To Parents:

The following is a brief description of each of the subjects your child will study in first grade. It is designed to provide you with a general overview of the content and skills which are taught as well as other pertinent information. Teaching strategies will, of course, vary according to the needs of the class. We hope that the continued use of this brochure and the meetings with your child’s teachers and learning specialists will keep you informed about the goals of the Andover Public Schools and your child’s learning progress.

Andover’s Balanced Literacy program uses quality literature as the basis for instruction in phonics, writing, grammar and spelling. First graders read with friends, work in both large and small instructional groups, and listen to teachers read aloud to them. They read biographies, fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Children are taught decoding and comprehension strategies through direct instruction. They read in the classroom anthology as well as at their “just right” level each week.

Writing is an integral component of our program. Children learn to write best when they have many opportunities to write. Students learn to write in all curriculum areas: writing in daily journals, answering literature based questions, recording scientific data and documenting historical information in social studies .First graders discover that writing is a process as they draft, revise, rewrite, edit and publish their work. There is direct instruction in grammar, usage and mechanics. Spelling competency develops over time and is influenced by one’s experience with language and direct spelling instruction.

The goal of the Everyday Math program is for students to become confident problem-solvers who value and enjoy math. Some of the key features of the program include problem solving for real life situations, developing readiness through hands-on activities, establishing links between past experiences and new concepts, cooperative learning, sharing ideas through discussion, and skill mastery through games. Students learn to add and subtract with accuracy, to extend patterns, to classify geometric figures and to identify coins and value. The curriculum spirals throughout the year, ensuring that children encounter and apply concepts over time.

The science program provides our students with the foundation and understanding of scientific topics through the acquisition of scientific knowledge, the development of thinking skills, and the application of the scientific method. The units of study in life, physical, and earth science for first grade are Organisms, Solids and Liquids, and Weather.

The goal of the program is to prepare students to become responsible citizens of a democratic society by helping them to understand and appreciate the diversity and commonality of people. The essential question or big idea is “What Is A Community?”. Students learn about different communities and places.

The technology program provides hands-on instruction to students both in the classroom and in a lab setting. The technology curriculum includes basic computer operations and learning to use simple reading/language arts and mathematics software independently.

Students develop and design their own portfolio covers. Using the elements of art and principles of design, they use a variety of media in developing fine motor skills (cut and glue, form geometric shapes, adhere one medium to another). Students learn primary and secondary colors and begin to control, mix, and apply paint. They also begin to make aesthetic decisions during the process and to reflect upon their work and share their thoughts with others.

When singing songs, listening and moving to music, children learn to determine the meter and pattern. They can demonstrate the difference between the macro and micro beat. Children are encouraged to improvise their own melodies and audiate the home tone through internal hearing. They play tonal instruments and begin to choose rhythm instruments to accompany songs, poems, and stories.

Movement exploration is the methodology used by the physical education staff to develop perceptual motor skills for first grade students. Lessons develop the concepts of balance, spatial awareness, eye-hand and eye-foot coordination and locomotor skills. Students also learn more about their bodies and how exercise affects heart function.

In grade one, children select books of interest that they can read. They learn about authors, titles, illustrators. They also learn to identify the parts of the book. First graders practice their listening and viewing skills in the library. Students are given the opportunity to participate in discussions about books. They learn the location and arrangement of the picture books using call numbers and that the media center contains materials other than books. Children learn that materials in the media center have a specific arrangement and that the media specialists make use of the electronic card catalog to find materials.