Summit Public Schools
Summit, New Jersey
Grade Level: First Grade (1) / Content Area: Writing
Curriculum
Suggested Pacing Guide for Reading and Writing Units of Study
FIRST GRADE
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Unit Description: Launching with Small Moments
This first unit is designed to help your students work with independence, confidence, and stamina. Routines and procedures will be
taught and reviewed. Students will be writing small moments: stories from their lives with small, clear focus, tremendous detail and elaboration. Most
children should be able to write one or two sentences on each page, so they will need booklets containing both spaces for drawings and spaces for
writing. The importance of drawing for planning should be stressed in this unit. In teaching writers to stretch out a story, they will draw the start on
one page, then the next part on the next page, and whatever happened next on the third page. These drawings will help children stretch out and
elaborate their stories. If need be, provide more support in small groups.
In the ‘Writing for Readers,’ portion of the unit, we push writers to write with proper use of writing conventions. As per the Common Core
State Standards, it is required that children be able to write narrative texts with a level of proficiency, demonstrating a command of end punctuation, the
ability to spell words with common patterns, and to be resourceful and phonetic in spelling unknown words. While continuing to write small moment
stories from their own lives, students will be encouraged to use writing partnerships to help students make comments, ask questions, and provide
suggestions to and from peers in order to lift the level of the writing. These partnerships set the expectation that we write so that our partners and
others can read and understand our work.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! Establish a writing workshop that supports independence
! Write a small moment
! Write so that others can read and understand our ideas
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
! What is a writer’s workshop?
! What is a small moment?
! How do writers use what they know to make writing clear?
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Students will:
Types and Purposes
! Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or
name the book they are writing about, state and opinion,
supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of
closure.
! Write narratives in which they recount two or more
appropriately sequenced events, including some details
regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event
order, and provide some sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore
a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information
from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and
texts under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read
aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order
to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26
of the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in
response to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a
sense of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining
or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including
frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships (e.g. because)
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected
in the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
Professional Resources:
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2011-2012 Unit 1
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2010-2011 Unit 1
! Launching the Writing Workshop by Lucy Calkins (from Units of Study in the Primary Writing Workshop)
! Small Moments: Personal Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins ((from Units of Study in the Primary Writing Workshop Heinemann, 2003)
! The Craft of Revision by Lucy Calkins (from Units of Study in the Primary Writing Workshop, Heinemann, 2003)
! Small Moments: Writing with Focus, Detail, and Dialogue by Calkins, Oxenhorn, and Rothman (Heinemann, 2013)
Mentor Texts:
! Wave by Suzy Lee
! Night of the Veggie Monster
! A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
! Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning
! Author A True Story d Helen Lester
! Ralph Tells a Story by Abby Hanlon
Unit Description: Realistic Fiction
This unit is designed to teach your students how to story tell and plan stories. Students will learn that characters in stories face problems, overcome
these (with help from others or on their own), and then develop solutions. They will develop their own characters to use in the stories they create. In
this unit they will deepen their partner work, and continue to learn strategies to revise their writing. You will be teaching your students how to move
from being accomplished storytellers to becoming accomplished writers of stories. The goal of the unit will be to write well-elaborated realistic fiction
stories aligning to the Common Core State Standards.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! Storytelling
! Writing realistic fiction stories with great detail and elaboration
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
! Where do writers get ideas for stories they tell?
! How do writers make their stories better?
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Students will:
Types and Purposes
! Write narratives in which they recount two or more
appropriately sequenced events, including some details
regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event
order, and provide some sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore
a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information
from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and
texts under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read
aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order
to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26
of the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in
response to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a
sense of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining
or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including
frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships (e.g. because)
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected
in the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
Professional Resources:
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2011-2012 Unit 3
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2010-2011 Unit 3
Mentor Texts:
! Chicken Sunday, P. Polacco
! Just Us Women, J, Caines
! Night Shift Daddy, E. Spinelli
! Snowy Day, E.J. Keats
! Two of Them, Aliki
! When I Was Young in the Mountains, C. Rylant
Unit Description: How-To
Students already know how to do many things such as make sandwiches, play games, and be friends. This unit aims to teach students that they are
experts and can share their expertise with others by crafting “how-to” books. The focus then is on teaching others what we know. It is a type of
procedural writing, which requires clarity, sequence, and explicitness. To prepare for this unit, you will want to gather examples of procedural writing
from the “real-world.” So, gather recipes, cookbooks, instructions for playing games, or making craft projects, and so on to use as mentors with your
students. This unit will be a richer one for your students if you provide them with hands0on experiences. In order to help students grasp what it
means to write “how-to” books, you may want them to complete demonstrations in class to help them with each step. You can also demonstrate these
skills in shared or interactive writing by creating a “How to do a Fire Drill” or “How to Get Ready for Math.”
