First Grade Curriculum Overview
Reading
First graders want to read, listen to, and talk about a wide range of
books, including picture books, poems, short chapter books, and short
informational materials. They are able to predict, sequence, and
summarize story events. They expect the text to make sense, and, if
necessary, they make a second attempt and reread. These students talk
about themselves a readers.
Writing
First graders write to tell about an experience, to tell a story, or to
describe. They use both words and picture. They use phonetic or
“temporary” spelling as a strategy, but are growing in their knowledge
of standard spelling.
Mathematics
The mathematics curriculum is organized into five strands:
(1) number and operations; (2) measurement; (3) geometry; (4) data
analysis and probability; and, (5) algebra. Problem-solving strategies
are embedded into each of the 5 strands.
Social Studies
First graders build on kindergarten concepts related to other children,
families, home, and school. They compare their own home and school life
with children in environments and societies different from their own.
During this year, they become more individually responsible.
Science
The focus for first grade students is using their senses to make
observations and using their own rules to classify living and nonliving
objects.
Science Concepts: The needs of living organisms, Understanding of solid
earth materials, Properties & relationships of objects,
Understanding of motion, balance, and weighing of objects
Art/Music
Arts Education includes four separate and distinct disciplines; dance,
music, theatre arts, and visual arts—each with its own body of
knowledge and skills, The intent of the National Standards for Arts
Education, along with the standard courses of study in each area, is
that a comprehensive understanding of one or more of the arts is
accomplished by each student throughout the K-12 Program.
Health/PE
The Healthful Living Education program promotes behaviors that
contribute to a healthful life-style and improved quality of life for
all students. The Healthful Living Education portions of the NC
Standard Course of Study support and reinforce the goals and objectives
of its two major components—health education and physical education.