First Grade at All Saints
Our class has 22 students this year. At this time of the year, most of our daily routines and procedures are in place and running smoothly.

Three days of the week we begin with a morning meeting. This activity is comprised of a greeting, sharing time, group activity, and news and announcements. The students look forward to this time each day and it helps build community. The morning meeting also helps us practice listening skills and do a brief review of content.

On Tuesdays we begin our day with Mass along with the rest of the school and members of the community. After mass we do an abbreviated morning meeting.

Routine parts of our day include: Religion, Reader’s Workshop, Writer’s Workshop, Words (phonics & phonemic awareness), Math, and Our World (Science, Social Studies, and Health). The children also enjoy the learning that takes place in Music, Art, Physical Education, Library, Technology, and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program.

Curriculum – Language & Math
Language Arts: Reading, Writing, and Phonics all work hand-in-hand to provide the students with a solid foundation for becoming life-long readers. In first grade, writing and phonics are taught as a means to understand and strengthen reading skills. The students come to understand reading as two-fold, decoding (or figuring out the words) and comprehension (or understanding and interacting with the story).

Mathematics: Math is divided into strands: Number, Number Sense and Operations; Geometry and Spatial Sense; Measurement; Patterns, Functions, and Algebra; and also Data Analysis and Probability. Each of these strands is explored and taught in first grade. Mathematics is done in groups as well as individually, with manipulatives, and through paper/pencil tasks. It gives the students many avenues and opportunities for practice and eventual mastery.