Lake Forest Country Day School GRADE 1
LOWER SCHOOL CURRICULUM A co-educational independent school for students age 2 through Grade 8, graduating students of strong character with a passion for learning since 1888
Overview of Lower School (Grades 1–4) The Lower School curriculum reflects high academic standards, and our faculty is dedicated to giving each student the opportunity to discover his or her physical, creative, social, and academic strengths. Because social and academic skills are inextricably linked, we strive to create a respectful, safe atmosphere where students can explore interests, take responsible risks, and develop academic skills and knowledge. Dedicated faculty members work together in our state-of-the-art facility to create an engaging curriculum, rich with opportunities for deeper thinking as students develop key twenty-first-century skills: communication, collaboration, character, creativity, and critical thinking. Students benefit from: Our developmentally appropriate, coherently sequenced, and integrated curriculum in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, world language, fine arts, physical education & wellness, and library and education technology. A commitment to developing important Habits of Mind, critical thinking and creative problem solving, collaboration and communications skills, and curiosity and imagination. Our Responsive Classroom® teaching philosophy which stands apart from other public and private school programs with its emphasis on a positive social and emotional environment as the foundation for academic excellence. A faculty who understands brain and child development and works collaboratively to engage students in a variety of learning experiences that encourage making connections, building understanding, and taking ownership of learning. A commitment to experiential learning and enriching experiences through interactive field trips. A compassionate school environment that values personal responsibility, diversity, and openness to different points of view.
Teaching Philosophy Knowing the students we teach—individually, culturally, and developmentally—is of utmost importance to us. We also believe in the importance of getting to know their families. We value the input of parents as the child’s first teacher, beginning with intake conferences prior to the start of school when parents share their knowledge of and hopes and dreams for their child. Two important beliefs are at the heart of our teaching philosophy: first, the social curriculum is inextricably linked with the academic curriculum; and, second, how students learn is as important as what students learn. Lower School faculty shares a commitment to the following teaching and learning practices: RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM®
DIFFERENTIATION
HABITS OF MIND
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
AUTHENTIC WORK OF THE DISCIPLINES
UNIFYING CONCEPTS
Responsive Classroom® techniques foster a welcoming, accepting, safe, and nurturing environment for learning. Teachers promote ways of thinking and behaving that develop self-discipline and strong character.
Teachers focus on each individual student’s learning style and make adjustments as needed to provide support or additional challenge. Students enjoy opportunities to engage in hands-on activities and role-play experiences that help them understand abstract ideas.
The curriculum emphasizes academic work that requires Ideas are introduced in the context of central unifying concepts or critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration and has themes to help students recognize and remember connections in real-world applications. what they are learning in different disciplines. Lower School Curriculum Guide
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Lower School Curriculum
Overview
Responsive Classroom® Approach The Lower School faculty uses Responsive Classroom® techniques to create a welcoming, accepting, safe, and nurturing environment. In classrooms where caring communities are created and children are valued for where they are on the continuum of learning, students are prepared to face challenges intentionally designed to stretch their thinking and help them develop confidence in what they can accomplish. As students grow and mature, they take increasing responsibility for their own learning, for setting goals, and for evaluating their learning style. By fourth grade, students lead their spring parent conferences, using portfolios to explain their progress, strengths, and challenges.
Community Meeting
Stop by at 8:15 a.m. on a Wednesday to experience Lower School Community Meeting, a time when Lower School students come together for twenty minutes. The meetings are designed to:
build community through the sharing of common values and experiences. provide an opportunity for students to present examples of their accomplishments and work in all disciplines. celebrate birthdays and reward qualities we value (i.e., persistence, risk-taking, sportsmanship, respect, teamwork, dedication to high-quality work). share musical and movement selections. These meetings also provide the opportunity to remind students about important Habits of Mind and shared values that are an integral part of the LFCDS experience, including the value of “filling each other’s buckets.”
Children must have multiple opportunities to learn and practice in order to be successful academically and socially. Since the greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction, various social settings (e.g., one-to-one conferences, small groups, whole class, and team experiences) provide opportunities for learning cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.
