Curriculum by Grade
PreK-3
PreK-4
Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Tips for Parents
Kindergarten-aged children need guidance and support to gain the responsibility needed to be successful at school. Parents are encouraged to gently help your child grow in the following areas
Allow your child to take on personal responsibilities and to face the rewards and consequences for his/her actions
Encourage independence; after the first few weeks of school, allow your child to walk to class by him/herself unless it is absolutely necessary for you to be with them.
Remind your child that you know he/she is capable of doing well in school.
Help your child understand that you will back up and not undermine the teacher’s rules in the classroom.
When reading to your child, ask questions about what has been read. Have him/her predict what will happen in the story. Also, ask about lessons learned from stories that have been read to promote active listening.
Minimize television viewing and computer games on school days. Promote active outside play, arts and crafts, and encourage the use of the imagination.
Children thrive on consistency, so have a set structure in your morning and evening routines making sure your child goes to bed on time.
Check your child’s homework and work with your child to help him/her complete their homework.
School starts promptly at 8:15 a.m. so give your child enough time to get to school and be ready to begin the day before the first bell rings.
Communicate with your child’s teacher any questions or concerns you may have. You are your child’s first educator and his/her teacher will always support you in that role.
Cedarcrest Academy Curriculum
Kindergarten
Catholic Formation
• Understand basic attributes of God
• Develop a simple love for Christ
• Develop a simple love for Blessed Mother Mary
• Recognize some Old Testament stories
• Recognize some New Testament stories
• Develop a beginning understanding of angels and saints
Reading
• Letters and sounds through different media
• Short and long vowel sounds and all consonant sounds
• Basic sight words
• Students will begin to:
00• Use phonics skills to decode words
00• Read on grade level with fluency and accuracy
00• Comprehend what is read aloud
00• Comprehend what is read silently
Writing
• Form all upper and lower case letters correctly
• Copy from the board
• Use appropriate handwriting skills when writing
Listening and Speaking
• Maintain sustained attention for 25 minutes
• Follow oral directions
• Maintain good eye contact
• Respond appropriately in a group setting
• Take turns in conversation and ask questions when appropriate
• Develop oral presentation skills (show and tell)
• Use complete sentences when speaking
• Recite from memory
Math
• Count by rote to 100
• Demonstrate understanding that numeral symbols represent quantity
• Use correct vocabulary to interpret a calendar
• Demonstrate basic addition and subtraction skills
• Demonstrate basic understanding of time, measurement and money appropriate to grade level
• Understand basic properties of geometric shapes
çUnderstand that patterns can be made by putting shapes together
Interpret graphs
Specials
• Spanish~ 20 minutes/two times a week
• Computer Media Center~ 20 minutes/once a week
• PE~ 30 minutes/once a week
• Art~ 30 minutes/once a week
Evaluations and Homework
In kindergarten, students are evaluated by the teacher on a regular basis. For each progress report and report card the students will be given both oral and written tests to determine how they are progressing towards mastering each benchmark. Teachers also informally evaluate students through anecdotal records and checklists on a daily basis. Homework is given on a daily basis and is a review of the math and reading skills learned that week. Homework should be completed with the parents and should only take about 15-20 minutes. Parents are encouraged to reinforce the concepts reviewed in the homework.
First Grade
Reading
• Have a strong sense of phonemic and phonological awareness
• Know all sounds and letters of the alphabet and be able to blend sounds intowords and words into sentences with accuracy and fluency
• Understand that words convey messages
• Have a strong sight word vocabulary
• Correctly spell frequently used and common words
• Read sentences with understanding of punctuation
• Comprehend what is read aloud and silently on grade level
Writing
• Write legibly and efficiently on lined and unlined paper
• Write a simple paragraph using correct punctuation and grammar
• Understand the basics of the writing process
Listening, Viewing, and Speaking
• Maintain sustained attention for 30 minute
• Appropriately ask and answer question
• State a clear main point when speaking to other
• Recite poems and short passages from memor
• Give short oral reports on a book or topi
• Use proper etiquette when speaking
Math
• Identify the number value of a number
• Be able to correctly use “plus”, “minus”, or “take away”
• Order and compare numbers
• Add and subtract with and without regrouping
• Understand basic fractions
• Understand basic linear and volume measurement
• Use a clock and calendar to measure time
Evalutions
In the first grade classroom students are evaluated by the teacher on a regular basis.
The following assessments are given regularly:
00• Spelling test
00• Math assessments are given regularly
00• Reading comprehension quizzes are given
00• Assessments are given after each Science unit
00• Students will be tested over Spanish concepts
Study Skills and Homework
In first grade, students will begin to develop study habits that they will need throughout the rest of their years in school. Students will learn to take notes in class and they should be able to copy from the board. Homework is given daily. Students should study math facts nightly. Also, parents should be reading with their child nightly. Homework should take no longer than 30 minutes with a designated time for casual reading. Parents should supervise homework and help his/her child correct errors when necessary. Parents should also review all work sent home daily and go over graded papers with his/her child.
Specials
00• PE
00• Music
00• Art
00• Spanish
00• Computer Lab
Tips for Parents
The following tips may be helpful as your child transitions into first grade.
00• Allow your child to take on responsibilities and to accept the rewards and consequences of their actions
00• Remind your child that you and the teachers know he/she is capable of doing well in school
