First Grade At a Glance Below are a few of the exciting experiences that await your first-grader in Langley’s Lower School: • STEAM classes that continue to develop skills in collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication • Combined first- and second-grade musical that builds confidence and stage presence The Langley School’s Arc of Development recognizes that the steepest part of a child’s development comes early, and that while every child’s path is unique, there are predictable cognitive, emotional, and social milestones. With this model, our students receive age-appropriate, inquiry-based instruction.
• Buddy program with fifth-graders that fosters friendships across grade levels • Lower School service learning projects that promote a greater awareness of the world • Field Day and weekly Lower School assemblies that build community and foster teamwork with older students
Learning in Action “As part of Reader’s Theater, students choose scripts and practice how to bring a story to life by reading fluently. They learn the aspects of fluency, including accuracy, speed, attention to punctuation, and expression. After practicing, students enthusiastically and confidently perform their Reader’s Theater plays as their fellow first-graders cheer them on!” -Grade 1 Teacher “As they reflect on their work using audio recordings on iPads throughout the year, first-graders discover that background noise can interfere. While studying sound waves and amplification, students create recording booths and test the effectiveness of their design at reducing noise.” -STEAM Teacher “First-graders take an imaginary trip to the tropical rainforest of ‘El Yunque’ in Puerto Rico where they immerse themselves in the Spanish language as tourists. They ask and answer questions about what they hear, see, and do. Using a variety of resources, they speak and listen through paired practice, small group work, and role plays, developing communication skills and cultural awareness.” -Spanish Teacher
Units of Study: These units of study are examples of how we build age-appropriate, interdisciplinary lessons. The goal is to challenge, expand thinking, and inspire students to act on their curiosity, ask good questions, and solve problems. Social Studies: Communities Essential Questions: What is a community? What makes a community safe and fun? Skill/Activity: Design and build a community out of recycled materials which reflects a community’s needs, wants, goods, and services Math: Place Value Essential Question: How does understanding place value help you think about numbers? Skill/Activity: Use base 10 blocks to set the foundation for learning about our system of numeration Language Arts: Small Moments Essential Question: How can writers use personal experiences to write “small moment” stories? Skill/Activity: Write a story which is a focused vignette of your life STEAM: Biomimicry Essential Question: How can natural structures inspire our design thinking? Skill/Activity: Create a useful design based off of an external body part of an animal
Sample Schedule 8:00-8:25 a.m…..........…Morning Meeting 8:25-9:25 a.m……................................Math 9:25-10:05 a.m…...........Writing Workshop 10:05-10:45 a.m….................Snack/Recess 10:45-11:30 a.m…......…Physical Education 11:30 a.m.-12:10 p.m….......................Music 12:10-1:10 p.m....Recess/Lunch/Read Aloud 1:10-2:10 p.m……............................Reading 2:10-2:50 p.m….................…Social Studies 2:50-3:00 p.m…...............Closing Meeting 3:00 p.m…….................................Dismissal
What “Specials” Classes Will My Child Have? P.E. (3x/7-day cycle): sportsmanship; ball handling; gross motor development; cooperative and tag games Spanish (3x/7-day cycle): oral communication through immersion; cultural exposure; thematic units Art (2x/7-day cycle): elements/principles of design; critical thinking; effective use of tools and media; art appreciation; exploration Music (2x/7-day cycle): singing; rhythmic speech; movement; instrumentation; musical terminology; rhythmic notation; basic improvisation; music appreciation and history Library (1x/7-day cycle): reading for personal enjoyment and academic research; information literacy; selection, evaluation, and use of reliable/relevant resources
Since we believe educational programs should continually evolve to meet the needs of our students, all curricular lessons and schedules referenced here are examples and may change.