Grade One Curriculum
First-graders at Milton learn to find their voice in a supportive environment. As each child learns to become a successful, independent individual within the larger community, they learn how to own their choices and responsibilities. Eager for information—excited by new ideas, people and places—students begin to forge more meaningful connections to the world around them. Milton’s first graders grow in independence, as they explore the differences between making decisions and completing required tasks. They learn about time management through balancing activities and being responsible for their choices.
What makes up a community? How do we live and work together? These are essential questions we consider in Grade 1. Central themes—units of study that incorporate math, science, reading and writing curriculum—include occupations and avocations; habitats (deserts and swamps); and architecture, homes and mapping neighborhoods. Through these units, students learn important observation and investigative skills; they practice social skills and they develop a greater appreciation of our world’s diversity. With a strong focus on writing, including personal narratives, Milton’s Grade 1 students observe, journal, compare, research and read. Whether students begin the year as readers or develop into readers as the year progresses, students experience both positive challenges and success every day.
Studies and Skills
Language Arts
Developing reading comprehension
Reading for information
Developing phonemic awareness
Studying authors for style and structure of stories
Writing workshop: finding a voice and becoming authors by writing letters, journaling, creating directions for a task and authoring a non-fiction chapter book
Participation in guided reading groups
Learning grade-level spelling and grammar rules
Spanish Language and Culture
Developing listening and speaking skills in Spanish
Appreciating Spanish culture
Developing oral language skills through hands-on activities, games and songs
Building vocabulary
Learning to offer and respond to greetings, questions and commands
Computer Science and Instructional Technology
Introduction to iPads—used for language arts, math, social studies enrichment and special projects
Digital citizenship—handling devices with appropriate care, explaining rules for care to others
Identify, using accurate terminology, simple hardware and software problems that may occur during use and apply strategies for solving problems
Library and Information Science
Making connections between literature, personal experience and background knowledge
Finding books of interest and appropriate reading level, understanding library organization and sharing recommendations
Learning about responsibility—checking out and returning books
Using internet resources curated by a teacher or librarian to gather information
Mathematics
Modeling and solving addition and subtraction problems with one and two digit numbers
Counting and keeping track of two digit amounts by counting by 1s and by groups
Using standard units to measure and describe lengths
Telling time to the nearest hour
Identifying coins and their values
Using mathematics vocabulary to name and describe 2D and 3D shapes
Science
Developing critical scientific skills: observing, measuring, collecting and recording data, forming hypotheses
Studying animals and their habitats
Studying weather and seasons
Studying plants and their life cycles
Woodworking and Design Thinking
Proper use and care of tools
Learning the function of simple machines and how to incorporate them into projects
Cutting angles with miter saw and miter box
Using standard and non-standard units of measurement
Learning how to generate ideas for projects and solve problems
Learning vocabulary related to architecture and design
Experiencing failure and learning how to revise ideas and methods
Introducing simple power tools
Practicing hand tools
Music and Performing Arts
Exposure to American musicians and composers as well as classical works
Learning about instrument families and orchestral instruments
Rhythmic and melodic note reading
Pitch matching and ear training
Interpretive movement, breath control and vocal technique
Visual Arts
Exploration, idea-generation, initiation and follow-through
Basic pottery techniques, rolling, cutting, design and under glazing
Self-portraits and color mixing as a connection to hair, skin, eyes and size unit
Artist study unit: one or two major artists per year
Physical Education and Fitness
Developing sport-specific skills and enhancing gross motor skills
Practicing sportsmanship
Developing teamwork and cooperation
Receiving an introduction to sports concepts and rules