Inherent in the Responsive Classroom® approach is shared ownership of the classroom community and choice. The year begins with cooperative creation of classroom rules based on students’ hopes and dreams for the year and the classroom atmosphere necessary to accomplish them. Guidelines for behavior are shared with teachers Every Lower School of “specials” such as classroom begins the Have You Filled a Bucket Today? speaks to art, music, science, and day with a Morning the power of our words and actions in making one another physical education & feel good about and respected for who we are as individuals. Meeting. News and The premise is that each of us carries an invisible bucket that wellness so expectations Announcements are represents our mental and emotional self. The ways we interact are consistent throughout read by the children as with others affect whether one another’s buckets are empty or the day. Students are they arrive, building overflowing with positive energy at the end of the day. taught to resolve conflict excitement about Students learn about the ways they can be bucket fillers as well with words and to offer the day’s events and as bucket dippers. Students come to understand that by filling amends for any hurt engaging them in a someone else’s bucket, they are also filling their own. they may have caused. meaningful question of Teachers use logical consequences for infractions the day designed to enhance learning and sometimes and are proactive about dealing with disagreements. just to have fun. During the sharing that follows, Students feel heard and safe and understand that these students practice essential skills, such as learning to situations are part of growing up. share concisely; actively listening with empathy and understanding; asking increasingly complex questions; Because we know that choice is highly motivating, and making connections with what they hear. The the faculty creates opportunities each week when meeting ends with a fun, bonding activity. students determine what they will read, write about, Lower School Curriculum Guide
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Lower School Curriculum
Overview
or explore and how they will learn and demonstrate understanding. Students become more engaged, productive, persistent, and excited about learning and sharing their knowledge when they have choices. They are also more likely to think deeply and creatively.
Research indicates that the Responsive Classroom® approach provides a more positive school experience for both students and faculty, improves the social skills of students, increases academic achievement, and leads to more high-quality instruction.
Nutrition and Manners
Lunch is included in tuition and, since LFCDS focuses on the whole child, mealtime is structured as an opportunity for children to learn and practice gratitude, good manners, polite conversation, and healthy eating habits.
Lunches are served family style with six or seven students assigned to a table with an adult or fourth-grade supervisor. Fourth-grade students may sit at self-managed Honor Tables. OrganicLife provides healthy hot selections, an extensive salad bar, and a sandwich bar daily. Fresh fruit is served four or five times a week for dessert. On one or two days a sweet dessert is offered in addition to the fruit. A water pitcher is on each table, and milk is also available. Each child has a job to accomplish so that tables are respectfully cleared, cleaned, and prepared for the next lunch. A music selection is played during which the lunchroom is silent and the focus is on eating. On occasion, world language immersion tables provide an enriching, authentic, and fun experience for students. They are supervised by world language staff and bilingual volunteer parents. Parents are welcome at lunch both as visitors and as volunteer table supervisors.
Habits of Mind Habits of Mind are behaviors or dispositions that we believe provide a strong foundation for success in school and in life. Across curricular areas, faculty members discuss their application and provide regular opportunities for students to apply them. For example:
First-grade students take responsible risks using challenging playground equipment. For our early childhood students, gathering data through the senses and persisting are part of the fabric of their day. During a fourth-grade mathematics class, In science class, students question and pose a teacher encourages metacognition as problems as they create "fair tests" and make students prepare to share a variety of ways to solve inferences from the results. a problem. Throughout the Lower School, students practice A world language teacher asks students to strive for listening with empathy and understanding, accuracy when pronouncing new vocabulary. managing impulsivity, responding with wonder and awe, and finding humor as a community Third-grade students think and communicate with during daily Morning Meetings. clarity and precision as they write essays. Students learn to think interdependently, be Second-grade students think flexibly in visual creative, use their imaginations, and be innovative art class as they determine the materials and during a myriad of small- and large-group problem perspective to complete their project. solving situations across the disciplines.
Lower School Curriculum Guide
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Lower School Curriculum
Overview
Authentic Work of the Disciplines At LFCDS, we emphasize authentic learning experiences—ones that reflect critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and real-world applications. In order to prepare students for a
university education, a meaningful career, and life in general, we work to develop students’ deep understanding of content and issues and ask them to demonstrate their new learning, not just recite it. The authentic work of real-world learning experiences enables students to develop important lifelong skills and to view The LFCDS House System their education as relevant and connected to Four large flags in the school atrium represent four “Houses” or groups the larger world. within the School. LFCDS has developed the House System to foster connections within the school community. The objective is to bring So what does this look like at LFCDS? together the Upper and Lower School students, faculty, and staff for Second-grade students analyze literature and organized fun that enhances each member’s sense of belonging and design open-ended questions to pose to their builds tradition. book clubs. The reduction of carbon footprints on our earth is the focus of The four houses are named for significant leaders in the fourth-grade students as they develop School’s history (Bell, Mason, and Farwell) and a founder of individual action plans. First-grade students the first private day school in America (Alcott). Each house has conduct a videotaped oral history with one of a signature color. their grandparents or special neighborhood First-grade students and new students are assigned to multifriends. Preschool students use cloth napkins age families within each house, and siblings are placed in the for snacks and grow vegetables in their school same house. Eighth-grade students, along with faculty and garden beds. Primary source documents are staff members, serve as family and house elders, and enjoy examined by third-grade students as they mentorship and leadership opportunities outside of class. research and analyze events in our country's School spirit is enhanced through friendly, fun, and unique history. Learning experiences like these offer events throughout the year. intellectual challenge, build work habits of Building connections and developing lasting relationships persistence, metacognition, and accuracy, and among faculty, staff, and all students from first through eighth engage students in the kinds of creative and grade ultimately creates a stronger sense of responsibility for critical thinking that will serve them well the well-being of each member of the community. throughout their lives.
