Grade Level 1

Reading First Quarter DRA Level 4- Independent (Independent means Accuracy 94% or higher, Fluency Level 2 or higher, Comprehension Level according to the comprehension rubric, Level 3 or higher)

Language Arts (writing, spelling, speaking and listening) Listening Students are learning the teacher’s expectations for first grade listening skills. Students will work on rules for conversations as well as how to initiate conversations with peers and adults. SOL 1.3

skill development, literature

SOL Alignment (Y/N)

Skill Development DRA Levels A-4 are in the Early Emergent stage of reading. At this level students should be taught the following strategies and skills: ~ use picture for cues SOL 1.7 ~follow the text with 1 to 1 matching SOL 1.5 ~understands the difference between letter, word, and sentence SOL 1.5 ~displays a concept about print and its Speaking directionality ( left to right, top to Students are learning bottom) SOL 1.5 appropriate voice levels in small group and large group ~uses a return sweep when needed situations. SOL 1.3 SOL 1.5 ~can use some beginning sound to Students add and delete help figure out unknown words SOL phonemes orally to change words. SOL 1.3 1.6 ~has a few high frequency words SOL 1.6 Spelling Using the Words Their Way ~ understands that a story has Primary Spelling Inventory, meaning. SOL K.6 the students will pass the beginning consonant Literature features with 6/7 in that Each classroom has a core set of category. SOL 1.6 books to use to teach these concepts. In addition to the core set there are The students will begin to additional books at this level in the use the word wall to help team closet. Some groups will need them spell high frequency more practice on skills than others and

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words taught. The students will begin to stretch out unknown spelling words and write the sounds they hear. SOL 1.6 SOL 1.12 Writing The student is willing to write and has a good attitude toward writing. They can write one sentence that is meaningful. They can read what they have written. They are using beginning sounds in their spelling. SOL 1.6 SOL 1.12 Second Quarter DRA Level 8- Independent (Independent means Accuracy 94% or higher, Fluency Level 2 or higher, Comprehension Level according to the rubric, Level 3 or higher)

Listening Students listen to an increasing variety of media and books. SOL1.1 Listening to two step oral directions becomes increasingly important. SOL 1.2 Speaking Students are able to give two step oral directions as well as repeat directions. SOL 1.2 Students ask and respond to

it is up to the teacher to determine when it is appropriate to go to a new level. There are a great variety of fiction and non-fiction texts at every level to accommodate different interests of beginning readers. In addition to reading materials used to teach these skills and strategies, there are Science and Social Studies books on the First Grade SOL’s both in the classroom and sets for groups in the team closet.

Skill Development DRA levels 5-8 are leaving the Early Emergent level and moving into the Upper Emergent stage of reading. At this level students should be taught the following strategies and skills: ~meaning is important to the story that is being read. SOL 1.9 ~retelling a story is practiced so that the child can do this independently SOL 1.1 SOL 1.9 ~predicting what will happen, by looking at the pictures SOL 1.9 ~ learning to reread and self correct errors SOL 1.7

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~beginning to cross check first letter cue with meaning and structure cues SOL 1.7 ~reading many high frequency words automatically SOL 1.6 ~working on fluency- making it “sound like talk” SOL 1.3 SOL1.8 Spelling Using the Words Their Way ~using return sweep as the text now Primary Spelling Inventory, has more than one line to a page. SOL 1.5 the students will pass the ~beginning to use chunks and known beginning and final consonant features with 6/7 words to figure out unknown words SOL 1.6 in that category. SOL 1.6 ~beginning to use rereading as a strategy independently when text does In addition to using the word wall to help them spell not make sense. SOL 1.9 ~beginning to read past the problem high frequency words that spot for additional information to fix have been taught, they will the error. SOL 1.7 begin using a personal dictionary to help them spell. The students will Literature There are many books in the core set include more conventional as well as in the team closet at these spellings in their writing. levels. Illustrations at this level no SOL 1.6 longer tell much of the story and the SOL 1.10 students are now relying on their ability to read. By the end of this Writing level some students will be able to The student is willing to read simple books from the library write and has a good and their home collections. attitude toward writing. They can write two sentences that are on the same topic. The teacher can questions in small and large group situations. SOL 1.3 Students will blend sounds in words. SOL 1.4

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read what they have written. They are using ending sounds in their spelling. The words sit on the lines and there is appropriate spacing between words and letters. There are few reversals. SOL 1.11 SOL 1.6 SOL 1.12 Third Quarter DRA Level 12- Independent (Independent means Accuracy 94% or higher, Fluency Level 2 or higher, Comprehension Level according to the rubric, Level 3 or higher)

Listening Students listen to increase their vocabulary as well as understanding more complex subjects. SOL 1.2

