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What your child will learn in First Grade

Mission Statement

The Greater Amsterdam School District believes that students of all ages can and should learn.

We believe that the purpose of our schools is the education of the whole child. To that end, we recognize and promote the opportunities for increased learning and come from:

  • Improving one's self-esteem

  • Maintaining partnerships with the home and business community

  • Celebrating the community's cultural diversity

  • Achieving high expectations of excellence in all areas.

We accept the responsibility to provide quality and equity in teaching each student in an environment conducive to learning.

Subjects Taught

 

Reading

Students should be able to:

  • Name, identify and distinguish between the letters of the alphabet and their sounds.

  • Alphabetically order a series of letters or words.

  • Identify and generate words that rhyme.

  • Decode new words, understand that words must make sense in the structure of a sentence and that meaning is a priority in reading.

  • Be able to comprehend the main idea of a story.

  • Develop an extended sight vocabulary

  • Read with fluency and expression.

  • Read a minimum of 25 books or the equivalent per

  • Year across all content areas and standards.

  • Recognize basic parts of a book.

  • Be able to match spoken words to print.

  • Be able to use a variety of strategies such as: picture clues, letter sounds, context, rereading and grammar.

  • Be able to make sensible predictions before and during reading.

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Writing

Students should be able to:

  • Use letter sounds to begin temporary spelling when writing.

  • Capitalize the first letter of a sentence and proper names and use proper end punctuation.

  • Distinguish between singular and plural word forms.

  • Identify and correct mistakes in grammar.

  • Use proper spacing between letters and words when writing on a line.

  • Be able to spell commonly used words correctly.

  • Use legible printing.

  • Be able to write a complete sentence.

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Listening

Students should be able to:

  • Listen to, identify, and provide a series of specific sounds.

  • Listen for specific information.

  • Follow simple directions.

  • Listen respectfully and responsibly.

  • Attend to a listening activity for a specified period of time.

  • Avoid interrupting.

  • Respond with expression appropriate to what is heard.

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Speaking

Students should be able to:

  • Respond respectfully.

  • Use age-appropriate vocabulary.

  • Take turns speaking in a group.

  • Use correct pronunciation of age appropriate words.

  • Speak with expression appropriate to the occasion.

  • Speak in complete sentences when required.

  • Stay on topic.

  • Speak audibly.

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Math

The student will:

  • Problem Solving

  • Apply relevant problem solving strategies by using manipulatives, sorting, classifying, and patterns.

  • Realize more than one strategy can solve a problem.

  • Write number sentences to match picture and word problems.

  • Be able to explain how they arrived at their answers (written or oral).

  • Number & Numeration

  • Recognize, extend, create and describe a variety of number patterns appropriate to grade level curriculum.

  • Count, read and write numbers to 100.

  • Count by 2's, 5's, 10's.

  • Put whole numbers in order through 99.

  • Identify tens and ones.

  • Compare whole numbers - less than, greater than equal to.

  • Solve problems involving place value.

  • Geometry and Measurement

  • Identify a circle, a triangle, a rectangle, a square.

  • Identify objects that have the shape of cube, sphere, cone, cylinder, and box.

  • Identify, estimate and measure length in inches.

  • Identify, estimate and measure length in centimeters.

  • State number of minutes in hour and 1/2 hour.

  • Identify hour and minute hands.

  • Develop concept of minute / hour.

  • Tell time to hour and half hour.

  • Know number of days in week and months in a year.

  • Recite days of week, months of year and seasons in order.

  • Write date correctly.

  • Read a calendar.

  • Recognize and know the value of penny, nickel, dime, quarter.

  • Count mixed coins.

  • Operations

  • Understand the meaning of addition and subtraction.

  • Add and subtract up to 2 digit numbers without regrouping (carrying) or renaming (borrowing).

  • Use mental math strategies to recall math facts to 12 (+,-).

  • Operations (cont)

  • Be able to recognize a plus sign, minus sign and equal sign (+, -,=).

