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Grade Level Guide 1
Grade 1
GRADE LEVEL GUIDE
2015 - 2016
UNIS Hanoi2
Dear Parents,
The Grade 1 (G1) Team has prepared
this guide to explain the G1 curriculum
and the procedures that are specific
to G1. You can use this handbook in
addition to the general information
provided in the Elementary School
Parent and Student Handbook.
Included in this information are
samples of student learning outcomes
for G1. It is very important that you
understand that these student learning
outcomes are part of a continuum – a
continuing process of education –
starting in Discovery and continuing
through to Grade 5.
The learning outcomes are based
on the recognition that learning is
a developmental process and that
students within a single class will be
operating at different levels of learning,
understanding and achievement.
This means, for example, that not
all outcomes will be achieved by
all student and some students will
surpass the grade level learning
outcomes. The learning outcomes will,
however, form a basis for planning
units of work and for the assessment of
student progress.
If you would like further information
about our curriculum, please do not
hesitate to contact the school. We
would be pleased to clarify and show
you the continuum of learning that
occurs from Discovery to Grade 5.
Message from
the Elementary Principal
Yours sincerely,
Megan Brazil
Elementary Principal
Grade Level Guide 3
Dear Parents of G1 Students,
Welcome to G1. We trust that you will
find this Guide informative and helpful.
It is intended to give you an overview
of the Grade 1 area and some hints to
help you and your child prepare for,
and to settle into, this grade level.
The G1 teachers will communicate
with you on a regular basis throughout
the year. We will also be inviting you
to visit the school to celebrate your
child’s learning and progress at regular
intervals. Please do not hesitate to
contact your child’s teachers or the
Grade Level Team Leader if you have
any need for clarification or further
information.
It is our hope that we can work in
partnership with you, the parents, by
keeping communication a two-way
process between Home and School.
Yours sincerely,
The Grade 1 Team
Message from
the Grade 1 Team
UNIS Hanoi4
Message from The Elementary Principal 2
Message from The Grade 1 Team 3
Who’s Who in Grade 1 5
Grade 1 Procedures 6
What to Bring
Lunch Procedures
Birthdays
Communication
Homework Guidelines 8
How Parents Can Help 10
With Reading
With Writing
With Mathematics
International Baccalaureate Primary Years 14
Programme (PYP)
The Programme of Inquiry for Grade 1 16
Grade 1 Subjects
English 18
Mathematics 19
Science 20
Social Studies 21
Visual Arts 22
Music 23
Drama and Dance 24
Vietnamese Foreign Language 25
Vietnamese Mother Tongue 26
French Foreign Language 27
Mandarin Foreign Language 28
Physical Education 29
English as an Additional Language (EAL) 30
Information & Communication 32
Technology (ICT)
Personal, Social and Emotional 33
Learning (PSEL)
Table of Contents
Grade Level Guide 5
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT AREA
NAME CLASS EMAIL
Class Teacher and Grade Leader Julia Hatch1 JH
Teaching Assistant Nguyen Hong Lam [email protected]
Class Teacher Sue Freeman 1 SF
Teaching Assistant Nguyen Thi Noi [email protected]
Class Teacher Todd Aydelott
1 TA
Teaching Assistant Tran Thi Thu Dzung [email protected]
Class Teacher Ibironke Bearzi
1 RB
Teaching Assistant Le Thi Thanh Hue [email protected]
English as an Additional Language (EAL) Sharon Henderson [email protected]
EAL Assistant Le Thi Hoang Linh [email protected]
Visual Arts Krista Ramsay [email protected]
Music Alexis Ramsey [email protected]
Art and Music Assistant Luu Thi Huyen Trang [email protected]
Drama Samantha Healy [email protected]
Information Technology Michelle Luna Matias [email protected]
Information Tech Assistant Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan [email protected]
Physical Education (PE)Cameron McHale [email protected]
Clare Albertson [email protected]
PE Assistant Nguyen Van Pho [email protected]
Vietnamese Foreign Language Tran Kim Dung [email protected]
Vietnamese Mother Tongue Language Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen [email protected]
Mandarin Foreign Language Aiqin Li [email protected]
French Language Claire Holbein [email protected]
Laurie Rombaut-Pierlovsi [email protected]
Learning Support
Deirbhile Ni Scholai [email protected]
Mary Pool (Speech and Language Specialist) [email protected]
Learning Support Assistant Dang Thanh Hoa [email protected]
Counsellor Anissa Zotos [email protected]
Educational Psychologist Megan O’connor [email protected]
Librarian Julie Conroy [email protected]
Library Assistant Le Bach Quynh [email protected]
Who’s Who in Grade 1
UNIS Hanoi6
from home or purchased using a Lunch
Coupon. If a home lunch is brought,
please be aware that the Microwave
facilities are NOT available to Grade 1
students.
Lunch coupons must be purchased
in advance by parents or care-givers.
Grade 1 teaches or teaching assistants
are not able to purchase coupons for
students. Please write your child’s
name and class on all coupons.
BirthdaysWe love to celebrate birthdays in Grade
1. If your child is having a birthday and
you would like to send something in for
the class to share, then please:
• send an email or note to the Class
Teacher at least 1 day before
What to Bring• Hat
• Water bottle
• Full change of clothing clearly
labelled with your child’s name (this
should be kept in the school bag
or classroom cubby and replaced
when necessary)
• Good fitting shoes and sandals (not
flip flops)
• For Physical Education (PE):
PE T-shirt, shorts and runners,
swimwear (one piece swimsuit
for girls), goggles and towel for
swimming lessons.
Lunch ProceduresGrade 1 students eat lunch in the
canteen. Lunch may either be brought
Grade 1 Procedures
Grade Level Guide 7
Please make sure your child knows
there’s a note for the teacher. Now
your child is in Grade 1, encourage
your child to develop independence
and responsibility. Being able to relay
a simple message, “There is a note for
you Ms X, from my Mum”, is a great
way to do this.
MeetingsIf you have a concern or worry, please
contact your child’s classroom
teacher as soon as possible via email
or by phoning the Elementary School
Secretary to arrange a suitable time
to meet. Teachers are happy to meet
with you, but please note that your
child’s classroom teacher may have
after school commitments (ASA, Staff
meetings etc).
You can also attend:
• Parent Teacher Conferences – this is
for parents and teachers only
• Student Led conferences – this is
between the parents and student
only. Please do not bring siblings to
the student led conference.
• Three Way Conferences this is the
parents, teacher and child for one
disscussion
ReportingReport cards are not sent home, they
will be made available twice a year via
the school information system: ISIS.
HandwritingIt is recognized that there are a variety
of different styles which your child may
have been previously taught before
coming to UNIS. Teachers allow these
different styles however we encourage
good posture, correct pencil hold and
a neat and legible letter formation and
handwriting script.
• send cupcakes/muffins (rather than
a whole cake)
• if you do send a whole cake, also
send in a knife for cutting & paper
plates
• deliver the cupcakes/muffins to the
classroom by 9:20am (unless you
have arranged a different time with
the teacher)
• no candy
• no gift/goodie bags
• no sodas or other drinks
• no nut products
• Please distribute any party
invitations outside school, unless the
invite is for the whole class.
Communication
Blog
Class and Grade Level news will be
communicated via the blog.
Communication Book/
Reading Log
Grade 1 students are given a
Communication Book/Reading Log at
the beginning of the school year which
is one way to communicate directly
with the teachers and to record your
child’s reading history.
Direct Contact
If you would like to talk to your
child’s teacher, please send them
an email or write a note in the
child’s communication book, with a
suggested meeting day/time (outside
of 8:00-15:20). As you can understand,
teachers cannot take phone calls
during class time, so please don’t
ring but feel free to email about any
concerns.
UNIS Hanoi8
The School regards homework as
just one of the strategies that we use
to benefit students – a strategy that
is aligned with our curriculum, our
approaches to teaching and our values
about learning.
The over-arching purpose of
homework is to support and enhance
student learning, developing students’
ability to manage their own learning,
to extend themselves, to prepare,
to practice, to review and to inquire
independently.
Homework should be appropriate for
the individual, as all students learn
differently and at different paces.
Expectations, including the nature of
the homework, the amount of time it
should take and its purpose and role in
assessment will vary according to the
students’ age, language profile or other
factors.
We aim to give students as much
choice and control over their own
learning as possible, and this includes
the independent learning they do at
home. We also want to work with
the students, and their parents, to
ensure that well-being and balance is
maintained.
Time guidanceThe purpose of this guidance is to
manage expectations and to help us
know whether a student is spending
too little or too much time on their
homework.
Educational research suggests that
around 10 minutes per grade level
per day spent on homework is both
effective and appropriate.
Grade level guidanceApproximate time guidelines and
notes:
• Homework is usually only set
Monday-Thursday. Occasionally
tasks will need to be completed over
a weekend.
• In Grades 1-5, specialist teachers
may also set small tasks to be
completed at home.
• There may be differentiated
homework expectations based on
the student’s learning needs.
Discovery & Kindergarten 1: We
believe it is not appropriate for this age
group of students to have homework.
Kindergarten 2: Readers with
appropriate reading readiness levels
are sent home twice a week to
reinforce learning at school.
Homework Guidelines
Grade Level Guide 9
Grade 1: 10 minutes each day
• Daily reading with occasional
activities supporting other learning
areas.
Grade 2: 20 minutes each day
• Daily reading: 10 to 20 minutes
• Spelling or Maths Games: about 10
minutes
Grade 3: 30 minutes each day
• Daily reading : 15 minutes
• Spelling, Maths, Unit of Inquiry or
English activities: 15 minutes
Grade 4: 40 minutes each day
• Daily reading: 20 minutes
• English, Maths, Unit of Inquiry or
Critical Thinking activities: 20
minutes
Grade 5: 50 minutes each day
• Daily reading: 25 minutes
• English, Maths, Unit of Inquiry or
Critical Thinking Activities: 25
minutes
The structure of homework for Grade 5
students will change towards the end
of the year as part of the transition to
Middle School.
The Role of Class and Specialist Blogs in extending learning at home At the end of each week, homeroom
teachers post information about the
learning that has been happening in
the past week in their classroom. They
may post photographs and reports of
how the children have responded to
the various learning opportunities. In
addition they highlight the intended
learning intentions for the following
week.
This information is designed to keep
parents as informed as possible
about what their child is learning and
experiencing in the classroom. This
helps facilitate conversations about
learning at home. These conversations
in the home language help reinforce
a child’s understanding of recent
in-school learning and help children
apply and transfer what they have
learned to a context beyond school.
Please take the time to talk to your child
about what is on the blogs so that we
can work in close partnership with you
to support your child’s learning and
understanding.
UNIS Hanoi10
Visit…
The UNIS Hanoi library after school till
16:45.
Locate and read...
Signs, recipes, junk mail, packets,
boxes and other household items.
Road signs and the journey to school
are great sources of Environmental
Print.
Give…
Books for gifts or treats. Select books
with rhythm, repetition and predictable
ideas.
Praise…
Be enthusiastic about every attempt.
Be patient and curb your natural
impulse to come to your child’s
assistance. Make the experience fun.
Role play…
Act out a favourite story as a family.
Dress-up in clothes and use different
tones of voice to make the story come
to life.
Read…
Old favourites again and again to promote
familiarity and confidence. Encourage
your child to read them to you.
Display…
An interest in reading. Let your child
see you reading e.g. newspapers,
phonebooks, magazines, novels.
Discuss…
The parts of the book ‘Show me the
cover. Where is the title/Do you know
the name of the person who wrote
Parents may be invited to assist in
school during some of our units of
inquiry. Set out below are some ways
you can help at home.
With Reading
Make…
A regular time for reading together.
Share books brought from school or
old favourites from your own collection.
Ensure you choose a quiet area to
avoid interruptions.
Talk…
About the book. Use the pictures to
predict what it is going to be about. Ask
your child to make suggestions. Close
the book and ask your child to draw/
write another ending to the story. Ask
your child questions about the text to
check they understand what they have
read.
