Academics

We are going to learn so much this year to help get you prepared for first grade.  We will learn our letters (upper & lower case “Aa-Zz”) and the sounds that they make… this will help us learn to read.  We will learn to count to 100 and add numbers up to 10.  We will learn about Science and how we use it every day to tell the weather, what to wear, and make smart guesses about what might happen next. 

We will learn to respect each other and cheer each other on as we grow each day. We can’t wait to see each of your smiling faces!

We are very excited to have your child in first grade this year at Whitt! Our goal is to create an engaging and exciting year of learning for your child. We believe that by providing a structured, supportive, and student-centered learning environment, your child will succeed and become independent thinkers and problem solvers. Parents are the most important influence in the education of our students. Together, we can ensure your child is successful and ready for second grade and beyond.

Here are a few skills first graders will learn this school year:

• Identify, compare, and describe characters in a story
• Make connections to stories
• Retell the important parts of a story
• Determine the reader’s and author’s purpose of a story
• Summarize a story
• Write poems, short research papers, friendly letters, and narratives
• Tell time to the half-hour
• Solve word problems
• Work with fractions
• Identify and count coins
• Add and subtract to 20
• Skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s to 100

ELA

Whitt first-graders are busy every day with a variety of literacy skills. Each day is filled with many opportunities to read: the weekly focus poem, a shared book, guided reading in a small group setting, and a sustained silent reading time. One of the goals of the first-grade teachers is to have all of their students "fall in love with reading!"

Math

Students are being taught to think mathematically and to reason. With lots of "hands-on" lessons using a variety of manipulatives, they are learning to see relationships and patterns and to use numbers with confidence to solve problems. They are learning far more than arithmetic; they are delving into measurement, geometry, statistics, and probability.

Science and Social Studies

Science and Social Studies are integrated into the reading program. The goal is to guide children to apply the skills they learn in reading to the acquisition of knowledge through reading information books, magazines, and children's encyclopedias. This develops their associative skills, as well as the "basic skills." Interest is high because children are naturally curious about the world in which they live.

Our goal as Second Grade teachers is to prepare our students for life's choices and challenges. We will maintain high expectations and challenge students to learn, grow, and achieve to each student's highest possible potential. We will enhance the learning process by fostering an atmosphere of respect, love, and dignity.

During the year we will teach our second graders to implement strategies related to problem-solving in math. We will extend their educational experience by focusing on increasing fluency and strengthening reading comprehension skills. Second grade is a year of transition in which the students will become more independent thinkers and learners. This will enable them to have the skills needed to achieve success as they move through the upper grades.

Third grade at Whitt Elementary is the place to be! Education is student-centered. We focus on active learning, research, hands-on activities, and extending thinking skills. Technology and using the internet are a priority. 

Some of the goals that we would like to see the students in third grade accomplish are:

• Have strong respect for themselves, other students, and authority figures
• Have self-discipline
• Learn to be responsible
• Learn to use time effectively
• Develop organizational skills
• Become confident learners. 

The 3rd Grade team is a grade level that the team teaches.  Your child will benefit from the instruction of two highly qualified teachers!

Our goal for Whitt Elementary fourth grade is to ensure success for each student by providing a supportive and loving environment. We realize that fourth grade is both a vital and transitional time for students. Writing across the curriculum is a priority, and integrating all subjects is our focus. Teaching our students the character traits they will need to survive in today's world and in the future is a daily objective. The fourth grade at Whitt Elementary is also a grade level that team-teaches! Your child will benefit from the instruction of two highly qualified teachers.

The goal of Whitt Elementary fifth grade is to provide a secure environment that is conducive to learning and building self-esteem. Fifth-grade students are developing into responsible, independent learners as they prepare to enter middle school. Problem-solving within math and science is greatly emphasized. Incorporating technology links to enhance learning is encouraged both at school and home.