FIRST GRADE
Developmental Characteristics of Six and Seven Year Olds
Six year olds may still be quite energetic, eager and noisy. The transition to seven arrives with a new level of sensitivity and seriousness. Children will become moody and at times shy. While the six year old may enjoy the company of a lot of friends, the transition to seven may come with the desire to play with one friend or even alone. There is an improvement in fine motor skills and increase in knowledge of words and meaning. Attention span gradually increases as does excitement for learning!
English Language Arts - Reading
Upon entering first grade students are ready to continue developing as readers. Instruction is provided in the form of guided reading groups, as well as whole group and small group instruction. Students focus on developmentally appropriate reading strategies to enhance fluency and comprehension. During independent reading students explore a variety of genres and authors.
Curricular Materials and Resources:
- Wilson Phonics
- Guided Reading and Leveled Library
- Lucy Calkin’s Units of Study
- Balanced Literacy Including Reader’s Workshop
Students Will:
- Learn to self-correct and monitor reading habits
- Read with fluency and expression
- Retell using story elements
- Read for a variety of purposes
- Begin to identify main ideas and details in nonfiction texts
- View themselves as confident and capable readers
English Language Arts - Writing
Students explore writing through a variety of genres including personal narratives, descriptive paragraphs and letter writing. They learn that writing occurs for a variety of purposes and begin to develop a personal interest in generating and sharing their ideas and stories.
Curricular Materials and Resources:
- Guided Reading and Leveled Library
- Step Up To Writing
- Lucy Calkin’s Units of Study
- Six Traits of Writing
- Balanced Literacy including Writer’s Workshop
Students Will:
- Understand and learn about the writing process including planning, brainstorming, drafting, editing, revising, publishing and sharing.
- Use correct ending punctuation and grammar
- Begin to construct sentences of varying lengths and types
- Use a variety of organizational tools to structure their writing
- See themselves as writers
Math
At this level students continue to develop a thorough understanding of number sense. Exploration of other math strands is woven into their instruction including geometric concepts, data and probability and basic algebraic patterns.
Students Will:
- Recall addition and subtraction facts with speed and accuracy
- Understand and apply properties of operations and the relationship between addition and subtraction
- Add and subtract within 20
- Use place value and understanding of operations
- Measure lengths and compare the lengths of different objects
- Tell and write time
- Represent and interpret data
- Reason with shapes and their attributes
Religion Objectives
Students Will:
- Express an understanding and appreciation of God the Father as the Creator
- Recognize Jesus as the Son of God, brother, and friend
- Identify Mary as the Mother of Jesus, our mother, and Queen of All Saints
- Participate in discussions of saints
- Describe the Holy Spirit as our helper and guide
- Identify the two parts of the Bible
- Recognize the Gospels as the Good News of Jesus
- Identify the seasons of the Church year
- Describe the sacraments as signs and celebrations of God’s love
- Define Baptism as the first sacrament in which we become members of the Catholic Church
- Explain the role of Christian families as caring for one another and honoring each other as children of God.
- Discuss and demonstrate virtues in our daily lives as children of God
- Identify the mass as the most important celebration of the Church
- Recognize prayer as listening and talking to God and participate in
prayer in the classroom and at mass - Express knowledge of the Ten Commandments
Theme Studies - Social Studies
Curricular objectives based upon the College, Career and Civic Life framework developed by the National Council for Social Studies.
Principles of the Republic
- Explain how laws and rules are made and changed to promote the common good
- List the rights and responsibilities of citizens
- Recognize and explain the significance of the Statue of Liberty and the Nation’s Capitol
Principles and Process of Government Systems
- Explain how individual rights are protected
- Propose peaceful resolutions of disputes
- Describe how authoritative decisions are made, enforced and interpreted in schools
- Explain what it means to make, enforce, carry out and interpret rules
Missouri United States and World History
- Describe contributions of significant Non-Missourians
Economic Concepts and Principles
- Identify examples of private goods and services
- Describe the relationships among consumers and producers and production
Elements of Geographical Study and Analysis
- Read maps
- Use a compass rose to identify cardinal directions
- Locate a place by pointing it out on a map and describing relative location to one another
Theme Studies - Science
Curricular objectives based upon the Next Generations Science Standards and in partnership with Washington University’s MYSCI units of study.
Life Science Domain
What are some ways plants and animals meet their needs so they can survive and grow?
How are parents and their children similar and different?
Physical Science Domain
- What happens when materials vibrate?
- What happens when there is no light?
Earth Science Domain
What objects are in the sky and how do they seem to move
Engineering and Design
Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change
Develop a simple sketch, drawing or physical model as needed to solve a problem
Analyze data tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem