Grade 1 - St. James & St. Ann's Catholic Elementary School

Class Overview

Grade 1
Welcome to Grade 1. This year is full of leaps and bounds as it is very exciting to see students develop and increase foundational skills in Language Arts and Math by reading, writing and computation.

We will explore the world around us by being outdoors as much as possible. In Social Studies we will be looking at the community we live in and in Science we will discover all the things, living and nonliving, that God has created for our care and enjoyment.

The Show and Tell and Take Bear on an Adventure bags will be sent home throughout the year with your child, and together you can decide what will go into the bag for Show and Tell, and what adventures Bear will have with your family.

Curriculum Summary

Christian Education
The school theme will be the focus throughout the year and integrated throughout subjects. In Grade 1 the learning standards include: prayer; demonstrating love; being good stewards of creation; defining their relationship with Jesus and how God loves and cares for us.
Language Arts
The major goal for Grade 1 students is to learn how to read through phonics, including alphabet name and sound recognition, letter printing and formation. This is followed by sight words and blending of sounds to form words. Writing simple sentences using sight words and sounding out and progressing to several sentences, using punctuation, capitals and details is the writing goal.
Math
The focus is on number sense, mental math, and addition and subtraction facts to 20. Card and dice games provide repetition and practice to solidify concepts taught and are also engaging and fun.

Science
Units covered will be: patterns and cycles (seasons & weather), light and sound, plants and animals, and matter.
Socials
The Grade 1 curriculum focuses on communities, covering characteristics, diverse cultures, relationships and key events. The Second Step program is used to teach strategies to address school-based problems. Integrated in all subject areas and throughout the year is the concept of classroom and school expectations.
Fine Arts
The Visual Arts content includes creating images using a variety of materials, processes, and art elements integrating Science units of seasons and plants. Dramatic arts include music, drama and speech arts which are integrated in subjects such as Language Arts and Religion.

Check out this class news and homework
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Class Teacher

- Mrs. Rita Wakely
  Grade 1 Teacher
  
  Mrs. Rita Wakely
  Grade 1 Teacher
  Mrs. Wakely received her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of British Columbia. Mrs. Wakely has taught a variety of grades from Kindergarten to Grade 10 in such locations as Prince Rupert, Nanaimo and Abbotsford. Mrs. Wakely has gained a wealth of experience in her more than 25 years of teaching. Mrs. Wakely has completed the Google For Education Fundamentals Training.
- Mrs. Tara Gaudet
  Grade 1 Teacher
  
  Mrs. Tara Gaudet
  Grade 1 Teacher
  Mrs. Tara Gaudet received her Bachelor of Music – Major in Oboe Performance and Education from the University of Victoria. In addition she studied musical theatre at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. Prior to St. James she taught in the Integrated Fine Arts School for Abbotsford School District as a music teacher and Grade One classroom teacher. Mrs Gaudet has been teaching at St. James Elementary for 6 years and thoroughly enjoys being a part of this community. Mrs. Gaudet has her Orton Gillingham classroom certification.