WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW
In math, your child will focus on two important areas: 1) learning numbers and what numbers represent and 2) addition and subtraction. Students will also learn to identify and work with shapes.
In English, students will learn the alphabet and basic features of letters and words. They will break down spoken and written words into syllables and letters and identify the sounds each letter makes. This lays the groundwork for learning to read and understand simple books and stories. Students will also learn to write and share information in a variety of ways, including drawing, writing letters and words, listening to others, and speaking aloud.
MATH
* Count how many objects are in a group and compare the quantities of two groups of objects
* Compare two numbers to identify which is greater or less than the other
* Understand addition as putting together and subtraction as taking away from
* Add and subtract very small numbers
* Break up numbers less than or equal to 10 in more than one way (for example, 9=6+3, 9=5+4)
* For any number from 1 to 9, find the missing quantity needed to reach 10
* Represent addition and subtraction word problems using objects or drawing pictures
* Solve addition and subtraction word problems involving numbers that add up to 10 or less
Word Problems
* Addition: Three red apples and three green apples are on the table. How many apples are on the table?
* Subtraction: Mom has 10 apples. She gives one to Mary Ann. How many apples are left?
* Your child will learn to find the “partners” that make 10 for any number. This drawing shows that if you have 8, it takes 2 more to make 10.
* From there, students learn to think of 10 as a unit and to break all the teen numbers down to a 10 and some leftover ones.
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Sample task: Books on Shelves
* Miguel has two shelves. Miguel has six books. How many different ways can Miguel put books on the two shelves? Show and tell how you know.
Suggested correct answer here:
Help children learn outside school
1. Use everyday objects to teach your child to count.
2. Encourage your child to construct numbers in multiple ways. For example: What are some ways you can make 10? Answers might include 5+5, 6+4, 8+2, etc. Have your child explain his or her thinking.
3. Have your child create story problems for addition and subtraction of small numbers. For example: “Ann had eight balloons. Then she gave three away, so she only had five left.”
ENGLISH
* Name and write upper- and lowercase letters
* Match letters to sounds and use other methods to figure out unfamiliar words when reading and writing
* Learn and use new words
* Identify words that rhyme
* Read common words, such as the, of, you, are, she, and my
* Ask and answer questions about a story the teacher reads out loud
* Identify characters, settings, and major events in a story
* Recognize the person, place, thing, or idea that an illustration shows
* Participate in discussions by listening and taking turns speaking
* Use a combination of drawing, speaking, and writing to describe an event, give information about a topic, or share an opinion
* Take part in shared reading, writing, and research projects
* Express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly
Reading literature
* With help from the teacher, retell stories, including key details.
* With help from the teacher, students name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.
Reading for information
* With help from the teacher, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
* With help from the teacher, identify what person, place, thing, or idea a picture shows
Writing
* Using a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing, students name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
Sample task: Garden Helpers
* Teachers reads to the class a National Geographic story, “Garden Helpers,” found at this link: http://ngexplorer.cengage.com/ngyoungexplorer/0909/readstory.html, and other books on the topic of helpful insects.
Under the headings, “We read a book about” and “This is what I learned, ”students draw pictures and write sentences.
Example of a student “apprentice” answer (above), which is below standard. Students are graded from highest to lowest as “expert,” “practioner,” “apprentice” and “novice.”
Help children learn outside school
1. Read to your child and have him or her read to you every day for at least 15 minutes. Pick out words that might be new to your child or words that have multiple or complex meanings.
2. Ask your child to retell a story in his or her own words by telling what happened first, second, third, etc.
3. Ask your child to think about what the message of a story may be or what he or she learned from an informational book or article.