First Grade Curriculum

RELIGION

In religion we focus on basic Catholic prayers, introduction to the liturgical seasons, God our Father’s role in our family and community, the parts of the mass, and Mary our Blessed Mother. We incorporate scriptures from our Bibles into weekly lessons. Each first grade class sponsors a child through the parish’s Children of God Program.

Text: Loyola University Press, Christ Our Life School Edition, 2002
         The Eager Reader Bible, Catholic Edition, 1994

SOCIAL STUDIES

The social studies program often dovetails with our religion program. The children explore their family, neighborhood, and community. They also compare these environments with their sponsored child’s culture (with help from the Spanish teacher). The children examine careers with the help of parent presentations and discussions. They explore the role careers play in society. They develop skills with maps, globes, charts, and graphs.

Text: MacMillan/McGraw Hill, People and Places, 2005

READING

The reading program is a literature based reading program which develops comprehension strategies with site vocabulary and dovetails with our phonetical study of long and short vowels. It incorporates a basic introduction to parts of speech, plot and setting, and journal writing. The series uses stories from well known authors.

Text: Harcourt, Trophies, 2007

PHONICS/SPELLING

These programs teach children to use blends, diagraphs, long and short vowels, word families, and context clues to decode and correctly use words in everyday reading and writing. The children practice these skills in story and scientific writing.

Text: Harcourt, Trophies, 2007
        

HANDWRITING

The handwriting program is based on scripture verses and Bible characters. The children learn the correct formation of upper and lower case letters of basic manuscript. In addition, the children explore and express their handwriting skills in the creation of four student created books.

Text: The Concerned Group, Inc., A Reason for Handwriting, 2001

SCIENCE

The science program introduces plant life, insects, life cycles, water cycle, habitats, solar system, simple machines, and forces. The first graders are responsible for experimentation, data collections, illustrations, project reporting, and journal writings. They are also responsible for the planting and basic upkeep of the school’s first grade butterfly gardens. These projects and activities provide ample opportunity for parent involvement and environmental awareness.

Text:  Harcourt, Science, 2002

MATH

The math program introduces simple geometry, basic math facts through 10, time, money, problem solving, fact families, measuring and graphing. This is a hands on manipulative based study of mathematics which engage the children’s varying learning styles. The children learn to use and manipulate coins and math facts in a classroom grocery store.

Text: Sadlier-Oxford, Math In Progress, 2006