  • Be able to add 3 one digit numbers. (5+1+4).

  • Fractions and Decimals

  • Write fractional notation for 1/2, 1/3, 1/4.

  • Identify a fraction for a given visual representation of a whole (1/2, 1/3, 1/4).

  • Identify figures divided into equal parts.

  • Graphing

  • Collect and organize data to construct simple bar graphs.

  • Complete and interpret information depicted on picture and bar graphs.

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Science

The First Grade Science program builds on a child's experiences and curiosity of the world around them. Students gain an understanding of science and its relation to other areas by classifying, generalizing, measuring, predicting, observing, and questioning.

The student will be able to:

  • Gain knowledge of prehistoric animals.

  • Identify plants and the importance they play in our world.

  • Identify animals and how they provide enjoyment, food, clothing, and companionship.

  • Identify ways to conserve the environment, such as recycling and preventing pollution and applying such knowledge to every day living.

  • Compare the different types of weather and how they affect our environment.

  • Describe the different properties of solids, liquids, and gases.

  • Learn proper health care and how it affects our bodies.

  • Experience and learn about the five senses.

  • Identify and apply safety practices and rules in our everyday lives.

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Social Studies

The integrated social studies program provides a foundation for understanding in five perspective areas: social political, economic, geographic and historical. It incorporates opportunities for independent, group and/or cooperative learning.

The student will:

  • Increase understandings about themselves and their relationships to their families and the school community.

  • Develop awareness of rules, responsibility, pride in our country and the importance of citizenship.

  • Begin to understand that the family and the community depend on each other for needs and wants.

  • Begin to understand that maps and globes represent the earth.

  • Develop an appreciation that people, places, and things change overt time.

  • Identify and examine patriotic, historic, and traditional observances.

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Art

The student will be able to:

  • Improve motor-eye-hand coordination skills.

  • Become participating, creative members of our multi-cultural society,

  • Use a variety of techniques, processes, tools and mediums to create Art.

  • Correlate and integrate Art with other subject areas.

  • Improve listening, following directions and learning skills.

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Music

The student will be able to:

  • Distinguish simple music properties i.e. high/low, loud/soft, etc.

  • Further develop their singing voice.

  • Use interactive movement i.e. game songs, simple dances.

  • Distinguish rhythm from beat.

  • Create movement.

  • Perform individually and in groups.

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Physical Education

The student will be able to:

  • Develop physical fitness.

  • Develop the cardio-vascular system.

  • Develop and increase in strength and motor coordination.

  • Participate in a diversity of activities so each child may meet success.

  • Develop an enjoyment of exercise and understand its importance and benefits.

  • Develop eye-hand coordination.

  • Develop eye-foot coordination.

  • Develop perceptual motor skills.

  • Develop proper attitudes and sportsmanship.

  • Develop skills necessary for lifetime activities and sports.

  • Develop and understanding of the rules for sports and games.

  • Develop and understand the meaning of team sports.

  • Participate in a variety of lead-up games.

  • Have an opportunity to participate in an intramural program.

  • HAVE FUN!

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Parent Support Tips

  • READ with your child every day for at least 15 minutes.

  • Review and monitor your child's homework. Return on time. Check folder/book bag daily.

  • Ask your child each day what (s)he " learned" in school rather than what (s)he "did".

  • Practice basic addition and subtraction facts.

  • Use math in daily situations (i.e. measuring, counting coins, estimating, telling time).

  • Have your child write frequently.

  • Take advantage of community family events (i.e. library programs, concerts, plays, museums).

  • Talk to your children about the world around them. Encourage use of complete sentences.

  • Limit the amount of TV and video game time.

  • Plan and enjoy physical activities together (hike, skate, walk, play ball...)

  • Model and expect respectful, responsible, honest and caring behavior ("please", "thank you").

  • Encourage a healthful lifestyle by being sure your child eats a balanced diet and gets plenty of sleep. Set a reasonable bedtime (8:00).

 

** Give each of your children a hug and a kiss and tell them you love them every day.**

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