FIRST GRADE DEVELOPMENT
The grade school experience meets the change of development in the student who is now capable of undertaking learning in a new way.  Rich storytelling, in the oral tradition engage and develop the blossoming imaginations of the students.

The multiple intelligence teaching approach has been an integral part of Waldorf Education since the movement began in 1919. Although the first grade student now has a desk, much of the learning happens in movement activities away from the desk. This is true for language arts as well as science and mathematics. A creative learning environment that is movement infused engages the active first grade child. Use of music, rhythm and song, rhyme and story make for playful learning.  The student is engaged in the development of language skills through the spoken word. Numeracy is qualitative and experiential before it becomes an abstraction on paper. In these ways, the deep foundation for learning is continually made stronger as the child develops literacy and numeracy in the first grade school year.
 

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FIRST GRADE CURRICULUM

LANGUAGE ARTS
Writing

• Introduction of uppercase, block letters
  
• Form drawing using both curved and straight lines
  
• Forming letters out of clay and beeswax
  
• Long/short vowels
  
• Writing of words
  
• A sentence is a thought
  
• Writing of stories and poems
  
• Lowercase letters may be introduced, or this can be delayed until second grade

Reading

• Reading arises out of writing
  
• Reading what they have written in their own hand-printed lesson books
  
• Word recognition, mostly through Whole Language method, with work in phonics arising out of the Orton-Gillingham approach
  
• The goal by year’s end is that the children can identify all of the consonants, long and short vowel sounds, and some of the letter blends

Grammar

• Grammar, not presented as a separate subject, is modeled by the teacher

Speaking

• Daily speech exercises and recitation
  
• Retelling stories
  
• Class play (optional)
  
• Poetry
  
• The teacher models correct speech
  

MATHEMATICS

• Quality of numbers
  
• Roman numerals and standard Arabic numbers are taught including how to write them with the correct form
  
• Counting forward and backward to 100
  
• Rhythmical counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, etc
  
• Number dictations
  
• Estimating to develop a spatial orientation
  
• The four processes are introduced, addition and subtraction facts are practiced
  
• Except for mental math, number work goes to sleep between the math main lesson blocks
  

SCIENCE
Nature Study

• Observation of the natural world on nature walks throughout the year
  
• Nature stories 
  
• Seasonal festivals
  
• Practical activities to develop the gifts of nature
  

ART
Painting

• The teacher provides color experiences in wet on wet watercolor painting through color stories”
  

Drawing

• The teacher models the use of beeswax crayons in main lesson work
  

Modeling

• The children model with beeswax in relation to main lesson topics
  

MUSIC

• Singing of pentatonic, traditional and seasonal children’s songs
  
• Children learn to play the pentatonic flute
  

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
FRENCH AND GERMAN

• Narrative songs, verses, and stories
  
• Rhythmical practice of numbers up to 20
  
• Colors
  
• Games and activities including simple dialog and directions
  
• Foods, clothing, and other vocabulary from daily life and main lesson content
  
• Birthday, seasonal, and cultural celebrations
  

HANDWORK

• Casting on and knitting
  
• Projects from squares and rectangles
  

GYM

• Developing a wide range of motor skills
  
• Rope jumping 
  
• Throwing and catching skills
  
• Games emphasizing cooperation
  
• Development of listening skills
  
• Developing spatial awareness
  

3976 S. Livernois - Rochester Hills,  MI 48307        248-299-8755       info@oaklandsteiner.org