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OUR FIRST GRADE
There are three first grade classrooms with a limit of 30 students per
classroom.
Each first grade teacher has a paid educational assistant.
The assistants are actively involved with daily instruction of the children.
The participation of parent volunteers during the school day is encouraged.
SPECIAL CLASSES
Art,
Computer,
Library,
Music,
Physical Education,
Spanish
These subjects are taught by IHM teachers
who have training
and experience in their chosen fields.
OTHER SUBJECTS
Religion, English, Health, Science,
Math, Social Studies, Phonics, Spelling,
Reading, Writing
TEACHING METHODS
The teaching methods are traditional.
The children are taught phonics, sight
words, and some whole language,
however, the emphasis is on phonics.
There are reading groups and phonics groups.
Sometimes the groups
will change during the year;
in other cases the children will stay in the same
group.
This is predicated on the progress of each child.
RELIGION
The children attend Mass once each week and
they have thirty minutes of religion
class on each of the other four days.
During the year the children learn many
different prayers,
but they do concentrate on the Our Father, Hail Mary, and
Glory Be.
The textbook recommended by the Archdiocese is used.
The children will
be introduced to some of the basic tenets
that the Catholic Church teaches
about the Blessed Trinity.
They will discover much about God the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit
through the text, videos, hands-on activities, and additional
resources.
In addition, the children have an opportunity to participate
in the
planning of a Mass by doing a reading, a petition, or the offertory.
READING
There is emphasis on sounding out words, comprehension, word referents,
following directions, contractions, compound words, commas in a series,
apostrophes, rhymes, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms,
sign words, base words, word
endings, such as –ed and –ing,
main idea, and summaries.
First graders also have
fourth grade “Reading Buddies.”
The first and fourth graders meet once a week to
read together.
WRITING
Creativity, correct spelling, sentence structure and the main idea are
emphasized.
SPELLING
The children have spelling activities and
weekly tests.
MATH
The children learn the addition and subtraction facts through 18,
money
(counting pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters), time (hour and half-hour),
word
problems, measurement by customary units and metric units,
symmetry, geometry,
and fractions.
During the second semester, the children have math timed tests.
They need to memorize their math facts in order to complete the answers quickly.
SCIENCE
Students are introduced to basic inquiry including the K(know) W (what I want to
know)
and L ( what I’ve learned) method.
We teach basic recycling which includes
guest speakers from Hamilton County.
We also learn about taking care of our body
through
hands on projects like “Mr. Bones”.
Students will learn about plants and
animals through class work, field trips and guest speakers.
AUXILIARY SERVICES
Speech and language therapy, remedial reading, math support and enrichment,
psychological testing, and counseling are available.
These teachers
meet with children who need additional assistance.
RECESS
The children go outside if the weather permits.
They have a recess at lunchtime.
Sometimes, they also have a short recess in the afternoon.
FIELD TRIPS
During the holiday season the first graders usually go on a field trip.
Other
opportunities are also planned during the school year.
EIGHTH GRADE BIG BROTHERS/SISTERS
The first graders are paired with an eighth grader.
They sit with their eighth
grader during Mass and
participate in special activities together throughout the year.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Your child might enjoy Brownies, Tiger Cubs, or Destination Imagination.
2009 ~ 2010 Registration Information