During the first half of the year, literacy activities revolve around the idea of communities, citizenship, and cultural traditions. The essential questions first graders seek to answer are “What does it mean to be a good citizen in your school community?” and “How and why do people make decisions and choices?” Through Responsive Classroom practices and authentic reading and writing experiences, children examine the following important Social Studies Concepts:
In January, first grade students are immersed in Science. Through a mix of hands on experimentation, ongoing observations, and authentic reading and writing activities, children investigate the physical and natural world. Essential science questions are “How can we use patterns to explain and predict?” and “How are living things similar and different?” 1st Grade science topics include: