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4832 Highland Ave.

Downers Grove, IL 60515

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Monday to Friday

1st Grade

1st Grade

Meet Our Teachers

Miss Krueger | Bio
Mrs. Parker | Bio 

Curriculum Highlights

A variety of learning materials and teaching methods are applied within daily lessons to accommodate all types of learners.

  • Through whole group instructions, small groups, partner work, and independent learning, students develop language arts skills by reading and discussing stories with sight words and phonetic words (with short vowels), spelling phonetic sight words and writing them in complete sentences, reading and listening to fiction and non-fiction books, summarizing and retelling stories, and beginning to write and revise short pieces.
  • Through informational texts, iPads, Smart Boards, and manipulatives, students gain a better understanding of science and social studies concepts including: four seasons, solids and liquids, natural resources, interdependence of plants and animals, characteristics of communities, citizenship, and basic concepts on space.
  • Math concepts include addition/subtraction facts to 10, place value, data and graphs, measurement, weight, temperature, shapes, solid figures, and fractions.
  • In Religion, we discuss Creation and review prayers (The Sign of the Cross, Grace before Meals, and the Our Father). We will meet our 8th grade Buddies and attend Masses on Tuesdays with them. For now, our School Mass is virtual and we will meet our 8th grade Buddies when it is safe to do so.

1st Grade Curriculum

Religion
Text: Finding God
Students will learn through stories, activities, prayer, Scripture, song, discussion and reflection about their Catholic faith.  Catholic values are discussed and integrated in all subject areas.  The focus is on:

  • God, Our Creator and Father
  • Jesus, Our Lord and Savior
  • The Church, Our Community in the Spirit
  • Sacraments, Our Way of Life
  • Morality, Our Lived Faith
  • Common prayers and liturgy (Mass every Tuesday)

Math
Texts: Go Math and IXL Online
Students acquire knowledge of math and the ability to apply math skills to solve problems through the use of the text, activities and hands-on experiences.  The students will:

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

  • Add and subtract numbers to 20 using strategies such as counting on/back, doubles, making ten, related facts, fact families, etc.
  • Understanding and applying strategies such as Commutative and Associative Properties
  • Solve simple word problems using addition and subtraction
  • Build fluency for addition and subtraction
  • Gain knowledge of place value

Numbers and Operations in Base Ten

  • Compare two-digit numbers using symbols <, > and =
  • Add and subtract two-digit numbers using models
  • Identify, write and order numbers to 120
  • Understand place value in two-digit numbers
  • Use objects, pictures and models to represent numbers to 120

Measurement and Data

  • Order objects by length
  • Construct and read charts, tables and graphs (picture graph, bar graph, tally graph, tables) and analyze and compare data shown on the graph
  • Read time to the hour and half-hour

Geometry

  • Identify and describe two and three dimensional shapes according to their attributes
  • Compose a new shape by combining other shapes and decompose combined shapes into shapes
  • Identify equal and unequal parts of a shape
  • Partition shapes into 2 or 4 equal shares

Reading
Text: Wonders, McGraw-Hill
Students will experience authentic literature in the form of fiction, nonfiction/informational, poetry, fantasies, folktales and plays.  Reading fluency will develop and improve as students begin to master skills including:

  • Linking spoken and written language
  • Develop vocabulary
  • Use blending and decoding strategies to read words
  • Read, listen to and discuss text
  • Read independently and develop reading fluency
  • Develop reading fluency
  • Identify point of view in a story
  • Identify author’s purpose in writing
  • Identify characters, setting, important events and beginning, middle and end in a story
  • Sequence of events in a story
  • Make and confirm predictions and inferences
  • Visualize main idea and details in a story
  • Draw conclusions
  • Use context clues
  • Summarize story events
  • Recognize cause and effect
  • Distinguish between reality and fantasy
  • Classify and categorize
  • Synonyms and antonyms
  • Compare and contrast
  • Contractions, abbreviations and compound words
  • Prefixes and suffixes
  • Introduce resources and begin to locate information
  • Self-appraise and self-correct while reading
  • Ask and answer questions about stories

Language Arts/Reading
Language Arts include reading, writing, spelling, handwriting, grammar and listening.

Writing
Students will use writing to convey meaning.  They will:

  • Use the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, publishing
  • Write effectively using words and pictures to convey thoughts
  • Write sentences about a topic (opinion, informative, narrative)
  • Apply spelling knowledge
  • Apply grammar (nouns, verbs, adjectives, contractions) in writing
  • Apply mechanics (capitalization, punctuation, complete sentences) in writing
  • Apply neat writing of uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers

Spelling
Students will learn to spell phonetic words and sight words and are to apply these words into their daily writing.  The weekly spelling list will be included in the Weekly Letter.

Phonics
Students will blend and read words with consonants, short vowels, long vowels, irregular vowels, consonant blends and consonant digraphs.

Listening/Speaking
Students will listen for understanding, follow directions and respond appropriately to the speaker/classmates.  They will use acquired language and vocabulary to express opinions and will:

  • Present material orally
  • Participate in discussions
  • Read and retell stories (summarize)

Science
Text: Scott Foresman Science
Students learn through prediction, observation, questioning and explaining.  Students will learn about:

  • Plants and animals
  • Sound, light, heat
  • States of matter (solid, liquid, gas)
  • The earth, sun, moon and stars
  • Weather

Social Studies
Text/Resources: Social Studies Weekly Magazine, videos and oral discussion
Students will develop an awareness of their communities and important events.

  • Identify communities and community helpers
  • Explore important people in history
  • Describe jobs
  • Explore different cultures
  • Identify holidays
  • Describe families
  • Explore past and current events
  • Describe citizenship
  • Discuss patriotism
  • Describe principles of government and government services
  • Differentiate what happens in the past, present and future
  • Explore map skills

Physical Education
Twice per week students will:

  • Maintain personal fitness
  • Demonstrate gross-motor skills
  • Participate in cooperative games
  • Come dressed for class

Specials
Students participate weekly in music, art, computers, and Spanish classes.