First GradeNOTE: If you are interested in enrolling your student at Pacific School, please complete the appropriate Interest Form. More information about our enrollment procedures is Here.
Michaela O'Donnell ("Ms. O") teaches first grade and is assisted by classroom aide Isaiah Lewis.
The class meets from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., except on Wednesdays, when students are dismissed at 1:10 p.m. Independent study students attend on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays only, while five-day students attend Mondays through Fridays. After School Recreation is available until 5:15 Monday-Friday. First Grade Goals
First grade is all about building a lifelong passion for learning, as well as learning how to be good community members. Students are encouraged to practice critical thinking, empathy, and creative problem-solving on a daily basis. Weekly Activities
Homework Please read with your child, or have them read independently, for 20 minutes each day. Curriculum Literacy Our literacy curriculum takes the best bits and pieces from several programs to create an engaging and well-rounded literacy program. Students participate in guided reading lessons several times a week that teach decoding, comprehension, and fluency while meeting students where they are at in their individual reading journey. There are weekly group phonics lessons and activities, as well as working in Explode the Code workbooks to develop students phonological skills. The class is introduced to 5 sight words a week, and works to develop automaticity with the Fry First 100 sight words. Students write daily in their journals, as well as create narrative, informational, and opinion books throughout the year. Math Our mathematics exploration begins with guided math talks around numbers and patterns and deepens with children’s play and manipulation of a wide variety of counters, collections, shapes, and blocks. Children practice counting, cardinality, comparison, classification, measurement, and addition and subtraction with written equations. Our year-long block-building curriculum grows children’s understanding of number, physics, size, shape, and balance. Math is taught at the same time in first through sixth grade. Students who are accelerated in math are evaluated and placed in leveled math groups as appropriate. Math Goals. Science Children learn experientially through hands-on investigations of the Earth, Life, and Physical sciences in the classroom and garden. Their study of materials, animals, and plants is supported by the FOSS (Full Option Science System) and Mystery Science Curriculums. Social Studies We use the TCI Social Studies curriculum to study our role in our local communities. We dive into geography, being a good community member, and communities of the past. Art Throughout the year, students are provided with a variety of materials and are encouraged to follow their creativity through a mix of guided and independent projects. Community Throughout the day in the classroom, children are taught how to be productive and valued community members and practice the necessary social and emotional skills needed for a school setting. We support children in forming new friendships and support them in resolving conflicts through read-aloud stories, meeting conversations, and restorative circles. We also use the Sanford Harmony Social Emotional curriculum, as well as teaching a life skill of the week. We extend our learning beyond the classroom through field trips to our beautiful State Parks and local areas of interest and by inviting community members with experience in many fields to share their passions and interests with us. Communication
Open communication between teachers and parents of enrolled students* is always of great importance to me, and it is paramount to our children’s success. Please reach out any time. Emails: modonnell @ pacificesd.org
*To allow teachers to focus on the education of their current students, prospective families are asked to direct all questions to the office, not to teachers.
Reading by the fire on camping day.
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Ms. O, Teacher
Isaiah, Classroom Aide
Field trip to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History learning about our animal neighbors.
Harvesting lettuce in the garden.
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