Teachers are on the front line in any educational controversy. Increasingly, some bloggers, newspaper articles, and other media have criticized the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSI 2010) as being inappropriate for children in kindergarten and first grade. However, both research and expert practice reveal that children are…

Inspired by a song to be sung by her daughter's first-grade class in an upcoming musical, a parent volunteer teacher used fireflies as the focus of a science lesson to build on the children's interest and experiences. She developed a 5E lesson (Bybee et al. 2006) using the backwards-design approach (Wiggins and McTighe 2005) to ensure meaningful…

What does "rigor," a word that frequently pops up in conversations about education, really mean? More specifically, what does it mean for "literacy" instruction, and how does it relate to challenging standards-based assessments? In this informative and practical guide, literacy expert Nancy Boyles uses the framework from Webb's…

"The Zeroing in on Number and Operations" series, which aligns with the Common Core State Standards and the NCTM Standards on Focal Points, features easy-to-use tools for teaching key concepts in number and operations and for addressing common misconceptions. Sharing the insights they've gained through decades of mathematics teaching and research,…

As part of its proposal to the U.S. Department of Education, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) committed to developing Kindergarten through Grade 2 Model Content Frameworks for English language arts (ELA)/literacy (K-2 Model Content Frameworks) to serve as a bridge between the Common Core State Standards…

The Grade 1 Informational Text Reading Inventory (ITRI) was developed to help early primary students develop the skills necessary to read and use informational text. This booklet contains all the information teachers need to use the Grade 1 ITRI materials, including assessments, mock textbook pages, mini books designed to look like commercial…

This book examines learning science from multiple perspectives--especially a child's. The whimsical character of Mary Froggins guides readers through the steps of igniting students' natural sense of wonder, incorporating brain research, integrating science concepts with other subjects, and applying science to daily life. The authors demonstrate…

This hands-on coin unit is for students in grades 1-2. Students play games and work with coin manipulatives to practice coin and value recognition, finding coin combinations, and adding coins. The unit provides keywords; recommends subject areas and approximate length of time; poses an essential question or problem; provides a unit introduction;…

This planning grid for teaching visual arts in grade 1 in Delaware schools outlines the following six standards for students to complete: (1) students will select and use form, media techniques, and processes to create works of art and communicate meaning; (2) students will create ways to use visual, spatial, and temporal concepts is creating…

Standard 3 of the California History-Social Science Framework requires that students in grade one know and understand U.S. symbols, icons, and traditions, such as the Pledge of Allegiance, the U.S. flag, essential documents, landmarks, and national holidays. The flag is a unifying theme for this unit of study. Students analyze the symbolism of the…

As long as people have lived within groups, there have been rules and laws to govern behavior. Schools are one of the first institutions that children encounter that set standards for their behavior. Learning how to cope with school rules when they are young helps students develop social skills and a sense of responsibility and become good…

Chronological thinking is one of the historical and social sciences analysis skills of the California History-Social Science Standards. The study of history is the study of change. This unit addresses different types of change from "now" to "then." From the community, including types of transportation, to the school, children…

In this 9-week unit, students compare and contrast goods and services and discuss economic activities that occur in cities, sorting them into the production of goods or the provision of a service. Students examine how people use money to purchase goods and services. Wants are defined in terms of trade-offs or choices that must be made. Job…

To complete Standard 2 of the California History-Social Science Framework, first-grade students must learn to use and construct maps and consider how location, weather, and physical environments affect the way people live. Students develop basic geographic skills by focusing first on their school and then on their neighborhood. The 6-year-old…

The students in California's classrooms live in a world of diversity. They eat unique foods, wear different types of clothes, live in different types of homes, and speak and hear many languages. This unit focuses on cultures, customs, ceremonies, traditions, foods, clothing, and shelter. These basic universal necessities of life--food, clothing,…