First Grade
(For children age 6 or older by August 31)
St. Louise has two first-grade classrooms with an average of 16 students in each class. In first grade, students continue to develop and enrich their academic, social, and communication skills through a challenging, yet developmentally appropriate, curriculum which includes a wide variety of assorted activities. As a faith-centered community, we partner with parents and strive to inspire students to reach their full potential. The first-grade teachers have a daily 70-minute reading class, in which two Instructional Assistants and a Reading Specialist Teacher assist them.
Curriculum
Religion
Text: Sadlier, We Believe: Catholic Identity Parish Edition
Focus: God as our Creator and loving parent, the life of Jesus Christ and the church’s liturgical seasons.
Text: Sadlier, We Believe: Catholic Identity Parish Edition
Focus: God as our Creator and loving parent, the life of Jesus Christ and the church’s liturgical seasons.
Reading
Text: Houghton Mifflin: Journeys Catholic Identity Edition. Reading.
Focus: Phonics, decoding strategies, reading strategies, and comprehension strategies such as: note details, make predictions, compare and contrast, categorize/classify, draw conclusions, sequence, summarize, make generalizations, and understand cause and effect, fantasy and realism.
Text: Houghton Mifflin: Journeys Catholic Identity Edition. Reading.
Focus: Phonics, decoding strategies, reading strategies, and comprehension strategies such as: note details, make predictions, compare and contrast, categorize/classify, draw conclusions, sequence, summarize, make generalizations, and understand cause and effect, fantasy and realism.
Writing
Focus: Focus on six traits of writing: conventions, ideas, organization, sentence fluency, word choice, and voice.
Focus: Focus on six traits of writing: conventions, ideas, organization, sentence fluency, word choice, and voice.
Math
Text: Big Ideas 2022 Edition
Focus: Addition and subtraction, mastery of number combinations to 10, measurement, money, time, patterning, sorting, counting, graphing, comparing, geometric shapes, calendar skills, problem-solving.
Text: Big Ideas 2022 Edition
Focus: Addition and subtraction, mastery of number combinations to 10, measurement, money, time, patterning, sorting, counting, graphing, comparing, geometric shapes, calendar skills, problem-solving.
Science
Text: Mystery Science, Picture-Perfect STEM: K-2 Lessons
Focus: Sun, Moon, and Stars; Properties of Light and Sound; Plant and Animal structures & life cycles.
Text: Mystery Science, Picture-Perfect STEM: K-2 Lessons
Focus: Sun, Moon, and Stars; Properties of Light and Sound; Plant and Animal structures & life cycles.
Social Studies
Text: Scholastic News: My Weekly Reader – Grade 1 and Christmas Around the World
Focus: Communities, holidays and traditions around the world, symbols of our country, basic map skills.
Text: Scholastic News: My Weekly Reader – Grade 1 and Christmas Around the World
Focus: Communities, holidays and traditions around the world, symbols of our country, basic map skills.
Spelling
Text: Houghton Mifflin: Journeys Catholic Identity Edition. Reading
Focus: A review of basic language skills. Spelling as used in everyday writing.
Text: Houghton Mifflin: Journeys Catholic Identity Edition. Reading
Focus: A review of basic language skills. Spelling as used in everyday writing.
Handwriting
Focus: Zaner-Bloser: Formation of letters, spacing, stroke, size, and proportion; weekly practice in manuscript.
Focus: Zaner-Bloser: Formation of letters, spacing, stroke, size, and proportion; weekly practice in manuscript.
Additional Subjects
Art, Computers, Library, Music, Physical Education, and Talking About Touching: A Personal Safety Curriculum
Service Projects
The first-grade classes provide service to the St. Vincent De Paul Society during the fall and winter by collecting coats to clothe those who need warmth during the cold months. In the spring, they have a book drive for The New Bethlehem Project, a joint project of St. Louise Parish School and other churches on the Eastside to provide a day center for homeless families.
In addition to their grade level service projects, the first grade classes work together with the entire school on school-wide annual service projects.
- Our November Thanksgiving Food Drive teaches the importance of stewardship and giving to others. The entire student body creates about two dozen “baskets” that include non-perishable food items and gift cards to create a great Thanksgiving meal and help stock the family pantry. Together with the help of the Parish and St. Vincent de Paul, the baskets are distributed to families in need right here in the St. Louise Community.
- Throughout the year, students support New Bethlehem Programs – a part of Catholic Community Services. New Bethlehem Programs offer day center and shelter services for families that are experiencing homelessness. During Advent students and families support the program by collecting much needed supplies for them.
- During Lent, students learn the importance of fasting and almsgiving. This 40-day season of giving begins on Ash Wednesday with a school-wide “Rice and Beans Lunch,” when all the students and staff give up their usual lunch for rice and beans. The money they would have spent on an ample meal is donated to the New Bethlehem Programs.
Classroom Enrichment, Special Projects, and Events
Field trips include going to see local performances of children's literature. Students also get the opportunity to view numerous performances on field trips, as well as at school; some of which are performed by the student body, some of which are performed by professional companies. Many guest speakers visit and share their intellect and gifts with the children.
First grade pairs with fourth grade for various activities. Once a month, students get together to collaborate on projects together. Each child is paired with one or two fourth grade buddies who act as their mentors. Students also go to Masses together to bond in God's love.