Provide…
Reading materials that are about the
interest and experiences of your child
and your family.
the book? (author) Can you show me
where the name is written? Do you
know the name of the person who drew
the pictures? (illustrator) Which way
do I read? Where do we start reading?
Can you find a word that looks the
same as this?’
Talk…
About the author/illustrator. Read books
by the same author/illustrator. Try to find
things that are similar about the books.
Compare the types of methods used to
create the illustrations.
Explore…
The pictures in books to decide where
the story is taking place. Compare
events and places with those in your
own lives, e.g. ‘What would you do if
you were the person in the book?’
Read aloud…
Together and look for the clues to tell
you how to say what is written, e.g.
“quotation marks”, bold print , italic or
(brackets).
Show…
• Your child that reading should make
sense. Tell them what you do when
the meaning isn’t clear.
• Re-read a tricky section.
• Look for information in the pictures.
• Have a go at unknown words.
• Use the initial/end letters as a clue.
• Ask them what would make sense in
the context of the rest of the story.
• Ask them to say the beginning
sound and slide their finger under
the word.
How Parents Can Help
Grade Level Guide 11
With Writing
Here are some activities to
try:
• Children can learn to spell some words
by stretching out the word and listening
for the sounds. Short, simple words
are best to learn in the beginning.
Encourage your children to write stories
and to write words using letters.
• Encourage your child to use lower
case letters when writing words and to
start letters in the correct place. More
information on letter formation will be
sent home.
• Make a puzzle word by writing a word
on paper and cutting the letters apart.
Magnetic and felt letters can be also
be used for this activity. Mix the letters
and have your children spell a word by
putting the letters in order.
• Say a word and have your children
repeat the word. Then have them write
the letters that represent the sounds in
the word.
• Point out that some words are similar.
Talk about how “hop” is similar to “top”
“cop”, and “mop”. Ask your children
to say words that are similar to “fun”,
“man”, “pay” and “pin”. Play rhyming
games.
• Ask your children to draw a picture
of a family activity. Have them write a
sentence about it below the picture.
Encourage your children to say
the sentence and write letters to
represent the sounds in each word.
Then have them read what they
wrote.
• Have your children cut a picture from
an old magazine and write a story
about the picture.
• Tell your children a story and have
them write their own ending for it.
• Have your children write letters,
emails and thank-you notes to
friends and relatives.
• As your children progress, help
them learn the correct spelling of the
words they write.
UNIS Hanoi12
With Mathematics
Number and Algebra
• number spotting e.g. on doors, cars,
clocks, making Playdough cut-outs,
tracing in sand
• counting e.g. candles on cakes, laying the
table, hide and seek
• adding and subtracting e.g. counting
forwards and backwards, playing shop,
posing problems, if there are 3 of us and
we each want 2 ice-creams each, how
many ice-creams do we need to buy?
• sharing food e.g. cutting apples into
quarters
• games and puzzles e.g. card games,
noughts and crosses, uno, number
rhymes, chants.
Shape and Space
• look for patterns e.g. on clothes,
wallpaper, traffic lights
• spot and name shapes e.g. circle on
t-shirts, squares on carpets
• use building blocks to make new
shapes
• make repeating patterns e.g. with
beads or pastry cutters, paper cut
outs, printing
• play with three dimensional objects
such as food containers, Lego,
using correct names for different
shapes e.g. cube, pyramid
• comment on directions on walks and
journeys
• use mirrors to talk about reflections
and how they can alter images
• do jigsaws to help children to
distinguish shapes, match, think
logically and methodically
Measurement
• talk about measurement and its use
in everyday life e.g. buying shoes,
weighing ingredients, for a recipe
putting toys in order of size
• talk about opposites e.g. tall/short,
light/heavy, more/less
• make comparisons e.g. which is
longer/which feels hotter?
• talk about balance e.g. seesaws
• ‘hands on’ play activities e.g. filling
buckets with sand and cups with
water
• measuring with the body e.g. how
many steps to the end of the street
• use precise words such as tall, wide,
full, high rather than ‘big’
• talk about annual celebrations,
weekly outings and daily rituals to
develop a sense of time
• timed activities e.g. how many toys
can you pick up while I sing this
song?
Handling Data
• make collections e.g. buttons
marbles, stamps
• sort buttons or toys into groups e.g.
by colour, shape or size, “how many
of each kind?”
• talk about charts, graphs and
diagrams you see in books and
newspapers.
• ask questions about “the most”,
“least”, “more than” ...
Grade Level Guide 13
UNIS Hanoi14
At UNIS we are authorized to teach the
International Baccalaureate Primary
Years Programme (IBPYP). The IBPYP
is an integrated curriculum that is
relevant, challenging and engaging
for learners from Discovery to Grade
5. It is a process-led, inquiry-based
curriculum framework that actively
encourages students to ask questions
and seek answers about the world
around them.
Inquiry-based learning involves:• exploring, wondering and
questioning;
• experimenting and playing with
possibilities;
• making connections between
previous learning and current
learning;
• making predictions and acting
purposefully to see what happens;
• collecting data and reporting
findings;
• clarifying existing ideas and
reappraising perceptions of events;
• deepening understanding through
the application of a concept;
• making and testing theories;
• researching and seeking
information;
• taking and defending a position; and
• solving problems in a variety of
ways.
Much of the curriculum is arranged and
taught through large, cross-curricular
units of study known as units of inquiry.
Throughout the elementary school
these units of inquiry are arranged
under six themes. These same themes
are repeated every grade level. The
themes are:
• Who We Are
• Where We Are in Place and Time
• How We Express Ourselves
• How the World Works
• How We Organize Ourselves
• Sharing the Planet
All of the units of inquiry which the
students learn about are together
known as the Programme of Inquiry
All curriculum areas are integrated
where appropriate however single
subject teaching also occurs
separately. In G1 the homeroom
teacher teaches most of the subjects
however the children attend specialist
lessons for the Arts, Vietnamese,
French, World Languages, Physical
Education and Library.
International Baccalaureate
Primary Years Programme (PYP)
Grade Level Guide 15
The aim of all IB programmes is to
develop internationally minded people
who, recognizing their common
humanity and shared guardianship of
the planet, help to create a better and
more peaceful world.