In this unit, paper choice ic critical. You should prepare types of paper that will scaffold student writing. Some pages may have small boxes, each
numbered, in which the writer will draw what is entailed in each step, with space for written text next to the box. Other students may be using booklets
in which each page is a new step in the process. Use paper choice as a way of differentiating instruction for your students.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! To teach others what we know through writing
! Develop a procedural writing sample
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
Enduring Understandings
What will students understand about the big ideas?
! What is procedural writing?
! How do writers share knowledge so readers can follow
directions?
! Why is feedback important to writers?
Students will understand that…
! Everyone is an expert at something
! Writers write directions for others to follow
! Feedback from partners and the teacher will help us to revise our
writing to make it better
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Examples, Outcomes, Assessments
Students will:
Instructional Focus:
Bend I: Getting Started: Choosing Topics, Planning, and Drafting
Writers, today we are starting a new adventure together. We will make
books to teach others to do things that we know how to do. Writers
start these books just like we start other kinds of writing projects—we
dream of topics for our writing. Today I want to teach you that when
writers want to write How-to books, we first think of something we
know how to do (maybe something we do in school, or out of school),
then we get paper, sketch out the steps to our book....and Presto!
We're teaching people how to do that. (See Session I, pages 1-5, in
Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and Reports in Units of Study for
Primary Writing).
Writers, we will write these How-to books to share with others. Let's
take a few minutes at the end of today's workshop to think of the
people we might teach. Maybe it is the Pre-K class down the hall or
our younger brothers and sisters, cousins, or friends. Talk with
partners about who might read your books or who your audience
might be. You and your partner can even get a Post-it note and sketch
your audience or readers. This will help you write more for them this
month.
Writers, we want to make sure our readers really understand what we
want to teach them step by step in our How-to books. Today I want to
teach you that we can plan out How- to books, touching the box for
each step and rehearsing our teaching words out loud, perhaps
changing them a little each time we rehearse, so we are sure to teach
our readers exactly how to do this thing we want them to do.
Types and Purposes
! Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a
topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some
sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore a
number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information from
experiences or gather information from provided sources to
answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and
large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to others
with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts
under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud
or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to
gather additional information or clarify something that is not
understood.
Writers, if we want to make sure our readers really understand what we
want them to do, we can check whether or not our directions will
work. Today I want to teach you that writers can read our How-to
books aloud to a partner and add more to make each step easier to
understand. Our partner can pretend to do each step we lay out and if
the directions don't quite work, we can revise them, adding more
words. When you are a partner pretending to follow each step think,
'Would I be able to do this thing if I follow the directions the writer is
giving?' If you are not sure what to do, ask the writer to add more
words to that step. (See Session II, pages 11-14, in Nonfiction Writing:
Procedures and Reports in Units of Study for Primary Writing.)
I see some of you adding on to your directions and am noticing that
sometimes you need more space to add all of those words. Writers,
remember that you can use revision strips, glue, and tape if you need to
add more lines to your paper.
If you notice that you left out a step in your How-to book, you can
always use a staple remover to take the staple out of your book and
add a new page where you want to add that new step. Remember that
we have lots of tools in the writing center to help you.
Writers, today I want to teach you that we can add clear and precise
pictures and words to each step of our How-to books to help our
readers understand our directions. Our pictures may zoom in to show
a specific action and we can choose specific action words or describing
words so our readers know exactly what to do. (See Session III,
especially page 24, in Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and Reports in
Units of Study for Primary Writing.)
