Grade Level Purpose
In Grade 1, the primary focus of ELA is to build foundational literacy skills—students begin to read independently, write basic texts, and communicate their ideas clearly. Instruction emphasizes phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and simple writing structures.
Students read and listen to a variety of literary texts such as fables, folktales, poems, and picture books.
Objectives:
Retell key details of a story (beginning, middle, end)
Identify characters, settings, and major events
Understand central message or lesson
Recognize common story structures
Describe characters’ feelings and responses to events
Examples of texts:
Frog and Toad series (Arnold Lobel)
Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak)
Little Bear (Else Holmelund Minarik)
Classic fairy tales (e.g., The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella)
Students learn to gather information from nonfiction books and understand factual content.
Objectives:
Identify main topic and key details
Use text features (headings, captions, bold words)
Ask and answer questions about a text
Understand text structure (cause/effect, compare/contrast)
Example content:
Books about animals, weather, community helpers
Simple biographies (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.)
This domain builds the mechanics of reading, such as phonics, decoding, and fluency.
Objectives:
Know all upper- and lowercase letters
Decode one-syllable words (CVC words like cat, dog)
Recognize and produce rhyming words
Read common sight words (e.g., the, said, come)
Read with accuracy and expression
Key Skills:
Phonemic awareness (isolating beginning/middle/end sounds)
Blending and segmenting sounds
Reading aloud with proper pacing and tone
Phonics Programs Commonly Used:
Fundations
Jolly Phonics
Words Their Way
Students begin to compose short written texts using correct spelling, punctuation, and organization.
Types of Writing:
Opinion Writing – State an opinion and give a reason
“I like dogs because they are friendly.”Informative Writing – Provide facts about a topic
“Ants live in colonies. They work together.”Narrative Writing – Tell a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end
Skills Taught:
Writing complete sentences
Using capital letters and punctuation
Spelling high-frequency and phonetic words
Drawing to support written ideas
Writing Process Introduction:
Brainstorm → Draft → Revise → Share
Focus is on listening with attention and expressing ideas clearly.
Objectives:
Follow multi-step oral directions
Participate in group discussions
Ask and answer questions about topics or texts
Describe people, places, and events clearly
Use complete sentences when speaking
Activities:
Show-and-tell
Story retelling with puppets or drawings
Listening games and read-alouds
This area strengthens the use of English grammar and vocabulary in speaking and writing.
Grammar Skills:
Nouns (common, proper)
Verbs (present, past tense)
Pronouns (he, she, it)
Plural nouns
Capitalization (names, days, “I”)
End punctuation (., !, ?)
Vocabulary Development:
Using context clues
Categorizing words (animals, colors, shapes)
Understanding shades of meaning (hot vs. warm)
Conventions:
Spacing between words
Directionality (left to right, top to bottom)
Letter formation and handwriting
Typical Weekly Structure
- Daily Reading Block (60–90 min): Shared reading, phonics, fluency drills, comprehension practice
- Writing Block (30–45 min): Writing mini-lessons, journaling, teacher-led writing
- Read-Aloud Time (15–30 min): Builds listening and comprehension
- Grammar/Language Workshop (15–20 min): Sentence building and vocabulary
Common Assessments
Reading fluency checks (words per minute)
Sight word recognition tests
Spelling quizzes
Simple reading comprehension worksheets
Teacher feedback on writing samples
Progress Benchmarks by End of Grade 1
By the end of Grade 1, students should be able to:
Read grade-level texts aloud with accuracy and understanding
Write 3–5 sentence paragraphs on a topic
Identify main ideas and details in a text
Use basic grammar and punctuation correctly
Participate in group discussions and presentations
Digital Tools Often Used
Raz-Kids: Leveled reading
Lexia Core5: Phonics and reading intervention
Epic!: Online books library
Seesaw: Writing and speaking activities
Google Docs (simplified use): Typing sentences or short stories
Home-School Connection
Teachers often encourage:
Daily reading at home (10–15 mins)
Sight word flashcards
Family writing prompts (e.g., weekend news)
Conversations to build vocabulary
Cultural and DEI Awareness
Even in Grade 1, U.S. classrooms emphasize:
Multicultural texts (books from diverse backgrounds)
Character education (respect, kindness, honesty)
Community involvement (helpers, traditions)
