1st Grade
Our Christian teachers are trained to teach from a holisitic, Christ-centered curriculum that provides an enriched learning experience to enhance the child’s age appropriate development. Our 1st Grade program nurtures each child by offering carefully selected learning experiences that develop your child socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically. As they progress through the primary years, we foster their love for learning and use many concrete and sequential strategies to support your student’s personalized needs. Your child will also develop skills through experiences with Bible, music, art, PE, storytelling, and developmentally appropriate use of technology tools.
BIBLE AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
Bible study and prayer is a very important time for our first graders. The Bible is interwoven into all curriculum areas. With Deep Roots, our first graders focus on the Old Testament, specifically from Creation to the Promised Land. Students are encouraged to apply Biblical lessons to their own lives and spend time reviewing character traits such as obedience, respect and responsibility. Students participate in Lower School Chapel and House Meetings each week. They also join K-12th grade students in All School Chapel several times throughout the year. For more information on House Chapels, please visit our academic catalog.
LANGUAGE ARTS
The language arts curriculum continues to develop oral language and communication skills while moving to become a more independent reader and writer. Each child participates in a variety of instructional settings such as guided reading and writing, as well as readers’ and writers’ workshops to meet individual needs at the appropriate level. Daily reading of a variety of texts and writing for a variety of audiences increase your child’s fluency and comprehension in the literacy process.
SOCIAL STUDIES
The first grade social studies curriculum builds upon early social studies concepts through literature and class discussions. Students develop a balanced overview of American heritage and an understanding to discern connections between events. First graders create and use simple maps to draw conclusions about physical characteristics of places and their impact on daily life. Not only has this approach provided students a strengthened knowledge of God, but has helped develop an interest in history, geography, citizenship, economics and culture.
SCIENCE
The first grade science curriculum uses simple investigations to develop the skills of asking questions and gathering information to explore the wonders of God’s creation. Students also make measurements, construct explanations, and draw conclusions using non-standard units and tools to extend the five senses. First graders identify and investigate components of the natural world including rocks, soil, natural resources, heat, interdependence, and living versus non-living things.
MATHEMATICS
The mathematics curriculum of WCS utilizes a logical method of instruction taught with a Biblical worldview. Students will understand the foundational concepts of addition and subtraction and place value by using concrete objects. Students study patterns, sorting, counting, making math connections, and problem solving. Students create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate emerging math ideas.