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details,
expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26 of
the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response
to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a sense
of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner
(e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and adjectives
Bend II: Tapping into Nonfiction Texts for Structures and Craft
Writers, we have been admiring authors all year together and now we
can take a close look at How-to book authors we admire. We can
notice how they have added some special features or supports to help
readers. Then, we can add some of these same supports to our How-to
books to help readers. We might add a title to teach, a list of things a
reader will need, numbers for each step, and pictures that teach. (See
Session IV, pages 29-33, in Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and
Reports in Units of Study for Primary Writing.)
How-to writers use specific words to help their readers follow steps and
understand not just what to do but when and how to do things. We
can look closely at the words that other authors use, words that help to
tell the steps in order (first, next last, finally) or ones they use to give
cautions or warnings (always, be careful to..., don't..., or never... ). Then
we can add specific words to our books, too, so that the steps are
clearer to our reader. (See Session V, especially pages 41-44, in
Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and Reports in Units of Study for
Primary Writing.)
Writers, we've been noticing that our mentor authors include features
and language in their books to help the reader understand how to do
something. Some of you have noticed that How-to authors also divide
their books into different kinds of sections--an introduction, steps, a
part that describes the materials...sometimes an ending.
Today I want to teach you that an introduction page for a How-to book
introduces your topic and it tells people why they might care about
doing this thing. When we create an introduction page, our goal is to
“talk up” the thing we are hoping to teach,. One thing we can do is use
words that invite or persuade readers to try something new. We might
say something like, “Have you ever wanted to try...?”
differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining or choosing
them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading
and being read to, and responding to texts, including frequently
occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g.
because)
Writers, some How-to books have an ending page that sounds a little bit
like a send-off to the readers, wishing them well. You may also want to
add an ending page that encourages your readers with words like,
"Now you can..." or "Have fun doing..." just like our mentors. (See
Session V, especially page 46, in Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and
Reports in Units of Study for Primary Writing.)
Writers I want to teach you that you can use all you know from other
mentor authors—not just the ones you’re reading now, but ones
you’ve read in other units, or even when you were in Kindergarten. We
have lots of charts that show the things they do to help readers. You
know that writers can use speech bubbles to show dialogue in pictures,
labels to add important details in the setting, and bold letters to
emphasize something to your reader. You can use all of those things in
your How-to books to help your readers.
Bend III: Revising and Editing Our How-to Books
Writers, it is almost time for our publishing party and I know how
excited you are to share your How-to books. In just a few days, people
will be stopping by to visit our room or read our bulletin board. Over
the next few days, let’s do whatever we can to make our writing the
very best that it can be before we share it. Today I want to teach you
that when we are getting ready to share a How-to book, we can reread
our book and ask ourself or our partner, "Have I taught my reader
everything I need to in each step? Does each step make sense?" Then
we can look at our How-to Helpers chart and ask, "Have I used all the
How-to Helpers that will help my audience?" We might use revision
strips, extra paper, glue, tape, and scissors to help make revisions. (See
Session XI, especially pages 48-49, in Nonfiction Writing: Procedures
and Reports in Units of Study for Primary Writing.)
Writers can reread our How-to books, making sure we have tried our
best to spell those hard-to-spell words. Today I want to teach you that
we can reread our books, word by word, searching for some of those
words that don't quite look right. Then, once we find one of those
words, we can look at each part of it, say it again slowly and write the
parts or spelling patterns we know. Of course, we will also want to
check to see if we have used any of those quick and easy words on our
word wall. We'll want to make sure those words are spelled correctly.
(See page 54, in Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and Reports in Units
of Study for Primary Writing.)
Writers know that adding end punctuation to How-to Books can help
our readers move more smoothly through as they read. Today I want
to teach you that we can reread each step in our How-to book and
listen for the places where our sentences end. We can put periods at
the ends of sentences that sound like telling, and we can put
punctuation marks at the ends of sentences that sound exciting or like
urgent warnings. (See page 54, In Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and
Reports in Units of Study for Primary Writing.)
Writers I know you are busy today putting the finishing touches on your
How-to books. Some of you may continue revising and editing today
using all the charts we have been looking at in the last few days and at
all the mentor texts from this month. Today I want to teach you a
couple more things How-to book writers can do—they use
parentheses when they want to pause for one second and add one little
point, or say one more thing.
