First Grade Language Arts Course Description and Philosophy

Transcription

1 First Grade Language Arts Course Description and Philosophy The first grade Language Arts program focuses on developing language competency through language, spelling, grammar, handwriting, vocabulary, and writing lessons. The ultimate goal of our program is to produce strong confident readers and writers who have mastered the necessary mechanics of language. We strive to incorporate varied lessons and take into account the different learning styles of our students to help each and every first grader be successful in language arts. Spelling and grammar are integrated with the weekly reading selections. Spelling is assessed weekly in the form of spelling tests. Handwriting is taught following a gradual skill progression, providing a solid preparation for cursive handwriting. Grammar and phonics lessons are supplemented with workbooks and worksheets that reinforce skills. Writing activities are varied and many incorporate the Collins Writing Program. This program is a progressive approach to writing instruction that introduces students to writing skills a few at a time. Students have accountability with this program because each skill has a specific focus correction area displayed on the writing paper. There is no confusion as to what is expected or required with each writing sample. Vocabulary lessons are often related to current reading selections, as well as, in lessons of every other subject. Discussions, visual displays, and daily language experiences help to add new words to the students vocabulary. Knowledge of new words and their meanings can be reflected in the daily work of students such as their journal and other writing and participation in class discussions. Our assessments evolve, as our students become more proficient readers and writers. Tests, unit assessments, expectations for written work and spelling tests become more advanced as our children progress through the language program. Journal writing and learning centers are introduced as the students become more able to work on their own. All of the elements of good readers, proficient writers and independent workers come together to meet the necessary benchmarks for literacy success in first grade. Text Reference: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Spotlight on Literacy Grade , Educational and Professional Publishing Group of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York U.S.A. Scott Foresman Addison Wesley D Nealian Handwriting , Addison Wesley Educational Publishers Inc.,1900 East Lake Avenue, Glenview, Illinois U.S.A. For differentiated activities, see the CommonCore Curriculum Map website, in which the username is mtlakes and the password is ccmaps For examples of 21 st Century Skills lessons, go the P21 website for the English LAL curriculum map. Revised

2 Unit I: Handwriting Essential Question: How can I learn to communicate in a way other than speaking? Objectives: Students will be able to: Recognize left to right progression on a page Control a pencil and stay in the lines Copy simple shapes correctly Confidently choose which hand to write with Write in the appropriate size for the workspace Space evenly without leaving large gaps or jamming letters together Maintain appropriate posture while writing Sustain quality of their work; avoid deterioration as work continues Slant writing papers correctly Use an appropriate pencil grip both with position of fingers and pressure strength Air trace, finger trace and pencil trace letters and numbers Recognize and print lower case letters a-z Recognize and print upper case letters A-Z Recognize and write numbers 0-9 Copy letters and sentences with appropriate formation, slant and spacing 2

3 Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion CCSS Preparation For Handwriting: Eye hand coordination Fine motor coordination Left to right progression Letter discrimination Likeness and differences Number discrimination Print awareness Shape Spatial Awareness Above, below, beside Around Daily practice pages in Handwriting workbook On going practice, corrections and revisions during class writing activities Number formation in math books Self-evaluation through questions; i.e.: Am I holding my pencil correctly? Handwriting Workbook Writing worksheets Teacher-directed whole group instruction Small group and individualized assistance Oral questions to help students self-correct and evaluate their progress Students find and type letters and numbers on a keyboard. They can use basic word processing to learn how to create upper case letters as well. Software programs such as KidPix provide good models for letter formation Interactive SmartBoard lessons L.1.1, L.1.2 Learning Handwriting: Lower case letters Uppercase letters Numbers Maintaining Manuscript Differentiated Learning Activities Motor skills play a large part in learning to write. Many students will need extensive tactile reinforcement prior to learning to write well. Tracing letters in sand, pebbles, shaving cream and clay can stimulate fine motor skills. Some students will use gross motor skills such as bending and stretching to become the letters until they can refine the shapes and put them to paper. Many games will help students learn how far apart to stand to avoid crowding each other. This skill can eventually transfer to their written work. Songs with motions and dances such as Go in and Out the Window help students with directionality and placement. Throwing and catching games help with eye hand coordination. Ethical Decision Making/Character Education While students fine motor skills are developing, handwriting often requires students to reflect, persevere, and self-assess to overcome challenges and create readable work. Learning to evaluate one s own work, as well as, taking time to exercise the fine motor skills needed for adequate handwriting can help students to develop qualities of character such as putting forth best effort and taking pride in good work. 3

4 21 st Century Skills Good handwriting is frequently required for written communication, especially when technology is unavailable or less efficient than simple handwritten communication. Gaining foundational skills in handwriting opens up the avenue of writing as a form of self-expression and communication with others. Unit II: Spelling Essential Question: How will learning spelling rules help me be a better reader? Objectives: Students will be able to: Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns Use conventional spelling for frequently occurring irregular words Add consonants to the beginning of a phonogram to make words Add a consonant blend to a phonogram to make new words Recognize and apply spelling patterns in written work Recognize words that rhyme Use knowledge of sound/letter relationships and phonograms to spell new words phonetically Analyze word structures Find and correct spelling errors Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series Alphabetize lists of spelling words 4

