1st Grade Curriculum at a Glance

MAIN LESSON BLOCKS

Form Drawing: Straight and Curved Lines

Language Arts: Learning the Consonants

Math: The Quality of Numbers & Writing Numbers

Language Arts: Consonants Continued & Introduction to the Vowels

Math: Basic Math Operation I: Adding & Subtracting

Language Arts: Phonics & Reading

Math: Basic Math Operations II: Multiplication & Division

Language Arts: Word Families, Reading & The Play

Math: Flexible Thinking/Problem Solving

1st Grade Curriculum in Detail

LANGUAGE ARTS

• Learning the Alphabet: Imaginative introduction to letters through stories and images from fairy tales

• Writing: Capital and lowercase letters, words, simple sentences, free renderings

• Reading: Phonics, word families, sight words, first readers

• Vocabulary: Building vocabulary from hearing and reviewing fairy tales and folk tales

• Speech/Recitation: Rhymes, verses and tongue twisters, with hand and body movements

• Drama: The First Grade Play

MATH

• The Quality of Numbers, 1-12

• Counting by 1s, 2s, 3s, 5s, 10s

• Roman numerals and Arabic numerals

• Forwards and backwards counting and writing numbers up to 100

• Number Patterns, Story Problems & Math Games

• Fact Strategies for Adding: count-on’s, doubles, neighbors, fast 10s, fast 9s, left overs, combinations of 10

• Fact Strategies for Subtractions: count-backs, comparisons, zeros, doubles, tens, nines, neighbors, left-overs

• Imaginative introduction to the 4 processes: addition, subtraction, multiplication, & division

FOREIGN LANGUAGE: SPANISH & CHINESE

• Through songs, poems, rhymes, games and movements, children begin to build vocabulary, develop good pronunciation, and oral comprehension.

• Speaking develops through repetition and recitations.

MUSIC

• Unison singing with emphasis on the pentatonic scale

• Seasonal games, music expressed through gesture and rhythm

• Seasonal songs performed at assemblies

• Pentatonic flute introduced mid-year

HANDWORK

• Finger crocheting

• Knitting-- cast on, knit stitch, cast off

• Braiding

• Simple hand-sewing

• Projects: horse reins, flute case, tooth fairy pillow, and teddy bear

GARDENING

• Introduction to science through experiencing nature

• Observational skills honed through nature walks

• Nature stories

• Hands-on experiences through seed collection, bulb planting, and sustain

FORM DRAWING

• Training hand-eye coordination through drawing of simple forms

• Strengthening sense of spatial relationships and proportion through drawing of rhythmic running forms

• Supporting handwriting skills through practice and mastery of straight and curved line formation

WATERCOLOR PAINTING & DRAWING

• Introduction to watercolor painting through color stories

• Relationships of primary and secondary colors

• Instruction on the use of beeswax block crayons

• Daily drawing of stories into main lesson books

EURYTHMY

• Beautiful, flowing, en-souled movement to poems & stories, accompanied by live classical piano music

• Strengthens children’s groundedness in their bodies

• Aligns children’s movement with their breath

• Centers children within themselves while bringing awareness of their connection with the group

CLASSES ADDED IN THE SECOND SEMESTER

GAMES

• Cooperative circle and line games

• Ball-handling skills

• Motor skills and coordination through tumbling and balancing activities

• Yoga

• Continued work on social dynamics that arise through games

READING GROUPS

• Class breaks up into small groups, each with a Reading Helper

• Children take turns reading

• Children deepen their understanding of phonics, word families, etc. introduced in first semester

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1ST GRADE YEAR

• Receiving a 6th grade buddy; weekly buddy walks and outings, including to the pumpkin patch

• Lantern Walk (November), Winter Assembly (December), Friday Assemblies with whole school, Thanksgiving and Advent Assemblies, Class Play, Grandparents’ Day, May Day; Friday walks, end-of-year class picnic.