Differentiation Differentiation is the process of matching instruction to varied students and their interests and needs. It is a cornerstone of high-quality teaching and learning and a practice that pervades LFCDS. We pride ourselves on our ability to deeply know our students as learners and to think outside of the box when it comes to approaching their learning in the most appropriate and effective ways. This is responsive education. Students who require academic enrichment may participate in a variety of math or reading experiences while Lower School Curriculum Guide
those children who require additional support may receive in-class individual and small-group assistance or instruction offered through our Learning Services department. Ongoing assessment enables us to efficiently and flexibly encourage our students’ interests and to meet their academic and developmental needs.
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Lower School Curriculum
Overview
Experiential Learning What child wouldn’t want to become a toy designer, a pioneer in the 1850s, a travel journalist making a crosscountry trek, a Chinese dragon parade manager or a member of royalty in medieval England? Experiential learning occurs when students investigate and gain understanding through their play. An excellent instructional strategy to engage the whole child— cognitively, socially and emotionally, physically, and
creatively—experiential learning allows students to learn by doing: creating, constructing, planning, solving problems, and collaborating. LFCDS teachers carefully craft experiential, hands-on learning activities that will tap students’ interest and engagement and then allow for divergent thinking, open-ended responses, student choice, and rich understanding. Joyful play and academic rigor can occur simultaneously!
LFCDS ROCKS
The Lower School theme is LFCDS ROCKS! This stands for: Lake Forest Country Day students Respect Others, Community, Knowledge, and Self.
Senior kindergarten students and new members to the School community are welcomed during Community Meetings with a gift of two rocks. One rock taken from the School property represents the uniqueness of each student, faculty, and staff member as well as the importance of rich diversity to a healthy and vibrant School community. Each individual also receives an identical, polished green (School color) one engraved with LFCDS ROCKS. It represents the significance of shared values and the high standards for behavior that allow for a rigorous learning environment. A catchy cheer is shared to make the theme fun and memorable. Signs in classrooms provide a visual reminder of our commitment to respecting each other, our community, our learning environment, and ourselves.
Unifying Concepts Unifying concepts provide a structure for organizing and making meaning of the knowledge and information that students learn throughout the school day. Research supports this notion: facts and ideas become usable understandings for children when they are linked to central themes or concepts. Knowing how students learn best, we developed preschool through eighth-grade social studies and science curricula around unifying concepts that build upon and connect to each other. For example, the relationships concept that grounds the preschool social studies curriculum is enhanced by the study of animal-environment
Lower School Curriculum Guide
relationships in junior kindergarten; by the contentious relationships between European settlers and native peoples studied in third grade; and by the relationship between individual and government in eighth-grade American history. At the same time, each grade level represents a new layer of unifying concept that enriches and broadens students’ understanding of it and its application in varied contexts. Unifying concepts are integral to ensuring that students make connections within and across disciplines and topics and, as a result, comprehend their learning experiences more deeply.
