GRADE LEVEL MINUTES – FIRST GRADE

Oct. 2, 2002

Bellingham School District

 

OUTCOME:   

Teachers will have the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with peers in order to incorporate the elements of the District Social Studies, Health, and Literacy Curriculum and strategies for good instruction into their lessons and units of study.

 

AGENDA TOPICS:

 

I.                    Our Vision of Learning and Implications for Good Teaching

 

(Handout from Meeting: Article: How People Learn)

 

What is our theory of learning? 

v      Learners actively reflect and ask questions about their world

v      Learners construct conceptual frameworks by making connections, seeing relationships, considering other perspectives, and

v      Learners have preconceived ideas about their world and continually confirm and correct these ideas

 

           What are the implications for teaching?

v      Teachers need to provide demonstrations of active inquiry by asking questions that expert performers/learners ask about specific disciplines.  (What questions do mathematicians ask? What questions do readers ask?  What questions do writers ask? )

v      Teachers provide opportunities for students to learn about a subject or topic in depth.  Ample time is allowed for students to grasp the big ideas, to reflect, to investigate, to question, to see relationships, and to construct new meaning.

v      Teachers expect students to perform the new learning in authentic situations demonstrating the skills and knowledge as outlined in district and state standards.

 

This theory of learning connects with the Conditions For Learning found in our Elementary Literacy Support Guide.

 

Further information about How People Learn can be found at www.nap.edu

 

 

II.                 Challenges with the District Health Curriculum – In Depth

 

There is only one required unit to be taught this year.  It is Unit 1, “Look Out”.

Teachers provided feedback on their questions and needs regarding the implementation of Great Body Shop (see attached Q&A for Health).

 

 

III.               Elementary Literacy Support Guide: Active Inquiry

 

v      Questions that readers ask are related to the Reading Process

v      Explicitly teaching questioning can include helping students understand that some questions are literal and answers are found in the text.  Some questions are interpretive and answers are found in a conversation between the readers and the author.  Other questions are evaluative and ask for a reader’s opinion.

 

(Handout From Meeting: QAR: Question Answer Response from September 2002, Reading Teacher p. 20-27)

 

 

IV.                Backwards Design – Starting with the big ideas to be learned and describing the

            Performance expected from the students.

 

                (Handout From Meeting:  Curriculum and Resources for First Grade)

 

Sample units for social studies were developed and shared by the participants.   These drafts will be sent to each teacher and may be further developed at future grade level meetings.   The template will be sent electronically to each grade level teacher.

 

IV.              Questions

 

Teachers posted questions throughout the day.  See attached for Q/A sheet.

1.          What are the required units for the first grade

2.          Do you use the math timings?

3.          Do you use the “Hiding Assessment” in math for Number Sense? How does this transfer to the report card making system at each reporting period?

4.          How do we match our understanding/philosophy about in depth learning with the demands of having to assess and report to parents on so many curriculum areas?

5.          What does each grade level get for social studies?

6.          How do we mark the 6 Trait Assessment on a 4,3,2,1, report card scale?  Are there writing samples and prompts?

7.          What about D’Nealian? Is there training for D’Nealian? What are the D’Nealian prompts?  Can we email them to everyone?  How are the handwriting expectations begun at the K level?

8.          What about the CARE now that it is not an official Bellingham curriculum?  Will there be support for continuing to teach it? Can we send parent notes home?

9.           Is Second Step required? Does it overlap with Health and Social Studies Units?

 

V.                 Next Steps

 

Teachers posted suggestions and topics for future grade level meetings.

Topics:

v      Math Assessment and marking the report card

v      Using TERC

v      Science Kits – how to use them

v      Using the 6 Traits and marking the report card

v      How to design units and integrate current activities

v      Continuing to look at social studies guide and implementation

v      Writing demonstrations and use of genre

v      Guided Reading/Book Boxes

v      Draft – writing and conferences

v      Literacy Blocks – how to set up and manage

v      Digging into the Elementary Literacy Support Guide

v      Handwriting

v      Across district planning and school team planning opportunities

v      Strategies for multiage classrooms – selection of content

v      Spelling

 

Volunteer teachers will develop a plan for the next meeting in March.

Gayle O’Malley – Columbia

Shirley Potter  - Happy Valley

Kevin Quinn  - Happy Valley

 

ATTENDEES 

Alderwood: Kathy Lorson-Howell Birchwood: Stephanie Cooper, Sharie Burdick Carl Cozier: Valorie McElroy Columbia: Gayle O’Malley Geneva: Marla Foote, Jan Stamey, Kerry Syre, Stacy McColl  Happy Valley: Linda Stevens, Shirley Potter, Lori Thoreson, Kevin Quinn, Jean Peaco Larrabee: Liz Wade, Kelly Glynn Lowell: Lynn Linville, Grace Cronkhite Northern Heights: Kristin Roche Parkview: Judy Lewis, Julie Jimminez, Jill Caldwell, Cynthia Webley  Roosevelt: Marlys Holms, Josephine Estrada, Jennifer Noyes, Janis Gustafson, Kim Rutledge Silver Beach: Pam Brink  Sunnyland: Donna Ringwald, Karen Cox