Reading:

The students will receive daily reading instruction using various pieces of children's literature. The class period will consist of whole group, independent, and/or small group work time. Students will be given reading tests about 1-3 per marking period. The tests will assess overall comprehension about a specific story as well as the students' ability to use specific reading skills and strategies. Students will also be evaluated on a variety of classwork. Homework will consist of reading 15 minutes each night.

Topics covered: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Comprehension, Fluency, Decoding, Reading Strategies, etc.

Word Work and Spelling:

Students will participate in whole class spelling and word study lessons on a daily basis. Spelling lessons will focus on explicitly taught spelling patterns (not memorized lists). Word study lessons will also focus on multi-syllabic words and syllable types. Students in need of more intensive word study instruction will participate in small group lessons with the teacher. 

Topics Covered: Short and long vowels, sight words, blends, digraphs, diphthongs, compound words, prefixes, suffixes, root words, syllables, multi-syllabic words, multiple meaning words, etc.


Penmanship:

Students will learn all cursive letters and will begin writing sentences in cursive by the end of the year. 


Writing:

Students will complete at least one published piece per marking period. These pieces will take the place of formal writing tests. Students will also receive grammar instruction that covers parts of speech and how to apply correct grammar to their written pieces. 

Topics Covered: Writing process, conventions, grammar/parts of speech, personal narrative, creative narrative, poetry, informational writing, opinion, and research.


Math:

A guided math model will be used in the classroom. Students will participate in whole class, small group, and/or independent activities/math centers. Students will take approximately 2-3 math tests per marking period. Classwork will be completed on a daily basis. Homework will consist of practicing math facts using flash cards or websites.

Topics Covered: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, place value concepts, data and graphing, money, time and measurement, geometry, problem solving, etc.


Science/Social Studies:

In order to balance the content and time of these subjects, the students will participate in alternating units of study (a full science unit, followed by a social studies unit, then a second science unit, etc.) Students will take about two tests per marking period. Classwork will be given and assessed in a variety of formats (projects, journals, etc.). 

Topics Covered in Science: Structures of Life (seeds, crayfish, bones/muscles), water cycle, and forces/motion.

Topics Covered in Social Studies: Geography (natural resources, human features, physical features), History/immigration at Ellis Island, world cultures, citizenship, innovators/world changers, and economics.