As IB learners we strive to be:
Inquirers
We nurture our curiosity, developing
skills for inquiry and research. We know
how to learn independently and with
others. We learn with enthusiasm and
sustain our love of learning throughout
life.
Knowledgeable
We develop and use conceptual
understanding, exploring knowledge
across a range of disciplines. We
engage with issues and ideas that have
local and global significance.
Thinkers
We use critical and creative thinking
skills to analyse and take responsible
action on complex problems. We
exercise initiative in making reasoned,
ethical decisions.
Communicators
We express ourselves confidently and
creatively in more than one language
and in many ways. We collaborate
e-ectively, listening carefully to the
perspectives of other individuals and
groups.
Principled
We act with integrity and honesty, with
a strong sense of fairness and justice,
and with respect for the dignity and
rights of people everywhere. We take
responsibility for our actions and their
consequences.
Open-minded
We critically appreciate our own
cultures and personal histories, as well
as the values and traditions of others.
We seek and evaluate a range of points
of view, and we are willing to grow from
the experience.
Caring
We show empathy, compassion and
respect. We have a commitment to
service, and we act to make a positive
di-erence in the lives of others and in
the world around us.
Risk-takers
We approach uncertainty with
forethought and determination; we
work independently and cooperatively
to explore new ideas and innovative
strategies. We are resourceful and
resilient in the face of challenges and
change.
Balanced
We understand the importance of
balancing di-erent aspects of our lives
-intellectual, physical, and emotional
- to achieve well-being for ourselves
and others. We recognize our
interdependence with other people and
with the world in which we live.
Reflective
We thoughtfully consider the world
and our own ideas and experience. We
work to understand our strengths and
weaknesses in order to support our
learning and personal development.
UNIS Hanoi16
Units of Inquiry – Grade 1
An inquiry into:
Who we are
An inquiry into:
Where we are in place and
time
An inquiry into:
How we express ourselves
A BALANCED ME
A unit focused on Personal
Social and Emotional Learning,
Science and Physical
Education.
Central Idea:
A balance of relaxation,
exercise, and nutrition
promotes good health.
Main Concepts :
Form, causation, responsibility
relaxation, exercise, nutrition
health, lifestyle, safety, impact,
consequences
Overview:
During this unit students
uncover what it means to
be healthy. They investigate
the importance of nutrition,
exercise and relaxation. The
students will evaluate their
own lifestyle, for example
reflecting on their own fitness by
observing their heartbeat after
exercise and reflecting on what
they eat and how much sleep
they get.
THINGS CHANGE
A unit focused on Social Studies
(History).
Central Idea:
Investigating evidence, triggering
memories, sequencing events
and making connections helps us
to make sense of the past.
Main Concepts:
Change, reflection, chronology,
significance, timeline, past,
present, future, ordinal numbers,
evidence, memory, artifact,
history.
Overview:
During this unit students learn
basic skills of historical inquiry.
Beginning with their own
memories, they investigate what
their life was like in their past.
Students also use historical
sources such as artifacts,
photographs, biographies and
people to gather evidence, gain
a sense of chronology and make
meaning of the past. Students
create simple time-lines of their
own lives.
SCIENCE, SOUND, SENSATION
A unit focused on The Arts (Music) and
investigative Science.
Central Idea:
Sound can be produced from a range
of sources and can be manipulated to
affect how we feel.
Main Concepts:
Change, causation, perspective,
timbre, pitch.
Overview:
During this unit students inquire into the
science of sound. They investigate how
the size, shape tension and density of
an object can affect the sound it makes.
They discover how sounds can affect
people’s emotions such happiness,
sadness, fear, joy and the urge to move!
Students create their own instruments
and simple melodies. They evaluate
sounds they are familiar with such as
music and sound effects accompanying
cartoons.
Programme of Inquiry: Grade 1
Grade Level Guide 17
An inquiry into:
How the world works
An inquiry into:
How we organize
ourselves
An inquiry into:
Sharing the planet
REQUIREMENTS OF PLANTS
A unit focused on investigative Science.
Central Idea:
Living things require special conditions
to grow and be healthy.
Main Concepts:
Form, causation, change fair-
test, evidence, control, nutrition,
requirements, health, growth, life-cycle,
organism (living thing) non-living.
Overview:
During this unit students take on
the role of scientists discovering
through their own investigations the
form, function and requirements of
plants. Students dissect plants and
use technology to magnify individual
parts for observation. They learn how
to design a simple fair test and they
carry out experiments to discover what
plants need to grow and be healthy.
Experiments include putting plants in
the dark, feeding plants with salty water
and placing plants in food colouring to
see what will happen.
TEAMWORK
A unit focused on Social Studies
and Personal Social and
Emotional Learning.
Central Idea:
Members of a community have
roles and responsibilities which
help the community function.
Main Concepts:
Causation, change, responsibility
agreement, self-confidence,
compliment, happiness,
cooperation.
Overview:
During this unit students learn the
importance of having agreements
and structure within a group. They
explore the benefits of giving and
receiving compliments, teamwork,
sharing listening to others, making
one another feel welcome and
playing by the rules. Students
develop their own agreements for
the ir learning community.
SHARING RESOURCES
A unit focused on Social Studies
and Earth Science.
Central Idea:
The natural environment is an
important resource for both
humans and other living things.
Main Concepts:
Connection, function
interdependence, resource,
sharing, sustainability, shelter,
waste.
Overview:
Through the case study of plants
students investigate the importance
of the natural environment as a
resource. They research the uses
of plants such as for clothing,
medicine, food and shelter. The
students also look at how animals
use this same resource for example
for food, shelter and camouflage.
This unit provides the foundation
of concept of sustainability in that
it teaches students that humans
share their environment with other
living things and that exploiting all
of the resource means there are
not enough habitats for other living
things to survive
UNIS Hanoi18
The strands of the UNIS Hanoi English
curriculum are Listening and
Speaking, Reading, Writing and
Viewing and Presenting.
The following outcomes have been
drawn from the UNIS Hanoi English
curriculum.
