Grade 1

Module 1:

Tools and Work

September – November

Why do we need tools?

How do habits of character help us do work?

How do we create a magnificent thing?

Students will:

• Learn how tools help to do a job and decide which tools are best for a job.

• Engage in close read-alouds, which focus on the study of characters in new literary texts. 

• Consider the habits of character that help them make work easier and solve dilemmas. 

• Use their classroom tools and habits of character to collaboratively create a "magnificent thing.”

• Share, discuss, and reflect on their creation.

Module 2: 

What’s Up in the Sky?

November – January

Why do authors write about the sun, moon, and stars? 

What patterns can we observe in the sky?

How do authors use their knowledge and observation to write a story?

Students will:

• Study the sun, moon, and stars through various narrative texts and begin to understand how and why the sun, moon, and stars inspire authors. 

• Study the scientific concepts of observable patterns in the sky as they relate to the sun, moon, and stars. 

• Engage in a close read-aloud of What Makes Day and Night by Franklyn Branley and Does the Sun Sleep? Noticing Sun, Moon, and Star Patterns by Martha E.H. Rustand. 

• Track their observations of the sun, moon, and stars in pictures and videos.

• Participate in a focused read-aloud of What the Sun Sees, What the Moon Sees by Nancy Tafuri, to understand the concept of the position of the sun and moon at different times of day and descriptions of the sun and moon.

• Study the author’s craft of writing a narrative poem.

• Compose a narrative poem using descriptive language and knowledge about the sun, moon, and stars.

Module 3: Birds’ Amazing Bodies

February – April

What makes a bird a bird?

How do birds use their body parts to survive?

How do specific birds use their body parts to survive?

How do we build our research skills and share our learning?

Students will:

• Listen to the texts Just Ducks by Nicola Davies and Birds by Penelope Arlon and Tory Gordon-Harris as they answer the question, "What makes a bird a bird?" to build background knowledge about birds. 

• Participate in both whole group and small group research to learn more about the form and function of key bird parts, with a focus on beaks and feathers. 

• Refine their scientific drawing skills and show their learning by writing an informational paragraph that describes how beaks or feathers help birds survive.

• Participate in a research cycle to learn about how a specific bird's key parts help them to survive in its habitat. 

• Create Expert Bird Riddle cards and Expert Bird Scientific Drawing cards using facts from their research.

Module 4: Caring for Birds

April – June

Why should we care for birds?

How do characters in stories help care for birds?

Why do people have different opinions about birds?

How can people care for birds so they can live and grow?

Students will:

• Read a variety of literature with characters who care for birds.

• Participate in a close read-aloud, role-play, structured discussions, and response to text through writing as they compare and contrast the characters' experiences in these stories.

• Learn about writing opinions as they investigate a specific bird, Pale Male, who built its nest in the heart of New York City. 

• Read about people's differing opinions about this nest and then write their own opinions in response to the evidence they gather. 

• Explore some of the problems birds face and what humans can do to help them live and grow through the text A Place for Birds by Melissa Stewart.

• Learn about the ways birds are helpful to plants, other animals, and people. 

• Create a piece of artwork and writing that includes a high-quality scientific drawing of a local bird to prevent birds from flying into the window. 

• Create a short piece of writing to teach others facts about birds.

Unidad 1:

Lecto-

escritura

September – November

¿Quién es el autor y el ilustrador de este cuento?

¿Cuáles son los personajes, escenario y acontecimientos de esta historia?

¿En qué son iguales/diferentes dos cuentos de un mismo autor?

Los estudiantes podrán:

• Aprender las rutinas, responsabilidades y expectativas de la clase.

• Leer libros acerca de la escuela y de “todo acerca de mí.”

• Hacer y responder preguntas sobre los textos leídos en clase.

• Nombrar el autor e ilustrador de un texto.

• Participar en proyectos de escritura compartida.

• Nombrar los personajes, escenario y acontecimientos de la historia.

• Identificar las similitudes y diferencias entre dos textos del mismo autor.

• Dibujar y escribir sobre los libros que leen en clase y sobre experiencias propias.

Unidad 2:

Animales salvajes

November – January

¿Cómo es ese animal físicamente? ¿Cómo le ayudan a sobrevivir sus características físicas?

¿Cómo le ayuda a sobrevivir su comportamiento?

¿Qué clase de animal es? 

¿Cómo es su hábitat? 

¿Cuál es la alimentación y los depredadores del animal?

¿Está en peligro de extinción? ¿Cuáles son las amenazas a su supervivencia?

Los estudiantes podrán:

• Leer y discutir libros de ficción y no ficción sobre distintos grupos de animales

• Ser expertos en un animal, aprendiendo sobre su descripción física, comportamiento, ciclo de vida, adaptaciones y otros temas.

