First Grade
Subjects of Study
Reading Text: Open Court
Reading (SRA/McGraw-Hill) The reading program includes
an emphasis on reading comprehension, listening and
speaking skills, and vocabulary. Students are taught
reading comprehension strategies such as predicting,
summarizing, clarifying, making connections,
visualizing, and asking questions. Reading comprehension
skills are also taught to help deepen understanding of
literature including cause and effect, finding main
ideas and details, making inference and drawing
conclusions, author’s point of view, compare and
contrast, sequence and fact vs. opinion. The students
are introduced to various genres of literature including
fiction, non-fiction, classic folktales and poetry.
Reading comprehension is aimed at teaching the students
to think while they read. Focused oral discussion will
teach the students to clearly express their ideas,
recall the story and apply reading comprehension
strategies and skills while listening and responding to
other students. Students will learn how to orally
present their work, including unit projects and book
reports. Book and print awareness, word recognition,
vocabulary, and dictionary skills will be taught with
each reading selection.
Phonics Text: Phonics Level B (Modern Curriculum Press) Phonics is taught as a decoding strategy. Students are taught all common sound-symbol correspondences and how to blend sounds into words. The skills are taught using blending exercises and manipulatives such as wall sound cards, sound flash cards and phonetic readers. The decoding strategy works in conjunction with the Spelling program.
Spelling Text: Spelling Workout Level B (Modern Curriculum Press) The students are introduced to words in context in a variety of expository selections and genres including poetry, riddles, and stories. The program takes a solid phonics and structural analysis approach to encoding. The lists used in Spelling Workout have been chosen because they are high-utility words. The students are expected to learn a weekly spelling rule and apply it to words using frequent spelling dictations as well as word building games and spelling bees.
Writing Text: Voyages in English Writing skills include grammar and composition. The students will learn to identify and write a simple sentence, compound sentence and “super sentence." Different types of sentences will be taught including statements, questions, commands and exclamations. The students will develop a working knowledge of the parts of speech and use this knowledge to write well formed sentences, including proper verb tenses. Paragraph writing will be introduced. The writing process will be taught as a 5 step process including pre-writing, drafting, proofreading, revising and publishing. The students will use the writing process to compose various types of writing pieces including creative writing, report writing, narrative writing, instructional writing and letter writing.
Handwriting Text: D’Nealian (Scott Foresman Addison-Wesley) Handwriting includes the correct pencil grip, paper position and sitting posture. The children learn to write D’Nealian manuscript in all the capital and lower-case letters, numbers to 100 and words and sentences that correspond to the writing lessons.
Math Text: Progress in Mathematics (Sadlier) The study of mathematics includes emphasis on problem solving, communication, reasoning and connections to other subject areas. Students are taught how to use their mathematical knowledge and a variety of mathematical inquiry and reasoning skills to solve problems using various strategies and forms of mathematical communication. Students demonstrate a sense of numbers and apply an understanding of number systems and operations when counting, computing, estimating and problem solving. Students will come to understand and learn to apply basic concepts including reading, writing, ordering and comparing numbers up to 3 digits, place value, addition and subtraction with and without regrouping, fact families up to 20, measurement with nonstandard and standard units, problem solving strategies, one and two step word problems, introductory work with multiplication and division, fractions, geometry, data collection and analysis, inequalities, time, money, patterns and mental computation. Daily mental math, speed math and problem-solving exercises enhance mathematical thinking skills, mental agility and problem solving techniques.
Science Text: Science Discovery Works (Houghton Mifflin) Science includes hands-on activities and investigations of the immediate environment. Students are given opportunities to practice scientific thinking skills (analyze, synthesize, evaluate, apply, question, problem solve) and the scientific process (observe, describe, compare, measure, classify, predict, infer, hypothesis, experiment). Some topics that will be covered include the scientific method, life cycles of animals and plants, states of matter and how properties change, light and motion, how simple machines work, sound, heat, magnetism, soil, rock layers and fossils, erosion, geographical features, volcanoes, geysers, earthquakes, sun, earth, moon, planets, atmosphere, hydrosphere, cells, heredity, skeletal, muscular, digestive and circulatory human body systems, germs, diseases, nutrition, hygiene.
Social Studies Text: Core Knowledge History and Geography (Pearson Learning) Social Studies includes activities and lessons that help develop chronological thinking, an understanding of change over time, the ability to compare and contrast historical stories, people, places and situations, an understanding of points of view based on perspective, basic research skills, an understanding of Earth’s physical systems and human culture. Topics covered include Geography and History of Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, United States Geography and Geography of North, South and Central America, American History, in particular Columbus, Pilgrims, Mayflower, Puritans, the First Thanksgiving Day, the Thirteen Colonies, Massachusetts Bay, Native American customs and interactions between the Native Americans and the early settlers, The Declaration of Independence, Making of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, War of 1812, Westward Expansion, Civil War, Civil Rights Movement and Immigration.
Religion Text: The Treasure of My Catholic Faith The religion program focuses on God as the source of life and grace, as a loving person who listens to our prayers and sends us his Son to be our savior. The students will identify the Bible as the Word of God, Baptism as the sacrament that not only removes Original Sin but also makes us members of God’s family, the Church, and prayer and liturgy as means of worshipping together. Students will develop awareness that other people deserve our love and respect because they are also members of God’s family. The topics of study include God as Creator, attributes of God, components of the human person as an image of God (intelligence, will, body and soul), God as our source of life, prayer as talking with God, Mary as the Mother of the Church, grace as Divine Life, Jesus as the Son of God, second person of the Trinity and our Savior, Jesus’ passion and death, the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Jesus in the Eucharist, nature and mission of the Church, leaders of the Church. Students will read and relate Old Testament stories and Jesus’ parables in the New Testament that teach us about God’s love for us. The students will learn various forms of prayer (liturgical, spontaneous, formal and guided meditation), learn how to participate in the Mass, identify liturgical seasons and their themes, read and retell the lives of the saints.
Daily Schedule
9:00-9:45- :Language Arts:Spelling- Phonics and Vocabulary
9:45-10:30 – Language Arts- Reading Comprehension and Literature
10:45- 11:15 – Journal writing and D’Nealian Writing
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-1:45 Science
1:45-2:30 History
2:30-3:15 Religion
Special Classes
Tuesdays - Music and PE
Firdays - Art and PE
Extended Care
Before School Care is available from 7:30am and After School Care is available until 6:00pm. Detailed information and arrangements for enrollment can be obtained in the office.
Lunch
Students may bring their own lunch, or take advantage of Impromptu Catering, our daily hot lunch provider.
Homework
Homework consists of phonics, reading, and math. Homework is sent home daily and should take no more than 15 to 30 minutes; homework is not meant to overwhelm the child. Marked work is returned on Fridays. The homework folder may also be used to send home notices and reminders.