And they use a colon just before they list a bunch of things, maybe
ingredients in a recipe or things a person needs in order to accomplish
something. Today, while you are adding your finishing touches you can
try out some of these punctuation marks too. (See Session XI,
especially pages 50-51, in Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and Reports
in Units of Study for Primary Writing.)
Sample Assessments:
Conferring notes
EDITING CHECKLIST: How-To-Books. Also, make a checklist using
the "essential mini-lessons" for measurable skills. Note which
measurable skills have been mastered, and which are still areas of
focus. Use these checklists to guide your conferring, and use the
commonalities to assist you in forming your small strategy groups.
Student Portfolio- see 1st Grade Portfolio Checklist/Portfolio
Requirements
Science Journal- a “science journal” (can be part of a notebook or
binder) will be maintained for all students including Type 1 and Type 2
writing (capture thoughts on paper, and to give specific information.)
Instructional Strategies:
Interdisciplinary Connections
Correlates)to)health,)problem)solving)in)math,)map)skills)in)social)studies)
"Exit Cards"- for any academic area (e.g., Health- "What are the steps
for keeping your teeth healthy?")
Everyday Mathematics Open Response Questions in End of Unit
Assessments.
Use the games learned during math to write instructions on "How to
Play a Math Game."
View video clip from United Streaming on a "How-To" topic or topics
of interest to the students.
Social Studies Curriculum Unit 4- "What is a Map?"- write directions
for how to play Simon Says using N/S/E/W. Write directions on how
to design a map.
Nystrom Literacy Library- read aloud, Fire Fighter. Write directions on
how to have a family fire drill.
Science- give directions on how to do the investigations from the
FOSS Solids and Liquids unit.
Technology Integration
Use a digital camera to take pictures showing the steps in a "How-To"
book. (e.g., steps for "Stop, Drop, and Roll.") Insert the pictures into a
KidPix slide show.
Media Literacy Integration
Encourage students to share information in class that they have gotten
from various media sources demonstrating “how-to” do something.
Global Perspectives
Analyze instructions given in foreign languages and the use of pictures
to help make the point clear.
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected in
the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
21
st
Century Skills:
Creativity and Innovation
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Communication and Collaboration
Information Literacy
Media Literacy
Life and Career Skills
21
st
Century Themes (as applies to content area):
Financial, Economic, Business, and
Entrepreneurial Literacy
Civic Literacy
Health Literacy
Professional Resources:
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2011-2012 Unit 4
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2010-2011 Unit 4
! Nonfiction Writing Procedures and Reports in Units of Study for Primary Writing (Heinemann, 2003) by Lucy Caulkins
Mentor Texts:
! “How to Carve a Pumpkin” from The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons
! How to Make a Bird Feeder by Liyala Tuckfield
! How to Make Salsa by Jamie Lucero
! Make a Valentine by Dale Gordon
! How to Make a Hot Dog by Joy Cowley
! Walk On! By Marla Frazee
!
Unit Description: Persuasive Reviews
This unit begins by teaching students that writing can give them a way to make and defend decisions and opinions, such as, “Which is my best
baseball cap? Beanie Baby?” or, Which wins the booby prize for being worst? Children will learn to write their judgments, their reasons for those
judgments and to organize their reasons, supplying supporting details. These goals are pushing first graders beyond the CCSS expectation for opinion
writing, which states that students will write opinion pieces in which they “introlduce the opic or name the book they are writing about, state an
opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure” (CCSS W 1.1). This unit will encourage writers to develop opinions with
multiple easons, provide detailed descriptions, as well as strong openings and closings. It will also encourage students towards using and revising more
complex sentences, using linking words.
In Bend 1, students will learn to review their collections and to make choices about which item in that collection is the best, writing defenses for
those judgments. In Bend 2, students will write multiple reviews about anything and everything: toys, restaurants, video games, movies, etc. Bend 3
has students writing book reviews. They will summarize, evaluate, judge and defend their judgments.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! Learn how to write about and state personal opinions and ideas
! Learn how to support personal judgments with organized reasons and supporting details
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
! How do writers share their ideas with others?
