Trinity Lutheran School
First Grade
Teacher: Mrs. Ingrid Huelsnitz
For more information about Trinity's first grade class please call the school office at 507-231-6646 or email Mrs. Huelsnitz.
Curriculum Overview
Religion
The Concordia Publishing House, Vouyages curriculum is used to teach the faith to first graders. Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments are taught to express to the students God's plan for our salvation through Jesus Christ, and His love in our lives today. Key concepts of faith such as Law and Gospel, confession and repentance, forgiveness and grace are taught through each unit. A joyful and willing attitude towards prayer and worship is encouraged. Through a planned memory program, students learn scripture verses, hymns, and portions of Luther's Small Catechism.
Reading
The first grade reading program includes both a strong phonetic base as well as various styles of children's literature to help each student practice and master their reading skills. Visual phonics, context, word structure and word meaning are all used to teach word recognition. Through meaningful children's literature both fiction and nonfiction skills such as: sequencing, main topic, noting details, alphabetical order and others are taught. Reading books, take home books, vocabulary games, writing and speaking activities are all used to help the students to become confident readers in all situations. Along with the in-school reading curriculum a joy and desire to read for enjoyment is encouraged through book buddies, and reward programs.
Penmanship
In the area of written language, students will continue to learn and practice proper manuscript techniques. Students will have opportunities to learn to adapt to different sizes of lines as well as free space. Proper formation and spacing are practiced and reviewed not only in the handwriting program, but also in daily work as students write numerals, letters, words, and sentences.
English
The language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing are integrated throughout the first grade language arts program. Students are active in planning and writing sentences, paragraphs, stories, and letters. Students then are able to share their finished products both orally and in print. Throughout this writing process, students will study proper word usage, capitalization, punctuation, and will identify and use nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
Spelling
First grade spelling uses both traditional spelling lists, and Word Wall Word activities. Through a blend of these two programs, students are not only exploring word patterns, prefixes, suffixes, and word relationships, they are also working towards the mastery of spelling a set of commonly used sight words. Inventive spelling along with the Word Wall Words are used when transferring spelling skills during writing activities.
Math
Our math program is a spiraling curriculum in which concepts are taught using a variety of manipulatives. First graders are taught about numbers, addition and subtraction facts through 18, place value through 100, money, time, geometry, fractions, measurement, graphing, and readiness for multiplication and division. Concepts are built on each other and then reviewed and practiced often in the daily assignments. Daily exercise using mental math, word problems, and thinking skills are used to help students apply math concepts to real life situations.
Science
The first grade science program introduces students to vital science skills to help in understanding and exploring God's creation. Nonfiction books, hands-on learning experiences and worksheets are used in different unity. Units include studies of plants, animals, weather, seasons, matter, and forces.
Social Studies
The ever-expanding world of a first grade student is nurtured through the following topics: community, family, resources, country, historical heroes, and the world around them.
Computers
First grade students use the computer to reinforce skills and extend what is learned to other areas. They gain some familiarity with keyboarding, learn to identify and use the components of a computer system, and the care of hardware and software.
Art
Students in first grade have the chance to use a variety of media such as pencil, crayon, paint, paper, glue, chalk, and others. Students will not only practice cutting, gluing, and drawing skills, they will also have an opportunity to express their own creativity and style through many different elements of art. First graders will be introduced formally to the elements of line, color, shape and texture, but will practice using many other elements expressing themselves through art.
Physical Education
In first grade, students will learn and reinforce locomotion movements such as skipping, galloping, running, leaping, and hopping. They will also begin practicing basic movements such as throwing, catching, and kicking. Group games will also be taught to promote teamwork, fair play, positive leadership and compassion for others. We hope to introduce not only the joy of physical activity, but also the importance of physical activity