First Grade

First grade at The College School is a time for discovery and growth in both academic and social areas. An emphasis on reading development crosses all curricular strands. Through fiction, nonfiction and poetry, the children experience many literary genres. They listen to stories, share in the reading of text, and read independently. Our literacy block of time includes reading, writing, spelling, and oral presentations. We value and encourage a variety of personal expressions throughout first grade.

Our hands-on approach to mathematics provides a rich variety of problem-solving and critical thinking tasks. Through the use of math manipulatives, the students gain concrete understanding of mathematical concepts in order to move to more abstract learning later on in the year. The science curriculum invites students to explore in-depth topics, such as plant and animal life cycles, health and nutrition through cooking and other subjects of interest generated by the students. Additionally, our use and practice of the Spanish language in the classroom supports our school-wide foreign language curriculum.

Our adventure education experiences lead us to work on personal communication skills as well as outdoor skills. We build a strong community within the classroom in which members grow to trust and respect one another. We value what each student brings to our class. We honor their individual needs and timetables. And at the end of the year, we prepare for our overnight camping trip. It is then we celebrate our growth as a class and success at achieving independence and self-reliance. Our confident campers walk proudly as they develop academically, socially, and physically in first grade.