Grade 1 14 Grade 6

Grade 1 Curriculum

At-a-Glance

In First Grade, students begin to identify themselves as readers, writers, mathematicians and engineers. Through interdisciplinary experiences at the Butler Campus, First Graders delve into the five components of resilience: creativity, growth mindset, purpose, self-care and relationships. Girls develop their sense of self through discussions, writing, presenting to their peers and taking on classroom responsibilities. Through all of their learning experiences, First Graders consider what it means to be a member of a community and how they can contribute positively by being civically engaged.

Literacy:

• Develop skills through Fundations, including skills for word attack, spelling and formation, as well as for sentence structure • Discover reading through small, flexible groups tailored to students’ abilities • Study genres and authors • Establish personal connections to texts • Examine forms of writing, beginning with sentence level writing in the narrative genre and report writing to developing argument and persuasive writing Focus on sentence level construction, word choice, purpose and audience

Social Studies:

• Examine identity, families, school, community and the nation • Conduct a mock election for the Golden Gator Book Award • Compare and contrast their own experience to that of others • Explore the role of an individual in a community • Develop skills, including: questioning, research, collaboration, communication, presentation, investigation and reflection • Foster creativity through role-play and the integration of music, dance and art

Mathematics:

• Explore counting, comparing, ordering and place value in numbers to 100 • Investigate money by identifying and relating coin values, counting and making coin combinations • Develop skills in addition and subtraction using models, numbers and symbols for facts to 20 • Acquire strategies for mental math and data analysis • Examine patterns, properties and relationships • Gain skills in identifying, classifying and creating 2D and 3D shapes • Begin an exploration of measurement and time • Expand mathematical communication through connections and representation • Solve real-world problems using concrete, pictorial and symbolic models

Science:

• Continue skill development in scientific inquiry • Explore the five senses through experimentation • Compare vertebrate to invertebrate animals, including their characteristics and adaptations • Investigate habitats at the Butler Campus • Engage in weather and ecology studies • Examine birds and flight • Experiment with mechanical engineering and wind turbine design • Explore the plant cycle through gardening • Participate in outdoor experiential education–Learning at Butler

Days and seasonal gardening

Technology:

• Foster and increase awareness of technology concepts • Develop a foundation for digital citizenship and responsible use by discussing online safety • Introduce and practice appropriate use of digital learning tools that foster collaboration, creativity, and authentic audiences, such as iPads, Beebots and Dash • Introduce coding topics and skills, such as sequencing, conditionals and events

Art:

• Explore personal expression through individual choice and exposure to a variety of techniques • Experience drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, wire sculpture, clay and glaze • Examine line, shape, texture, space and pattern • Investigate color theory: the color wheel and warm and cool colors • Discover women artists and contemporary art • Integrate themes from classroom curriculum • Engage in arts immersion experiences and performances combining visual art, drama, music and dance

Dance:

• Develop body awareness, flexibility and coordination through basic dance movements • Expand spatial and locomotor awareness • Take part in and create problem-solving activities • Explore movement through stories, music and poetry • Perform in classroom and on stage

Music:

• Engage in musical experiences in small- and large-group activities • Expand vocal abilities and learn to sing, identify and match pitch using the head voice • Transfer rhythmic and pitch identifying labels to written music literacy

Explore and play percussion instruments in two distinct parts to accompany performances • Investigate and explore famous musicians and composers from various genres and eras of music • Participate in solo, classroom, grade-level, and all-division performances

Physical Education:

• Explore elements of force, time and space while moving at different levels and in different directions • Develop motor, foot- and hand-eye coordination, manipulative and spatial skills • Practice many problem-solving techniques • Develop strategies for playing simple games • Experience and use a wide variety of equipment—balls, hoops, ropes, scooters, bats and gymnastic equipment