• Escribir, ilustrar y publicar un ensayo informativo acerca de un animal basado en sus investigaciones.

Unidad 3:

Historias de la familia

February – April

¿Qué es una familia?

¿Qué papeles y responsabilidades tienen los miembros de una familia?

¿En qué se parecen las familias de ahora con las de hace 100 años?

¿Qué celebraciones tienen diferentes familias?

¿Por qué las familias tienen tradiciones? 

¿Cómo pueden mostrarse amor, respeto y confianza las familias?

Los estudiantes podrán:

• Leer y discutir ¡Qué sorpresa de cumpleaños! y otros cuentos sobre familias de diversas épocas y lugares.

• Hacer y responder preguntas acerca de los libros leídos en clase.

• Entender que las historias de familias se basan en hechos reales de nuestros recuerdos, de historias que les contaron, de fotografías, etc..

• Analizar cómo los conflictos y valores morales impactan a la familia y qué moraleja se puede deducir de las experiencias de los personajes. 

• Identificar y describir los personajes, escenario, el problema, la solución y el mensaje de los cuentos.

• Identificar las similitudes y diferencias entre los elementos de dos historias de familias.

• Escribir y dibujar sus propias historias de familia.

Unidad 4:

Plantas

April – June

¿Cuáles son las partes importantes de la planta? ¿Cuál es la función de cada parte?

¿Cómo se reproduce esta planta?

¿Dónde vive esta planta?

¿Qué necesita para sobrevivir? ¿Cómo lo obtiene?

¿Qué es la fotosíntesis?

¿Cuáles son los desafíos a la supervivencia en su hábitat? ¿Cómo se ha adaptado para superarlos?

¿Necesita esta planta de otros seres vivos? ¿Cuáles? ¿Qué seres vivos necesitan a esta planta?

Los estudiantes podrán:

• Leer y discutir libros de distintos tipos de plantas.

• Aprender sobre las características físicas, ciclo de vida, hábitat y mucho más sobre las plantas.

• Ser experto en una planta.

• Escribir y dibujar un ensayo de opinión acerca de la planta que ha investigado. 

1

45 days

In Module 1, students make progress towards fluency with addition and subtraction of numbers to 10 as they are presented with opportunities intended to advance them from counting all to counting on, which leads many students then to decomposing and composing addends and total amounts. Students work with put together, add to, take apart, and take from situations, as well as the concept of 1 more, 1 less, the equal sign, and commutative property.

• I can use strategies to add and subtract to 10, including counting all, counting on, counting back, and decomposing and recomposing numbers up to 10.

• I can determine 1 more and 1 less than a number.

• I can use number sentences, equations, and Commutative Property to solve addition and subtraction problems within 10 with unknowns in all positions.

• I can use objects and drawings involving situations of putting together, adding to, taking apart, and taking from to solve addition and subtraction word problems within 10 with unknowns in all positions.

2

35 days

In Module 2 students begin to solve addition and subtraction problems involving teen numbers. They progress in their use of strategies from counting all, to counting on or back, to decomposing and recomposing numbers and using strategies such as making 10 or taking from 10. The strategy of making 10 lays the foundation for understanding place value as comprised of tens and ones. Students add and subtract with numbers up to 20.

• I can use strategies to add and subtract to 20, including counting on, counting back, decomposing and recomposing numbers, and making 10 or taking from 10.

• I can use objects and drawings involving situations of putting together, adding to, taking apart, taking from, and comparing to solve addition and subtraction word problems within 20 with unknowns in all positions.

• I can use number sentences and equations to solve addition and subtraction problems within 20 with unknowns in all positions

3

15 days

Module 3 extends students’ experiences with direct length comparison to the new learning of indirect comparison whereby the length of one object is used to compare the lengths of two other objects. It takes longer than and shorter than to a new level of precision by introducing the idea of a length unit, and explores the usefulness of measuring with similar units.

• I can order 3 objects by length and compare lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object.

• I can use objects (i.e. paper clips, cubes) as measuring tools (length units). 

• I can use length units to measure objects accurately with no gaps or overlaps.

4

35 days

Module 4 focuses on the role of place value in the addition and subtraction of numbers to 40. Students compare quantities and begin using the symbols for greater than (>) and less than (<), learn addition and subtraction of tens, and use familiar strategies to add two-digit and single-digit numbers within 40. They consider new ways to represent larger quantities when approaching put together, take apart and add to word problems. The module closes with focusing on adding like place value units as students add two-digit numbers.

• I can identify, read, and write numerals up to 40 and represent a number of objects up to 40 with a written numeral.