5 Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion CCSS Spelling Conventions Present phonograms and spelling patterns Identify spelling pattern in words Read and write pattern words Introduce challenge words Build Spelling Words Add single consonants to phonograms Add consonant blends to phonograms Read and write new words Spelling tests Unit assessments Class participation Independent writing activities such as journals and story-writing Text Spelling Activity Book Teacher-directed whole group lessons Small group lessons and activities Individualized instruction, as needed Center work Super Phonics I, Basic Skills Series, Essential Skills er.com oms.com/skills- 1st.html dscenter.html (Spell a Roo) Interactive SmartBoard activities L.1.2, RF.1.2, RF.1.3 Focus on Meaning Define spelling words Use of words in context Word analysis Independent Writing Identify missing words Complete puzzles Sentence writing Alphabetizing Recognizing and correcting misspelled words Differentiated Learning Activities Many word activities and games provide opportunities for students to exercise spelling skills at all levels. Weekly spelling lists reinforce word families and various conventions and rules for spelling. Students, who are readers, can expand their word base beyond the basic phonograms of the week so they can play higher-level word games. 5

6 Ethical Decision Making/Character Education Visual aids are one of the best ways to provide models of conventions of spelling for students. Many first grade and whole school visual aids are designed to reflect rules for behavior, slogans for good citizenship, and displays of student accomplishments. While reinforcing good citizenship, these bold displays contain many common words pertaining to positive behavior and good conduct, exposing students to conventions of spelling of many everyday words. As students see the words over and over, they often recognize the words in different contexts and begin to spell them correctly for themselves. 21 st Century Skills By teaching spelling rules and patterns, confidence and abilities in writing are being developed. Good spelling and writing skills are an important part of interpersonal communication, needed for success in many careers and future relationships. Unit III: Grammar Essential Question: How does changing the punctuation in a sentence change the meaning of the sentence? Objectives: Students will be able to: Capitalize dates and names of people Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts Use end punctuation for sentences Use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or, so, because) Use common, proper, and possessive nouns Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic sentences Use frequently occurring adjectives Use frequently occurring prepositions Use determiners (e.g., articles, demonstratives) Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g., I, me, my: they, them, their, anyone, everything) 6

7 Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion CCSS Grammar Usage Declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory sentences Complete and incomplete sentences Sentence structures: simple, compound, complex Sentence parts Common, proper, singular, possessive, appositive, plural nouns Action, helping, linking, and irregular verbs Present, past, and future verb tense Subject-verb agreement Common and proper adjectives, articles, and demonstratives Comparative and superlative adjectives Prepositions, determiners, and conjunctions Class participation Quizzes Practice Book pages Formal and informal observations of speaking and writing activities Text Practice Workbook Teacher-created materials Age and level appropriate books Teacher-directed whole group lessons Small group lessons Individualized instruction Literacy Centers Games and songs Typing and sentence writing in word processing programs Kidspiration Inspiration Software Super Phonics, I Basic Skills Series, Essential Skills teacher.com classrooms.com/skills_1 st_html SmartBoard Activities L.1.1, L.1.2 Mechanics Capitalization Punctuation Spelling Differentiated Learning Activities For learners at all levels, games and multi-sensory activities are used to personify nouns and verbs and other parts of speech. Having students act out nouns and verbs allows differentiation of word building through gross motor activities. Exploring nouns and verbs through various class writing experiences allow students to practice and apply grammar skills and knowledge, independently and with guidance, as needed. 7

8 Ethical Decision Making/Character Education In grammar lessons, students learn about capitalization of titles and proper names, indirectly imparting values of importance and respect. In addition, learning about adverbs and adjectives is necessary for students to be expressive about emotions, characteristics, and actions. Grammar knowledge is developed to enhance formal and informal communications, especially needed when problem-solving and collaborating with peers and others. 21 st Century Skills Basic communication skills are important for all present and future relationships. Developing good grammatical skills and knowledge helps to lay the foundation needed for students to become good communicators. Unit IV: Writing Essential Question: How can I use writing to communicate my ideas to others? Objectives: Students will be able to: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure Draw appropriate illustrations to accompany a writing assignment Observe and apply mechanical conventions such as proper spacing, legible handwriting, and basic punctuation Include the required number of details in an assignment Apply sequencing to written work Write in complete sentences Work from left to right on their papers With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question Create a draft of an assignment With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers Participate in shared research and writing projects Read their own written work aloud Participate in peer-editing activities Think about and discuss how to make their writing better next time 8

