1st Grade for ME - Unit 1: Building Strong Communities

At the beginning of the school year, there is much to do: routines are established, identities revealed, connections forged with families, skills assessed, and spaces defined.

Unit 1 supports the development of a strong learning community and begins the creative and intellectual investigations that will characterize the entire first-grade year.

Supplemental Text List Unit 1

For those interested in printing lesson plans for each week, you can can do so by selecting the week below

Family Links

Arc of Unit 1
Unit 1 Week 1
Unit 1 Week 2 | Reading Practice | BINGO | Weather Calendar
Unit 1 Week 3 | Reading Practice
Unit 1 Week 4 | Reading Practice
Unit 1 Week 5 | Reading Practice
Unit 1 Week 6 | Reading Practice
Unit 1 Week 7 | Reading Practice | Math Cards
Unit 1 Week 8 | Reading Practice | Math Dots

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8

Week 1: At A Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: community, responsibility	Introduce Weekly Words: agreement, bilingual	Nouns	Introduce the One Great Sentence Routine	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	All Are Welcome	Drafting Classroom Agreements	"You'll Sing a Song and I'll Sing a Song"	Mango, Abuela, and Me Read 1	Mango, Abuela, and Me Read 2
Stations See Week 1 Launching Stations for introductions Scavenger Hunt (with visuals)	Reading: Independent & Partner Listening and Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Draw for Meaning Sheet Word Work: Initial Sound BINGO Conversation Images
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: What Does a Scientist Do? SLIDES Lesson 2: Introducing Science Journals
Studios At A Glance Studios Studio Prompts Math Geometric Shape Names Math Pattern Block Mats
Writing Basics	Why We Write Why We Write Sheets Wh Visuals Writing Routine Images Deconstruction: Why We Write	Writing Individual Construction Writing Routine Writing Papers Encoding Prompting Guide Simple Sentence Images Individual Construction	Individual Construction Simple Sentences Child Copy Individual Construction	Writing Information Writing Simple Sentence Images Individual Construction: Telling and Writing Stories	Writing Information Individual Construction: Telling and Writing Information

Week 2: At A Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: benefit, positive, rule	Introduce Weekly Words: contribution, perspective, emerge	Adjectives	One Great Sentence	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Chik Chak Shabbat Read 1	Chik Chak Shabbat Read 2	Last Stop on Market Street Read 1	Last Stop on Market Street Read 2	Revisiting Classroom Agreements
Stations Launching Stations	Shared Reading (Day 1): You'll Sing a Song and I'll Sing a song SLIDES Independent and Partner Reading Listening and Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk Science Literacy introduced (Day 2): Journal Prompts Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: ABC Order, Initial Sound BINGO
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: What Makes Day and Night? Lesson 2: Moon Patterns
Studios Studio Prompts	Explicit Studios introductions with specific activities suggestions and continued open exploration of materials
Writing Basics	Writing Information Expanded Sentences Images Expanded Sentences Child Copy Writing CUPS Deconstruction	Writing Stories Joint Construction	Writing Stories Deconstruction SLIDES	Writing Stories Deconstruction	Independent Writing Draw for Meaning Deconstruction SLIDES

Week 3: At A Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: citizen, role, common good	Introduce Weekly Words: public space, law, characteristic	Proper Nouns	One Great Sentence	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Doing Your Part SLIDES	Quinito's Neighborhood Read 1	Quinito's Neighborhood Read 2	Doing Your Part	Doing Your Part
Stations	Shared Reading: "Boston Day" SLIDES Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk Science Literacy: Journal Prompt Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Fluent Reader's Challenge, Say It Build It Write It, Trick Word Memory
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1 & Lesson 2: Measuring Temperature
Studios Studio Prompts Math Counting Collections Math Ten Frame	Continued activities from previous weeks
Writing Basics	Draw for Meaning Deconstruction & Joint Construction	Reading Response Reading Resoponse Images Routine and Checklist Reading and Response Sheet Individual Construction	Reading Response: Day 3 \| Day 4 Reading Response Sheet: Day 3 \| Day 4 Individual Construction		Writing Station Peer-to-Peer Feedback

Week 4: At A Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: rights, citizen, leader	Introduce Weekly Words: election, vote, government	Nouns as Ideas	One Great Sentence	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Doing Your Part	Electing Leaders & Doing Your Part SLIDES	Electing Leaders	Voting Images SLIDES	Marley Dias SLIDES
Stations	Shared Reading: "If You're a Leader and You Know It" SLIDES Independent & Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk; Listen & Respond Science Literacy: Journal Prompt Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Fluent Reader's Challenge, Say It Build It Write It, Trick Word Memory
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Exploring Air Lesson 2: What is a meteorologist? Weather Calendar
Studios Studio Prompts Math Ten Frame Math Tens Fact Triangle Math Whats Behind Sheet
Writing Basics	Personal Recount Pre-Assessment Personal Recount Pre-Assessment Reflection Personal Recount Pre-Assessment Sheet Personal Recount Rubric Peer-to-Peer Feedback	Writing Personal Recount Purpose Writing Papers Personal Recount Chart Images Introduction to and Beginning Revising and Publishing	Modeling and Individual Construction Personal Recount Observation Tool Personal Recount Planner Revising and Publishing	Joint and Individual Construction Personal Recount Word Bank Sinple and Expanded Sentence Child Copy Publishing	Writing Orientation Orientation Chart Images Presentation and Celebration

