Home

 

 

Whether you are learning gumball goals for math facts, practicing phonics and reading fluency, or learning about animal habitats, first grade is an incredible year of growth! In English Language arts, the learners learn to not only improve their reading, but to fall in love with books. Our teachers use the Readers & Writers Workshop curriculum by Lucy Calkins to model reading behaviors and provide direct instruction on strategic reading. Students are given significant time to read, an opportunity to choose their reading selections, and time to talk and write about books and strategies. In writing, the students are working authors as they engage in mini-lessons and small group work allowing the teacher to serve as their personal writing coach.

 

In math, first graders master their math facts using Gumball Goals - for each group of addition and subtraction facts they accomplish, they earn one gumball! The Math in Focus curriculum focuses on problem solving as the center of math learning and concepts taught with a concrete–pictorial– abstract learning progression through real-world, hands-on experiences. Students also use manipulatives and are introduced to time, money and measurement.

 

Other classroom highlights include the wild animal project and diorama of an animal’s habitat; developing a relationship with Jesus Christ through regular prayer; and, learning about our American symbols in social studies.

 

It is not all work in first grade - there is a ton of play and many grade level events and field trips. Some of the special events include St. Nicholas Day, Mother's Day Poetry Café, the end-of-year Luau, and the Dad and Me Morning. First Grade also travels to the San Diego Safari Park, Centennial Farm and the Heart of Jesus Retreat Center.