The outcomes for English in Grade 1 include:
Listening and Speaking
• Listens attentively and considerately
in small and large group situations
• Expresses their feelings, thoughts
and ideas, discusses them,
respecting contributions from others
• Asks questions and gives
appropriate answers
Reading
• Reads simple texts aloud
with expression and regard to
punctuation
• Uses a variety of strategies to make
meaning of text
• Recognises and uses different parts
of a book
• Understands and responds to the
ideas and feelings expressed in
various reading material
Writing
• Writes legible upper and lower-case
letters in a consistent style
• Sounds out and represents all
substantial sounds in a word
• Uses simple literary forms and
structures
• Shows a knowledge of and a
willingness to use an appropriate
writing process that involves
planning, drafting, editing and
producing
• Shows confidence, takes risks and
has a positive attitude towards
writing
Viewing and Presenting
• Uses a range of communication
media to locate, record and present
information
For more information about the English
programme in Grade 1 contact your
child’s teacher.
Word StudyAt UNIS our approach to word study
involves a student-centred, inquiry
based approach. We base much of our
work on a highly regarded and widely
used resource called “Words Their
Way” which helps us assess and clearly
define the extent of each child’s work
knowledge: how words sound, how
words are spelled, what words mean
and how they are used.
A good idea of what students
know about spelling (orthographic
knowledge) is revealed in their
invented spellings. This helps
teachers understand each child stage
of development and they can then
plan according to their current level
or stage. Word knowledge plays a
central role in our English programme
providing a key link between reading
and writing, focusing on spelling as well
as vocabulary growth.
After a pre-assessment, the students
engage in a variety of sound, pattern,
and meaning activities, sorting
pictures and words. The teacher is
able to differentiate and match levels
of activity to challenge each student,
building from what they know about
words to what is new. Rather than
rote-memorisation, our approach
encourages active exploration and
examination of word features that are
within each child’s level of literacy
development. Word Study is active,
and by making judgements about
words and sorting words according
to similar features, students construct
their own rules for how the features
work. The simply act of making
judgements about words this way
helps students learn the relationships
among alphabet, pattern and meaning.
For these reasons, we do not give
children lists of words to learn by rote.
Meaningful practice helps students
internalize word features and become
automatic in using what they have
learnt.
English
Grade Level Guide 19
The strands of the UNIS Hanoi
Mathematics curriculum are
Understanding, Fluency, Problem
Solving and Reasoning.
The following student learning
outcomes have been drawn from the
UNIS Hanoi Mathematics curriculum.
Undestanding
• Connects names, numerals and
quantities
• Partitions numbers in various ways
Fluency
• Counts numbers in sequences
readily forward and backwards
• Locates numbers on a line
• Names the days of the week
Problem Solving
• Uses materials to model authentic
problems
• Gives and receives directions to
unfamiliar places
• Uses familiar counting sequences to
solve unfamiliar problems
• Discusses the reasonableness of the
answer
Reasoning
• Explains direct and indirect
comparisons of length using uniform
informal units
• Justifies representations of data
• Explains patterns that have been
created
For more information about the
Mathematics programme in Grade 1
contact your child’s teacher.
Mathematics
UNIS Hanoi20
The strands of the UNIS Hanoi Science
curriculum are Understandings,
Inquiry Skills, Science as a
Human Endeavour .
The following student learning
outcomes have been drawn from the
UNIS Hanoi Science curriculum.
Understanding
• Living things require special
conditions to grow and be healthy
• Living things have basic needs,
including food and water
• Living things have a variety of
external features
• Living things grow, change and have
offspring similar to themselves
• Living things have life cycles
• People use science in their daily
lives, including when caring for their
environment and living things
Science as a Human
Endeavour
• Science involves asking questions
about, and describing changes in,
objects and events
• People use science in their daily
lives including when caring for their
environment and living things
Inquiry Skills
• Participate in different types of
guided investigations to Respond
to and pose questions, and make
predictions about familiar objects
and events
• Participate in different types of
guided investigations to explore
and answer questions, such as
manipulating materials, testing
ideas, and accessing information
sources
• Through discussion, compare
observations with predictions
• Represent and communicate
observations and ideas in a variety
of ways such as oral and written
language, drawing and role play
Science
Grade Level Guide 21
The strands of the UNIS Hanoi Social
Studies curriculum are Human
Systems and Economic Activities,
Social Organization and Culture,
Continuity, Change Through Time,
Human and Natural Environments,
Resources and the Environment.
In G1 the outcomes for Social Studies include:• Create graphs and charts to
organize and interpret information
• Identify responsibilities people have
in different workplaces
• Explain the purpose of rules and
responsibilities in a workplace
• Co- construct with guidance visual
representations (for example,
graphs, charts, diagrams,
timelines, pictorial maps) to clarify
relationships within a workplace
• Work in a group to establish or
review a shared vision and purpose
for the class
• Identify significant events that have
affected them up to the present day
• Use primary sources (such as
parents and grandparents) to
identify reasons for documenting
personal history
• Place events from their life in
chronological order (e.g., using
personal photos)
Social Studies
UNIS Hanoi22
Visual Arts plays a fundamental part
in the education of the whole child. It
provides students with a unique means of
communicating what they see, think and
feel whereby students come to know and
appreciate the world around them.
The Visual Arts curriculum is arranged
into two strands: Creating and
Responding. Through these, students
will develop their imagination and creativity,
explore materials and techniques, learn
about practical aspects of art and design,
develop their observational skills and
appreciate artists and art works.
Whenever possible and appropriate the
Arts subjects support or are integrated
into the Programme of Inquiry. However,
there are times when these subjects offer
independent inquiry into arts-related
knowledge, concepts and skills.
The following student learning outcomes
have been drawn from the UNIS Arts
curriculum.
Creating
• Represents their ideas visually
by creating art and designing
works based on their experiences,
imagination and observations
• Explores and experiments with a
diversity of materials, techniques,
technologies and processes to
make their art works using safe
practices
Responding
• Explains and shares their art works
with others
• Describes other artists’ art works,
and their practices, using visual
language
Teacher Contact
Krista Ramsay
Visual Arts
Grade Level Guide 23
Music is a fundamental form of both
personal and cultural expression. It
allows us to express our feelings and
ideas about ourselves and our place
in the world. Through music, students
can appreciate and understand
aspects of their own culture as well as
the culture of others.
