Grade 1. First
grade is an exciting and
important year. Students
work very hard to
improve their reading
skills. The reading
program is phonics-based
and begins with a review
of consonants and then
progresses to short and
long vowels. The
children practice
decoding words daily.
Creative writing
skills are honed
through the use
of journals and
story writing.
Weekly spelling
tests sharpen
reading and
writing skills.
Each first
grader is
encouraged to
participate in
the Accelerated
Reader Program.
A hands-on science program contains units about animals, plants, space, and elementary physics. The children participate in discussions, experiments, and projects. Through various activities, they learn important skills such as prediction, classification, and observation.
Social studies concentrates on schools, families, needs and wants, work, neighborhoods and communities, and our country and its holidays. Through reading, group work, and discussions, first graders are active participants. Students also work on their graphing, mapping, and chart-making skills.
First graders work daily on handwriting to perfect their manuscript through letter practice and writing sentences, stories, and poems. The class participates in a weekly Reading Buddies program with the fifth grade. The buddies read together, practice skills, and make crafts during holiday seasons. Physical education and weekly library, Spanish, art, and music classes are incorporated into the curriculum.
Field trips vary but have included visits to the Metro Richmond Zoo, Swift Creek Mill Playhouse, The Science Museum of Virginia, The Richmond Children's Museum, and Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. First grade is a busy time! Fun-filled activities are combined with learning to provide students with a year they will always remember.