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GRADE 1 Curriculum
are popular and often the children become deeply engaged in negotiating the rules for their interactions in Our energetic first-grade students excitedly skip into the games. First-grade students typically like to enforce school through the Onwentsia entrance. Any first-day the rules and routines that provide them with security jitters are quickly replaced by enthusiasm about moving and predictability, so this is a year when “tattling� is from the Early Childhood Center to classrooms in the common. First grade is the perfect time for families to Lower School wing. These eager, curious establish and reinforce six- and seven-yearexpectations about olds are increasingly common courtesy, table independent in a variety manners, and phone of ways, from walking to etiquette, as well as the class without an adult to importance of writing completing homework thank you Dip a net to discover and observe prairie insects each evening. They notes and being and frogs at a local nature preserve. love pondering new generous to others. ideas; asking questions; Take part in a Chinese dragon parade and eat Chinese delicacies with chop sticks as a and learning through At LFCDS, we celebration of Chinese New Year. games, poems, songs, emphasize respect and field trips, and handsPractice the art-making tradition of on what it means to be henna while learning about the culture and on projects. First-grade part of a community. history of India. classrooms are bustling Each classroom develops places! These industrious its own group agreement Learn about history by interviewing children are not as a grandparent or elderly friend. with standards for attuned to neatness as behavior. First-grade Make a difference by planting they will be soon; for students regularly flowers to beautify the courtyard for them the process is more eighth-grade graduation. attend and participate important than the in weekly Lower Experience performance art such as a play, product. Their ability School Community poetry slam, or dance. to understand a variety Meetings. There is great Forge relationships in the school of points of view is anticipation in the fall as community through house events and activities growing. They proudly first-grade students learn with preschool buddies. carry home their which multi-age family Take on the responsibility of doing homework, work, and they thrive they are assigned to word sort, and mathematics facts. on encouragement, within a specific house. surprises, and brain If the child has older breaks. They are siblings, they will be beginning to understand past and present and how part of the same house, but not the same family. As the and why things happen. Their bodies are growing and youngest members of the House System, our first-grade changing rapidly, and it is the year of losing teeth! students are welcomed and nurtured by older students with whom they develop special relationships. Socially, first-grade students are learning to develop
The First-Grade Experience at LFCDS
Highlights of the FirstGrade Experience
and maintain friendships. Chasing and role-play games
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Grade 1 Schedule
Beginning in first grade, students follow a six-day academic schedule: Language arts (i.e., reading, writing, and word study): approximately two hours per day.
Overview presence for answering questions and setting standards establishes homework as a valued part of school. In first grade, students should spend approximately ten to twenty minutes on homework.
Social studies: three times a week for approximately forty-five minutes.
There are designated word study sorts to complete and activities to promote fact fluency.
Mathematics: one hour each day; calendar and number sense activities are part of the Morning Meeting routine.
Reading to or with a child daily is expected as it promotes reading as an important lifelong habit and builds vocabulary.
Physical education & wellness: thirty minutes each day, taught by members of the Physical Education & Wellness department. Mandarin Chinese: two times a week for fortyfive minutes, taught by a native speaker. Science: three times in a six-day cycle for approximately forty minutes, taught by a specialist. Music: two times in a six-day cycle for approximately thirty-five minutes, taught by a specialist. Visual art classes: twice in a six-day cycle for forty-five minutes, taught by an artist/educator. Each day begins with a Morning Meeting during which time students greet one another, get to know each other better through sharing, engage in an activity, and read the daily message. Each morning and afternoon students take a short break for a snack. Because we value fresh air, play, and the skills gained through unstructured activities, a thirty-minute recess occurs each afternoon.
Homework
This is the year to set the stage for positive organization and attitudes surrounding homework. Parents have the opportunity to establish routines for when and where homework will be completed; for checking to be certain it is completed neatly and accurately; and to determine where work is placed so materials are ready to be returned to school the following morning. A parent’s
Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
Standardized Assessments
Standardized and normed data provided by the following tools, along with classroom-based assessments, offer teachers a more complete understanding of each of their student’s learning profiles and guides individual instruction as well as curriculum design. Three times a year the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System is administered to gauge student progress in reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. First-grade students take the NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assesment. This test is designed to identify areas of strength, opportunities for interventions, and overall performance over time. The adaptive, untimed assessment provides reliable, detailed information about what each student knows and is ready to learn. Because the test is administered two times a year, educators have immediate and highly accurate data on the precise learning level of each child so their teaching can be adjusted to meet the individual needs of students.
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Grade 1
Language Arts
Language Arts Overview The Lower School language arts curriculum provides a framework for teaching and learning that is student centered, rigorous, and individualized. Divided into three instructional blocks of reading, writing, and word study, the language arts program enables students to become strong readers, writers, speakers, listeners, and researchers who can think and investigate in critical and creative ways. Students read and write in a variety of genres. Oral language skills are practiced daily during Morning Meeting and class discussions. Community Meeting shares and their end-of-year play provide practice in a larger audience setting, which helps develop confidence and self-articulation skills.