The Music curriculum is arranged
into two strands: Creating and
Responding. Through these,
students will develop their imagination
and creativity, their practical skills and
their ability to communicate through
music. They will also develop their
ability to understand and appreciate
music so that it can provide a life-long
source of enjoyment and satisfaction.
Whenever possible and appropriate the
Arts subjects support or are integrated
into the Programme of Inquiry.
However, there are times when these
subjects offer independent inquiry into
arts-related knowledge, concepts and
skills.
The following student learning
outcomes have been drawn from the
UNIS Hanoi Arts curriculum.
Creating
• Investigates sound and imitates
pitch and rhythm patterns using
voice, instruments and movement
• Sings, plays instruments and moves
to a range of music, learning a
repertoire of chants, songs and
rhymes
• Creates and improvises short
compositions and communicates
musical ideas through performance
and with both non-traditional and
traditional symbols.
Responding
• Listens and responds to a range
of their own and others’ music,
considering where and why people
make music
Music Activities
Grade One students have the
opportunity to take piano lessons
as part of the After School Activities
Programme. These will be advertised
and the contact person for Music is
Ms Pham Thu Trang umaofficer@
unishanoi.org
Teacher Contact
Alexis Ramsey
Music
UNIS Hanoi24
Drama and Dance explore how we
express ourselves and communicate
in both physical and vocal ways. They
allows us to express our feelings
and ideas about ourselves and our
place in the world. Through drama
and dance, students can appreciate
and understand aspects of their own
identity, society and culture as well as
imaginatively enter in those of others.
The Drama and Dance curricula are
arranged into two strands: Creating
and Responding. Through these,
students will develop their ability to
use drama, movement and dance
techniques to create characters and
stories and to respond to music. They
will have opportunities to present to
others and to learn how to be good
audience members. They will also
experience a wide variety of scripts,
stories and music from different times,
cultures and places. They will develop
their understanding of the elements
of dance and devise movement
sequences using choreographic
techniques.
Whenever possible and appropriate the
Arts subjects support or are integrated
into the Programme of Inquiry.
However, there are times when these
subjects offer independent inquiry into
arts-related knowledge, concepts and
skills.
The following student learning
outcomes have been drawn from the
UNIS Hanoi Arts curriculum.
Drama
Creating
• Works with others collaboratively to
explore role and dramatic action in
dramatic play a
• Uses voice, facial expression and
movement to imagine and establish
role
Responding
• Shares their responses to what
happens in a performance
Dance
Creating
• Explores, improvises and organizes
ideas to make dance sequences
using the elements of dance
• Uses fundamental movement skills
to develop technical skills when
practising dance sequences
• Presents dance that communicates
ideas to an audience, including
dance used by cultural groups in the
community
Responding
• Respond to dance and consider
where and why people dance
Teacher Contact
Samantha Healey
Drama and Dance
Grade Level Guide 25
In the Elementary School at UNIS
Hanoi Grade One Vietnamese focuses
on Vietnamese cultural study and
language.
Vietnamese in Grade One includes:• A specialist Vietnamese teacher.
• A cultural studies programme
which allow students opportunities
to explore different aspects of
Vietnamese culture (food, clothing,
lifestyle, traditional celebrations,
performing arts, customs, religions,
and fieldtrips to significant places).
• A language programme with diverse
communicative activities (e.g. role-
plays, games, songs, creative work)
give the students the opportunity
to develop listening and speaking
skills, as well as some basic reading
and writing skills.
Whenever possible and appropriate
the Vietnamese programme supports
or is integrated into the programme of
inquiry. However there are times when
the Vietnamese offers independent
inquiry into related ideas and concepts
or skill based teaching.
The outcomes in Grade One include:• Shows interest in Vietnamese
culture
• Inquires about Vietnamese culture
• Repeats words and phrases
• Responds to simple instructions
• Gains specific vocabulary related to
the units studies
• Applies learned language in
classroom situations
The units studied allow students to
engage in conversations on everyday
life. The following units will be covered
throughout the year: My family , Tet
– Vietnamese New Year Celebration,
Who Am I, Healthy Me, Healthy fruits
and Farm Animals
Teacher Contact
Tran Kim Dung
Vietnamese Foreign Language
UNIS Hanoi26
At UNIS Hanoi in the Elementary
School, Vietnamese Mother Tongue
is an optional language choice for
Vietnamese students from Grade 1 to
Grade 5.
We believe that the Vietnamese Mother
Tongue Programme plays an important
part of a child’s education. It is
necessary for students to not only learn
their mother tongue, but also maintain
culture and traditions. The students
will focus on listening, speaking,
reading and writing skills. Through
their learning they will understand and
respect the beauty of language and be
able to apply their learning. The aim of
studying Vietnamese Mother Tongue
is not only acquiring language, but also
developing thinking skills that reflect
the IB Learner Profile.
The Vietnamese Mother Tongue Programme in Grade 1 includes:• A specialist Vietnamese teacher.
• A mother tongue programme with
diverse communicative activities
(e.g. role-plays, games, songs,
creative work) give the students the
opportunity to develop listening and
speaking skills, as well as reading
and writing skills.
• A cultural studies component
which allow students opportunities
to explore different aspects of
Vietnamese culture (food, clothing,
lifestyle, traditional celebrations,
performing arts, customs, religions,
and fieldtrips to significant place).
Whenever possible and appropriate the
programme supports or is integrated
into the programme of inquiry.
However there are times when the
programme offers independent inquiry
into related ideas and concepts or skill
based teaching.
The outcomes in Grade 1 include:
Listening and speaking
• Listens attentively and responsively
in class activities, situations
• Listens and begins to retell
simple texts using pictures and
recommendations
• Asks questions and gives
appropriate answers
Reading
• Reads aloud simple texts with
regard to punctuation
• Recognizes and responds to what
has been read
• Shows willingness toward reading,
taking risks
Writing
• Writes legible upper and lower-case
letters in a consistent style
• Sounds out and able to write all
basic words/ simple sentences
• Shows confidence and a positive
attitude toward writing, taking risks
The units studied allow students to
engage in conversations on everyday
life. The following topics will be covered
throughout the year. The units are:
School, Family, Nature, our Country
Teacher Contact
Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen
Vietnamese Mother Tongue
Grade Level Guide 27
At UNIS Hanoi in the Elementary
School, French is an optional language
choice from Grade 1 to Grade 5. French
Language is offered to all EAL students,
except those enrolled in EAL I.
