The First Grade Experience

Time spent in first grade is focused on empowering the children to learn by engaging them in academically rigorous curricular content through the Core Knowledge Sequence and by maintaining high expectations in terms of the development of individual learning styles and behavior. Heavy emphasis is placed on teaching reading and writing skills through an explicit and systematic phonics approach balanced with a rich diet of poetry, songs, fiction, and nonfiction, which together provide frequent opportunities to use language in creative and expressive ways. Daily read-aloud time helps the children develop good listening skills, acquire a sense of what makes up a good story, and motivate them to want to read.

 

 

 

Interdisciplinary Learning Experience

In the second half of the year, Readers’ Theatre further develops poise, expression and confidence. Use of manipulative resources in Math encourages a deep understanding of concepts in addition to computational skills as children move from being concrete to conceptual learners. Intentional integration of History, Science, Bible and Math with the Language Arts Program provides a rich interdisciplinary learning experience by immersing the children in the topics studied.

Social Development and Fifth Grade Buddies

First graders build on the social skills learned in Kindergarten as they transition through the year, in part by working each week in cooperative groups with Fifth Grade Buddies. Daily class devotions help the children to focus on the needs of others and to develop the care and sensitivity to put those needs before their own as the children learn to lift their praises and prayers to the Lord.