! How do writers support their ideas?
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Students will:
Types and Purposes
! Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or
name the book they are writing about, state and opinion,
supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of
closure.
! Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a
topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some
sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore
a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information
from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and
texts under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read
aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order
to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26
of the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g. I, me,
my; they, them their; anyone, everything)
! Use verbs to convey a sense of past, resent, and future (e.g.
Yesterday I walked home; Today I walk home; Tomorrow I
will walk home).
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in
response to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a
sense of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining
or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including
frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships (e.g. because)
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected
in the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
Professional Resources:
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2011-2012 Unit 5
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2010-2011 Unit 5
! A Quick Guide to Teaching Persuasive Writing, K-2 by Sarah Picard Taylor The Workshop Help Desk Series, Heinemann, 2008)
! Writing Reviews by Calkins, Dunford, and Dangler Larkey
Mentor Texts:
! Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
! Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague
! Earrings by Judith Viorst
! I Wanna Iguana by Karen Orloff
! I Wanna New Room by Karen Orloff
! Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems
Unit Description: Authors as Mentors
In this unit, we invite students to think of themselves as writers, and to look closely at the work of one published writer to and learn to let that writer
function as a mentor. In a sense, you are asking students to invest in the craft of writing. You are asking students to make deliberate choices regarding
their work, to concentrate not only on what they are writing, but also on how they write it, and to be willing to try writing one way and then another way
to make it just right. This unit focuses on the connection between reading and writing and an author study to lift the level of narrative writing. You
may want to begin this unit with an on demand writing example to get a sense of where students fall on the narrative writing continuum, and note
where students are and what they can be working on as writers. The big picture of this unit is that authors learn first from an author by thinking about
the writerly life that the author seems to have, and then trying to do likewise. The most critical decision you, the teach, will have before embarking on
this unit is which writer to study with your students. Be careful to talk to colleagues to make sure that students are not studying the same author they
did in kindergarten or who they will be studying in second grade. We want students to be exposed to a varied repertoire of literature and to learn from
many different authors and pieces of writing.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! Study and learn from real life authors
! Write a small moment narrative story
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
! How do writers learn from others to grow ourselves?
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Students will:
Types and Purposes
! Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or
name the book they are writing about, state and opinion,
supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of
closure.
! Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a
topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some
sense of closure.
! Write narratives in which they recount two or more
appropriately sequenced events, including some details
regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event
order, and provide some sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore
a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information
from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and
texts under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read
aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order
to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26
of the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g. I, me,
my; they, them their; anyone, everything)
! Use verbs to convey a sense of past, resent, and future (e.g.
Yesterday I walked home; Today I walk home; Tomorrow I
will walk home).
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in
response to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a
sense of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining
or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including
frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships (e.g. because)
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected
in the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
Professional Resources:
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2011-2012 Unit 6
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2010-2011 Unit 6
! Authors as Mentors from Units of Study for Primary Writing by Lucy Calkins, (Heinemann, 2003)
! The Craft of Revision from Units of Study for Primary Writing by Lucy Calkins, (Heinemann, 2003)
! About the Authors and Wondrous Words by Katie Wood Ray
! The Revision Toolbox by Georgia Heard
! Cracking Open the Author’s Craft: Teaching the Art of Writing by Lester Laminack
Mentor Texts:
! Kevin Henkes: Sheila Rae, The Brave, Wemberly Worried, Kitten’s First Full Moon
! Mo Willems: Knuffle Bunny, I Broke My Trunk, and other books
! A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
! Short Cut by Donald Crews
! Those Shoes by Boelts
! Joshua’s Night Whispers by Johnson
! My Best Friend by Rodman
! How to Heal a Broken Wing by Graham
! Peter’s Chair by Keats
! At Night by Beans
! Shhh by Henkes
! Roller Coaster by Frazee
Unit Description: All-About/ Informational Books
Everyone is an expert at something. Whether it be knowing the names of all the NBA players on every team, or telling you about every lego piece, set,
and creation, everyone has something they are passionate about. This unit aims to take this knowledge and allow students the opportunity to teach
what they know. During this unit, students will be writing many information books about many different topics, choosing one to publish towards the
end of the unit. Rather than researching new topics, help children select topics they are already knowledgeable about. This is a time for students to
reveal their hobbies and passions. As you prepare for this unit, it is important to remember paper choices. You will want to have variety here, thinking
of paper choices for table of contents, diagrams, how-to, etc to support the various structures students will be writing in throughout the unit.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! Write all about a topic students know well
! Teach others through our writing
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
! How do writers write to teach what they know?
