First Grade

Writing 

Focus: 

• Personal Narratives 
• Informational Writing 
• Opinion Writing 
• Handwriting (Zaner Bloser) 

Textbook:  Journeys Curriculum 

Spelling 

First grade students have weekly spelling tests. Some of our units include: 

• Short vowels 

• Long vowels 

• Digraphs 

• Compound words 

• R Controlled vowels 

• Contractions  

Textbook: Journeys Curriculum  

Grammar 

Focus: 

• Beginning understanding of things like: Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Pronouns, Conjunctions, Subject/Predicate etc. 

Textbook: Journeys Curriculum 

Focus: 

• Addition & Subtraction (knowing their “fast facts”) 
• Addition & Subtraction with and without regrouping 
• Other topics covered: measurement, money, time, geometry, patterns 
• Providing whole and small group lessons 
• Math Whizz is introduced in 1st grade – this is an online individualizedtutor that students can work on at school, as well as at home. 

Textbook: Math in Focus 1A & 1B

Units include:

• Technology and Engineering 
• Light and Sound 
• Plant and Animal Structures 
• Objects and Patterns in the Sky 

Textbook: Houghton Mifflin 

Focus:

• Families Long Ago & Today
• Geography
• United States Presidents
• Community Economics
• Storypath: Understanding Goods & Services – Main Street

Units include:

• The Bible 
• Advent/Christmas 
• Lent/Easter 
• The Mass  

Required prayers: 

• Our Father 
• Hail Mary 
• Glory Be 
• Verse from the Liturgy of the Hours 

Each 1st grade class has the opportunity to lead a Wednesday school Mass, as well as a Sunday Mass.  

• Art (twice a week, 60 minutes total) with the Art Teacher in the Art Room
• Music (twice a week, 60 minutes total) with the Music Teacher in the Music Room
• Library (once a week, 30 minutes) with the School Librarian in the Library
• Guidance (twice a month, 30 minutes per lesson) with the School Counselor in the classroom
• Spanish (once a week, 30 minutes) with the Primary Grade Spanish Teacher in the classroom 
• PE (twice a week, 50 minutes total) with the PE Teacher in the Gym 

• First outbound field trip to the Seattle Childrens' Theater which is tied into a children's novel study 
• Begin to learn about technology using the Learning.com curriculum 
• Students are responsible for weekly homework packets 
• Students are responsible for a monthly book report 
• Meet with our 7th grade buddies once a month for an activity 
• Scholastic Weekly Reader