Abstract
Like Kindergarten, the first grade classroom is a welcoming site with small tables and chairs for the equally small children who are typical first graders. For children who did not attend Kindergarten, for whatever reason , first grade is when they learn about schooling and the rules that go along with being in school. It is a time to explore ideas, be creative, make friends, learn to be collaborative with others, learn to read better, and much more. While the curriculum is similar to Kindergarten, the level of instruction and expectations for student engagement is slowly becoming higher, but only slightly at this point. Also like Kindergarten, computers tend to be used often for students to express their understanding of a story or concept through creative software. The concept of multiple intelligences (Gardner, 1999), active learning (Dewey, 1938), and applying learning to related knowledge (Vygotsky, 1978) are exemplified in all primary grades, and especially in first grade.