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First Grade Curriculum Overview

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Bible

  • Old Testament:  God’s New World; God’s covenant with Abraham’s Family
  • New Testament:  Jesus, the Son of God Parts 1 and 2
  • Weekly Scripture memory
  • Integration of Biblical worldview in all subjects

Language Arts

  • Phonemic awareness: Identify consonant and vowel sounds, recognize digraphs, rhyming words, initial and final consonant sounds and consonant blends
  • Phonics instruction: Identify initial and final consonants, vowel patterns, recognize prefixes, suffixes, and base words; read and write rhyming words; begin to recognize r-controlled vowels, compound words, and syllables
  • Word Analysis: Recognize and read contractions
  • Fluency: Use syntactic and semantic cues; recognize at least 250 sight words; participate in daily guided oral reading;
  • Vocabulary:  Recognize and use homophones, antonyms, synonyms; learn new vocabulary in context
  • Literature: Participate in guided reading and self selected reading of  50% fiction, 50% nonfiction; listen to literature read aloud
  • Comprehension: Respond to literal, inferential, and evaluative questions; identify cause and effect, and main idea; summarize and sequence a story; make predictions; understand literary elements of plot, character, and theme
  • Listening: Listen to fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and biography; demonstrate appropriate audience behavior
  • Speaking:  Present information orally      
  • Spelling: Correctly spell first and last name, phonics-based words, and designated sight words
  • Writing: Write legibly in manuscript; use appropriate spacing; write simple complete sentences and approximately 40-word pieces; introduction to writing journals, poems, letters, and narrative and expository pieces
  • Grammar: Learn and apply basic rules for capitalization and end punctuation; alphabetize words by the first letter; begin to recognize nouns, verbs, and adjectives

Math

  • Numbers and operations: Numeration, ordinal numbers, place value, addition and subtraction, mastery of addition facts to 20; concept of division; simple fractions
  • Measurement: Time, money, customary measurement
  • Graphs: Represent and interpret information
  • Geometry: Plane and solid figures; sides, corners
  • Estimation: Benchmarks; rounding
  • Probability: Terms and outcomes
  • Algebraic reasoning: Creation and extension of  patterns; concept of equality; commutative property of addition
  • Problem solving strategies

Mathematical concepts are taught with manipulatives, direct instruction, guided practice, small group exploration, independent practice, and written, oral, and performance assessments.

Social Studies

  • Civics:  Communities; rules and laws
  • Economics: Producers and consumers
  • Geography: Continents, Map Skills 1
  • History: National symbols; Pledge of Allegiance; Patriotic holidays
  • Other cultures:  Africa

Science

  • Life science: Seed plants, growth and function; Animal kingdoms, adult and young; habitat and survival; Senses, health, nutrition
  • Earth science: Earth’s resources; Weather changes; Seasons
  • Physical science: Magnets; Sound; Properties of gas, liquid, solid

Information Literacy

  • Orientation to the media center
  • Personal accountability with materials and information
  • Literary appreciation
  • Story elements
  • Task definition
  • Identifying sources of information
  • Locating, understanding, and recording information
  • Organizing information using a graphic organizer
  • Product evaluation

Physical Education:  Three classes per week.

  • Personal fitness, movement, skill-based partner and group games, balance and agility, hand-eye coordination, ball skills related to volleyball, soccer, and basketball, introduction to track and field events, and weekly 3/4 or one mile run.
  • Application of rules and techniques, participation, and sportsmanship

Fine Arts

Art: One class per week

  • Elements of visual arts: Recognize line, shape, form, primary and secondary colors
  • Media, techniques, and processes: Recognize, explore, and experiment with materials; proper use of art materials
  • Selection and evaluation of subject matter: Select original content; respond to art work
  • Visual arts in relation to history and cultures: View art pieces of various places, cultures, and times
  • Critical response: Display and explain original art work
  • Connecting visual arts and other disciplines: Interpret and create pictorial stories that relate to other disciplines

Music: One class per week

  • Elements of music:  Explore rhythm, melody, harmony, form, expression, tone, and color through singing, reading simple notation, listening, moving, playing instruments, creating and performing simple ostinati accompaniments
  • Vocal music: Sing on pitch with increased skill and accuracy, with focus on developing the head voice
  • Listening: Recognition of orchestral families and instruments; exposure to various composers and their works, as well as music of various styles and cultures
  • Music Appreciation: Understanding of music in relation to the Bible, history, culture,  and other disciplines