1st Grade

First grade is a year filled with curiosity, joy, and laughter! Our students love coming to school each and every day, eager to explore, create, and discover. Through a balance of explicit, systematic instruction and inquiry-based and problem-based learning, children build strong foundational skills that help them grow as confident readers, writers, mathematicians, thinkers, and friends.

We weave the Depth and Complexity framework and Thinking Maps into everything we do, encouraging children to think deeply and make meaningful connections. Using the RIASEC model, students also begin to explore their own interests and see how their unique strengths can shape their learning. Our partnership with CU Science Discovery brings science to life through engaging, hands-on lessons that spark curiosity and wonder.

In first grade, learning happens everywhere—on walking field trips to the Boulder Public Library, through studying and planting in our school gardens, discovering ocean life at the Downtown Aquarium, and enjoying live performances at the Arvada Center. A highlight of the year is our Friendship Feast, the culminating event of our Family Unit, when each child shares a special family dish and we celebrate the joy of community and connection.