First Grade
First grade is a bridge between kindergarten and the grades. The child is now ready to begin to work imaginatively in new, more focused and explicit ways with the mind. The first grade curriculum is designed to meet the children at their particular developmental level. First graders learn and live through imagination, feeling, and movement.
Main Lesson Subjects (Covered daily in 5, 3 or 2 day sessions)
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Math: Qualities of numbers; introduction of the four operations in arithmetic
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Language Arts: Pictorial and phonetic introduction to letters; writing; fairy tales from around the world; poetry recitation
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Natural Science: Nature stories; Nature walks in all seasons to forest and beach areas.
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Living Science: To cultivate a sense of awe in the students regarding science and the natural world around them using experiences with scientific concepts, observations, and experiments to form meaningful impressions that can building onto future experiments and deeper learning. Focus: Trees, local fauna and floral seasonal
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Social Studies: Multicultural stories, class community building
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Handwork: Introductory Knitting, beeswax modeling
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Visual & Performing Arts: Form drawing and drama. Each class will be practicing and performing a class play or presentation tied to the curriculum which is shared with class families.
Specials Subjects (weekly)
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World Language: Introduction to Spanish through songs, stories and rhymes, imitation and gesture
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Visual & Performing Arts: Music (introduction to recorder), watercolor painting, beeswax modeling
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Handwork: Knitting (fine motor skills, concentration, sense of form), simple woodwork accompanied by story and song
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Nature Immersion: All-weather hikes and immersion in the forest beach areas on Fridays.

