To create an environment in which all students understand they are uniquely created by God. Students will discover who they are as individuals and part of a family, class, school, and community. And create a learning environment in which students are empowered to succeed by incorporating research-based learning strategies for instruction. These strategies include a variety of multi-sensory teaching methods which capitalize on the diverse learning styles of all students.
Religion
First-grade students become more familiar with their Catholic faith by learning to recite Catholic prayers, attending Mass, doing a stations of the cross-project, and adoration as well as praying the Rosary. The curriculum focuses on recognizing God as our Creator, understanding the Holy Family, and learning Bible stories that help to develop a clear understanding go right and wrong and what it means to be of service to one another.
Language Arts & Reading
The reading program integrates both a phonetic and language experience approach to building students decoding, fluency and comprehension skills. The Orton-Gillingham approach is used to continue to develop and refine the students’ phonics skills. While immersion into literature and informational text are used to build and stretch their comprehension skills. Students learn to independently identify and provide evidence from the text in answering questions about central idea, plot, setting, and character development.
Language Arts are taught through writing often and for a variety of different purposes. Not only do students learn to write legibly and use correct spelling patterns, but they also learn to use proper grammar, syntax, and mechanics. Children are exposed to parts of speech, sentence structure, and sentence types. Students practice reading and editing both their own papers as well as their peers. They begin to put sentences together into paragraphs and provide information about subjects that interest them, in addition, to building on their ability to present information as well as listen and use the information they have heard.
Mathematics
The Math program lays the foundation for their future learning in math. They engage in activities to promote number sense; understanding a variety of ways to represent a given number and its relationship to other numbers; demonstrate the relationship between operations and estimates; addition and subtraction without regrouping; place value. They develop a foundational knowledge of fractions as a part of the same whole; compare and order patterns; demonstrate fundamental concepts of measurement and geometry; and, identify, analyze and describe attributes of shapes and recognize symmetry.
Science
The integration of Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STREAM) in studying life, physical, and earth science is the basis for the Science curriculum. In the first grade, we provide a wide array of foundational topics in which students can draw as they move through subsequent grades. We observe the sun, moon, and stars to describe their effect on the life cycles of a variety of living organisms. We study the habitats of a variety of organisms and look closely at the human body; its organs, muscles and protective structures (bone and skin). Students learn to understand the needs, life cycles and effects of the environment on plants and animals. We also study physical science through the study of matter and its’ responses to force, motion, sound, and light. And we begin to develop an understanding of inquiry and the scientific method.
Social Studies
Students learn about citizenship in Social Studies. Understanding their role as individuals in their community, state, nation, and the world, as well as their Christian obligation, to care for their fellow citizens; the poor, hungry and aging is a large part of this curriculum. Students learn about the difference between wants and needs; the importance of rules in the family, school, and community; and begin to understand why it is important to remain aware of current events. Students also learn the about our nation’s capital, flag, president; and learn map skills.
Technology
First-grade students use Mobymax to reinforce math skills, See Saw to create an electronic portfolio, and Class DOJO for behavior reinforcement.
