The First Grade text is meant to be explored visually by students like a traditional “big book”. Some teachers may also want their students to have a copy of the book as a digital text on an iPad, Chromebook, or other digital device. Either way, the way students interact with this book is different from other MI Open Book materials. Each short reading is meant to have some teacher interaction go along with it. We tell you what those are in each section. This chapter also requires construction of a small box. You may use the lid of a ream of paper for creation of this box, or have a sturdier one built for you. This same box will be used across all K-2 books. You may want to have one sturdy one built and shared between teachers.

This Blended Learning Unit is designed to intentionally integrate technology into each lesson while maintaining the integrity of a Social Studies unit created by Oakland Schools, Unit 3: How Do We Learn About Places. The 30-45 minute lessons are structured so the classroom teacher can balance whole group instruction (Face to Face) with technology (Online) to enhance or provide new learning.  Academic Vocabulary is a school initiative in the district this unit was created for, so this is also integrated throughout the unit.  This blended unit was designed for students to use individual iPads, but other devices could be used as well.

Students learn what defines a place and identify what defines their town as a place. Common examples such as weather, landscape, and plant/animal life can be used to begin the discussion. Then students will work in small groups to write their own lists.

Using word association and early maps of North Carolina, students will examine their preconceptions about the state and connect them to what they learn. This assignment acts as a diagnostic assessment. The benefit of using colonial maps rather than a current map of North Carolina is that students can make a connection between discovery and progression in the creation of the state that they know. This is intended to be used before any lesson about colonial times or discovery of America in general?the students can consider themselves ?explorers? along with the ones they learn about.

This resource is part of Tools4NCTeachers.

Based on a series of teacher directions, students select stated shapes and place them in specified locations. Students must recognize the names of shapes and position words. This task may be used for instructional or assessment purposes.

This resource is part of Tools4NCTeachers.

This lesson focuses on "visualization". This includes being able to identify geometric shapes in the environment. As students begin to see geometry in their world, the content becomes more relevant and interesting to them.

Students practice the language of location in relation to themselves and classroom objects. The class will work collaboratively to create a simple classroom map and then use it to describe the location of various objects found in the classroom.