Unit 1 — Welcome to Grade 1

Welcome to Grade 1!

A new year of learning has begun.

During Kindergarten you learned many wonderful things.

You learned to:

• read simple words
• write letters and words
• count numbers
• solve simple math problems
• explore nature
• ask questions
• care for yourself and others

Now you are ready for even bigger adventures.

Every day you will discover something new.

A New Beginning

Grade 1 is a year of growing.

You will become a stronger:

• reader
• writer
• mathematician
• scientist
• artist
• problem solver

You will also become a more independent learner.

That means you will learn to solve many problems on your own while still asking questions whenever you need help.

Curiosity Is Your Superpower

Have you ever wondered:

Why do birds fly?

Why do leaves change color?

How do airplanes stay in the sky?

Why do stars shine?

Every great discovery begins with a question.

Never stop asking questions.

Curiosity is one of the greatest gifts you have.

Learning Every Day

Learning happens everywhere.

You learn:

• at school
• at home
• at the library
• outside
• while reading
• while playing
• by observing
• by asking questions

Every day is an opportunity to learn something new.

Growing Your Brain

Your brain is amazing.

Every time you:

• read
• write
• solve a problem
• practice
• ask questions

your brain builds new connections.

The more you practice, the stronger those connections become.

Mistakes are not failures.

Mistakes help your brain learn.

Our Classroom Community

A classroom is a team.

Everyone helps everyone learn.

We can:

• listen carefully
• speak kindly
• respect others
• help classmates
• ask thoughtful questions
• celebrate each other's successes

Working together makes learning more enjoyable.

Activity

Draw a picture of yourself.

Around your picture, draw or write:

• one thing you enjoy learning
• one thing you hope to learn this year
• one question you would like answered

Share your picture with your teacher, parent, or a friend.

Practice

Finish these sentences.

This year I want to learn __________________.

One question I have is __________________.

I can help others by __________________.

I am excited about __________________.

Review

Today you learned:

• Grade 1 is a new adventure
• curiosity helps us learn
• mistakes help our brains grow
• learning happens everywhere
• classrooms are communities that work together

Every question you ask is the beginning of a new discovery.

Looking Ahead

Next we will strengthen one of our most important skills:

reading.

We will discover how readers:

• understand stories
• build vocabulary
• ask questions while reading
• become confident lifelong learners.