First Grade

Amanda Cartan                                     

Holy Family staff member since 2016

University of Portland
Boston College

 
I have been teaching for three years and am excited to be here at Holy Family Catholic School! I received my BA in Elementary Education with a minor in Perspectives on Spanish America from Boston College. I then went on to complete my graduate degree in Literacy from the University of Portland through the PACE program. I have always felt drawn to the story of Jesus calling the children and hope to remind students daily of their value and importance in the world. 


In First Grade, children...


Religion

• Understand that God created us to know, love and serve Him and to be happy with Him forever in heaven. 
• Comprehend that there is only one true God, and in God there are three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the Trinity).
• Experience bible stories that illustrate how Jesus shows God's love by teaching and healing people. He teaches us to pray and love God and others. 
• Learn that prayer is listening and talking to God. 

Language Arts

• Recognize and spell high-frequency words.
• Recognize letter sounds, utilize word families and decode words.

• Develop legible handwriting and correct spacing.
• Use correct capitalization and end punctuation in sentences.
• Speak clearly, listen attentively and make eye contact with the audience.

Math

• Read, write, compare and order whole numbers to 100.
• Count and group objects in hundreds, tens, and ones.
• Recognize operation signs: +,-, and = as well as vocabulary: “add, subtract, sum,

          difference, and equals.”

• Relate addition and subtraction as inverse operations.
• Recognize and create shapes that are congruent and/or have symmetry.

Social Studies

• Describe how people live in the community and identify American symbols, songs and

          their meanings.

• Describe the responsibilities of leaders as well as identify rules and describe their

          importance.

• Demonstrate and show respect for God’s creation and develop moral character and

          respect for self and others as children of God.

• Become productive individuals who recognize their rights and responsibilities as

          citizens of the world, the nation, and their local communities including participating in
          community service as a response/call to live out our Catholic faith.

Science

• Compare and contrast traits among individuals within one plant and animal group.
• Describe the basic needs of living things.
• Record observations with pictures, numbers, or written statements.