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students work to master the following language arts skills:
Reading Foundational Skills Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words. Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds in spoken single-syllable words. Decode regularly spelled one-syllable and two-syllable words. Recognize and read grade-appropriate, high-frequency words. Learn 300+ new sight vocabulary words. Read on-level text with understanding. Read on-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
Reading Literature Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details and illustrations. Consistently use reading comprehension strategies (e.g., connecting, questioning, visualizing, inferring, and drawing conclusions). Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types. Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text. Identify words and phrases that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses. Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
Reading Informational Text Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text. Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text. Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text. Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of content, glossaries, electronic menus, and icons) to locate key facts or information in a text. Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text. Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures). Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Language Arts Writing Write opinion pieces that include an introduction to a topic, an opinion, a reason for the opinion, and some sense of closure. Write informative/explanatory texts that include a topic, some facts about the topic, and some sense of closure. Write narratives that include two or more appropriately sequenced events, some details regarding what happened, temporal words to signal event order, and some sense of closure. 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. Participate in research and writing projects. Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Speaking and Listening Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions. 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. Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly. Add drawings, visual displays, or complete sentences to oral descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Language Use Neatly print all upper- and lowercase letters. Use proper handwriting grip. Use common, proper, and possessive nouns with matching verbs in basic sentences. Use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future. Use frequently occurring adjectives, conjunctions, and prepositions. Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences. Capitalize proper nouns. 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. Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner and adjectives differing in intensity by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Mathematics
Mathematics Overview The Singapore program, Math in Focus, is the resource used in senior kindergarten through fourth grade. Excellent supplementary materials and technology pieces support differentiated instruction. Through a concrete–pictorial–abstract approach, students develop a strong conceptual understanding before applying their knowledge. Thinking critically and analytically through problem solving is the centerpiece of this program. The spiraling emphasis each year on number sense, place value, and developing mental math strategies adds to the depth of understanding students can draw upon as they determine various approaches to solving a problem. Bar models require students to visually represent the information in a problem, providing clarity for the operation(s) required to solve it. Classes begin with an Anchor Task for students to explore individually and collectively with guidance from the teacher. Assessments challenge students to apply what they have learned to non-routine problems. Math in Focus lessons support our commitment to providing students with a strong conceptual background that lays the groundwork for algebraic thinking and future success in mathematics; procedural understanding and fact fluency that engender confidence and precision; the ability to clearly communicate one’s thinking with models; and effective use of strategies, flexible thinking, and perseverance when problem solving. Creating a positive disposition toward mathematics is a key to future success in this discipline. Our Lower School mathematics curriculum aligns with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Common Core State Standards.
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students work to master the following mathematics skills:
Number and Operations in Base Ten Count, compare, and order numbers up to 100. Understand order and position using ordinal numbers and words to 20. Count within 100 by 5's and 10's. Recognize numbers 10-99 as groups of ten and a particular number of ones. Compare two 2-digit numbers to 100 using greater than, equal to, and less than. Use place value understanding and properties of operation to add and subtract to 100.
Operations and Algebraic Thinking Demonstrate fluency with addition and subtraction facts within 20. Understand the meaning of the equal sign, and determine if equations involving addition and subtraction are true or false. Demonstrate an understanding of the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. Use strategies, such as counting on, counting back, number bonds, and doubles to identify and learn addition and subtraction facts. Add three 1-digit numbers. Add and subtract numbers to 100, both with, and without regrouping. Demonstrate an understanding of addition and subtraction to 100 using number bonds.
Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Mathematics Solve real-world word problems involving addition and subtraction to 100. Add and subtract mentally by using multiple strategies. Use number bonds to show the parts and whole of a given number.
Geometry Identify and describe the attributes of plane, two-dimensional shapes based on their geometric properties. Identify and describe solid, three-dimensional shapes based on their geometric properties. Combine two- and three-dimensional shapes to create a composite shape.
Measurement and Data Measure and compare weights using non-standard units, and appropriate language. Display and interpret data using picture graphs, tally charts, and bar graphs. Interpret and apply data from a calendar. Read and show time to the hour and half hour. Identify coins (i.e., pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters) and understand their value. Calculate combinations of coins to $1.00. Add and subtract money in real-world word problems. Estimate and measure lengths and heights of objects by using non-standard tools to the nearest whole unit. Compare lengths and heights using appropriate vocabulary.
Mathematical Problem-Solving Practices (embedded within each content strand above) Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Reason abstractly and quantitatively (i.e., attend to the meaning of quantities; know and flexibly use different properties of operations). Construct logical arguments and evaluate the reasoning of others. Model with mathematics (e.g., write equations, draw a picture, and use number bonds). Attend to precision (e.g., specify units of measure, calculate accurately, label answers, attend to the context of the problem). Look for and make use of structure (i.e., discern patterns, recognize and use properties of operations).
Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Social Studies
Social Studies Overview An integrated study of the social sciences forms the basis for the Lower School social studies curriculum. Unifying themes develop throughout the grades from preschool through eighth grade, allowing students to build on the mastered skills and the lenses through which they have experienced the social studies content. With emphasis on higher-level thinking skills that include chronological sequencing, comprehension, analysis, and decision making, the social studies program offers students the chance to pursue independent inquiry, participate in hands-on lessons and projects, and investigate real-world problems. Through social studies lessons, students develop their capacities to make thoughtful, informed decisions. These skills and understandings are essential for participating citizens in our culturally diverse nation and global world. The unifying theme for first grade is diversity. Students begin the year studying family life—past and present—and their own heritage. Building on the Early Childhood Center’s world cultures investigations, they delve into cultural studies of China and India, with a particular emphasis on families throughout the world. The year concludes with a first-grade project that reflects what has been learned during the year about how individuals can make a difference in the world.
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students work to master the following social studies skills:
Culture Describe similarities and differences in the ways different groups of people meet similar needs and concerns. Describe the value of cultural unity, as well as diversity, within and across groups.
Time, Continuity, and Change Identify and use a variety of primary and secondary sources for reconstructing the past. Identify examples of both continuity and change as described in stories, photographs, and documents. Compare and contrast differing stories or accounts about past event, people, places, or situations and offer possible reasons for the differences. Use methods of inquiry of history and literacy skills to research and present findings.
People, Places, and Environments Identify the names and locations of continents. Identify locations of major oceans. Ask and find answers to geographic questions. Acquire, organize, and analyze geographic information from maps to draw conclusions.
Individual, Groups, and Institutions Describe interactions between and among individuals, groups, and organizations. Analyze how individuals can make a difference in the world and/or change history. Determine and enact a first-grade initiative to make a difference in the world. Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Social Studies, Science Global Connections Explore the ways that aspects of culture, such as language, beliefs, and traditions, may facilitate understanding or lead to misunderstanding between cultures. Identify and examine issues that impact people in different parts of the world.
Science Overview The Lower School science curriculum includes three units of study per year at each grade level that address the three branches of science—physical science, life science, and earth/space science. In a hands-on, inquiry-based setting, students pose questions, explore hypotheses, and form conclusions. Students further their scientific understanding through learning that is relevant to real-life experiences and through spiraling unifying themes from senior kindergarten through eighth grade. First-grade students develop understandings around the theme of change over time. They study habitats created in the classroom, on our campus, and in the local community; explore changes in matter; and investigate weather and the properties of air. Students are also exposed to coding over the course of the year through the use of a series of apps. Students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills and begin to understand how to work through challenges using a series of logical and sequential commands. This helps demystify the world of computer coding, while giving students an introduction to computer programming.
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students work to master the following science skills:
Questions Pose thoughtful questions about the world.
Observation Recognize the need to observe, record, and measure. Use numbers to represent a physical quantity. Observe, describe, and record the properties of living and non-living things. Observe, describe, and record change over time.
Communication Construct precise scientific drawings and/or representations of events. Record written predictions, observations, and results in a journal and on record sheets, class charts, and brainstorming lists. Synthesize classroom discussion and offer meaningful contributions.
Comparison Make comparisons. Compare conditions over time. Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Science, World Language Comprehension Identify the main topic, focus, and key details of a scientific or technical text. Read on-level informational text with purpose and understanding.
Inquiry Design Explain fair test. Identify factors that vary in the situation under study. Design and implement a fair-test experiment. Analyze and draw logical conclusions from results. Make a claim or argument and support it with evidence.
Scientific Instruments Use simple tools such as rulers, magnifying glasses, and observation boxes to measure the required data.
World Language Overview LFCDS offers Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French in the ECC and Lower School. These languages were selected in order to expose our students to a variety of important world cultures and better equip them to meet the challenges of global citizenship. Our design is based on current brain research and best practices in elementary world language education. Adhering to the national standards for the teaching of world languages, we aim to prepare our students to view the world from broader perspectives, compare and contrast languages and cultures, and appreciate the importance of communication in international communities. The benefits of this model lead beyond language learning into the discovery of diverse cultural worlds where these languages are spoken.
The Early Childhood and Lower School curriculum sequence is: Spanish: Preschool and Junior Kindergarten Spanish is the most prominent second language in the United States. Often young children have already had some exposure to Spanish expressions and culture. The two-year study of Spanish provides a foundation in Spanish which will also set the stage for the learning of other languages with different sounds and syntax.
Mandarin Chinese: Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1 Chinese represents the fastest growing Eastern language and may be the most important business language outside of English in the twenty-first century. In addition, brain research shows benefits from the study of pictographic and tonal languages, which naturally develop simultaneous use of multiple areas of the brain, enhancing student learning of other subjects. The two-year study of Chinese enriches our senior kindergarten and first-grade cultural studies, especially our first-grade social studies unit on China.
