First Grade

Introduction

First grade is a time to welcome new friends into the class as it grows from 16 to 20 children. Friendships continue to be an important part of their days. Children experience the give and take of relationships. They work on becoming part of a larger group as they learn of their individual strengths. They also learn to listen to classmates and teachers, follow directions and respond to each other in supportive and positive ways. Their academic skills grow at different speeds, according to their own developmental clock. Morning circle time, class plays, Lower School sings, class trips, service projects and Big Friends in 7th grade all expand the children's confidence and expose them to a wider world. They are challenged to solve problems, express their opinions, reach outside of themselves and look within as they develop their intellectual, moral, emotional and spiritual foundations for future growth.

Language Arts

• For children just beginning to read:
  • Methods used depend somewhat on the individual child's needs
  • Decoding, along with meaning and understanding of content
• For children who have started reading:
  • Add enjoyment and comprehension to decoding skills
  • Add fluency and expression to oral reading
  • Reading as a tool to gain new information about the world
• For children reading above grade level:
  • Advanced skill development, research projects, read for pleasure
  • Bring new information to classmates

• Organization and sequencing in creative and factual writing
• Card writing
• Personal dictionaries
• Personal journals

• All two letter words
• Sound out words that contain short vowels
• Begin to spell words with long vowel sounds
• Begin to hear consonant blends and digraphs

• Upper and lower case letters, spacing, size and placement

• Vocabulary building through books and circle time
• Capitals and end marks

• Asking questions
• Listening to others
• Sharing poetry, stories, books read aloud
• Performing small plays and performing on stage before large audience

Math

• Linear, surrounding and symmetrical patterns in a grid
• Numbers in a 100 chart

• Identify, read and write numbers 1-500
• Basic addition and subtraction facts to 10
• Understand math symbols ( +, -, =, <, > )
• Estimate numbers and quantity
• Count by 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s

• Measurement - inches, feet, centimeters
• Time - hour, half-hour, 1/4 hour, sequencing time and events
• Money - names and values of coins, making change
• Coordinates on grids, graphs

• Attribute blocks
• Designs and Patterns on geoboards
• Simple fractions
• Mapping - NSEW

Social Studies

• Japan and China - country, people, art, language
• Family - why we have them, similarities and differences, jobs
• Where babies come from

Science

• Similarities and differences between plants and animals
• Interdependency
• Animal groups - mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, insects, invertebrates

• Daily observations and record keeping
• Cloud formations and weather features
• Gauges and thermometers

• Compare and sort, behaviors and characteristics

Human Development

• Similarities and differences between boys and girls - jobs, abilities, likes, bodies
• Parts of body and their functions
• Conception (as far as meeting of egg and sperm)
• Babies and children's need for love and care
• Privacy and right to say, "no"

French

• Building Beginning Vocabulary - family, colors, numbers, the house, animals, the classroom, parts of body, clothing, etc.
• Introduction of verbs and adjectives to create shot sentences
• Idiomatic expressions relating to activities

Art

• Visual perception of basic shapes; primary, secondary, complimentary and warm/cool colors; color mixing
• Visual perception of elements of art: line, color, texture, form
• Creative artistic expression and building of fine motor skills through drawing, painting, printmaking, clay, and various other mediums
• Problem solving skills
• Visuals, stories, art history, inter-curricular projects, gallery and art games
• Art appreciation and art criticism

Shop

• Simple projects involving rulers, coping saw, hammer, sandpaper, glue, etc.
• Tracing and copying
• Joining materials
• Identification of tools
• Safe and proper use of tools

Music

• Vocal material includes: folk songs, seasonal and holiday songs, echo-singing, call and response
• Rhythmic patterns, quarter and eighth notes, quarter rests
• Movement material based on American folk repertoire
• Listening units: Carnival of the Animals, Peter and the Wolf

Physical Education

• Soccer skills
• Motor skills
• Movement exploration, balls, hoops, jump ropes, bean bags, wands
• Tag games
• Cooperative games
• Track and field, running, jumping

Library

• Library terms, title, author, illustrator, publisher
• Check out procedure
• ER (Easy Reader) books, fiction and non-fiction
• Story sequence: beginning, middle, end
• Chapter books of interest
• Fairytales and Folktales from around the world
• Repetitive tales

Technology

• Reading games
• Math games

Class Trips

• Chandler Hall in Newtown
• Michener Museum
• Bakery and other local businesses
• Family farms
• Pumpkin patch / Apple orchard
• Peddler's Village
• Peace Valley Nature Center

School Wide Activities

• Assembly - once a week
• Meeting for Worship - once a week
• Recess - three times a day
• Track and Field Day
• Gardening Day
• JEM days