First Grade Curriculum:
Religion:
Word of Life is our Religion curriculum. As we work through our texts, information will be sent home to familiarize you with the concepts covered in class.
We will explore information centered on the Friday and Sunday Gospels so your child will be prepared for Mass.
We will attend a weekly Mass or Prayer Service. This year, we will attend Mass every week. We will sit with our 7th grade buddies so they can help us participate in the Mass. First graders will have the opportunity to lead three Masses this school year. Children will be encouraged to learn responses and prayers so that they can participate fully in this Sacrament.
We have prayer time and religion instruction daily. First graders are responsible for mastering several prayers. I have listed the kindergarten and first grade prayers on a separate page. Please help your child practice these prayers at home.
We use the school-wide Learning Expectations, Second Step Curriculum and the seven Principles of Catholic Social Teaching to practice appropriate social skills and problem solving. We will incorporate Circle of Gracy materials as mandated by the Arch Diocese of Seattle:
CIRCLE OF GRACE
The Circle of Grace is a children’s safety program that is offered to all children in grades K-12 in the Archdiocese of Seattle’s Catholic schools and parish Faith Formation programs. The program’s curriculum teaches children and youth how to:
- Recognize and maintain appropriate boundaries
- Identify when boundaries are about to be violated
- Take action when boundaries are threatened or violated
- Identify uncomfortable situations
- Identify trusted adults in their lives
- Learn the importance of relationships
- Be respectful of others
We participate in several Service-Learning Projects (SLP’s). This year’s SLPs are yet to be determined.
Reading (English Language Arts):
The Benchmarks Advance reading curriculum has ten units of study. This is a comprehensive literature-based program which gives children opportunities to acquire strategies and skills needed to become lifelong readers. We use additional resources to allow the children to read books at their own level.
The primary goal is to instill a love of reading and develop good reading strategies. We want children to become independent readers. Benchmarks Advance incorporates many of our science and social studies topics throughout the units of study.
Phonics is incorporated into many of our English Language Arts (ELA) lessons. We also do a daily phonics routine using the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum. Phonemic Awareness promotes a better understanding between letters and sounds and thus making students better readers and spellers.
ELA work will be done as a whole group, in small group breakout sessions, with partners and with individual practice. Groups will be supervised by the teacher, aid, or classroom volunteer. Some students may have an opportunity to work with a reading specialist. You will be notified if your child is eligible for specialist instruction.
Students should continue to listen to books at home, as well as read aloud nightly. Both skills are important to beginning readers.
Spelling:
Children will be taught spelling strategies and phonic rules to decode spelling words they do not know.
In October, students will have a formal list of spelling words that will be tested at the end of each week. These words are obtained from phonics, vocabulary and high frequency work lists. Students will be expected to master spelling these words.
Writing:
Students are given writing opportunities daily. They will participate in written responses to stories, literacy questions, story order and comprehension. Students will also participate in Writer’s Workshop, journal writing, writing from a prompt and creative story format. We will practice writing narrative, informative and opinion pieces.
Handwriting:
We use the manuscript method of handwriting. Correct starting and stopping points of letters as well as letter size and spacing, will be reinforced. Students are to write using correct letter formation. No cursive is used in first grade.
When practicing at home and school, we want students to practice proper pencil grip and posture. Quality, not quantity, is expected.
Science:
In first grade we cover units on animal and plant adaptations, animal classifications, habitats and families, seasonal light and weather patterns, light and sound waves and common star formations.
During science, we question, explore, discover and solve problems. We use the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) format and guidelines. We will read informative text to support these science units using Benchmarks Advance articles, Scholastic News, library books and appropriate internet sites. Some science lessons may have a component to work on at home.
Math:
We use Go Math from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publications. I will supplement the curriculum with other sources, a couple favorite of mine being SFUSD and Tera West.
The SFUSD Math Core Curriculum is a Common Core Math Curriculum for students from PK to Grade 11. The curriculum was developed and revised by SFUSD teachers with advice from partners such as Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) and the Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative (SVMI). SFUSD began full implementation of the curriculum in 2014–2015.
Tara West is a curriculum teacher author whose innovative approach to education began with recognizing gaps in the big box curriculum used in her classroom. Driven by her students’ diverse learning needs, she dedicated countless hours to researching various curriculum methodologies and teaching methods.
Lessons are taught in a whole group or small groups with the opportunity for individual reinforcement.
Manipulatives are used when introducing a concept. We then move to pictures and numbers. Students may use any or all these strategies to help with problem solving unless it is mental math or math facts.
Emphasis is placed on number sense of numbers to 120, addition and subtraction to 20, problem solving, geometry, graph interpretation and communication of concepts and properties. Time, money and basic measurement skills are also introduced in first grade.
Social Studies:
We are using a curriculum this year called Young Citizens by Nystrom.
Encourage students to explore the world and it’s communities to see what makes us different and what we all have in common.
Music:
We have music instruction twice a week with Ms. Liza Veron. We also integrate music into other subjects in our classroom.
Physical Education & Health:
We have physical education twice a week with Coach Kristi Eager. Girls are to wear privacy shorts and have hair pulled back and out of the face.
Library/Computer:
We have library on Wednesday with Mrs. Maggie Kim. Students are asked to check out one book at an appropriate reading level, the other may be a book of interest. Students must return library books to check out new books. Once books are checked out, they are sent home.
We use technology to enhance ELA, math, science and social studies activities. Each student will be assigned a school iPad to use for class activities. These devices will stay at school unless a need arises for us to learn from home. If that happens, I will address this issue with first grade families. All families will need to turn in a signed technology agreement before a student may begin to use these electronic devices.
Art
We have art once a week with Mrs. Carolina Santos. Art is integrated into many classroom subjects. We use a variety of media and learn about many artistic elements.
Spanish:
We have Spanish twice a week with Senora Anna Wittmershaus. Spanish will be taught in the first-grade classroom.
Other Items:
- Birthdays– We celebrate birthdays in first grade. About two weeks before the day, I will send home a poster for your child to fill out to share with classmates. On the chosen date, the birthday child will bring in the poster, a special treat to share with the class and a show and tell item.
- Field Trips-I hope to be able to schedule 2-3 field trips this year. More to come on this subject.
- Service-Learning Project– TBD