The First Grade curriculum includes a Language Arts program, which stresses
language development through fiction and nonfiction stories, phonemic awareness,
fluency practice, vocabulary development, creative writing, handwriting,
listening skills, and speaking skills. Students learn about parts of sentences,
contractions, word order, parts of speech, plurals, vowel sounds, prefixes, and
suffixes.
Mathematics consist of counting
by 5’s, 10’s and 20’s, ordinal positions, weights and measures, times of
the day, opposites, math terms, and math vocabulary.
Science and Social Studies
involve a hands-on approach. Through Science, students learn about the human
body, the five senses, and living things, including animals and plants. Social
Studies consist of educating students about their community, holidays, and U.S.
government.
Students in First Grade gather
to celebrate the Mass where they listen to God’s Word. Students pray daily,
learn about Baptism, the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit, religious holidays, saints,
and feast days. The Rosary is prayed daily using the public-address
system. Weekly Atrium classes also supplement the Religion curriculum.
Educators implement curriculum
through hands-on activities, which include Math manipulatives, trade books, word
walls, Bibles, and picture books. Individual instruction and small group or
large group instruction allows all students the chance to master material.
Educators utilize direct instruction and cooperative learning groups.
First grade students are given written assessments. The teachers read tests to the students at the beginning of the year. By the end of the school year, students are completing assessments without teacher involvement. Teacher observation, homework, and class participation are also included as assessment. Homework is assigned daily and graded both on accuracy and neatness. Parent conferences are utilized to inform parents of their child’s progress.