1st Grade

Around the age of seven, children enter the middle years of childhood, transitioning from early childhood into the grades - often referred to as the seven year change. Children enter the first grade with great enthusiasm and curiosity, and are received by teachers with the necessary skills to foster a love of learning, in a warm and nurturing setting. In the first grade, students officially begin their formal academics, and they are introduced to many new subjects. With wonder and beauty, the class teacher brings learning alive. It is in the first grade that children begin to think in images, so rich stories are brought. Students hear fairytales from around the world as well as nature stories, and through these stories, they are introduced to letters and the sounds they make. It is through these rich stories that the formation of letters, writing, and qualities of numbers are brought. Through fun learning games, the first grade class teacher keeps learning active so that students are not sitting for more than 20 minute at a time. Additionally, singing, form drawing, modeling beeswax, finger games, cooperative games, water color painting, pentatonic flute, knitting and class chores are a part of the first grade experience. First grade students are also introduced to subject classes, including Movement and Spanish.