beginning first grade

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Home : 2004 : July : 26

beginning first grade
By emme

My first advice would be to review your curriculum and also see if you have a prescribed teachers guide for LA and Math. You will want to be familiar with those. You have a real advantage in that you know exactly what they
learned in K. Plan some "quick and dirty" testing to see who needs review work on alphabet/numeral recognition right away.
You can start teaching phonics with the sounds of consonants (I do m, s, and t before I introduce the short "a" around an apple mini theme in late Sept). You'll start the first of your sight words on the first day with word wall or similar activities. I work

on number words as well as words from the basal reader, about 5 words a week seems to be the norm.

I start writing the first day with a modelling lesson encouraging them at whatever skill level they are writing at, from scribbles to random letters to those with some sight vocab already. Then we start their journals. I plan the lessons when I have someone else in the room, as you do a lot of scribing about their illustration for the first few months. You can use sentence starters that incorporate sight vocab or phrases from their reader.

In math, a quick review of correct numeral formation and into the first lessons, usually comparing sets (more less equal)shapes, and perhaps gouping sets of 5 or 6 for pre-addition skills. You can also incorporate a skills introduced in K such as sorting, patterning, graphing, as these are ongoing in many Gr 1 math programs.

As a K teacher you already are an expert at making your room a happy and safe place, reading great stories and incorporating your classroom behavior expectations (and consequences). Hope this short intro helps. There are lots of experienced teachers out there who will be able to add to my ideas with ease!