English Language Arts and Literacy: K-5

The North Salem Central School District curricula are based on the current New York State Next Generation Learning Standards.

Under Construction

First Grade Overview

Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening

• Under Construction

Mathematics

Pequenakonck Elementary School uses the hands-on and minds-on K-5 Math program, enVision Math2.0 as the instructional resource within our math workshop model to teach NYS New Generation Math Learning Standards. The program focuses on developing understanding and connects mathematical content and process. Students learn through investigation, small group instruction and class discourse around problem solving and mathematical concepts. The four major domains include: Operations and Algebraic Thinking, Numbers and Operations in Base Ten, Measurement and Data, and Geometry. Students explore grade level concepts with engaging materials, manipulatives, videos, online access and interdisciplinary activities that support student learning. The program is organized to promote focus and coherence each day. Assessments provide meaningful feedback to support student learning. 

Mathematical Practices:

• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them 
• Reason abstractly and quantitatively
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
• Model with mathematics
• Use appropriate tools strategically
• Attend to precision
• Look for and make use of structure
• Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

Some of what your first grader will be learning includes:

• Adding and subtracting within 20
• Using strategies; counting on, doubles, open number line, make 10 to add, 
• Working with addition and subtraction equations and understand the relationship between addition and subtraction
• Extending the counting sequence to 120
• Using place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract
• Comparing numbers; 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, 10 less, greater than, less than, number lines
• Comparing and ordering length, measure length
• Writing and telling time to the hour and half hour
• Reasoning with shapes, their attributes and fractions

Social Studies

New York State has adopted five learning standards that are the overall foundation for the Social Studies Curriculum K-12.

• History of the United States and New York 
• World History
• Geography 
• Economics 
• Civics, Citizenship, and Government 

First graders study four major units: Rules and Laws, We are Family, Unity in Community and Economics.  The focus is helping students learn about their roles as a member of a family, school community and the community where they live. 

Some of what your first grader will be learning includes:

Rules and Laws (Civics, Citizenship, and Government):

• Class Rules
• School Rules
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Symbols

We are Family :

• Families Alike and Different
• Families change over time
• Jobs within a family
• Family and Cultural Traditions

Unity in Community (Civics, Citizenship, and Government, Geography):

• Different types of communities
• Citizens and their roles 
• Maps and map tools
• Physical Environment of Communities

Economics: (Economics)

• Wants, needs and resources
• Scarcity of resources
• Goods and services of our community
• Economic choices

Science

We use Science 21 as our instructional resource for teaching science. The science program is an inquiry based program. First graders use critical and creative thinking skills as well as problem solving skills to learn about the following three topics of study: Earth’s Systems: Patterns and Cycles, Waves: Light and Sound, Structure, Function and Information Processing.

In our three units of study, first grade students will:

• ask questions and defining problems 
• make observations and predictions 
• conduct experiments
• record their observations
• analyze and interpret data
• communicate information  

 
Earth’s Systems:  Patterns and Cycles

• The sun and its changing position in the sky
• Shadows; how they change shape and location
• Hours of daylight throughout the year- looking at patterns
• The moon; phases of the moon, orbiting around Earth
• Patterns of changes in the sky: sun, moon and starts

Waves:  Light and Sound

• Sounds; can move matter, can be different and why they are made
• Vibrations; different vibrations make different sounds
• Using senses to determine if something is making sound
• Objects that are illuminated or give their own light
• How light behaves in transparent, translucent or opaque materials
• Materials that will reflect light

Structure, Function and Information Processing

• Animal behavior; how they help their offspring, patterns in their behavior
• Animals;  how offsprings are similar to or different from their parents
• Physical characteristics of young plants and animals
• How plants and animals survive, grow and meet their needs
• Humans; mimicking plants and animals to solve human problems