Reading

    Our program is literature-based, which means that the children will be surrounded by quality literature, both in big book and trade book form.  We will be using selections from Scholastic Literacy Place, a literature anthology, as well as multiple copies of books from our Cobb County Core Library.  We will be using the thematic approach, so that much of our reading and writing will relate to the current unit of study.  Each week we'll also read thematic and seasonal poems which we'll collect in our Poetry Notebook.  Comprehension skills are taught during a daily shared reading block.  Students participate in small group reading instruction or guided reading daily.  Daily students choose and read text on their own level during Self-Selected Reading (or SSR) time.  Independent reading and writing activities are done during Literacy Centers.  During our daily Working with Words block, decoding(phonics) and spelling skills are taught.  The Open Court Phonics program, along with making words activities are used to teach decoding skills.  Students learn to spell high frequency vocabulary through activities using our class word wall.

Writing

Another key component of our K-1 language arts curriculum is the writing workshop.  Each day the children will be working on various forms of creative writing. Early in the year we focus on the retelling of stories in sequence, and the concepts of full sentences and beginning, middle and endings. As the year progresses, we work on other types of writing as well, including informational writing, descriptive writing, and persuasive writing. Writing workshop begins with a mini-lesson which addresses skills needed to become a great writer. Lucy Calkins' Primary Units of Study,  as well as the Rigby Wonder Writers program are used to teach skills and strategies needed for writing.  In addition, we use the 6 traits writing model to help students  improve their writing through the use of conventions, word choice,  sentence fluency, ideas, organization and voice. (To read more about 6 traits writing, go here .) Following the mini-lesson, students are given time daily to work on their own writing while the teacher conducts writing conferences

 Spelling

The Sitton Spelling program is used to help us learn high frequency words used most often in writing.  In addition, high frequency words are practiced through daily Word Wall activities. Please visit our spelling/sight words page to learn more about the Sitton "no excuse" words. 

Math
Our district is has just adopted two new mathematics program Harcourt Math and Think Math.  We also use Everyday Counts calendar math and Mountain Math, along with Cobb County's math "rap" for a daily review of K-1 math concepts. Many supplemental games and activities are used, as well as an abundance of literature with mathematic connections.  Your child will become fluent in the area of addition and subtraction equations through 18 (for first graders), as well as be exposed to concepts such as money, time, measurement, geometry, fractions, double-digit addition and subtraction and others. We'll practice our problem-solving skills by working in our Math Journal and by using Think Math activities and Exemplars.

Science
This will be our 2nd year of implementing new Georgia Performance Standards in science. Our Science program is the Harcourt Brace series, which consists of big and little books for each unit, as well as experiments  and materials.  Some of the science topics explored in K-1 include: animals, plants, water, weather, day and night sky, light, sound, magnets, motion, gravity, and earth materials. In addition to science activities done in our classroom, students will participate in science lab as one of their specials. Mrs. Bradley will reinforce and extend the science concepts being taught in our classroom.

Social Studies 
In K-1 we will be beginning to teach the new Georgia Performance Standards in social studies.  In K-1 students begin to understand the foundations of the social studies strands: history, geography, government, and economics. Students begin their introduction to the United States history through the study of important American holidays, symbols and historical figures. Basic concepts of cultural and physical geograpy are presented. Civics provides students with an introduction to rules and character traits of good citizens. Basic economic conepts are also introduced. .

Health
Our health program is Your Health by Harcourt Brace.  Some of  our topics for K-1  health include:  Skeletal and Muscular System, Foods and Nutrition, Our Teeth, Safety, Taking Care of our Body, Germs and Illness,  Medicines and Drugs, Conflict Resolution and Friendship

Visit Cobb County's curriculum site for a more in-depth look at our kindergarten or first grade curriculum

(This is the site for Picasso which houses the Cobb County Curriculum.  The link above takes you to the parent site.)