In the Elementary School at UNIS
Hanoi the Grade 1 French Language
programme focuses on listening and
speaking, reading and writing using
French language. The aim of studying
French is not only acquiring the
language, but also developing thinking
skills that reflect the IB learner profile.
The French Language Programme in Grade 1 includes:• A specialist French teacher, native
speaker.
• A language programme with diverse
communicative activities (e.G.
Role-plays, games, songs, photo
stories, creative work) that give the
students the opportunity to develop
listening and speaking skills.
• A cultural studies component which
allow students opportunities to
explore different aspects of french or
francophone culture (food, clothing,
lifestyle, geography, traditional
celebrations, arts).
• Whenever possible and appropriate
the French programme supports or
is integrated into the programme
of inquiry. However there are times
when the French programme offers
independent inquiry into related
ideas and concepts or skill based
teaching.
The outcomes in Grade 1 include:
Listening and speaking
• Begins to recognize simple words,
phrases
• Understand instructions about
situations in class and follow
directions
• Make small sentences to talk about
themselves or somebody else with
simple words
• Answer simple questions
• Develop the confidence to use their
developing french with correct
pronunciation
Reading
• Recognize words in a text
• Understand a small presentation
with simple words
• Read basic sentences with a correct
pronunciation
Writing
• Begin to write small sentences about
themselves
• Spell correctly the words learnt
The topics studied allow students to
engage in conversation on everyday
life. Topics are personal information,
classroom environment, weather,
nature and daily activities.
Teacher Contacts
Claire Holbein
Laurie Rombaut
French Foreign Language
UNIS Hanoi28
At UNIS Hanoi in the Elementary
School, Mandarin is an optional
language choice from Grade 1 to Grade
5. Mandarin Language is offered to all
EAL students, except those enrolled in
EAL I.
In the Elementary School at UNIS
Hanoi the Grade 1 Mandarin Language
programme focuses on listening
and speaking, reading and writing
using Mandarin language. The aim of
studying Mandarin is not only acquiring
the language, but also developing
thinking skills that reflect the IB learner
profile.
The Mandarin Language Programme in Grade 1 includes:• A specialist Mandarin teacher, native
speaker.
• A language programme with diverse
communicative activities (e.g. role-
plays, games, songs, photo stories,
creative work) that give the students
the opportunity to develop listening
and speaking skills.
• A cultural studies component which
allow students opportunities to
explore different aspects of Chinese
culture (food, clothing, lifestyle,
geography, traditional celebrations,
arts).
• Whenever possible and appropriate
the Mandarin programme supports
or is integrated into the programme
of inquiry. However there are times
when the Mandarin programme
offers independent inquiry into
related ideas and concepts or skill
based teaching.
The outcomes in Grade 1 include:
Listening and speaking
• Begins to recognize simple words,
phrases
• Understand instructions about
situations in class and follow
directions
• Make short sentences to talk about
themselves or somebody else with
simple words
• Answer simple questions
• Develop the confidence to use
their developing french with
understandable pronunciation
Reading
• Recognize some words in a text
• Understand a small presentation
with simple words
• Read basic sentences with a correct
pronunciation
Writing
• Begin to use pinyin to write short
sentences about themselves
• Begin to write most commonly used
Chinese characters.
The topics studied allow students to
engage in conversation on everyday
life. Topics are personal information,
classroom environment, weather,
nature and daily activities.
Teacher Contacts
Aiqin Li
Mandarin Foreign Language
Grade Level Guide 29
Physical Education (PE) offers students
the opportunity to discover the
capabilities of their bodies in a variety
of ways. Students will develop the
gross motor skills that will be applied
in various sports in the future. They will
also develop skills and knowledge that
they may apply in other contexts, within
and beyond school, such as safety,
fair play, cooperation and teamwork.
Students will be introduced to some of
the elements of a healthy lifestyle.
The Physical Education curriculum
is arranged in three strands: Active
Living, Movement Skills and
Safety, Fair Play and Leadership.
The following student learning
outcomes have been drawn from
the UNIS Hanoi Physical Education
curriculum.
Active Living
• Understands the balance between
strength, flexibility and endurance
• Appreciates the importance of effort
in achieving targets with athletic and
swimming skills
Movement Skills
• Understands that coordination of
hands, eyes and feet is necessary to
be good at a game
• Rolls a ball to a target
• Scoops a rolling ball off the ground
• Uses strength, balance and control
to create a movement sequence
displaying rolls and balances
• Performs running, jumping and
throwing skills with correct form
• Demonstrates aquatics skills in deep
water and safe practices in and
around water
Safety, Fair Play, Leadership
• Works cooperatively with others
during physical activities to
overcome challenges
What to Wear
• PE lessons will be conducted
indoors (air-conditioned gym) during
the hot months; outdoors, during
cooler, non rainy days and at the
swimming pool.
• Please check the days when your
child has PE and dress him/her in
appropriate for PE clothes on that day.
Students of this age group are not
expected to change for PE.
• For indoor activities we require a
UNIS T-shirt, shirts and water bottle.
• For outdoors please prepare layers
of clothing so students can take
a layer off after they start running
around and warm up, shorts or
sports pants (jeans and slacks
are not acceptable PE clothes),
appropriate sport shoes (sandals,
flip flops or crocs are not acceptable
PE shoes), a hat and a water bottle.
• During swimming students should
bring swim wear (one piece
costumes only) and towel. Students
can bring goggles and a swim cap if
they would like to use them.
Sickness and/ or medical
concerns
If for some reason your child can not
participate in a P.E. lesson please send
a note explaining the limitations. If
your child needs to be absent for more
than one week please send a doctor’s
certifi-cate or a note from our school
nurse.