9 Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion CCSS Writing Types & Purposes Opinion Narrative Informative/Explanatory Journal Lists Paragraph Summary Review Comparison Invitations, Letters, and Thank you notes Composition Research Report Collins Writing Program Formal and Informal Assessments Reflect understanding and application of focus correction areas Ability to correct and revise written work Writing reflects skills taught Teacher-created activities Collins Writing paper with icons Text and accompanying Writing and Language Handbook Supplemental Collins Writing materials provided to teachers Whole group teacher-directed lessons Small group and individual assistance Peer work rooms.com/skills_1st html. Kidspiration, Inspiration Software. Inc., (Reading and Writing) Writing stories in Kidpix and other digital tools Modeling and interactive SmartBoard activities W.1.1, W.1.2, W.1.3, W.1.5, W.1.6, W.1.7, W.1.8, SL.1.5, SL.1.6, L.1.2 Processes Prewriting o Brainstorming Drafting Revision o Self-Editing o Peer-Editing o Proofreading Publishing o Digital o Handwritten Reflecting and Sharing Mechanics Spacing Handwriting Punctuation marks Sequencing Complete sentences Left to right orientation 9

10 Differentiated Learning Activities The wide variety of writing experiences and activities allows each student to work at his or her own skill level. Journal writing assignments usually provide a topic to get students started, while allowing for personal creativity and expansion on the topic if a student has a higher level of interest and skills. Peer editing activities provide cooperative learning experiences that allows for positive and encouraging interaction between writers of various skill levels. Every student can adapt the writing program to meet his needs. A novice can meet the requirements while learning the basic foundational skills needed. In the meantime, a student who excels in writing can take the basic requirements and build on them to produce more advanced written work. Ethical Decision Making/Character Education: Daily writing topics often relate to current events, social skills, self-awareness, and personal reflection. Through the writing process, students are sharing and expressing ideas about stories and events that can help them to form their own opinions and values. Writing about one s self in a journal or by writing a family or community story can encourage positive character traits such as appreciation, gratitude, thoughtfulness, and civic pride. 21 st Century Skills: Basic communication skills are important for all present and future relationships. Developing good writing skills and abilities helps to lay the foundation needed for students to become good communicators. Since writing clearly is such an important life skill, it is important to help students acquire the skills and experience needed to become confident and competent writers. Unit V: Vocabulary Strategies Essential Question: How can I learn to use all of the new words I hear and see everyday? Objectives: Students will be able to: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase Use frequently occurring affixes as a clue to the meaning of a word Identify frequently occurring root words and their inflectional forms With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings Sort words into categories to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent Define words by category and by one or more key attributes Identify real-life connections between words and their use Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings Distinguish shades of meaning among adjectives differing in intensity by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships 10

11 Topic/Content Skills Assessment Resources Instructional Method Tech Infusion CCSS Using Context Clues Unfamiliar words Homophones Content area vocabulary Specialized vocabulary Unit tests Spelling tests Practice Book Quizzes Daily practice Class participation Writing assignments Text Practice Book Listening Library Songs and Stories Audiocassettes Whole group lessons Small Group lessons Learning Centers Individualized instruction Songs and games teacher.com Word Processing: typing vocabulary words as part of learning centers L.1.4, L.1.5, L.1.6 Using Structural Clues Inflectional endings Regular plurals Irregular plurals Compound words Contractions Possessives Differentiated Learning Activities Flash cards and word games provide engaging ways for students to interact on all skill levels to learn about the meaning and appearance of unfamiliar words. Writing assignments that include targeted vocabulary increase exposure to new words. Songs and rhythms can be used to depict words and have students clap out word endings, providing practice and reinforcement for all students. Whole body movements can help children learn about putting new words together and taking them apart. Ethical Decision Making/Character Education Character education themes require students to know the key vocabulary pertaining to the pillars of character. Many vocabulary lessons can be directly or indirectly taught through character education. For example, hearing the word respect and learning it s meaning and application in real life, can help students to make connections when they hear related, higher-level words such as respectful, disrespect, and respectable. In addition, as vocabulary increases, students can be expected to contribute to discussions and understand complex ideas relating to values, current events, and feelings. 21st Century Skills Basic communication skills are important for all present and future relationships. Developing good vocabulary skills and strategies helps to lay the foundation needed for students to become good communicators. Since clear self-expression is such an important life skill, it is important to help students acquire the strong vocabulary skills and experience needed to become confident and competent speakers and writers. 11

12 Final Note on ASSESSMENT Although this is a revised curriculum, make sure to continue to check the NJ Department of Education website for updates on the online PARRC assessment and the 1 st Grade Model Curriculum (see image below). 12

13 Common Core Resources 1. America Achieves 2. Teaching Channel (Common Core section) 3. Achieve the Core 4. The Hunt Institute s YouTube Channel 5. The CommonCore Curriculum Map website, in which the username is mtlakes and the password is ccmaps 13