In First Grade, emphasis is placed on each child developing a firm grasp of basic reading and mathematical skills.
Focus is on five areas of language arts: reading to self, listening to reading, reading with a partner, working with words, and writing. Hands-on activities in the math curriculum incorporate the use of manipulative materials, an approach that facilitates beginning calculation, concept development, and problem solving. First graders explore, discover, and understand more deeply the basic operations and how they are applied in daily situations. The students use a variety of games and other strategies as they develop logical thinking skills, paving the way for understanding more abstract concepts.
Social studies themes draw the students' attention to children around the world, comparing and contrasting different cultures through a study of customs, art, geography, language, music, and food.