Elementary Curriculum
A Catholic education gives young students the intellectual and spiritual keys they need to explore the world of education. AOPS elementary students learn about the people who shape our lives, the discoveries that fueled our knowledge, and the love God shared to make this beautiful world possible.
We’ve partnered with the International Center for Leadership in Education to create a curriculum that is rooted in scholastic tradition and relevant for today’s world.
Here’s what’s covered at all of our elementary schools:
- The curricula followed by the students in the Elementary Schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (AOP) are developed by and/or approved by the Secretary of Catholic Elementary Education (OCE). This is done in coordination through the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment and related Staff Development for Pre-K through grade 8.
- Guidelines for specific curriculum areas are prepared and disseminated through OCE. In teaching the content of any curriculum area, teachers should adhere to the content of the most recent curriculum guidelines, rather than any specific textbook series.
- Elementary curriculum guidelines are copyrighted material. Guidelines may not be copied in whole or part, electronically or by any other means.
View Subjects by Grade
Religion Grade 1
In Grade 1 Religion, some core themes include; God the Father, Creation, Introductions to Mary as the Mother of Jesus, the Liturgical Year, Saints in relation to the time of year, Prayer, Sacramentals, and early learning Social Justice.
English Language Arts Grade 1
In Grade 1 English Language Arts, some common themes consist of: text complexity and the growth of comprehension, text types and responding to reading/research, flexible communication and collaboration, conventions, effective use, and vocabulary. These topics follow the K-5 curriculum core detailed further in the full curriculum guide.
Mathematics Grade 1
In Grade 1 Mathematics, a consistent focus is placed on the following key areas: developing an understanding of addition, subtraction, and strategies for addition and subtraction within 20; developing an understanding of whole number relationships and place value, including grouping in tens and ones; developing an understanding of linear measurements and measuring lengths as iterating length units; and reasoning about attributes of, and composing and decomposing geometric shapes.
Science Grade 1
In Grade 1 Science, a consistent focus is placed on the following key areas: Waves: Light and Sound; Structure, Function and Information Processing; Space Systems: Patterns and Cycles; Engineering Design.
Social Studies Grade 1
In Grade 1 Social Studies, students examine families and develop an awareness of cultural diversity within the American culture. Responsible citizenship is introduced as well as the role of authority to make rules and laws. The students will increase their geography skills through the use of maps and directions. Family history provides the basis for examining sources of information and organizing that information. Economic terminology and principles are introduced in the context of family resources as well as making economic decisions.
Library Skills Grade 1
In Grade 1 Library Skills, classrooms focus on the following key topic areas: library holdings, consideration of others, respect for books, circulation procedures, general organization of the library, parts of a book, fiction and nonfiction, reference books, and the role of an author.