Primary Age Children-1st Grade

By: Kelsey Arlt & Nohemi

Introduction about 1st Grade1st grade is the next grade level after kindergarten. The ages are between 6-7 years of age!

Emotional Development• For the first grader, oneself is extremely important. Students are competitive

and self-centered. First graders love having a “best friend” even though they may decide to “tattle tell” on their friend at any given moment.

• First graders may have some extreme behaviors that need to be understood, but not always tolerated: tantrums, teasing, bossing, complaining, and tattling.

• Extremely sensitive, a warm encouraging comment from a peer or more importantly a teacher can go a long way

• Criticism and/or failure is hard for child to handle • School replaces the students' home as most significant environmental influence. • Like to work with and look after younger children • Very interested in rules and rituals • Spending time with friends becomes increasingly important; enjoy working/playing with same sex

friends • First graders love to be first and are often loud, rash, active and verbal. • By the end of first grade, students should become better able to work with peers and function better as

a “social unit.”

Abnormal Emotional Signs

• Relationships • Separations• Involvement• Focusing• Affect (mood)• Self-image• Anxiety level• Impulse control• Transitions

Physical Activities • Play dates- give children of the same age a chance to practice social interaction.

• Role playing activities- simulate real-life situations that involve emotional or social development. Children are able to practice handling situations they might encounter, such as a peer who won't share a toy or a child who is bullying.

• Creative time play- Creative activities let young children express emotions they may have difficulty verbalizing. Painting a picture or playing with clay are two examples of art projects to facilitate social and emotional development.

Physical Development• First graders are alive with energy and with growing! The average first

grader grows rapidly with as much speed as their physical activity!

• Good visual pursuit for reading • More aware of fingers as tools; fine motor skills still developing • Sloppy; in a hurry; speed is a benchmark of first graders • Noisy in the classroom • Learning to distinguish left from right • Oral activity (teething)- chews pencils, fingernails and hair • Easily tires; frequent illnesses • Child “play” is ending and the role of reality is moving to the forefront both physically

and mentally. • Proportionately longer arms and legs give them an awkward appearance • Like to test muscle strength and skills • Have a good sense of balance

Abnormal Signs• Does not seem to recognize self as a separate person, or does not

refer to self as “I”• Has great difficulty separating from parent or separates too easily• Is anxious, tense, restless, compulsive, cannot get dirty or messy, has

many fears, engages in excessive self-stimulation• Seems preoccupied with own inner world; conversations do not make

sense• Shows little or no impulse control; hits or bites as first response;

cannot follow a classroom routine• Expresses emotions inappropriately (laughs when sad, denies

feelings); facial expressions do not match emotions• Cannot focus on activities (short attention span, cannot complete

anything, flits from toy to toy)

Physical Activities

• First graders are beginning to really develop their ability to move. Your child should be able to:

• demonstrate locomotor skills including: run, hop, jump, leap, slide, gallop, and skip

• combine two locomotor movements to form a pattern (skip, skip, jump, jump, repeat)

• perform kicking, striking, throwing and catching patterns in a simple fluid environment (a throwing and catching game or a kicking game)

• put together simple tumbling patterns that involve weight shift, rolling, and flight (hop, hop, hop, somersault, run and leap)

• move to a simple rhythmic beat while recognizing the pattern

Cultural and Ethnic Factors• Children might…• Family and culture• • Tell friends or adults about a family or cultural

tradition.• • Bond with family and friends who share their

time and talents with• the child.• Self management• • Calm down own strong emotions and avoid

acting on impulse.• • Understand how the body and face show

different emotions.• • Describe ways to cope with and manage stress.

For example, if a• friend doesn’t want to play any more (stress), invite

someone else to• play with you (cope).• Learning to learn• • Focus attention on a task/topic and ignore

distractions.• • Start to be able to stay focused on tasks assigned

by others.• • Listen with attention.

• Adults Role:• Family and culture• • Include your child in family and cultural traditions, rituals,

routines• and activities.• • Involve your child in preparing meals, household chores,

gardening,• shopping and other daily tasks.• • Build community with other families through activities such as

coffees,• celebrations, fi eld trips, etc.• Self management• • Teach your child calming techniques: such as counting to 10,

taking• a walk or singing a favorite song. Remind your child of these

skills• when he or she is upset.• Learning to learn• • Together with your child, explore Web sites or books with

pictures• of animals, foods or things that interest the child. Talk about

what• you see.• • Turn off television and video games while doing homework or• chores to help the child stay focused.

Sources

• http://www.ucsfchildcarehealth.org/pdfs/Curricula/CCHA/15_CCHA_SocialEmotional_0406_v2.pdf

• http://www.del.wa.gov/publications/development/docs/guidelines.pdf

• http://www.ltl.appstate.edu/436/student/grlevcase/firstgrddevstudy.html

• http://www.education.com/magazine/article/First_Grader_Able_To/

• http://www.livestrong.com/article/268217-activities-for-childrens-emotional-social-development/