Curriculum

Children will use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish their writing with the help of adults. For example, a 6-year-old may use a simple word processor to type a story about a school field trip. An adult can help them insert pictures or change the font. The child can also collaborate with classmates by combining their stories into a digital class book, using software that allows multiple users to contribute.

Children will participate in shared research and writing projects, such as exploring a series of "how-to" books on a particular topic and using the information to write a sequence of instructions. For instance, after reading "how-to" books about gardening, a group of 6-year-olds, with guidance from an adult, could collaborate on creating a simple step-by-step guide on planting a seed. They might write instructions like, "First, dig a small hole. Next, put the seed in the hole. Then, cover the seed with dirt. Last, water it a little every day."

Children will recall information from their own experiences or gather details from provided sources to answer questions, with help and guidance from adults. For example, a teacher might ask a class of 6-year-olds, "How do plants grow?" The children can use their personal observations from a classroom plant-growing activity or refer to specific pages in a science book. They could then organize their findings into answers, such as "Plants need soil, water, and sunlight to grow."

Children will participate in shared research and writing projects to learn more about topics of interest, such as exploring books by a favorite author. For example, a group of 5-year-olds might choose to read several books by Dr. Seuss. Together with guidance from an adult, they can discuss each book, noting what they like about the stories or illustrations. They might create a collective chart of their favorite characters or plot moments, and then express their opinions through drawings or simple sentences like "I like the Cat in the Hat because he is funny."

Children will learn to gather and recall information with the help of adults to answer specific questions. For instance, a teacher might ask a group of 5-year-olds, "What are some ways animals stay warm in winter?" The children could then recall experiences, like seeing animals with thick fur at the zoo, or look at pictures in a book provided by the teacher showing animals in snowy environments. They can express what they learned through drawings or simple sentences like, "Bears have thick fur to stay warm."

Children will write opinion pieces in which they introduce a topic or name a book they are writing about, express their opinion with a supporting reason, and conclude with a sense of closure. For example, they might write about "Charlotte's Web" by stating, "My favorite book is 'Charlotte's Web' because it is very exciting, especially how Charlotte helps her friend. Everyone should read this book to learn about the value of friendship."

Children will write informative/explanatory texts where they clearly state a topic, provide relevant facts, and conclude with a sense of closure. For instance, if they are writing about butterflies, a child might start by saying, "I am going to tell you about butterflies." They could provide facts such as, "Butterflies start as caterpillars and they can be very colorful." To close, they might add, "Now you know why butterflies are interesting."

Children will write narratives in which they recount at least two sequenced events, include details about what happened, use temporal words to indicate the order of events, and conclude their story with a sense of closure. For example, they might write a story about a trip to the zoo by stating, "First, we saw the lions sleeping under the trees. Next, we watched the monkeys swinging. We had fun at the zoo."

Children will focus on a topic and enhance their writing by responding to questions and suggestions from their peers with adult guidance. For example, if a child writes about a day at the beach, peers may ask, "What did you see at the beach?" or suggest adding more about a favorite activity. An adult can help the child elaborate by adding details such as, "I built a big sandcastle and saw colorful fish while snorkeling."

With prompting and support, children will read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1. This means that with some help and guidance, they will read texts that are just right for their grade level, learning to understand new information and ideas. For example, an adult might help them sound out difficult words or explain tricky parts of a text about animals or weather.