French: Grades 2 and 3 French is an official language in thirty-three countries spread throughout five continents. While learning French, students discover the influence of French on the English language. This awareness deepens their knowledge of our
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Grade 1
World Language, Fine Arts
own language as they explore the multitude of French words the English language has absorbed. The two-year study further enriches the third-grade social studies unit on the French voyageurs.
Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French: Grade 4 Fourth-grade students have the opportunity to revisit or become familiar with Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French. In our global world today, some knowledge of the sound system and basics of each language is critical for a well-rounded education. In addition, an opportunity to compare all three languages over the course of a year allows students, with the support of parents and teachers, to make an informed choice about which single language to study in Upper School. Having experienced all three languages also complements the fourth-grade immigration unit and their culminating study of global warming.
Grade-Level Expectations
First-grade students will work to master the following Mandarin Chinese skills: Counting, describing, and identifying colors of bugs. Describe their families using “to have” and “to be” structures. Describe winter clothing and indicate possession. Request food as if at a restaurant and express likes and dislikes of food items. Describe motion using “to go” structures and destinations. Describe their feelings using “I am structures” and ask friends how they are feeling. Use “going to + verb” structures and future tense to talk about activities outside of school.
Fine Arts Overview Education in the arts is an inseparable part of the education of the whole child. Children learn to express and interpret ideas through observation and analysis of these art forms. They learn creative modes of problem solving and in so doing develop an array of expressive, analytical, and developmental tools which can be applied to every human situation. Students understand the influences of the arts in their power to create and reflect cultures, both past and present, thus enabling them to make informed judgments about cultural products and issues. They also develop attributes such as self-discipline, perseverance, and collaborative skills. Experiences in the arts develop each child’s imagination and sense of personal fulfillment.
General Music
The three main components of the Lower School general music program at each grade level are music literacy, performance, and music listening and analysis. Students learn proper performance etiquette (posture, facial expression, and singing technique) and audience etiquette (active listening, predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students work to master the following general music skills: Read, notate, and perform equal divisions of beat in non-traditional/traditional notation. Explore the higher vocal tessitura through warm-ups. Interpret and apply musical symbols such as order of rest values, intervals on the staff, clefs, and dynamic markings. Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Fine Arts, Information Literacy Identify and perform music in simple and compound meter. Execute proper performance etiquette. Explore music of the Baroque and Classical Era with an emphasis on Bach, Vivaldi, and Hayden. Experience the Chinese and Indian culture through dance.
Visual Arts
The three main components of the Lower School art program at each grade level include: art production, art literacy and criticism, and art history.
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students move to master the following general visual art skills: Plan and use variations in line, shape/form, color, and texture to communicate ideas or feelings in works of art. Draw simple objects from careful observation and practice drawing from memory. Identify characteristics of color – primary and secondary colors, neutral colors, and color temperature. Mix secondary colors from primary colors and describe the process. Distinguish between opaque and transparent painting media and the appropriate use of each. Explore the relief printmaking process with stamps. Demonstrate the pinch method of hand-building in clay as well as impressing designs into wet clay forms and glaze application. Produce a simple tabby weaving. Identify characteristics of various art forms from Chinese and Indian cultures. Identify characteristics of the work of visual artists/illustrators and discuss how their work represents their experience and way of thinking.
Information Literacy Overview Library visits and classes are designed to develop two aspects of students' intellectual lives: familiarity with and enthusiasm for literature, both fiction and nonfiction; and the ability to locate, access, and utilize information for the production of original work.
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students work to master the following information literacy skills: Become familiar with more mature and complicated picture books and easy nonfiction. Exercise increased responsibility in selecting books to check out from the School’s library. Develop skills in using alphabetical and numerical order.
Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Education Technology, Physical Education & Wellness
Education Technology Overview Competence in education technology is requisite for everyday work and personal life endeavors. To prepare students for a high-tech and global world, LFCDS’ educational technology program provides integrated instruction to effectively and responsibly access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information. First-grade students learn introductory technology skills. Students identify specific parts of the computer as well as the use of icons on the monitor. Programs are chosen to enhance the curriculum and to differentiate instruction.
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students work to master the following education technology skills: Utilize input and output devices such as the keyboard, mouse, monitor, and printer, recognize and use icons. Log onto computer using group name and password. Use directionality keys and develop familiarity with the keyboard. Reinforce academic skills using online programs such as Compass Learning; computer components with SRA Real Math Building Blocks and game; Sheppard Math Software, Building Blocks, and drawing applications. Navigate the iPad to engage in educational reading, spelling, and mathematics games.
