First grade is a fantastic year! It is a year of growth, learning, and wonder. You will see great gains in your child’s development both academically and socially. First-graders are immersed in language activities throughout the day. At Milton, we emphasize active listening and thoughtful speaking skills. Through writer’s workshop, the students learn and practice strategies to create narrative, informational and opinion pieces. Students are encouraged to formulate their own stories. They are taught to use the writing process which includes: prewriting, drafting, conferencing, revising, editing, and publishing. Milton School uses a balanced literacy approach. Students develop fluency and comprehension through a variety of approaches and materials. This includes word study and phonics instruction as well as a reader’s workshop model. This model includes mini-lessons, independent practice and sharing.

Our math program focuses on having a concrete understanding of numbers. It strikes a balance between promoting student-generated solutions and effective traditional practices. Students are encouraged to show proof of understanding. Our science program emphasizes and encourages students to look at the world around them. The units of study for first grade children are Organizing Ourselves to do Science Investigations, Investigating Attributes and Properties of Objects, Identifying the States of Matter and Investigating Living Things. First-grade social studies focuses on children and their world. Units of study are Rules and Laws, We are Family, Unity in the Community and Economics: Needs and Wants.