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This course introduces students to the world of art and architecture. Students learn about paintings and sculptures and see art that looks realistic and art that looks imaginary. Students discover how artists use lines, shapes, colors, patterns, textures, symmetry, and forms in portrait, landscape, and still life artworks. They discover ancient cave paintings and ancient art from Egypt, Greece, and China. Students draw, paint, and sculpt their own artworks that are inspired by the artworks they study.

Young students continue to learn the basics about how their bodies grow and work. In this course, they learn about health resources and begin learning how the media can influence health. Lessons cover nutrition, healthy habits, mental health and wellness, exercise and activity, injury and violence prevention, and safety. Students participate in fitness activities in each lesson. They practice fundamental movement patterns like balancing, cross lateralization, and sequencing skills. They learn spatial and body awareness and how food and energy are connected. Students will learn about communicating feelings, personal responsibility, and the importance of lifetime wellness.

This course covers several different areas of social studies, including physical and human geography; history and historical sources; U.S. symbols, songs, and celebrations; citizenship and civic responsibility; and economics.Students learn about the locations, characteristics, resources, and cultures of the earth, as well as those in their own community. They explore concepts related to the study of history and the history of the United States. Students identify key U.S. symbols and learn the reasons behind special national observances. They learn the meaning of citizenship and the duties and responsibilities of good citizens. Students explore basic economic concepts, such as needs and wants, buying and selling, and consumers and producers. They investigate the development of ancient civilizations in the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, India, China, and Greece.

The English Language Arts 1 program comprises two courses, ELA 1 and Phonics 1. The program provides a well-balanced approach to literacy that integrates phonics, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and handwriting. Students develop comprehension, build vocabulary, and gain a lifelong interest in reading. Thematic units in literacy contain workshops in which instruction is anchored by a focus text. Through a combination of teacher-led instruction (either live or via embedded video within the course) and independent practice (both online and offline), students build knowledge by exploring both classic and contemporary works in different genres and formats—fiction, poetry, drama, nonfiction, trade books, magazines, and e-books. Beginning in the second semester, students complete focused grammar activities and write a variety of compositions by following the writing process.Phonics prepares students to become independent readers through teacher-led, systematic, multisensory instruction in a developmentally appropriate manner. Students review phonological awareness and learn advanced decoding skills and sight words. Letter tiles, a variety of interactive games and activities, and decodable readers (brief stories that consist entirely of words students can read independently) support multimodal learning. Spelling instruction begins in the second half of the first semester in ELA 1, building on the foundation of letter-sound knowledge previously mastered in Phonics.Targeted handwriting activities provide gentle instruction to help students print letters correctly.Phonics prepares students to become independent readers through teacher-led, systematic, multisensory instruction in a developmentally appropriate manner. Students review phonological awareness and learn advanced decoding skills and sight words. Letter tiles, a variety of interactive games and activities, and decodable readers (brief stories that consist entirely of words students can read independently) support multimodal learning. Spelling instruction begins in the second half of the first semester in ELA 1, building on the foundation of letter-sound knowledge previously mastered in Phonics.

Math 1 continues to build a strong foundation in mathematical concepts. Students master content through a combination of teacher-led instruction (either live or via embedded video within the course) and independent practice. Teacher-led instruction engages students using online teacher resources, including virtual manipulatives, videos demonstrating concepts with physical manipulatives, and videos teaching concepts through song. During independent practice, students solve problems online, often working with virtual manipulatives, and offline in an activity book. The Math 1 curriculum focuses on numbers and counting, data representations, addition and subtraction, story problems, length, time, shapes, and place value. Throughout the Math 1 course, students review mathematical concepts found around them in the world. They also master addition and subtraction math facts through 10.

Science 1 brings science alive by providing students a combination of virtual lab investigations (with options for hand-on learning), interactive lessons that provide opportunities for inquiry, and an array of e-books that capture students’ attention and grow their interest in science.The curriculum begins with an overview of what science is and how to study it. Students then focus on plant and animal traits and relationships. In the last half of the course, students explore the patterns they see in the sky and examine how sounds and light are used to communicate and help them understand their world.