1st Grade
Catholic identity must and does permeate the curriculum guidelines, instruction, and assessments. Curriculum guidelines provide a template for teachers to provide instruction, and assessments demonstrate that learners have achieved unsurpassed academic success. A process of continuous improvement ensures that curriculum guidelines are regularly examined and updated or revised where needed. For more detailed curriculum information, please contact Mrs. Andrea Allen, Associate Principal, [email protected]
RELIGION
The emphasis of the first-grade curriculum is on students growing to know, love, and trust God. Our students learn prayers through daily prayer, morning prayer, prayer before lunch, prayer at the end of the day, and school Mass. They will have an Introduction to the Trinity, with emphasis on the life of Jesus, the plan of salvation, and the child's part in the plan.
The emphasis of the first-grade curriculum is on students growing to know, love, and trust God. Our students learn prayers through daily prayer, morning prayer, prayer before lunch, prayer at the end of the day, and school Mass. They will have an Introduction to the Trinity, with emphasis on the life of Jesus, the plan of salvation, and the child's part in the plan.
READING
Students use the Wonders curriculum which provides differentiation for students while strengthening reading skills and confidence. Students grow in comprehension and reading fluency through our Wonders reading curriculum. Students are challenged to formulate questions before, during, and after reading while identifying the main ideas in a text. Students also focus on text features of fiction and non-fiction books. In first grade, there is a strong focus on phonic skills and reading strategies. Our children read “good fit” books that challenge them at an appropriate level to learn best without becoming frustrated. They do all this with the goal of fostering a love of reading.
Students use the Wonders curriculum which provides differentiation for students while strengthening reading skills and confidence. Students grow in comprehension and reading fluency through our Wonders reading curriculum. Students are challenged to formulate questions before, during, and after reading while identifying the main ideas in a text. Students also focus on text features of fiction and non-fiction books. In first grade, there is a strong focus on phonic skills and reading strategies. Our children read “good fit” books that challenge them at an appropriate level to learn best without becoming frustrated. They do all this with the goal of fostering a love of reading.
WRITING
Students use the Zaner-Bloser handwriting series to practice forming letters accurately. Students also focus on many forms of writing including; narrative writing, how-to writing, non-fiction writing, and opinion writing. Students also focus on journaling and creative writing to help them communicate their through and ideas through writing. Students also begin to learn about nouns, verbs, and adjectives to prepare them for formal grammar in second grade.
Students use the Zaner-Bloser handwriting series to practice forming letters accurately. Students also focus on many forms of writing including; narrative writing, how-to writing, non-fiction writing, and opinion writing. Students also focus on journaling and creative writing to help them communicate their through and ideas through writing. Students also begin to learn about nouns, verbs, and adjectives to prepare them for formal grammar in second grade.
SOCIAL STUDIES
In first grade, students move on to explore the neighborhood. They learn map skills through activities like drawing and reading maps of bedrooms, houses, classrooms, and neighborhoods. They also focus on the past, present, and future and how communities evolve over time. Students also focus on people and buildings in neighborhoods and how they help communities.
In first grade, students move on to explore the neighborhood. They learn map skills through activities like drawing and reading maps of bedrooms, houses, classrooms, and neighborhoods. They also focus on the past, present, and future and how communities evolve over time. Students also focus on people and buildings in neighborhoods and how they help communities.
SCIENCE
In first grade, students discover the differences between living and non-living things. The year is divided into three units: weather (seasons, types of weather, severe weather safety), properties of matter (solids, liquids, gases, properties of water, and magnets), and the year concludes with a focus on an animal’s life (life cycles, food chains, animal habitats). Lessons are supplemented with many hands-on activities, journals, and experiments!
In first grade, students discover the differences between living and non-living things. The year is divided into three units: weather (seasons, types of weather, severe weather safety), properties of matter (solids, liquids, gases, properties of water, and magnets), and the year concludes with a focus on an animal’s life (life cycles, food chains, animal habitats). Lessons are supplemented with many hands-on activities, journals, and experiments!
MATH
In first grade, the main focus is on addition and subtraction up to 20. Some time is spent on measurement, geometry, and problem-solving. Students also learn to count money and tell time to the hour and the half hour. The students study the concepts of sorting, patterns, whole numbers, fractions, addition, subtraction, fact families, vertical and horizontal problems, collecting data, sharing, counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, problem-solving strategies, graphs, charts, number lines, money, and measurement.
In first grade, the main focus is on addition and subtraction up to 20. Some time is spent on measurement, geometry, and problem-solving. Students also learn to count money and tell time to the hour and the half hour. The students study the concepts of sorting, patterns, whole numbers, fractions, addition, subtraction, fact families, vertical and horizontal problems, collecting data, sharing, counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, problem-solving strategies, graphs, charts, number lines, money, and measurement.
Textbooks
We choose books based on curriculum alignment, grade level appropriateness, and overall quality.
We choose books based on curriculum alignment, grade level appropriateness, and overall quality.