Physical Education & Wellness Overview The mission of the physical education & wellness program is to help students develop a lasting appreciation for physical activity and acquire the skills, strategies, and knowledge that lay the foundation for a lifetime of wellbeing through athletics. Teachers strive to inspire a commitment to health-related fitness and positive lifestyle choices regardless of athletic ability. Our goals are to enhance students’ ability to lead, work together as a team, participate fairly with sportsmanship, and develop respect for peers. We encourage active participation from all students.
Grade-Level Expectations
In first grade, students work to master the following physical education & wellness skills: Develop physical competency in age-appropriate locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills. Develop spatial awareness and individual responsibility during physical activity. Develop physical competency in age-appropriate manipulative skills (i.e., hand dribble, foot dribble, kick, underhand or overhand throw).
Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Grade 1
Physical Education & Wellness Be exposed to various directional and pacing terms and the vocabulary of various physical movements. Observe classroom rules and follow daily routines (e.g., listen attentively, follow directions, participate safely, engage in warm-up and cool-down activities). Engage in and understand the importance of warm-up and cool-down activities that regulate heart rate. Understands basic health concepts. Participate actively, cooperatively, and with a positive attitude in a variety of independent, small- and whole-group physical activities. Recognize feelings that come with failure and with winning and develop appropriate reactions to them. Follow the LFCDS PE/Wellness Code of Conduct. Respond to various directional and pacing terms and develop the vocabulary for a variety of physical movements.
Outdoor Classroom Overview On the Lake Forest Country Day School campus, we are fortunate to have nature preserve areas which include a forest, prairie, wetland, and trails for exploration. As of May 2015, our nature preserve areas have been collectively named the “Bullard Outdoor Classroom” in honor of Sally and Bob Bullard, long-time administrators and teachers at LFCDS. To take advantage of these resources, we have developed a nature study program called the Outdoor Classroom. Examples of Outdoor Classroom topics include: seasonal changes, the life cycle of trees, animal tracks, seed variety and dispersal, animal adaptations, bird anatomy, life under logs, and ecosystem exploration. In his book, “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder,” author Richard Louv describes the “accumulating research that reveals the necessity of contact with nature for healthy child development.” It has been found that time spent outdoors in nature can promote creativity, emotional wellbeing, independent learning, and problem solving. It is our hope that by incorporating outdoor experiences into the curriculum at our school, we can foster these strengths in the children, as well as a sense of wonder and awe for the natural world around them.
Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 1
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Resources for Parents Lake Forest Country Day School offers many options for parents to connect with our school community. Beginning with an intake conference with your child’s advisor or homeroom teacher, informational coffees in early September, and grade-level social events, there are many opportunities to establish important connections. As the school year progresses, there are multiple ways for parents to volunteer, from classroom activities and field trips, to a variety of volunteer positions with the Parent Association and the school’s annual Auction. The Parent Association Office is open each day and welcomes all LFCDS parents to stop by for coffee, peruse the spirit wear, and connect with the other school families. In addition, parents are always welcome at our weekly Wednesday Community Meetings and for Coffee and Conversation on Tuesdays in the Parent Relations Office. Throughout the school year, LFCDS hosts outside speakers such as best-selling authors Dr. Michael Thompson, Dr. Ned Hallowell, Dr. David Walsh, and New York Times parenting columnist Jessica Lahey. All community members are welcome to attend. The school’s portal offers a wealth of information, including: Enrichment Activities and Resources: At LFCDS, we believe that summer is an important time to balance learning with leisure. This page provides information about required summer work, book lists for particular grade levels, mathematics and science challenges, and parent resources. Grade Level Curriculum Guides: Each year, faculty members prepare a detailed description of the curriculum for each grade level. These guides provide an in-depth review of the educational experiences your child will be a part of at each grade level. Teacher Communication: Many teachers share classroom experiences through newsletters and photo sharing sites, emails, and phone or personal conversations. Curriculum Review Information: On an ongoing basis, a faculty task force examines and revises a specific curriculum component. Parent Association Information: The Parent Association web page provides up-to-date information regarding volunteer opportunities and other parent-related events. Social media is a timely way to tell the story of Lake Forest Country Day School. The School regularly maintains and updates both its Facebook page and Twitter account with relevant information regarding the School. Please note that we have a strict social media policy and never post individual student names or information on these channels. We encourage you to explore the website and learn more about the Lake Forest Country Day School Experience.
Questions? Please contact the Admission Office at 847-615-6151.
Lake Forest Country Day School 145 South Green Bay Road Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 (847) 234-2350 | www.lfcds.org