First Grade Team
First Grade Rocks! First grade at Valencia will take students on an exploratory learning adventure. We begin the school year with high expectations and specific standards-based goals. The first grade experience is definitely a year to remember. All students are taught appropriate social interaction, the importance of being an attentive learner, and the ability to embrace responsibility. The students are prepared to be successful, working towards mastery of first grade standards. Students who are ready to excel beyond the standards will be given opportunities to do so. Children will build upon their own background knowledge and expand that, with hands-on relative experiences, both in and out of the classroom.
Cross-curricular thematic units are taught each year to develop strong foundational skills. Depending on the year and student interest, themes (may) include: Life Cycles, Five Senses, Animals and Habitats, U.S.A. Studies/Symbols, World Cultures/Holidays, Weather Events, etc. Woven through all themes, are yearlong lessons and opportunities to explore mindfulness and metacognition (the ability to think and reflect on, how one learns and interacts with ideas). With each unit, reading, writing, and math skills are developed through whole class lessons; small, leveled groups; and independent assignments. Teachers team together to target and serve each group, in order to meet their specific needs. This gives each and every child the opportunity to be successful at his or her own level. As a team, it is our priority to support first grade students in becoming the best version of themselves, on all levels.
