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First Grade
Language Arts The first grade's reading time is devoted to building a foundation of reading skills and strategies that provide our students with the keys to unlock meaning from the text with proficiency, accuracy and understanding. Throughout the year students study short and long vowels, diagraphs, blends and word endings. In addition, students are introduced to about one hundred sight words. The students apply and practice their new skills during small reading groups, paired reading buddies, active learning games and large group lessons. Comprehension strategies such as interpreting the picture and context clues, retelling the story in sequence and recognition of language signals: punctuation, quotation marks, capitals are emphasized during work times. Our writing focus during this time is closely linked to reading comprehension. We analyze authors' stories with regard to story mapping. We determine the language patterns from published authors and then replicate them in our own creative way. The children learn to recognize and apply the "magic sequence words" in their writing. Students learn to recognize the setting, major and minor characters, the problem, goal, episodes and resolution of the stories we've shared. They apply this knowledge to their writing as they may be asked to write a one or two sentence summary of the problem and predict their own resolution to the problem. Children are encouraged to use proper punctuation, capitals and spelling approximations on a consistent basis. Back to Top Computer Word processing skills are emphasized during our weekly computer lab time. The basic use of the shift key to make capital letters, location of the letter and punctuation keys, ability to log on to our school's system, choose the desired font and print out a completed document are goals for our students. Back to Top MathematicsThe concepts and skills from the scope and sequence are organized into three to five week units. Students are taught math in both large and small groups. Concepts covered include, but are not limited to, patterns, number sense, addition and subtraction through twenty, addition and subtraction (up to three digits) with and without regrouping, graphs, calendar skills, place value, measurement (both customary and metric), time, money, word problems, multiplication, division and fractions. Students use both manipulatives and paper and pencil tasks to exhibit their knowledge of the concepts taught to them. A strong emphasis throughout the year is placed on using digi-blocks to explore new skills in a fun, hands-on way!
Back to Top Social StudiesOur social studies program is organized around the theme of community. We begin by teaching the students that they are members of several communities at the same time: family, neighborhood, school, city/town, state, country and continent. Our units emphasize the importance of the children's membership in and responsibility to each of those communities. Through literature, music, guest speakers, dance and participating in an all school performances students experience firsthand the impact of individuals within a group. Back to Top Science The first unit in Grade One science focuses on trees and the environment. Students adopt a tree and chronicle the changes it undergoes during the fall. They are introduced to key components of a tree, and different types of leaves. During the second half of the year, the students cover three major topics: properties of water, dinosaurs, and the life cycle of butterflies. Our focus in these units is exploration, discovery, and the sharing of ideas. Back to Top Library First graders visit the library weekly to check out books that support the classroom language arts curriculum. Early reading books are color-coded to guide students to their appropriate reading levels. In addition, weekly read-alouds introduce both fiction and non-fiction books, with a special unit on “Noodlehead” stories, or fools tales, from a variety of cultures. Back to Top Open Circle Open Circle is a social competency program taught throughout grades Junior Kindergarten through five. The themes thread themselves throughout the year, reinforcing the characteristics of good citizenship and being a responsible member of a caring community. A common language is learned and reinforced within our community empowering the students to problem solve. Our Open Circle meetings are held twice a week and are a proactive approach to address and resolve situations within our classroom and our larger community. Back to Top Languages Students begin the study of Spanish at our youngest grade level, Junior Kindergarten. In first grade, students primarily will learn to talk about themselves and their immediate world. Themes will be tied to social studies, science, art and music where appropriate. Themes to include the following: Introduction to Spanish
- Numbers, colors, shapes
- Days, seasons, weather
- All about me: faces and body
- My family
- My house
- Clothing
- Feelings
- My community
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