First Grade Curriculum Overview
 

Language Arts
First grade students dramatically increase their fluency and accuracy in reading over the course of the year. The Saxon Phonics 2 and Open Court Reading programs focus on phonemic awareness, blending, and decoding, including digraphs and diphthongs. Dictation and spelling are emphasized. Students learn more about the conventions of English grammar and make use of them through frequent writing experiences. They discuss how, why, and what-if questions and learn to make plausible predictions concerning fiction and non-fiction texts. They begin to read chapter books while reading about children in America long ago and children in other lands. They read stories with positive morals and discuss how these qualities can be used in their own lives. They frequent our school library and learn library skills.

Students also learn beginning speech techniques through simple memorizations of fun poems and sayings.

Mathematics
First graders increase their range of knowledge in all areas of mathematics. They strengthen their number sense by working with place value, number relationships, addition and subtraction of multiple digit numbers, regrouping, comparisons, and estimations. They further develop their understanding of measurement, fractions, time, and money. Students work towards gaining automatic recall of basic addition and subtraction facts and move toward more complex use of these facts. They begin to learn the concepts behind multiplication and division and are taught strategies to solve math problems in everyday situations.

Science
Life science concepts covered in first grade include the life cycles of plants, animals, and humans and the basic body systems of the human body. Earth science concepts include the earth's basic natural resources, the changes of earth over time and the related studies of fossils and dinosaurs, astronomy, and how pollution and other actions can affect the environment. Physical science concepts include a basic knowledge of atoms and the three states of matter (solids, liquids, and gases), a classification of matter according to their properties, and an introduction to sound and electricity. In all of their studies, students are encouraged to observe, measure, and predict through experiments, thematic units, and reading materials. Each year the students do a science project for the annual Science Fair, helping them to learn the important concepts of observation, prediction, gathering information, recording results, creating a display, and presenting the material to their class and to parents.

Social Studies
The study of geography continues by looking at map keys, directions, scales, routes, and grids while studying about the community, the country, and the world in which students live. Major themes in the first grade include local communities and how they change, family ancestry, Egypt and Africa, early exploration and settlement of America and the Midwest, our government,  citizenship (symbols of our country and basic government institutions), needs and wants (including how we depend on each other to meet our common needs), and biographies of famous individuals who have helped others.

Spanish
Spanish classes build upon their introduction to the language through the second half of the Muzzy video series and the total physical response of games, art, songs, and drama. They learn present tense verbs and build vocabulary and confidence. They also learn about our near-neighbor country, Mexico. Students have Spanish three times a week. 

Art
Students in first grade continue to learn about elements of art such as color, line, shape, and texture. They also study art from long ago and kinds of portraits and still life. Each month they focus on a different artist, while learning more about their work and life. They explore different fields of art, including pottery, weaving and sculpture. Students have art class once a week.

Music
Through participation, first grade students continue to learn about rhythm, melody, form, tone, and timbre. They learn to use simple musical notations and solfege. They sing character and patriotic songs, become familiar with the families of instruments in an orchestra, and explore some different types of music which can tell a story (opera, instrumental music, ballet). They also begin to learn about those who make music (composers), Students have music once a week.

Physical Education
Students continue to develop basic gross motor skills and agility, learn basic game fundamentals, and participate in the Presidential Physical Fitness Program each year. Students have physical education 2-3 times a week.

Technology
First graders learn basic computer skills and explore word processing and picture skills. They also use the computer to provide more depth in a fun way to their studies in language arts, math, science, and social studies and explore various educational software for practice and enrichment.

Character Education, Environmental Education, and Community Service
First grade students talk about the many character issues presented in their books: Responsibility, friendship, the merits of diversity, helping others, and being a good citizen. They choose at least one all-class service learning project, which helps to give them a first-hand sense of the importance of helping others. One example consisted of a school-wide campaign to encourage health and exercise through walking and eating right. First graders worked hard to educate and motivate the school community and family members to adopt healthy habits by leading a school walkathon and suggesting healthy fresh foods. The first grade also does some sort of school project which shows we can choose actions which affect our environment, including plants, animals, and people. This often revolves around their science topic of how pollution and other actions can negatively affect the environment.