Grade 1 Family and Community Resources

Overview

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is nationally recognized as a leader in teaching and learning. Our rigorous instructional program engages students in learning through relevant, real-world classroom experiences. The HCPSS curriculum is written by Howard County teachers and is designed to provide students a thorough grounding in essential knowledge and skills that will give them a leading edge in tomorrow's global environment. Our curriculum challenges students to think strategically, solve problems, innovate, collaborate, communicate effectively, and achieve goals.

The HCPSS curriculum is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. These standards for literacy and mathematics education resulted from a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The Standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators and experts, to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce. Additional information about the Common Core State Standards Links to an external site..

HCPSS Curriculum is:

1. Deep: Mastery of essential skills is emphasized at each level, so students build the skills and confidence to tackle more advanced concepts.

2. Broad: Instruction crosses content areas – for example, science and social studies curriculum incorporate reading, math, and writing skills.

3. Relevant: Classroom lessons are reinforced through hands-on activities and real-world experiences.

4. Active: Students learn by exploration, using creativity, critical thinking, and analysis to discover answers to problems, and practice collaboration and effective communication.