• I can compare 2-digit numbers, identify which is greater or less than, and use the symbols >, =, and < to compare quantities and numerals.

• I can add multiples of 10 to other multiples of 10.

• I can use strategies to add within 40, including a 2-digit number and a 1-digit number or a multiple of 10.

• I can use objects and drawings involving situations of putting together, adding to, taking apart, taking from, and comparing to solve word problems within 40.

5

15 days

In Module 5, students identify the defining parts, or attributes, of two- and three- dimensional shapes. They combine shapes to create a new whole: a composite shape, and they relate geometric figures to equal parts and name the parts as halves and fourths.

• I can determine which attributes of various two-dimensional shapes are defining attributes (e.g., open/closed, number of sides) and which are non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size).

• I can use two-dimensional or three-dimensional shapes to create composite shapes.

• I can partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and understand that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.

6

35 days

In Module 6, students extend their work from Module 4 to addition of numbers to 100 and counting to 120. They grapple with comparative word problem types, extend their skill with tens and ones to numbers to 100, and work with more challenging word problems.

• I can count, identify, read, and write numerals up to 120 and represent a number of objects up to 120 with a written numeral.

• I can determine 10 more and 10 less than a number.

• I can use strategies to add within 100, including a 2-digit number and a 1-digit number or a multiple of 10.

• I can use objects and drawings involving situations of putting together, adding to, taking apart, taking from, and comparing to solve word problems within 100.

Lights and Sounds

Sept- Oct

How are sounds made?

What can light travel through?

How can you send a secret message to someone far away?

In this unit, students investigate light and sound! They explore how materials vibrate and how vibrating materials can make sounds. They also investigate light and illumination and use those investigations to create simple devices that allow them to communicate across a distance.

Earth Science

Nov-

Jan

Why is there day and night?

When can we see stars?

Why does the moon’s shape change?

In this unit, students make observations of the Sun and shadows throughout the day and across the seasons. They use their observations to understand patterns that occur throughout the day. Also, students explore the Moon and stars. They observe and record the appearance of the Moon to determine its cyclical pattern. They also determine why stars are only visible at night.

Animals

Feb- March

Why are polar bears white?

Why do family members look alike?

How do animals take care of their babies?

How do polar animals survive the cold?

In this unit, students explore how the external characteristics of animals are essential for their survival. Students also make observations of parents and their offspring, determining how they are similar and how their behaviors help offspring survive.

Plants

April-June

What are the parts of a plant?

What do the leaves, roots, stem, and flowers do?

In this unit, students explore the different parts of plants and how those parts are essential for plant survival.

Newcomer curriculum

(optional - based on teacher recommendation)

6-8 weeks 

• How can I be a member of the school community?

• How is my language different/the same as English?

Students will 

• INFORM by identifying/naming/labeling to participate in grade-appropriate exchanges of information

• EXPLAIN by summarizing main ideas and key details to describe or report information

Tools and Work

10 Weeks

• Why do we need tools?

  •  

• How do habits of character help us do work?

  •  

• How do we create a magnificent thing?

Students will NARRATE, EXPLAIN, ARGUE and INFORM 

• by describing

• by sequencing

• by asking and answering questions

• by sorting and categorizing vocabulary words

See Grade 1 ELA overview for more context

What’s Up in the Sky: A Study of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

10 Weeks

• Why do authors write about the sun, moon, and stars? 

• What patterns can we observe in the sky?

  •  

• How do authors use their knowledge and observations to write a story?

Students will NARRATE, EXPLAIN, ARGUE and INFORM 

• by describing

• by participating in academic conversations

• by using words and phrases that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses

• by asking and answering questions

See Grade 1 ELA overview for more context

Growing as Researchers: Birds’ Amazing Bodies

10 Weeks

• What makes a bird a bird?

  •  

• How do birds use their body parts to survive?

  •  

• How do specific birds use their body parts to survive?

  •  

• How do we build our research skills and share our learning?

Students will NARRATE, EXPLAIN, ARGUE and INFORM 

• by describing

• by constructing complex sentences using but, as, and, so, because, etc.

• by determining a solution to a problem

• by summarizing

See Grade 1 ELA overview for more context

Caring for Birds 

10 Weeks

• Why should we care about birds?

  •  

• How do characters in stories help care for birds?

• Why do people have different opinions about birds?

  •  

• How can people care for birds so they can live and grow?

Students will NARRATE, EXPLAIN, ARGUE and INFORM 

• by stating their opinion and relevant facts 

• by researching and reporting to answer a question

• by using a variety of noun forms

• by describing

• by constructing complex sentences using but, as, and, so, because, etc.

See Grade 1 ELA overview for more context