Grade One

The grade one student begins the transition to becoming an independent reader, and is able to identify the features of fiction and nonfiction texts. Students write for a variety of purposes, including personal expression and writing to text. They explore folk tales from America and the world and they study American historical events and people. In science, students look at patterns to describe and predict and in mathematics, the focus is on building a strong foundation in the properties of addition. Performance Tasks include: The Life Cycle; Animal Research Paper; Biography of Author; Farm Field Trip Math Project

English Language Arts
First grade students in Monomoy transition from recognizing the relationship between the alphabetic principle and the written word, to reading and writing independently. Students learn to compare and contrast fiction versus non-fiction texts and use text elements and common textual features in reading, writing and classroom discussions. Using knowledge of phonics and syllabication, Monomoy first graders write for a variety of purposes including personal experiences, responses to literature, and non-fiction reports, while using appropriate capitalization and punctuation. An understanding of appropriate language use with peers and adults during conversations in classroom and alternate settings is a focus for Monomoy first graders.

Social Studies
In first grade, children listen to and read folk tales and true stories from America and from around the world. They learn about major historical events, figures, and symbols related to the United States of America and its national holidays and why they are important to Americans. As students study concepts in geography, civics, economics, and history, they also learn about each other’s families and about the achievements of different people in different times and places.

Mathematics
In grade 1, instructional time is focused on four critical areas: (1) developing understanding of addition, subtraction, and strategies for addition and subtraction within 20; (2) developing understanding of whole number relationships and place value, including grouping in tens and ones; (3) developing understanding of linear measurement and measuring lengths as iterating length units; and (4) reasoning about attributes of, and composing and decomposing geometric shapes. Time should be devoted in achieving mastery of addition facts (10x10): fluency with strategies and understanding (decomposition/re-composition of number).

Science and Technology/Engineering
Describing Patterns In grade 1, students have more fluency with language, number sense and inquiry skills. This allows students to describe patterns of motion between the sun, moon, and stars in relation to the Earth. From this understanding they can identify seasonal patterns from sunrise and sunset data that will allow them to predict future patterns. Building from their experiences in Pre-K and kindergarten observing and describing daily weather, they can now examine seasonal data of temperature and rainfall to describe patterns over time. Grade 1 students investigate sound and light through various materials. They describe patterns in how light passes through and sounds differ from different types of materials. Based on this they design and build a device to send a signal. Students compare the ways different animals and plants use their body parts and senses to do the things they need to do to grow and survive including typical ways parents keep the young safe so they will survive to adulthood. They notice that though there are differences between plants or animals of the same type, the similarities of behavior and appearance are what allow us to identify them as belonging to a group. Grade 1 students begin to understand the power of patterns to predict future events in the natural and designed world.

The Unified Arts
One of the primary goals of the unified arts instruction is to develop and expand children's natural abilities of perception, movement, interpretation, and appreciation of the forms, sounds, and language of creativity. The curriculum is designed to encourage a positive attitude and, perhaps, a lifelong interest in all of the unified arts disciplines. By participating in active experiences, working collaboratively with classmates and teachers, and presenting their work to the larger community, our students gain the technical and aesthetic foundation to be culturally literate citizens of the world.

Visual Arts
Art classes focus on young children’s natural abilities to perceive, create, and appreciate the visual arts, while developing a positive attitude, and perhaps, a lifelong interest in art. Painting, collage, clay, drawing, sculpture, and fiber art projects often relate to the themes that the children are studying in other areas of their curriculum. The children’s work is often displayed in hallways and galleries around the school.

Music
Music instruction in the primary grades is based on a comprehensive, sequential, experience-based program used to develop basic musical skills and to teach the reading and writing of music. From lullabies, childhood chants, folk songs, singing games and dances, to the art music of master composers, students sing, move, listen, and respond to an ever-increasing repertoire of music, from which musical elements and concepts to be learned are derived.

Wellness
The elementary physical education program provides opportunities for students to express themselves through movement. Classes focus on fine and gross motor skills, balance, spatial awareness, flexibility, endurance, strength and coordination. Activities are lively and fun, making use of a wide variety of equipment, ranging from bean bags to beach balls, whiffle bats, scoops, and foam paddles. The four most important areas for student learning are; skill development, personal responsibility, fitness, and sportsmanship.

Technology
The essential questions in the early elementary technology classroom are: How can students use technology responsibly and safely? How can students effectively use keyboarding hardware and software? How can students use technology for research, problem solving and innovation? and How do students use technology to communicate?