First Grade
First grade takes a journey of learning and growth as we explore Old Appalachia, dances from Africa, learn about customs from around the world, and so much more. We enjoy many wonderful activities such as field trips, writing our own fairytales, and performing a play with both classes together. We engage in many buddy projects through reading, writing, dancing, and songs. If you love to study about rocks, plants, and animals, you will love science in first grade!
Literacy and mathematics come to life through an exploration of World Cultures. Our “Trip Around the World” includes exciting projects such as making landforms, sculpting with clay, and writing Chinese characters. We write and perform original plays on habitats and cultures from around the globe. Math Investigations and the Fundations literacy program are integrated throughout the curriculum. Students engage in exploratory math curriculum through the use of manipulatives, visual arts, and real-world applications.
About the First Grade Staff
Annie is a recent transplant to Asheville and is loving life in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains! Before joining ArtSpace, Annie has worked as a second grade teacher, art teacher, and museum educator. She received her Masters Degree in Elementary Teaching in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is passionate about arts integrated learning and is thrilled to be a part of the ArtSpace community. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, cooking, hiking, spending time with friends & family, and traveling. Annie shares she "is looking forward to cultivating community in her classroom and helping students find their voice and creativity."
About Ms. Chainey
Chainey has been working as a Teaching Assistant at ArtSpace since 2019. She holds dual B.A. degrees in Psychology and French from King College in Bristol, TN. Chainey is an Asheville native that returned to the mountains after briefly living abroad. She has worked in educational research for 13 years, helping inform evidence based practices. Being in the classroom has allowed her to put these practices to use. She often says she is the ‘Oldest First Grader” because of how much she learns from the students. Outside the classroom, Chainey and her family keep themselves busy with a multitude of projects, mostly relating to homesteading. She enjoys fiber arts such as knitting, sewing, and fabric dyeing, but mostly reserves these for colder months since being outside gardening, hiking, and camping feed her soul.