Week 5: At A Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: support movement, environment	Introduce Weekly Words: quality, decision, democracy	Exploring Adjectives	One Great Sentence	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Mama Miti Read 1	Mama Miti Read 2	Mama Miti Read 3	Local Leaders SLIDES	Local Leaders
Stations	Shared Reading: "We've Got the Whole World in our Hands" SLIDES Independent & Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk; Listen & Respond (Mama Miti) Science Literacy: Journal Prompts Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Fluent Reader's Challenge, Make New Words, Trick Word Memory
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1 & Lesson 2: Watching Clouds
Studios Studio Prompts Math Stories Sheet Math Story Problem Pictures
Writing Basics	Sequence of Events Sequence of Events Chart Images Pre-Assessment	Verbs Verbs Chart Images Verbs Cards Deconstruction	Writing Verbs Joint Construction & Individual Construction	Writing Adverbs Adverbs Chart Images Adverbs Slides Deconstruction, Joint Construction, & Individual Construction	Writing Sentences Sentence Cards Deconstruction, Joint Construction, & Individual Construction

Week 6: At A Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: resource, budge, improve	Introduce Weekly Words: access, impact, librarian	Shades of Meaning	One Great Sentence	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Arturo Schomburg SLIDES	Biblioburro	Access to Books SLIDES	Waiting for the Biblioburro Read 1	Waiting for the Biblioburro Read 2
Stations	Shared Reading: excerpt from "Books" SLIDES Independent & Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk; Listen & Respond (Biblioburro) Science Literacy: Journal Prompts Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Say It Build It Write It, Make New Words, Trick Word Memory
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Bubbles in the Wind Lesson 2: Wind Speed
Studios Studio Prompts Math Graph Paper Math Line Plot Template Math Survey Recording Sheet
Writing Basics	Writing Conclusion Conclusion Chart Images Conclusion Sentences Child Copy Deconstruction, Joint Construction, and Individual Construction: Development of Events	Individual Construction Deconstruction, Joint Construction, and Individual Construction: Conclusion	Individual Construction Personal Recount Planner Individual Construction	Individual Construction Deconstruction, Joint Construction, and Individual Construction: Title	Individual Construction Individual Construction

Week 7: At A Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: donate, empathy, recycle	Introduce Weekly Words: volunteer, charity, organization	Verbs	One Great Sentence	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Maybe Something Beautiful Read 1	Maybe Something Beautiful Read 2	Interview with Leader Activist SLIDES	Doing Your Part	Doing Your Part
Stations	Shared Reading: “This Little Light of Mine” SLIDES Independent and Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk; Listen & Respond (Maybe Something Beautiful) Science Literacy: Journal Prompts Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Fluent Reader’s Challenge, Digraph BINGO, Trick Word Memory
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Changes in Seasons Lesson 2: What happens during a storm?
Studios Studio Prompts
Writing Basics	Development of Events Development of Events Sheet Development of Events Slides Deconstruction	Individual Construction: Day 2 \| Day 3 Individual Construction		Writing Title Deconstruction	Writing Peer to Peer Feedback Personal Recount Feedback Sheet Peer-to-Peer Feedback

Week 8: At A Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: cultivate, identify, perspective	Introduce Weekly Words: contribution, observe, evidence	Vocabulary Review
Text Talk	Wanda's Roses Read 1	Wanda's Roses Read 2	Synthesis of Unit Ideas	Reflecting on Classroom Agreements	Celebrating out Projects
Stations End of Unit Assessment SLIDES	Shared Reading: “Friends Together” SLIDES Independent and Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk; Listen & Respond (Wanda’s Roses) Science Literacy: Journal Prompts Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Bonus Letter Word Sort, Sentences, Trick Word Memory
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: What Happens During a Storm? Lesson 2: Emergency Preparedness Booklet
Studios Studio Prompts
Writing Basics	Personal Recount Checklist Days 1 and 2 Revising Introduction to and Beginning Revising and Publishing	Revising and Publishing	Publishing Publishing	Personal Recount Post Assessment Personal Recount Post Assessment Sheet Personal Recount Rubric Post-Assessment	Presentation and Celebration Presentation and Celebration