Major Calendar Events
ES Sports Day, ES Sponsored
Walkathon
Teacher Contacts
Cameron McHale
Clare Albertson
Physical Education
UNIS Hanoi30
What is the aim of the EAL Programme?As a programme committed to
excellence in EAL education, the ES
EAL Programme will provide each
EAL student with the English language
support they need to be academically
and socially successful at UNISHanoi
while striving to respect the integrity
of each student’s cultural identity
and promoting the use of the Home
Language.
What is the EAL Methodology?The EAL Programme will reach its aim
through a ‘whole-school’ approach
to the education of EAL students
based on current theories of additional
language learning for the specific
needs of the UNIS-Hanoi ES EAL
school population.
How are students identified and placed in the EAL Programme?The majority of students whose Home
Language is not English must sit
for standardized English language
English as an Additional
Language (EAL)
Grade Level Guide 31
testing. These test results and student
background information provide
the data used to determine English
language proficiency and placement
within or out the EAL Programme.
What are the levels of EAL Support?
EAL Beginner
EAL Beginner students attend regular
scheduled EAL classes instead of
World Language or Home Language
classes during the week as determined
by the EAL teacher. EAL Beginner
classes are self-contained; some
materials and activities are related to
those being used in the grade-level
classroom. In general, the goal of EAL
Beginner classes is to develop survival,
basic social and academic English
skills as related to supporting success
in the mainstream classes and social
environment of the school. In addition,
EAL teachers also support EAL
Beginner students in the grade-level
classes during the day.
EAL Intermediate
EAL Intermediate students receive
special “pull-out” classes; the activities
and materials may relate to those being
used in the grade-level classroom.
The goal of EAL Intermediate classes
is to further develop academic English
skills that will support success in
the mainstream class’ academic
environment. EAL Intermediate
students will receive support from
EAL teachers in the grade-level
classes during the day as well. EAL
Intermediate students will attend either
Home Language or World Language
classes, however UNIS encourages
students to study their home language
at this stage of English language
development.
EAL Advanced
EAL Advanced students receive
special English language support both
in grade-level classes and in special
“pull-out” classes to meet their specific
English language needs, as determined
by the EAL teacher. The goal of EAL
Advanced classes is to provide special
academic English support that targets
higher-level language instruction
focusing on academic reading and
writing skills as they are directly
related to the taught curriculum of the
respective grade levels. EAL Advanced
students will attend Home Language or
World Language classes.
EAL Monitoring
This phase of support is for students
who have exited the EAL Programme
or for new students who have been
assessed to be above ‘proficient’
but still may be in need of minor EAL
services. In this phase of support EAL
teachers monitor these students’
English language usage within the
mainstream grade-level class and
provide minor academic English
support on an individual basis as
needed. If a student appears to be in
need of greater support, beyond the
monitoring level, they may be asked to
enroll in to the EAL Advanced class.
How is English language progress assessed?An EAL student’s language learning
progress is measured systematically
through a variety of in-class
performance assessments and
standardized testing on a regular basis.
When a student has demonstrated that
they have the requisite benchmarked
skills to advance within or exit out of the
EAL Programme, they are promoted
to the next level of support which can
occur at any time in the academic year
Teacher Contact
Sharon Henderson
Grade 1 EAL Teacher
UNIS Hanoi32
UNIS Hanoi recognizes the impact
of information and communication
technology (ICT) in the educational
process. We believe that when used
appropriately, technology provides
opportunities to support, engage,
enhance and transform student
learning.
The Elementary school strives to
create learning experiences where
technology is integrated through all
curriculum areas and are learned in
meaningful ways in the context of
classroom learning. Using a variety of
multimedia resources such as laptops,
digital/video cameras and other mobile
devices, the students are equipped
with the skills and knowledge they
need as they prepare to learn and live
productively in an increasingly digital
world.
The ICT skills and knowledge are
evaluated using the following NETS
Standards for students:
• Creativity and Innovation
• Communication and Collaboration
• Research and Information Fluency
• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving,
and Decision Making
• Digital Citizenship
• Technology Operations and
Concepts
UNIS Hanoi Elementary has adopted a
flexible learning model that encourages
teachers to collaboratively identify
and agree on the aims and uses of ICT
before integrating technology in the
classrooms. To provide more student
support, the homeroom teachers
work together with the Technology
Coordinator in integrating technology
into the curriculum.
Teacher Contact
Michelle Luna Matias
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT)
Grade Level Guide 33
Personal, Social and Emotional
Learning (PSEL) offers students the
opportunity to learn about themselves
and about how they relate to others.
Students are constantly learning
about themselves and about others
across the curriculum but there are
also specific lessons and units where
age-appropriate topics and issues can
be explored in more depth. Learning in
PSEL enables students to develop the
attributes represented in the IB Learner
Profile.
The PSEL curriculum is arranged in
five strands: Self Awareness, Social
Awareness, Responsible Decision
Making, Self Management and
Relationship Skills.
The following student learning
outcomes have been drawn from the
UNIS Hanoi PSEL curriculum.
Self Awareness
• Identifies their own emotions
• Recognizes strengths and areas for
development
Social Awareness
• Explains that people have different
feelings and perspectives in different
contexts
• Actively shows empathy and
respects others
• Shows international mindedness
through appreciation of individual
and cultural difference
Responsible Decision Making
• Evaluates and reflects to make
informed responsible decisions
• Analyses and takes responsible
action to solve increasingly complex
problems
• Takes responsibility for their actions
and consequences
Self Management
• Controls impulses and thinks before
acting
• Sets positive goals to support
learning and personal development
• Shows resilience in stressful
situations
• Uses strategies to help manage
emotions effectively
Relationship Skills
• Communicates effectively
• Works co-operatively with peers
• Builds relationships and friendships
• Identifies the need to seek or provide
help
• Negotiates fairly, listens to others
and acts with a sense of justice
Personal, Social and Emotional
Learning (PSEL)
UNIS Hanoi34
United Nations International School of Hanoi
G9 Ciputra, Tay Ho, Hanoi, Vietnam
Telephone: +84 4 3758 1551 Fax: +84 4 3758 1542 Email: [email protected]
www.unishanoi.org
