First grade serves as a bridge between the kindergarten and the grade school years. It begins with the discovery that behind all forms lie two basic principles: the straight and the curved line. Children find these shapes in their own bodies, in the classroom, and in the world beyond. Straight and curved lines are then practiced through walking, drawing in the air and sand, on the blackboard, and finally, on paper. These form drawings train motor skills, awaken children’s powers of observation, and provide a foundation for introducing the alphabet.
Through fairy tales and stories, first grade students are introduced to each letter of the alphabet. In this way they experience the development of language in a very concrete yet creative way. Instead of abstract symbols, letters become actual characters with whom the children have a real relationship.
In a similar way, children first experience the qualities of numbers before learning addition or subtraction: What is “oneness?” What is there only one of in the world? The four mathematical processes are introduced as four characters who are searching for acorns or jewels—Farmer Plus always tries to carry more nuts than his pockets will hold; Lady Minus, on the other hand, is always losing her treasures. Stones, acorns, or other natural objects are used to introduce counting. Only after considerable practical experience in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing are the written symbols for these operations introduced.
First grade students enter the world of music through the pentatonic scale. In this scale all the notes have a harmonious sound in any order they are played. Songs are based on seasonal themes, and the focus is to give the children a joyful experience of making music. Playing the pentatonic flute also develops finger coordination, concentration, and breath control.
Painting in the first grade is intended to give children an experience of working with color rather than attempting to create formed “pictures.” Their feelings for form are encouraged through beeswax modeling and crayon illustrations. In coloring, they imitate the teacher’s work, attempting to draw whole shapes rather than filling in outlines.
Special subject teachers augment the classroom teacher’s work by providing introductory lessons in French, knitting (on needles the children make for themselves), gym, and eurythmy.
Social Life and Work Habits
A major focus of the first grade year is helping children develop the social and academic habits that will serve them well throughout their school years. Learning how to wait patiently for a turn, to find good posture for writing, to move between quiet and more active times of the day, to help others in the classroom, to be truthful and kind in social interactions—all of these are life skills as important as academic skills to a child’s long-term success in learning and life. A class teacher spends a great deal of time and energy helping the children learn good habits and bond together as a class, forging a foundation for many years of productive learning and work together.
Main Lesson Subjects
- Fairy and folk tales
- Language Arts: Foundations of reading and writing
- Mathematics: Four arithmetical processes
- Science through nature stories, nature exploration, and work on our neighboring biodynamic farm