First Grade

First Grade at Haynes Charter for Enriched Studies is a foundational year that nurtures curiosity, builds confidence, and strengthens both academic and social-emotional development. It is a year of remarkable growth, as students evolve from emerging readers into fluent thinkers, writers, and problem solvers!

Each student is placed with a dedicated homeroom teacher who guides them through a comprehensive, multi-subject curriculum aligned with first grade California Common Core State Standards. These standards emphasize the development of strong foundational skills in English language arts—such as phonics, fluency, and comprehension—and mathematical number sense, including place value, addition, subtraction, and problem-solving strategies.

Instruction is data-driven and differentiated to meet the needs of all learners. Students who demonstrate advanced critical thinking, deep comprehension, rich vocabulary, and creative expression across the curriculum are supported with enrichment that fosters connections across content areas. These students are encouraged to engage in leadership roles, higher-order thinking, the arts, and project-based learning that challenges and inspires them to go further.

Social-emotional learning is embedded into daily class meetings and activities, where students learn collaboration, empathy, and communication. First graders also participate in experiential learning opportunities such as local field trips tied to science and social studies themes, as well as interactive learning celebrations that bring units to life—from exploring animal habitats to uncovering Earth’s history.

This intentional blend of standards-based instruction, differentiated support, and creative exploration ensures that our first-grade students develop the foundational skills, critical thinking, and joyful love of learning that will prepare them for continued success in second grade and beyond.