Grade One
The primary aims in First Grade are to build upon the basic skills learned in Kindergarten and Transition and to accustom children to a more formalized classroom structure and to begin more formal instruction through the programme of inquiry in the disciplines of language, mathematics, science, social studies, arts and physical education.

The children study six units of inquiry (following the six organizing themes)
during the course of the year. All units are taught in a trans-disciplinary way, incorporating all disciplines and relevant skills and concepts. In First Grade there are specialist teachers for, Music and Physical Education who work closely with the class teacher to implement the programmes of inquiry.

Language
Listening and speaking
Students will talk about ideas and concepts in a variety of settings including large and small group situations. They will develop focussed listening skills which will enable them to take part in discussions. They will be able to pick out main events, and relevant points, and give their own ideas and points of view.

Reading and Writing
Students will read, and be read to, for pleasure and information daily. They will be able to choose their own reading material and give reasons for their choices. They will develop strategies for decoding and interpreting text. They will be able to discuss stories and identify main events, preferences and ideas. Reference books will be used to research topics and key features will be noted.

Students will experience writing daily, individually, in groups and modeled by teacher. They will write for a variety of purposes and will be able to identify key elements of different texts. They will develop strategies for spelling and will begin to write with accuracy and confidence.

Mathematics
Data Handling
Students will be able to sort, label, display and compare data in a variety of forms. They will understand the purpose of, and be able to interpret, graphed data.

Measurement
Students will be able to estimate and measure length and mass using standard and non- standard units. They will be able to identify days, weeks and months and will read and write time to the hour and half hour.

Shape and Space
Students will be able to name and describe everyday 2-D and 3-D shapes. They will find and explain simple symmetry in the environment and create symmetrical patterns. They will use and follow direction language left, right, forward and backward.

Pattern and function
They will be able to describe and continue patterns including those in number. They will begin to recognize the relationship between addition and subtraction.

Number
Students will read, write, estimate, count compare and order numbers to 100. They will learn strategies for addition and subtraction and will learn number bonds to 10 by heart. They will learn multiplication as repeated addition and will be able to count in 2, 5 and 10s. They will begin to use the vocabulary of multiplication and division and will select and explain appropriate methods for solving any number problem. They will learn fractions in everyday experiences as whole, half and quarter.

Science and Social Studies
First Grade will consider four main scientific themes; living things, earth and space, materials and matter and forces and energy. Students are engaged in open ended inquiry by formulating questions, observing, planning, collecting data, recording data, organizing data, interpreting data and by presenting research findings.

The social studies domain of PYP encompasses the strands: Human systems and economic activities; social organizations and culture; continuity and change through time; human and natural environments; resources and the environment. Students engage in research, applying and acquiring a variety of concepts and skills through inquiry based units of study.

First Grade will study social studies and science and technology within six transdisciplinary themes (who we are, where we are in place and time, how we express ourselves, how the world works, how we organize ourselves, and sharing the planet). Students gain an understanding of their world, themselves, friends, families and their environment.