|
|
School Curriculum
These pages feature the curriculum for each grade level. This curriculum is followed by our teaching staff to provide the highest possible level of achievement with each student. While our teachers have the freedom to add to the curriculum on an as need basis, each parent can expect the basic curriculum to be the guide for each class.
Additional information will be added to these class pages by our teaching staff. Please visit often to review the curriculum and see additional material that is added.
To view the curriculum for a grade, click that grade on the links below.
First Grade Curriculum Guide
Bible
- God’s Gift-The story of creation.
- God’s Special Promises-The study of Noah, Abraham, and Jacob.
- God’s Gift of a Savior-The study of Jesus: An angel visits Mary, Jesus is Born, The Shepherds and the Wise men, The Boy Jesus, Jesus is Tempted, Jesus Calls His Disciples, Jesus Loves Children, Jesus Feeds the 5,000, Jesus Walks on Water, Parables, Jesus is Crucified, He Lives, The Prodigal Son, The Good Samaritan, Samson, Fishers of Men.
- Bible Truth- We use Biblical application all through the day to learn to walk the Christian walk.
- Memory Work-Weekly scripture memorization, Books of the New Testament, the 23rd Psalm, The Lord’s Prayer, Fruits of the Spirit.
Texts: ACSI, Grade1 Series
Critical Thinking
In all areas of the curriculum, critical thinking is stressed. Questioning and problem solving are used daily.
Reading
- Students receive instruction in ability groups, individually, and in the whole group. There is a wide range of ability in reading at this age. In order for each child to feel successful, cluster grouping is essential.
- Students learn phonics.
Students master all the letters of the alphabet and their phonetic sounds, including short and long vowels. Students learn blends.
- Students learn word-decoding skills.
Compound words and contractions are introduced, along with syllabication.
- Students build a sight word vocabulary.
Mastered vocabulary is expanded utilizing decoding skills. Phonetic rule-breaking words are learned.
- Students expand their vocabulary.
New words are introduced through poetry, songs, fiction, & non-fiction.
- Students expand their comprehension skills.
Listening and reading comprehension are taught with games, following directions, recalling what’s on the written page, and Accelerated Reader.
Texts: World of Reading (Silver Burdette); Phonics in Context (Tester/ Horoch)
Length: All Year
Writing
- Students practice handwriting. Fine motor control is applied as students form letters and words.
- Students learn beginning rules of grammar. Capitalization and punctuation are introduced. Teacher and students write about common experiences together.
- Students learn how to write a sentence and short paragraph. Complete sentence structure is introduced. Like ideas are grouped in a paragraph.
- Students practice creative writing. Daily journals are used to explore ideas.
Texts: A Reason for Writing (Writer’s Workshop)
Spelling
Students have a weekly spelling list and are tested on Fridays. After 10-12 weeks of school, the student will have a spelling list. This list will be sent home daily. The list links words of a phonetic family.
Text: Phonics in Context (Tester/Horoch)
Math
- Students learn to recognize and write numerals to 100. What number comes before and after is introduced. One to one correspondence through 30 is taught.
- Students learn to add and subtract numbers. Math facts through 20 are learned. Number families are used. Zero identity is presented.
- Students learn to count by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s, recognizing patterns and relationships.
- Students are introduced to fractions.
- Students learn to measure. This includes inches, centimeters, liter, miles, kilograms, pounds, feet, calendar, and time.
- Students learn money. Coin recognition and value are taught.
- Students explore geometry. The basic shapes are mastered. Spheres, cones, cylinders, hexagons, and closed figures are introduced.
- Students learn place value through the 100’s place.
- Students learn statistics and probability by the use of graphs.
- Students learn to analyze a problem to find a solution.
Text: Purposeful Design Mathematics (ACSI)
Length: all year
Social Studies
- Students learn the diversity of cultures.
- Units of study include Columbus, The Pilgrims, Black History, Presidents, Our National Landmarks, Famous Americans.
- Geography skills are learned. Location, description, and map skills are introduced.
- Students learn that caring for our world is their responsibility. Recycling, reducing, and reusing are studied. Earth Day is celebrated.
Text: My America (ABeka)
Length: all year
Science
- Students learn beginning science skills. They will learn to observe, to sort and classify, to use numbers, to measure, to discuss, and to predict.
- Science topics are explored. Properties of matter, the 5 senses, simple machinery, animals, plants, our bodies, and dental health.
Text: McMillan/McGraw Hill
Length: all year
Computer
Students are exposed to computers daily, with an instructional period once a week. Keyboarding skills are taught. Different uses of the computer are introduced.
Computer Programs:
Math Rescue—Crystalvision Word Rescue--Crystalvision
Magic Math 1 & 2—Jacobson Knight’s Castle--Fisher Price
Colorme!—Innervision Ready For Letters--The Learning Company
Microsoft Works
Art
The focus of the art program will be directed towards promoting and developing student confidence by involving them in art activities that they can directly relate to. They will learn to observe their surroundings and make discoveries. Exploration of their imaginations is valued as much as observations made of their surroundings. Eye and hand coordination is developed through various art media and tools. Art history, aesthetics, and criticism are introduced in simple terms. Whenever possible, art lessons will be integrated with the core subjects from the classroom.
Music
Students are exposed weekly to music. Concepts taught include beat and no beat, half note, half rest, eighth note, double bar line, repeat sign, pitch and rhythm. Different types of music are explored.
Physical Education
- Organized P.E. with a special teacher using techniques involving both fine motor and large motor skills occurs weekly.
- Working together on teams is emphasized.
- Healthy lifestyle choices are explored.
- Students work toward the President’s Physical Fitness Award.
Length: all year
Spanish
- Students learn some basic vocabulary and several Spanish expressions that are essential for everyday communication. (Greetings, colors, days of the week, months, body parts, animals, foods, family members, weather, articles of clothing, numbers 1-50)
- Students learn to respond to simple questions and commands.
- Students learn to describe or demonstrate customs related to greetings and birthdays in Spanish-speaking countries.
Text: Espanol para ti
Length: all year
|
