Grade 1 Curriculum

Curriculum Standards Grade Level 1

 

Language Arts

The first grade students will be immersed in a literature-rich environment. Through reading, writing, spelling and phonics, students will learn to make meaning from text and communicate meaning effectively. Students will listen and participate in class discussions. They will develop a variety of strategies to read new words, increase fluency and enhance comprehension skills. Students will process their learning in content areas and apply it to real world situations.

 

Oral Language

·         Listen attentively to encourage sharing of ideas by developing effective communication skills

·         Read aloud opportunities provided in small groups, with partners, and as a whole class

·         Participate in language-rich environment created by teachers and parents

Reading

Use prior knowledge to understand information and make meaning

·         Connect personal experiences with print

·         Respond to literature through words, new vocabulary, drawings

Summarize and retell selections that are read

·         Orally and written

Develop reading strategies for new words

·         Use of picture and context clues

·         Letter/sound correspondence to decode words

·         Begin to recognize work "chunks" in words

·         Begin to recognize word parts in words

·         Use of phonemic awareness in decoding

Demonstrate understanding of text

·         Oral participation in small groups and whole class discussions

·         Make text-to-self connections and effectively communicate these

·         Identifies purpose of text

Writing

·         Gathers, organizes and creates writing topics

·         Learns a variety of formats of writing through modeling and practice

·         Begins to incorporate vocabulary in writing

·         Begins to use correct sentence structure through modeling and examples

·         Use of informal writing to facilitate writing across the curriculum

·         Learn steps to publish their own work

·         Introduce the six traits of writing

·         Respond to the writing of others

Spelling

·         Applies learned spelling rules

·         Spells Kindergarten, first and second grade level words correctly including words with short vowels, long vowels, consonant blends, consonant digraphs, vowel-consonant-e structures

·         Begins to proofread for errors

·         Writes dictated sentences

·         Spells high frequency words

·         Begins to identify spelling patterns

Handwriting

·         Holds pencil properly

·         Uses upper and lower case letters in manuscript

·         Writes neatly and legibly

·         Begins to proofread own handwriting for errors

 

Mathematics

Mathematics and mathematical processes are used in all aspects of life. Students will apply their math skills in the field of mathematics and other disciplines, as well as in daily life.

 

Number Sense

·         Represent whole numbers in a variety of ways

·         Sort manipulatives into groups of tens and ones and write the numeral represented

·         Order and compare numbers up to 100

·         Begin to understand expanded form notation

Addition and Subtraction

·         Begin to know addition and subtraction facts through 20

·         Demonstrate the combining and separating of sets with 20 or fewer objects

·         Introduction of fact families

·         Add and subtract two digit numbers in a variety of ways

·         Introduction of regrouping with manipulatives to demonstrate solid conceptual understanding

Fractions

·         Divide geometric shapes into equal parts, identifying hales, fourths, and thirds

·         Learn to "fair share" groups between two ad three people and the represented fraction that applies

Patterns and Number Relationships

·         Skip count by twos fives, and tens

·         Understand, describe and create patterns with one or more attributes

·         Become familiar with patterns on the 100's chart

·         Introduction of <>= as mathematical symbols for comparison

Geometric Shapes and Relationships

·         Identify basic geometric shapes: circles, triangles, rectangles and squares

·         Experiment with combination of simple geometric shapes to make more complex geometric shapes

Measurement

·         Experiment with and be able to identify the appropriate tools for measuring length, weight, volume, temperature

·         Estimate and measure length, weight, capacity using nonstandard and standard units of measure

Time

·         Read and tell time to the nearest hour

·         Name the days of the week, months of the year and seasons in order

Money

·         Know the name and value of a penny nickel, dime, and quarter

·         Be able to make money values of $0.50 with a variety of coins

Data and Probability

·         Collect, classify, and represent simple data

·         Draw simple conclusions based on data

·         Understand the likelihood of an event

·         Be able to read bar graphs, pictographs, line graphs, and Venn diagrams

·         Estimate quantity

Problem Solving

·         Understand problem solving in mathematical and everyday context

·         Develop critical thinking skills through open-ended questioning

·         Read and create own word problems and a variety of problem solving strategies

·         Begin to develop a variety of mental math strategies

 

Science

Science is a way of knowing a process for gaining knowledge of the natural world. Students will be asked to make connections of prior knowledge, observe, question formulate and test hypotheses as well as record, analyze and report findings. Hands-on experimentation will aide in emphasizing the importance of science in everyday life.

 

Air

·         Identify the characteristics of air

·         Identify that plants supply us with oxygen

·         Identify the need of air for plants and animals

·         Explore the use of and the effects of wind for people, plants and animals

Weather

·         Compare/contrast the seasons (i.e. daily changes, seasonal patterns and characteristics)

·         Changes in the weather

·         Describe the basic components of weather

Matter and Water

·         Identify the basic components of water

·         Measure and compare temperature of water

·         Investigate the uses of water by people, plants and animals

·         Explore the destructive effects of water

·         Describe the relationships between the three states of water

Oceans

·         Describe the diversity of ocean and undersea life

·         Locate oceans on the world map

·         Identify coast, waves, and tides and discuss how waves and tides occur

·         Identify the dangers to ocean life and our use of the virtue of stewardship for our Earth

Plants

·         Investigate and collect data on the conditions that affect plant growth

·         Identify and explain the function of plant parts

·         Explore the common uses of plants

·         Complete a plant report and present it to the class as a culmination to the unit

 

Social Studies

Social Studies in the first grade will give the students opportunities to study aspects of the world around them. Social Studies helps students realize that they must take personal responsibility for their actions and that their actions have consequences for themselves and for the society they live in. History expands the students' vision beyond their own lives and asks them to look at and connect with a variety of human experiences.

 

Geography

·         Use of maps, globes, keys, legends to identify the continents, the major oceans, North and South Hemisphere, the equator, North and South Poles, and directions

Ancient Civilizations

·         Study of Ancient Egypt: geography with emphasis on location, Nile River, Sahara Desert

·         Pharaohs (King Tutankhamen)

·         Pyramids and mummies

·         Writing: hieroglyphics

Community and Family

·         Family as a social institution/provision of basic needs

·         Value of family heritage and traditions

American History

·         Maya in Mexico and Central America

·         English settlers in the first thirteen colonies

·         Introduction of the American fight for independence (Thomas Jefferson/Declaration of Independence)

Peace and Justice

·         Identifies the poor as having a special place in the teaching of Jesus

·         Recognizes obligation Christians have to seek for justice in the world

·         Recognizes Christian obligation to feed the hungry

 

Religion

The emphasis in the first grade religion curriculum is I Am Special. Students will be reminded that they are created in the image of God and therefore, special.

 

Beliefs

·         God love us

·         Mary, the Mother of God

·         Jesus is the Son of God/The Good Samaritan Story

·         The Holy Spirit is our helper

·         Jesus gave us the Church as community

Worship

·         The Liturgical year

·         We celebrate the Mass

·         Jesus feeds a crowd

·         The Eucharist

We Live as Children of God

·         Family and community

·         Loving God and others through forgiveness

·         Jesus and the Children biblical story

Prayer

·         Talking to God

·         Jesus taught us to pray: The Our Father

·         Formal and informal forms of prayer: Glory be to the Father, Lord Have Mercy (from the Mass)

Special Celebrations

·         The liturgical year/Ordinary time

·         Seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter

·         Holy Week

Building Catholic Character (Virtues)

·         See Virtues rotating three year curriculum

·         Year-long service project

·         Global service of sister school in Tanzania