First Grade |
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Reading — Our goal for first grade students is to become independent and fluent readers with a thirst for knowledge through quality literature. Students participate daily in an intense phonics series as well as receive exposure to a wide variety of trade books. Regular lessons on grammar and many varied writing opportunities round out the reading program.
Math — Our Everyday Mathematics series was developed
by The University of Chicago School of Mathematics Project. The goal of the primary program is for students to discover problem-solving strategies and apply mathematical concepts. A variety of manipulatives and a hands-on approach help students reach this goal.
Social Studies — Thematic units are used to integrate all areas of our curriculum. To enhance the development of citizenship skills, students focus on six virtues of living happy, productive and quality lives: respect, responsibility, courage, honesty, friendship and helping others.
Special Activities — We begin our year with a study of United States' symbols and the history of our flag. Throughout the year, as students create art, they learn about the lives of famous artists such as Monet. Students also present monthly book reports. In the fall, we celebrate Oktoberfest with activities that enhance our weekly German language lessons. We also host a parent picnic where parents are invited to eat with their children over the lunch period and connect with other families. To learn about other cultures, we invite our parents to visit our classrooms to talk about ways they celebrate holidays such as Ramadan, Hanukkah, Christmas, Chinese New Year, etc. Students enjoy our annual tour of Intrust Bank where they learn about money and the many services offered such as safety deposit boxes and foreign currency. Our Sunflower Celebration concludes our unit on the State of Kansas and includes a variety of activities in which our students participate as they rotate from classroom to classroom. An evening activity, the Imagination Celebration, is an opportunity for parents to participate with their children in numerous activities that encourage thinking and reasoning skills. A Japanese Festival concludes our study of the culture and language of Japan. Each spring, students conduct a series of snack sales to benefit the adoption of an animal at the Sedgwick County Zoo. Students present the money they have earned during a field trip to the zoo, which includes a learning lecture in the zoo's education center.