Key reading skills are taught at the very outset in first grade. The reading program used is the Houghton Mifflin Reading Series “A Legacy of Literacy”. The program consists of ten themes, systematically presented to instruct the students, using a variety of resources in order to engage the students in fruitful reading experiences. The reading program is reinforced with a phonics workbook and numerous other materials to incorporate spelling skills, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modes of learning. The major skills of listening, speaking, and writing, are presented and developed during English, while expanding the student’s knowledge of punctuation and capitalization, sentence recognition, alphabetizing, and the basic format for writing paragraphs.

Grade one uses the text “Christ Our Life”, published by Loyola Press. Through a systematic approach, the children experience a prayerful development of getting to know God and his great gift to us, His son Jesus. Religion is taught daily with the lessons contained in the Catechism, staring with “God Gives Us the World”, and then embarks on a journey through the liturgical year by celebrating the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, following the story of salvation history. Many opportunities are provided for reading scripture, following the happenings of Jesus, Mary, the Saints and Angels, along with prayer and liturgical celebrations in our parish church. Emphasis on engaging the children with opportunities to express themselves in song, prayer, and celebration throughout the school year is a priority.

The students use a comprehensive basal program in mathematics to study addition, subtraction, place value, time, money, measurement, basic fractions, and introductory concepts for critical thinking and problem solving. The science program is integrated with many areas of our curriculum through classroom activities and materials which develop an awareness and appreciation for plants, animals, the five senses, changing weather patterns, temperature, the four seasons, day and night, and other topics leading to a respect for life in all its forms. The social studies curriculum teaches students about the family as a basic unit of society, neighborhoods, the need for laws and rules, and the values guiding our life and work together as family, school, community, and church. Art and music are incorporated into the daily flow, with many opportunities to express oneself through pictures and song in all areas of the curriculum.