following areas: Number Sense, measurement, geometry, probability, algebra, problem solving strategies, and the ability to communicate their thinking and understanding of concepts and procedures. Grade 1 also highlights the following:
- Numbers one through a hundred
- Beginning estimation skills
- Identification of regular shapes and solids
- Expression of basic mathematical ideas
- Addition and subtraction up to 2 digits
- Introduction of basic measurements and unit values
- Simple patterns and number relations
Homework
Students in Grade 1 should expect to have approximately 10-20 minutes of homework each school night. This is at the discretion of the teacher and may include unfinished work, skill practice, reinforcement activities, research and project work.
