Welcome to Ramsey Magnet School of Science First Grade!

In First Grade, your child will acquire essential skills that will set the foundation for their future. This is an exciting year of growth socially, emotionally, and academically. We look forward to partnering with you and your child as they embark on their educational journey. Listed below are the major areas of study in First Grade.

Science

Using Idaho Core instruction, science will be integrated across curricular areas. Lessons will teach students scientific vocabulary, allow them to engage in hands-on centers, challenge them to think critically and problem-solve using the scientific process.  Along with classroom instruction, students experience a weekly Science Lab. Students will participate in a classroom Science Fair in January and then have the opportunity to participate in their own project for our School-Wide Science Fair in March. Units of Study:

1. Air/Weather 
2. Sound/Light 
3. Plants/Animals

Social Studies

Social studies lessons will teach vocabulary from each unit. Hands-on projects will allow students to experience and help them to process and more fully understand what they are reading. Social development is also emphasized as we stress the importance of making good choices and treating others with respect. We work on creating a sense of community within the classroom and also focus on taking responsibility for possessions, words, and actions.

1. Know and understand the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
2. Develop awareness of changes in families and society.
3. Compare beliefs/customs of the U.S. and other countries.
4. Study traditions of the United States.

Language Arts/ Reading

In 1st grade, your child will become a more independent reader and writer. Your child will continue to learn and practice rules for recognizing the sounds that make up words and will be able to sound out more complex words. Such foundational skills are necessary and important components of developing proficient readers with the capacity to comprehend a wide range of materials. Students will learn to think about what they read and talk about the main ideas of simple stories. As they write and speak, 1st graders will learn to use language appropriately; this includes using complete sentences and spelling words with increasing accuracy.

Mathematics 

In 1st grade, your child will build on last year’s work and gain important new skills. One of the most important outcomes for the year is to improve speed and accuracy adding with a sum of 20 or less and subtracting from a number 20 or less (e.g., 17 – 8). Another important goal in 1st grade is adding with a sum of 100 or less; this will rely on understanding what the digits mean in a number such as 63 (namely, 63 is six tens and three ones). Working with multi-digit addition this year will set the stage for 2nd grade when your child will be working with three-digit numbers and adding and subtracting with larger numbers.

Art, P.E., Music, Science Exploration, and Library: Once a week students will go to these specialists.

We are excited for a great year!