In Grade 1 the focus is on developing a solid foundation in literacy. We explore language through poetry, fairy tales, short stories, author and novel studies as well as reinforcing printing techniques, basic writing skills, and the writing process. The children display the language skills they have learned through the creation of posters, presentations and by producing a very impressive four paragraph speech in the spring!

During Grade 1 the children are encouraged to develop a strong foundation in numeracy. They reinforce their understanding of single digit numbers and develop a greater understanding of double digit numbers which includes concepts such as, how to add and subtract, basic fractions, time, money and how to solve word problems. They learn these skills through the use of manipulatives, through exploration, and games. The students also start our Math programme (Saxon Math) which we use throughout the school up to Grade 8.

Grade 1 explores social studies and science in a way that is practical and directly related to your child’s daily life. This is achieved through the in depth study of various subjects; the local community, seasons and cycles, properties of matter, energy, structures, and the characteristics and needs of living things. The small class size offered at King’s Town School allows these topics to be explored beyond the ministry requirements and through a variety of projects, hands-on experiments, field trips, and guest speakers.

At King’s Town School we are concerned about developing well rounded children. Beginning in Grade 1 all children are taught French, Music, Art, Outdoor Education and Physical Education by specialist teachers in addition to their core academic subjects. They also have the opportunity to participate in several clubs throughout the year.

French is an integral part of life in Canada and we encourage our students at KTS to develop a strong understanding of this language from day one. Our Grade 1 students continue to develop their knowledge and use of French that was begun in the Montessori Casa at KTS by exploring topics such as: numbers, colours, the calendar, emotions, weather and seasons, formal greetings as well as beginning to comprehend and use first person present tense regular and irregular verbs, such as avoir and être.

Physical Education and living an active and healthy lifestyle are very important at King’s Town School. The children learn about nutrition and healthy living and participate in physical activities that they can continue throughout their life. Physical Education is taught by a specialist Phys. Ed. Teacher who encourages the students to develop key core skills in many different areas such as gymnastics, rhythm and dance, small ball games and team sports, swimming, cross country running and athletics.

Our Outdoor Education programme encourages students to explore the physical world around them and gives them an opportunity to apply theoretical learning from within the classroom to practical applications in the ‘real world’. Apart from the academic content students explore local wildlife and habitats, snow shoeing, skating, hiking trails safely, orienteering, growing plants and photography.

In Music classes we encourage our students to develop their musical knowledge and skills through listening to a wide variety of music, manipulating some basic elements of music, and exploring a repertoire from a variety of cultures. An historical appreciation of music through the ages is begun in Grade 1, which continues throughout their time at KTS.

In Drama the Grade 1 students concentrate on movement, group storytelling, and problem solving through role-playing. They are expected to be able to work independently, in pairs and also in small group collaborations. Imagination is used to move and speak in character when participating in group storytelling and reenactments. Development of movement, expression and mime skills are key to our story retelling with frozen scenes.

One of the primary goals of our Grade 1 program is to teach the children to be independent workers and thinkers and therefore routines and expectations are used to encourage the development of their independence. The Grade 1 classroom is highly structured and clear rules and expectations are consistently maintained, which help the children to understand what is expected of them. Children, like most adults, function best when they have consistent parameters, and although our expectations are high, we recognise that they are just beginning to develop these skills.

The Grade 1 classroom is also a very nurturing, caring and safe environment. Each child is an individual and their needs are met in different ways. We encourage the children to be kind to their classmates and respect each others’ personal space and individual needs.