Experience Our Academic Program

Grade 1

Welcome to Grade 1

Grade 1 is an exciting time of growth and discovery for our students. At Country School, our first-grade curriculum is designed to foster a love of learning and build a strong foundation in core academic skills. Through a blend of hands-on activities, collaborative projects, and differentiated instruction, students develop their reading, writing, math, and critical thinking abilities. Our dedicated teachers create a nurturing and engaging environment where each child is known and valued. We emphasize the development of social-emotional skills, encouraging students to be curious, confident, and compassionate learners.

Grade 1 Highlights

List of 3 items.

  • Study of Community: “Our Self and Others”

    What makes a community work? In this hands-on unit, first graders dive into the world of “Community Helpers” — everyone from firefighters and police officers to volunteers at the local food pantry. Through field trips, guest visits, research, and writing, students become mini-experts on a helper of their choice. The unit wraps up with the Community Helper Expo, where students bring their learning to life through public speaking, creative costumes, and song — all proudly presented to families, friends, and fellow students.

  • Music & Movement and Lunar New Year Celebration

    In Music & Movement, first graders sing, dance, play instruments, and express themselves with joy and creativity. These lively classes support both cognitive and motor development while building confidence, collaboration skills, and a lasting love of the arts. A highlight of the year is the Lunar New Year Celebration. Students honor this cultural tradition through song, dance, and public speaking, culminating in a joyful performance for the Lower School. The celebration ends with a festive parade, as first graders proudly march beneath an elaborate dragon they created in visual arts — cheered on by the Lower School community and family and friends.

  • How Does it Work? Hands-On Engineering Challenges

    Throughout the year, first graders practice hands-on engineering challenges that spark creativity and build problem-solving skills. These projects connect directly to the topics they’re studying, allowing students to apply their knowledge in meaningful, tangible ways. As they build, test, and refine their designs, they engage in trial-and-error thinking that encourages curiosity, resilience, and a foundational understanding of how things work.

1st Grade Sample Schedule

List of 15 items.

  • 7:30 a.m.

    Early Birds: Before School Programming Available
    Learn More

  • 8:00 a.m.

    Arrival

  • 8:30 a.m.

    Morning Meeting

  • 9:00 a.m.

    Math or Science/Spanish/Library

  • 9:45 a.m.

    Recess/Snack

  • 10:00 a.m.

    Literacy

  • 11:05 a.m.

    Lunch

  • 11:30 a.m.

    Recess

  • 12:15 p.m.

    PE or Literacy

  • 1:00 p.m.

    Art or Coding

  • 1:30 p.m.

    Writer’s Workshop or Social Studies

  • 2:00 p.m.

    Math or Music & Movement

  • 2:45 p.m.

    Closing Meeting

  • 3:00 p.m.

    Dismissal

  • 3–5:30 p.m.

    After School Programming Available
    Learn More

Our Grade 1 Curriculum

Language Arts

The goal of the first grade literacy program is for children to view themselves as competent and joyful readers. All of the elements of a structured literacy approach are addressed as students participate in both whole-class and smaller, differentiated reading groups where they deepen comprehension skills while celebrating their increasing fluency. Students enjoy choosing books from genres of realistic fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, and biography, all which engage young readers. Teacher read-aloud continues to be an integral part of first grade literacy; building vocabulary and background knowledge are used to increase comprehension. Daily word work strengthens students’ decoding and spelling skills, through multisensory activities. First graders are naturally eager to share their ideas in writing. Through a workshop model and explicit instruction, students learn to collect and plan ideas and then craft their own compositions throughout the year.

Social Studies

In first grade, the overarching theme is “Self and Others.” This year-long study enables students to better understand themselves and their relationships with family, friends, members of our school and the local community. Students explore the roles and responsibilities of family and community helpers. This study broadens as they learn about another culture. They compare and contrast how their lives relate to the lives of children from another country. Students use technology, experience special events and go on field trips to enrich their learning.

Mathematics

Lessons are built on the curiosity and enthusiasm of children as they explore, create, discuss, test and apply mathematical concepts with increasing sophistication. Students develop strategies for understanding the principles of addition and subtraction, learn to recognize place value and the importance of digit placement within a number, and study measurement, time, geometry and fractions. They practice and apply strategies and skills using various models, games, and paper and pencil practice. The year culminates in a unit that integrates science and math as the children collect and analyze data from the flight distances of paper gliders.

Science

The first grade science curriculum focuses on teaching students how to be a scientist. The year begins with learning about and performing the steps of the Science Circle (a cyclical version of the scientific method). The science program is inquiry based and hands-on, and students are taught how to make and record observations. They develop their curiosity and begin to formulate questions based on their play and observations. The students’ generated questions are then explored through the steps of the science circle where they learn to hypothesize, design an experiment, collect and analyze data, and generate a conclusion. Each unit of study culminates with a related engineering challenge.

World Languages

Students learn Spanish while engaging thematic, content-based units. The program is designed to connect to the interests and experiences of the students while providing them with the foundation to begin a lifelong process of language learning. For example, students learn how to describe their families and their pets while they simultaneously experience an in-depth study of family structures in social studies class. Another unit introduces them to new food-related vocabulary through the lens of food and items in the cafeteria, as students are encouraged to communicate with each other about their likes and dislikes.

Visual Arts

Children are introduced to many fine arts and a wide variety of media. Lessons emphasize basic design elements and are planned so that all children experience success with materials, concepts and creative problem solving. Cultural traditions and works by major artists are presented; many interdisciplinary projects are implemented. Children develop the skills and techniques to communicate their own ideas visually. The emphasis is on concepts and process.

Music & Movement

First and second graders build on their Early Childhood experiences with song, movement and instrument play, and begin to lay the groundwork for aural skills and music literacy. Performance opportunities for all grades range from informal assemblies to seasonal concerts and productions.

Physical Education

Lower School students participate in a carefully sequenced curriculum, with emphasis on fitness, participation, sportsmanship and general athletic skills. More specifically, the program develops gross- and fine-motor skills, collaborative skills, coordination, visual and spatial awareness, cardiovascular fitness, self-confidence, and “knowing your body.”

Laying the Groundwork for Greatness

New Canaan Country School

635 Frogtown Road, New Canaan, CT 06840
Phone: (203) 972-0771

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Accreditations

New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.