The Early

Elementary Grades
Jazmin Anzua, Mariah Clement, Becky Hansen,
Andrea Wiederhoeft, and Jocelyn Waterbury

Opening Activity
Take a note card and write your name on it and
return it into the basket.

Teaching in Grades One

Through Three:
VOCAB WORDs :)
Primary Grades-Grades one to three
Data-Driven Instruction-An approach to teaching in which analysis of
assessment data drives the decisions about how to meet the instructional
needs of each child
College and Career Ready- The content knowledge and skills students need to
be successful in all future endeavors

Contemporary Schooling Today:

Nancy Berry 1st grade teacher, uses singing, moving, reading, experiencing,
applying, and writing to reach all types of learners
Elizabeth Parker 2nd grade teacher, researches best teaching practices to
better help her students.
Valorie Lewis 3rd grade teacher does:
Community Circle, positive comment cards, and a daily review program

Learning Contexts: The Major

contexts of teaching
Diversity
Achievement
Standards
Testing
Data-Driven Instruction
Changing Teacher Roles

Learning Contexts: continues

Curriculum Alignment: Example on Pg 304-305
Academics
Technology Use & Integration
Health & Wellness
Ongoing Political & Educational Changes

What are Children Like in Grades

One Through Three?
All children share common characteristics
but yet each child is unique individuals.
a common characteristic of children guide our general practice of teaching
but we still must alway account for the individual needs for children.

Physical Development
two words the most describe the physical growth of children is slow and
steady.
children at this age experience continual growth,develop increasing control
over their bodies and explore the things they are able to do.
to compare and contrast the development of primary grade children in all the
domains.

Emotional Development
discuss
o
t
e
r
u
t
a
r
e
Use lit
emotions.
xpress
e
o
t
n
e
r
d
l
age chi
Encour
ons.
i
t
o
m
e
r
i
e
th
ings.
l
e
e
f
t
u
o
b
rences.
e
write a
f
f
i
d
l
a
r
u
for cult
e
d
i
v
o
r
p

enco
urag
e ch
play
ildr
c
en t
omm
o
u
p
nica
te
rom
ote
resi
lien
ce

Character Education
some common character traits taught in the primary grades

responsibility
compassion
respect others
self-discipline
tolerance
courage

friendship
optimism
honesty
perseverance
future-mindedness
purposefulness

Environments that Support Learning in the Primary

Grades
Physical Environment:
-

Having core subject books are available

Study areas
Children are seating at tables or desks
Program, learning, and environment
Balance between teacher and student interaction
Students products are displayed and valued
Schedules should be posted where the students can read them
Use technology in the classroom

Social Environment:
-

Families and community should be in

classroom learning
Valued and respected
Assessments

Prosocial:
-

Good role model

Positive feedback
Opportunities
Routines and activities
Conflict resolution skills
Use literature

Teaching and Learning in the Inclusive Classroom:

Differentiated Instruction Teaching
-

Changes are being made to

classrooms

Reporting Grades:
- Narrative reports
- Checklists
- Parent conferences
- Portfolios
- Tools

Reading, Writing and Math

Common Core Standards for Grades 1-3
Figure 10.2 on page 321

Arts and Social Studies in Primary Grades

Creative arts include music,

theater, dance and art
Teaching should be content
based and child centered
The purpose of social studies is
to help children develop the
ability to make informed and
reasoned decisions for the
public good as citizens of a
culturally diverse, democratic
society in an interdependent
world.

Social Studies includes

Culture
Individual Development
and Identity
Science, Technology, and
Society
Global Connections
Civic Ideals and Practices
and more

Teaching Thinking

Objective is to ask students questions that move them up in the

hierarchy into higher level thinking from knowledge to evaluation
Challenges children to think but prompts linguistic, social, and behavioral
skills
Teachers should encourage to think critically about information, solve
problems, and reflect
Give children the freedom and security to be creative thinkers
Classroom cultures which children have time, opportunity, and
materials to be creative
Integrate thinking into whole curriculum so they can learn
throughout the day

The Child in Nature

Involving the children in meaningful ecological activities

Environmental Education
Connects classroom learning to the real world
Enables children to make decisions that influence the health and well
being of the environment today and tomorrow
Green Schools and Green Curriculum
Represent ways to save energy, conserve resources, infuse curriculum with
environmental education, build school gardens and offer more healthy school
lunches

Horticultural Therapy
Involves children in horticultural activities such as gardening and landscaping
with the intent of improving their cognitive, social, educational, and emotional
development
Things you can do

Involve your children in recycling activities

Read books that involve environmental issues
Involve your children in outdoor activities relating to Common Core and
state standards