First Grade

Super Foundational Kids (Phonics)

Teacher's College Writing Workshop

Students continue their focus on phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension, grammar and syntax. They are encouraged to read aloud, improving the flow of their reading, their intonation, and their ability to recognize and place emphasis on key words and concepts. Oral and written work includes spelling games, word building, rhyming, grammar and punctuation, individual and group poem creation, story-writing, proofreading, book reports, writing and presenting speeches, stories, and poems.  Regular journaling continues to provide a forum for students’ skills as independent writers. Language Arts lessons are linked to as many other subjects and student interests as possible.  For example, when the class reads Machines in Our Garden, the book is linked to student gardening projects, with a focus on levers. When students study the complicated phonics of words with “dge,” students follow the word “bridge” from language arts, to science and social studies with a daylong project on suspension bridges. Regular homework consists of one-page of worksheets that reinforce the day’s lessons and weekly spelling words. First Graders have a few longer-term homework projects such as stories, book reports, speech practice, and projects. Students are expected to read daily at home; a log of home reading is turned in monthly.

Math in Focus, Grade 2 Curriculum

First Graders are often up and moving during math lessons, acting out math concepts or using their hands and bodies to experience math concepts using manipulatives.  Students have interactive lessons daily and each student completes a guided sheet of written work in class. The “B” side of this sheet is completed as homework and reinforces the day’s lesson. Oral and written assessments are given every five lessons. The teacher’s “hands-on” approach allows students to literally see, feel, and taste math in practical lessons involving cooking, gardening, quilting, and other activities. Students who complete lesson projects early are welcome to work on more challenging material that expands on the concepts studied that day. A short list of the math topics covered includes time, money, arrays, word problems, estimating, patterns, measurements, weights, fractions, symmetry, Venn Diagrams, comparison symbols, thermometer reading, rounding to nearest ten, place value, math fact mastery, time, measurement, and beginning multiplication.  

Foss, Next Generation Science 

First Grade science is full of activities, projects and experiments designed to stimulate students’ interest in the world around them. The class asks and answers questions about why things happen in nature, how things happen, how things are built, etc. First Grade has a garden outside its classroom and uses it to study plant growth, learn about tending plants, and for growing plants to use in cooking projects, as well as for studying concepts such as diffusion. First Grade grows basil and makes the world’s best pesto sauce! Students also grow lavender, mint, and other herbs for tea – which is a great way to study diffusion. Students observe the insects and other animals that use and need their garden and release Painted Lady Butterflies into the garden after they’ve gone through the process of metamorphosis in the classroom.  Science also includes a field trip to Natural Bridges State Beach to study the Monarch Butterflies and their winter migration, construction of suspension bridges, and many fun experiments. In early autumn students look for deciduous trees that still have green leaves.  Before the leaves turn colors, students collect and crush leaves with a mortar and pestle, mix in alcohol, and then watch the mixture “wick” up a coffee filter.  This process displays layers of red, pink, yellow, gold, and orange – making the subtle actions of chlorophyll visible.  First Grade parents often develop and lead First Grade science experiments.

First Grade Social Studies is a hands-on journey through diverse concepts that help build essential life skills, such as sharing, friendship, conflict resolution, resourcefulness, decorum, the importance of “thank yous” and apologies, community and community service, cultural events, geography, customs and holidays, diversity, and much more!  Students read books, learn songs, and work on art and cooking projects that help teach them about history and different cultures.

Students continue to build their reading, writing, listening and speaking with daily Spanish classes. You can learn more about Spanish programs across all grades here.

Students have music, art, drama, and tech classes multiple times a week. Each class at different times of the year also practices and performs a play with two showings; one in the afternoon for their schoolmates and teachers, and one in the evening for parents and family.

At all grade levels, enrichment classes are taught by highly skilled and passionate specialist teachers. You can learn more here.

Students enjoy physical education classes three days a week. You can learn more here.

First grade students go on a variety of field trips every year!  Favorites include yearly outings to the San Jose Giants, Natural Bridges, and Roaring Camp.