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Students will:
Types and Purposes
! Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a
topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some
sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore
a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information
from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and
texts under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read
aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order
to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26
of the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g. I, me,
my; they, them their; anyone, everything)
! Use verbs to convey a sense of past, resent, and future (e.g.
Yesterday I walked home; Today I walk home; Tomorrow I
will walk home).
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in
response to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a
sense of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining
or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including
frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships (e.g. because)
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected
in the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
Professional Resources:
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2011-2012 Unit 7
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2010-2011 Unit 7
! Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and Reports from The Units of Primary Writing by Lucy Caulkins, (Heinemann, 2003)
Mentor Texts:
! Goldfish, Mice or Cats from the Rigby PM Series
! My Baseball Book by Gail Gibbons
! My Soccer Book by Gail Gibbons
Unit Description: Poetry
In this unit, students will find the significance in the ordinary details of their lives, employ strategies of revision, and learn from mentor authors. This
unit will give students the opportunity to use language in extraordinary ways. Students will experiment with powerful language, the use of line breaks,
metaphor, and comparison to convey feeling. By the end of this unit, students will be able to create clear images with precise and extravagant language.
One exciting way to launch this unit is to create poetry centers for students. Centers could include a “Five Senses Center” where students practice
using descriptive language; a “Metaphor Center” where students compare objects by using phrases including “like a …” or “reminds me of…” or “as
a…”; a “Singing Voices Center” where children sing songs and write new ones. You could include centers where students make shape poems, cut up
poems to play with line breaks, or read poems with feeling, drama, and rhythm.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! Develop precise and descriptive language through the creation of poems.
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
! How do writers write with precision and description?
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Students will:
Types and Purposes
! Write narratives in which they recount two or more
appropriately sequenced events, including some details
regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event
order, and provide some sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore
a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information
from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and
texts under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read
aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order
to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26
of the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g. I, me,
my; they, them their; anyone, everything)
! Use verbs to convey a sense of past, resent, and future (e.g.
Yesterday I walked home; Today I walk home; Tomorrow I
will walk home).
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in
response to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a
sense of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining
or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including
frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships (e.g. because)
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected
in the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
Professional Resources:
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2011-2012 Unit 10
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2010-2011 Unit 10
! Poetry: Powerful Thoughts in Tiny Packages from Units of Study for Primary Workshop (Heinemann, 2003)
Mentor Texts:
! Inside My Heart by Zoe Ryder White
! Time of Wonder by Robert McClosky
! Lost and Finds by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
! Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems edited by Georgia Heard
Unit Description: Writing About Science
This unit is an interdisciplinary unit combining science, reading and writing. In science, students are conducting observations and experiments on the
topic being studied in class. In reading, students are reading books about the topic to expand their knowledge base. In writing, students are writing to
explore the aspect of science being studied as well as to teach what they have learned. In this unit, students will be going through the process of
writing. However, they will not be focused on rehearsing, drafting, revising, and editing. They will, instead, focus on writing to record, to question, to
hypothesize, observe, and to teach others. The critical link to preparation for this unit is topic selection. Teams should choose a topic to study that is
accessible to students, has plenty of resources, and will interest students over time. Needless to day, this decision is a very important one.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! Students will write to record, question, hypothesize, observe, and teach others about a topic in science.
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
! How to writers write like scientists?
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Students will:
Types and Purposes
! Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a
topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some
sense of closure.
! Write narratives in which they recount two or more
appropriately sequenced events, including some details
regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event
order, and provide some sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore
a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information
from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and
texts under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read
aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order
to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26
of the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g. I, me,
my; they, them their; anyone, everything)
! Use verbs to convey a sense of past, resent, and future (e.g.
