1st Grade - West Hardin Elementary School

In first grade at West Hardin, students will learn the essential foundations of reading. Students are taught vowels, vowel teams, diagraphs and blends to build their reading skills. At the end of the first grade, students should be reading 47 words per minute or above.

Our focus of first grade math is addition and subtraction. Students will learn to be fluent in simple addition and subtraction facts while building on that knowledge to move into double digit addition and subtraction. Shapes, graphing, measuring, skip counting, money, time, and place value are various topics that our students will review and achieve throughout the year.

Spelling, Language Arts, Writing, Science and Social Studies are integrated into our Math and Reading curriculum

Combining Technology and Old-Fashioned Reading to Enhance First Graders

Technology is a big part of every day at West Hardin. First grade students will learn through interative games, stories and videos on BrainPop Jr., iReady, iXL, and Lexia. They will be challenged further throughout the year by using the Accelerated Reader (AR) program where they are awarded for points earned in Reading.

Encouraging Parents to be Involved

A child’s first and most influential teacher will always be you, the parent. What you reflect at home about the attitude toward school will typically serve to be the biggest impact in your child’s attitude toward school. Supporting our teachers and the day-to-day and week-to-week activities in our classroom will make all the difference in the world. Students are often asked to read their fluency passage and practice spelling words throughout the week. They will also need practice to become fluent in basic math facts. Just fifteen minutes of school work practice each day at home can make a significant difference in your child’s results.

Expectations

Students need to be able to know and identify letters and their sounds when entering into first grade at West Hardin. They will also need to be able to count to 100 and know basic math facts as well as read simple sight words. Many of these foundations are taught in our Kindergarten class and built upon during their first grade year.

From the Teacher

“There is nothing that beats the feeling when you see the smile on a child’s face when they are able to read a book independently for the first time!”