Curriculum: First Grade Print

Self Contained Classroom


Math:
Holy Rosary’s first grade classrooms, along with our preschool through grade four classrooms, use Every Day Counts calendar math as a supplemental resource in our math program. Every Day Counts and our adopted math series, Scott Foresman/Addison Wesley, helps provide a strong math curriculum and vertical alignment for our students. EDC allows students who need more attention to improve their math skills and the extra practice and review they need while at the same time allows those students who excel in math to expand their knowledge and application skills in a fun and challenging way!

Patterns, relationships, ideas, application of concepts, higher level thinking and problem solving are all concepts practiced and learned in first grade.


Religion:
The text this year is "Blest Are We". This book helps in the development of our religious and moral values. The text is supplemented with Bible stories, Bible story videos, songs, and poems. Prayers are integrated throughout the day. "God My Father," "Bless Us, O Lord," and the "Angel of God" prayers are recited each day. We will also be learning other prayers such as "Our Father," "Hail Mary," and "Glory Be." We will attend Mass usually on Thursday mornings at 8:15, along with additional prayer services and observances of Holy Days.


Handwriting:
We teach the Zaner-Bloser style for letter and number formation. Our goal is to develop correct letter formations, word spacing, correct letter cases (upper or lower), and correct letter sizing from the use of guidelines.


Language Arts:
The Four Blocks method is used in teaching Language Arts. The Four Blocks method is designed to meet the needs of all children. The Four Blocks include Guided Reading, Self-Selected Reading, Writing, and Working with Words and are all used to help children learn to read and write.

McGraw Hill is the text used to teach the Four Blocks. Most Four Blocks lessons are based around the McGraw Hill text.

In Guided Reading, the students read a wide range of literature with an emphasis on reading comprehension. Each day this block begins with a 'before-reading activity', then moves to a 'during-reading activity', and finishes with an 'after-reading activity'.

In Self-Selected Reading begins with the teacher reading aloud to the class. Then the children choose books they wish to read, share with the class, and conference with the teacher. The teacher conferences with each student to be sure the students are choosing books on their reading level.

In the Writing Block, the teacher focus on mini-lessons to teach grammar skills then uses a writer's workshop so the students can use these skills during the writing process. The teacher models writing to help guide the students in their own writing. Student-teacher conferences are used to help children develop and use these skills. Writing is shared with the class.

The Working with Words Block is the phonics and spelling portion of the Four Block method. A word wall is used in the classroom to introduce and help students recognize and use high frequency words in their reading and writing. Interactive word lessons are used to build phonemic awareness and make new words.


Science/Social Studies/Art:
These subjects are integrated daily through the teaching of thematic units.
Last Updated ( Friday, 01 August 2008 06:21 )