Colorado Calvert Academy First Grade Virtual School
First Grade Course Materials
What Your Child Will Learn in First Grade
Reading
• Building a foundation for reading using the decoding process
• Emphasizing word analysis techniques
• Long vowels
• Digraphs
• Consonant clusters
• Vowel pairs
• Blends
• R-controlled vowels
• Compound words
• Synonyms and Antonyms
• Base words
• Prefixes, suffixes, syllables, possessives, abbreviations, and contractions
• Developing comprehension skills through consistent, controlled vocabulary used in appealing anthologies and phonics library book of stories, verbs, nouns, pronouns
Writing/Composition
• Learning cursive handwriting, using Calvert Script (the distinctive, easy-to-learn method of handwriting used in our Day School)
• Emphasizing simple lines and legibility
• Strengthening fine motor skills and attention to detail
• Forming letters, words, and simple sentences
• Simple punctuation
Mathematics
Featuring Calvert Math
• Using numbers to 100
• Simple fractions
• Solid and plane shapes
• Money
• Equivalent amounts
• Fact Families
• Measuring
• Adding and Subtracting 2-digit numbers
• Place value
• Problem Solving
• Telling Time
Science
• Scientific method
• The Sun, Moon, and stars
• Shadows
• Seasons and weather
• Properties of matter, solids, liquids, and gases
• Forces and movement
• Living and non-living things
• Growth and change
• Human systems
• Energy
• Land and water habitats
• Earth’s surface and resources
Social Studies
• Exploring original read-aloud narratives that include biographies of well-known explorers
• Political figures, inventors, and leaders in American life
• Accounts of famous events (first Thanksgiving; Civil Rights movement)
• Investigating the five themes of geography, compass direction, maps, symbols, globes, and physical features
• Developing the foundation of American civics and government (rules, authority, elections, voting)
• Examining the basic economic concepts of needs and wants, work, production, markets and money; activities included
Technology
Application lessons, activities, and online interactive learning tools integrated with curriculum:
• Beginning keyboarding
• Creating and formatting word processing documents
• Computer parts and navigation
• Developing graphics skills
• Visual mapping basics
• Internet activities integrated with Reading and Science texts
Poetry
• Memorizing and appreciating
Games & Activities
• Developing creativity and motor skills
