Academics
To jump to your student's class, click on the appropriate link the right:
First Grade Class
Welcome to 1st Grade!
The first grade year is full of transitions for the children. They learn how to read fluently, write short stories and paragraphs, add, subtract, and so much more! Each child’s learning experience is an exciting and fun filled one!
Curriculum: St. John uses Go Math! curriculum which stresses fundamental math concepts as well as computational skills. (In other words, the children learn the “whys” not just the “hows”.) For Reading, the Reading Street curriculum is used. This reading program which uses a basil reader, also has word building activities, phonics review, grammar review and a writing component. In addition to Reading Street, we use the Harcourt Language curriculum for English, which emphasizes punctuation, capitalization, parts of speech, and writing skills. Our Reading and Language programs are enriched with Plaid Phonics. This is a great way to reinforce different phonics rules that help the children learn to decode a word and sound out unfamiliar words while reading. vocabulary. St. John uses One In Christ religion curriculum. Two Bible stories are covered each week, and the children get to complete skits, conduct puppet plays, and complete projects that coincide with each story.
Enrichment Classes: The first graders enjoy several enrichment classes each week. The students attend a weekly story time in the school library, and then get to pick out their own library book to take back to class with them for the week. Each week, they also attend a Zumba Kid's class, where they learn new dances that get those muscles working. In addition to Zumba and Library, the students enjoy daily enrichment in the classroom using technology. The class has desktops and tablets available for their use to reinforce skills taught in class.
Communication: Each child receives a take home folder which contains any important paperwork that will need to go home to parents/guardians. This is the “carrying case” for homework that needs to be completed each night and returned to school.
A newsletter is sent home every Monday. The newsletter contains the spelling words, memory work, and the High Frequency Words for the week. It also contains the homework assignments and test dates for the week.
Fastdirect is an important way for parents to receive and send information. Fast Direct is a system that allows parents and teachers to email back and forth, weekly conduct grades and academic grades can be viewed by parents as they are posted by the teacher.
Encouraging Reading for Enjoyment: Since the students are beginning readers, it is important to encourage them to read about topics that are of interest. The students may check out library books from the Classroom library to take home. Each parent can fill out a "Star Reader" form once the child has either read the book to them, or a parent has read it to the child. Once the child gets 15 books completed, they can return the form to the teacher for a prize.