Reading and Oral Comprehension

• Learn the short vowel letters and sounds
• Decode consonant/short vowel/consonant sounds, blending those sounds into the words they spell.
• Learn the long vowel sounds.
• Decode various consonant/long vowel letter combinations in single syllable words, blending those sounds into words they spell.
• Learn the phonetic rules governing the above and short long vowel pronunciations
• Decode syllables composed of the above into the multi-syllabic and compound words they spell.
• Read common word families.
• Learn consonant blends.
• Learn contractions.
• Learn r- controlled letter vowel sounds.
• Read common, irregular sight words.
• Read aloud with expression for content and to increase fluency.
• Read silently for sustained periods of time.
• Choose and read books for individual enjoyment and knowledge.
• Understand the difference between fiction and nonfiction.
• Identify the title and author of a book.
• Identify and describe events in terms of a beginning, middle, and end of a story.
• Retell stories and events sequentially.
• Discuss characters, settings, and main events in a story.
• Listen to decipher meaning, and discuss short stories, fables, poetry, legends, folktales, and novels read by chapters over time.

Phonics and Spelling

• Add, delete, or change target sounds to change words (e.g. change cow to how; pan to an).
• Apply single word vocabulary knowledge to determine compound words.
• Read contractions.
• Read s and es plural endings.
• Read ed and ing verb tense endings.
• Recognize simple classifications of nouns, verbs and adjectives.
• Spell three- and four- letter short vowel words and grade appropriate sight words correctly.

Literature

The exciting new reading program Gear Up provides a balance of fiction and non fiction. Gear Up includes carefully leveled books specifically designed to help students learn and practice the skills appropriate for each stage of reading development. These innovative student books include explicit skill activities for phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, comprehension, and oral fluency. This is complimented with materials from SRA Reading Laboratories. This provides our students with a range of reading levels that enable all students to learn independently and at their own pace.

Writing

First grade students are introduced to The Steps in the Writing Process and begin to learn the Traits of Effective Writing.

• The Steps in the Writing Process:
  Prewriting.
  Writing the first draft.
  Revising.
  Editing and proofreading.
  Publishing.
• Traits of Effective Writing:
  Stimulating ideas.
  Logical organization.
  Personal voice.
  Original word choice.
  Smooth sentences.
  Correct and accurate copy.

Grammar Skills

• Capitalization of proper nouns.
• Capitalization of the first word of a sentence.
• Capitalization in titles and forms of address.
• The proper use of the comma.
• The correct use of the apostrophe in contractions and possessives.
• Proper punctuation for dialogue and letter writing.
• Correct end punctuation.
• Correct pronoun use, including pronoun-antecedent agreement.
• Correct verb form and tense, including subject-verb agreement.
• Rules of correct and effective expression at the sentence level.
• Rules of diction within the context of a sentence.
• Rules of sentence boundaries, including avoiding run-ons and fragments.

Forms of Writing

Social Studies

Mathematics

The following content strands are emphasized:

Science

Science is an integral part of the FASSV curriculum, and is taught in both programs simultaneously. The first grade features:

• Environmental Education; Water
  The forms of water
  The properties of water
  The water cycle
  Water conservation
• The Living World
  Insect parts
  Parts of a butterfly
  The life cycle of a butterfly
  Parts of a plant
  The life cycle of a plant
  Classification and comparison of animals
• The Human Body
  The 5 senses
  Mobility
  Teeth
  Nutrition
  Hygiene
• Matter
  Air
  Electricity
  Dangers of gas
  Solids and liquids