This manual for first grade teachers provides suggestions and teaching materials that reflect the multicultural composition of New York City's (New York) public schools. It is organized into two sections: the first is in English, and the second is in Spanish. The English section contains the following six sections: (1) "Planning for the First Grade," which offers strategies to assist teachers in beginning the school year successfully; (2) "The Multicultural Learning Environment," which offers guidance in organizing and implementing instructional approaches; (3) "Instructional Approaches and Strategies," which suggests approaches for implementing multicultural and basic education; (4) "Working Together," which describes shared responsibilities and activities for parents, teachers, and administrators; (5) "Societal Concerns," which discusses current societal pressures and concerns affecting young children; and (6) "Assessment," which outlines the procedures and strategies used to assess a child's progress. The Spanish section contains the following sections: (1) a description of the Chancellor's educational standards for language and mathematics; (2) a discussion of the role of first or native languages; and (3) teaching units in the context of five themes appropriate for the first grade, i.e., "so like us" (plants and animals); "my own little world" (school, community, environment); "our families", "our friends," and "numbers around us". Also included is a 64-item bibliography of Spanish- and English-language resources for teachers, children, and parents. (JB)