Skill Development DRA Levels 9-12 are solidly in the Upper Emergent stage of reading. At this level students should be taught the following strategies and skills: ~fluency development with the use of intonation and expression when Speaking reading SOL 1.3 SOL 1.8 This is a time when telling ~understanding quotation marks and stories and retelling is how to use them and read them SOL increasingly important and 1.8 the focus is on this skill. ~using a balance of cues (Uses all They spend time strategies well and does not over rely manipulating and playing on one way of figuring out a new with sounds. Students will word SOL 1.7 increase their speaking ~cross checking one cue against vocabulary. SOL1.1 another SOL 1.7 SOL 1.4 SOL 1.2 ~self correcting many errors independently SOL 1.7 Spelling Using the Words Their Way ~ decoding new words quickly (on the Primary Spelling Inventory, run) while reading SOL 1.4 the students will pass the beginning and final Literature

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consonant features with 6/7 in that category. They should also be able to pass the short vowel and the diagraph features missing no more than one in those categories. SOL 1.6 Writing The student is willing to write and has a good attitude toward writing. They can write three sentences that are on the same topic or a story. The teacher is able to easily read what they have written. They are using medial sounds in their spelling. Their work is neat and the letters are appropriately sized. They are beginning to use capital letters at the appropriate places. They are using end punctuation more consistently. They use a portable word-wall/folder to help them spell many more words conventionally. SOL 1.6 SOL 1.11 SOL 1.12 SOL 1.10 Fourth Quarter

Listening and Speaking

In addition to the core set of books and the supplemental books in the team closet, the students are reading many books from other sources; home, library etc. This is a time when the childrens’ reading becomes self sustaining. The more they read the better they become through the practice of their strategies and exposure to many texts. During this time the first grade team has a Reading Incentive Program to get reading into the homes. It is a 9 week program that has the students doing much independent reading at home. The expectation is at least 15 minutes for 5 nights a week. They develop such a love of reading that they usually do much more reading than the 15 minutes. Each week one book that they have read and enjoyed is brought into school to be read with a teacher or helper. SOL 1.9

Skill Development

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DRA Level 16- Independent (Independent means Accuracy 94% or higher, Fluency Level 2 or higher, Comprehension Level according to the rubric, Level 3 or higher)

DRA Levels 13-16 are moving out of the Upper Emergent stage of reading and moving into the Early Fluency stage. At this level students should be taught the following strategies and skills: ~continuing to use a balance of cues, cross checking and self correcting. This often happens silently at this stage. SOL 1.7 ~recognizing when meaning breaks down and goes back to find the Speaking meaning of the story SOL 1.8 Students will consolidate ~ identifying characters, setting, and practice skills learned problem and solution SOL 1.9 all year. They will be able to effectively communicate ~retelling is refined. They can retell a story in order with a beginning, in all areas both curricular middle and end as well as important and social. They will share their own student published details SOL 1.1 SOL 1.9 books with their classmates. ~making and justifying their predictions SOL 1.9 SOL 1.1, SOL 1.2, SOL ~changing their predictions based on 1.3, SOL 1.4 what they have read SOL 1.9 ~discussing and expressing ideas Spelling Using the Words Their Way about literature SOL 1.9 Primary Spelling Inventory, ~making inferences from text and illustrations SOL 1.9 the students will pass the ~introducing the concept of a beginning and final consonant features with 6/7 response journal to use when responding to literature. in that category. They should also be able to pass the short vowel and the Literature Children at this level are moving into diagraph features missing At this time of the year students combine listening and speaking to work on counting syllables. They are increasing their ability to tell and retell stories. They will be able to ask for clarification of words and ideas. SOL 1.4 SOL 1.2

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no more than one in those categories. This quarter they will pass the long vowels and blends missing no more than one in those categories. SOL 1.6 Writing The student is willing to write and has a good attitude toward writing. They can write four or more sentences that are on the same topic or a story with a beginning, middle and end. The teacher is able to easily read what they have written. They are using vowel sounds in their spelling. Their work is neat and the letters are appropriately sized. They are using capital letters and end punctuations to a greater extent. They are using a picture dictionary to help them with spelling difficult words. SOL 1.6 SOL 1.11 SOL 1.10

early Chapter Books and longer picture books. They are reading independently as a self selected activity both at home and in school. They read many books beyond the text for instruction. The more they read the better they become (self perpetuating). Children should be introduced to literature circles during this quarter and use response journals as a part of this. There are students who surpass these levels. In the core set we have levels 1-14. In the team closet we have levels A-44. There are sets of books on many topics to accommodate the interests of different groups of students. Students are moved along in levels and instructed on their level. It is not dependent on the time of the year. Many students enter second grade well beyond the benchmark level DRA 16 at an independent level.

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