Welcome to First Grade
The first grade goal at Buffalo Creek is to promote a life-long love of learning. We understand that making school meaningful, fun and safe in the early years will insure a love of learning as the child progresses through school.
A very important part of first grade is becoming a fluent reader with strong comprehension skills. In reading, the children enjoy a variety of literature such as leveled books, chapter books, poems, songs, chants, storybooks, big books, and non-fiction. Reading instruction is taught in a small group setting through guided reading. The children are taught reading strategies that focus on visual and structural cues, phonics, and comprehension. We work in large groups as well as small groups in order to meet the needs of all students. Work stations are utilized during this time to enrich skills that have previously been taught. Another very important area of the language arts curriculum is writing. The children write their own stories and are instructed in different forms of writing. The teachers utilize Writer's Workshop as a way of meeting individual children's needs.
Math is taught through hands-on approach using manipulatives, math games, computer games and centers as well as paper and pencil. Students use different strategies to solve problems related to everyday experiences. The math curriculum includes:
| - Whole Numbers |
- Fractions and Decimals |
- Geometry |
| - Algebraic Thinking |
- Measurement |
- Problem Solving |
- Probability, Statistics, and Graphing
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Each of our social studies and science are integrated throughout the school year. By integrating the units our students can utilize their reading, writing, and math skills.
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| Social Studies Units: |
| - Citizenship and Communities |
- Atlas Joe on the Go |
| - America the Beautiful |
- Friends Near and Far |
Science Units: |
| - Insects |
- Soil |
| - Solids and Liquids |
- Cycles |