Yesterday I walked home; Today I walk home; Tomorrow I
will walk home).
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in
response to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a
sense of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining
or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including
frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships (e.g. because)
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected
in the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
Professional Resources:
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2011-2012 Unit 9
! Teacher’s College Writing Curricular Calendar, First Grade, 2010-2011 Unit 9
Mentor Texts:
! Resources from the District Non-Fiction Grant Order
o Maple Trees
o Oak Trees
o Seeds
o Leaves
o Roots
o Stems
o Parts of a Plant
o Water as a Gas
o Water as a Liquid
o Waters as a Solid
o Air Around Us
o How to Make and Earthworm Farm
o The Vegetable Garden
o What is Water?
o I am Water
o Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Unit Description: Conventions of Writing (YEARLONG, GRADE-LEVEL REQUIREMENTS)
Throughout the units of study, students will be accountable for learning conventional grammar and various conventions of writing when appropriate.
Therefore, this content description has been created to identify those skills that should be taught and mastered by the end of the school year. Knowing
and observing proper grammar and conventions of writing it makes it possible to communicate ideas more clearly. These skills should NOT be taught
in isolation via ditto or worksheet. Instead, they should be taught through conferences, small groups skill sessions, revision lessons and other areas on
an as needed basis. Skills covered in this description include: text layout, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, handwriting and word processing.
Writing
Big Ideas: Course Objectives / Content Statement(s)
! Identify conventional grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and handwriting appropriate per grade level.
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
! Which conventions of writing are important for me to learn
and master?
Areas of Focus: Proficiencies
(National Core Standard Alignment)
Students will:
Types and Purposes
! Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or
name the book they are writing about, state and opinion,
supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of
closure.
! Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a
topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some
sense of closure.
! Write narratives in which they recount two or more
appropriately sequenced events, including some details
regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event
order, and provide some sense of closure.
Production and Distribution of Writing
! With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add
details to strengthen writing as needed.
! With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration
with peers.
Research and Distribution of Writing
! Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. explore
a number of “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to
write a sequence of instructions)
! With guidance and support from adults, recall information
from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Speaking & Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
! Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small
and large groups.
! Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g. listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and
texts under discussion)
! Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the
comments of others through multiple exchanges.
! Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and
texts under discussion.
! Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read
aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
! Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order
to gather additional information or clarify something that is
not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
! Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
! Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
! Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 26
of the Nation Core Standards for specific expectations).
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
! Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
! Wse common, proper, and possessive nouns.
! Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g. He hops; We hop)
! Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g. I, me,
my; they, them their; anyone, everything)
! Use verbs to convey a sense of past, resent, and future (e.g.
Yesterday I walked home; Today I walk home; Tomorrow I
will walk home).
! Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g. and, but, or, so,
because).
! Use frequently occurring adjectives
! Use determiners (e.g articles, demonstratives)
! Use frequently occurring propositions (e.g. during, beyond,
toward).
! Produce and expand complete simple, compound declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in
response to prompts.
! Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalizations, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
! Capitalize dates and names of people.
! Use end punctuation for sentences
! Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.
! Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
! Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
! Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and
context, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
! Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
! Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g looks, looked,
looking)
! With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate
understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
! Sort words into categories (e.g. colors, clothing) to gain a
sense of the concepts the category represents.
! Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
(e.g. a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with
stripes)
! Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.
note places at the home that are cozy)
! Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g. large, gigantic) by defining
or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
! Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including
frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships (e.g. because)
The following skills and themes listed to the right should be reflected
in the design of units and lessons for this course or content area.
Professional Resources:
! The Power of Grammar: Unconventional Approaches to the Conventions of Language Mary Ehrenworth, Vicki Vinton
! The Resourceful Writing Teacher: A Handbook of Essential Skills and Strategies Jenny Mechem Bender
! Practical Punctuation: Lessons on Rule Making and Rule Breaking in Elementary Writing Dan Feigelson
! Getting Grammar: 150 New Ways to Teach an Old Subject Donna Hooker Topping
! Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style into Writer’s Workshop Jeff Anderson
! Revising and Editing: Using Models and Checklists to Promote Successful Writing Experiences Les Parsons (2001)