WM 1st Grade Curriculum Update
May 2018
Reading and Writing
Reading
In the month of May we will be starting our unit on nonfiction book clubs. We will improve our students’ nonfiction reading, speaking and listening skills. They will move from simply “fact collecting” to a deeper understanding of main ideas and supporting information.
Writing
During Writer’s Workshop, we will continue our realistic fiction writing. Students will become more powerful in their writing by including chapters and elaborating on the plot.
Math
We are starting Unit 7. The focus on this unit is place value. We will continue to develop understandings of numbers to 120 as they estimate, count, compare, add, and subtract two digit quantities. Also, in Number Corner we will be collecting a quarter each day to find out how many dollars they can collect by the end of the school year.
Social Studies/Science
During the month of May, we will continue learning about insects! We will observe the life cycles of mealworms and butterflies. At the end of the month we will be going to the Aldo Leopold Nature Center to celebrate our knowledge of insects!
LMC - Library
We’ve learned a lot this year! We’ll experiment with a variety of apps to help us share our new knowledge with others.
Music
Mrs. Spahn’s classes will be working on: Playing the handbells and creating a handbell composition that includes various notes and rhythms. This will help us practice our eighth note pairs and our quarter notes and rests.
Ms. Soltis’ classes will be working on: learning about the William Tell Overture by Rossini. We have been exploring the form of the piece by adding a rhythm stick routine to each section. We will also be starting our Maori Stick Routine (and learning about Maori culture) towards the end of the month.
Technology
Students are creating original graphics and using clipart in drawing programs. Students are participating in online activities using internet safety rules. Students will learn what private information is and create a presentation as a class that demonstrates knowledge of what is and what is not private information.
Art
How and why do artists collaborate? How does art make us smart? (Wolverine Way Banner)
PE
Our Jump Rope For Heart Event was a HUGE success. We broke the WM Record and raised $15,110 dollars this year! Thank you for all your hard work and support. The month of May will be filled with our track & field unit, disc golf, and frisbee. We are looking forward to being able to get outside as much as possible!
Guidance
We are finishing our unit on Calming Down. We are learning how to use self talk (i.e. “I can do this”, “This isn’t a big deal”) to help us calm down. We will also begin our Problem Solving Unit. Students will learn the four steps to solving problems. S: Say the problem (without blame) T: Think of solutions (safe and respectful) E: Explore consequences and P: Pick the best solution.