Here is some valuable information about what a first grader should look like in August.

Is My Child Ready For First Grade in GCISD?

Please review this list, created by GCISD first grade teachers of the expectations they have for their students at the beginning of a new school year. Students should have these skills after completing a year of Kindergarten in GCISD or any other public school district in Texas.

Academic Factors to Consider

Math

• Has knowledge of shapes, graphs, number sense - zero to 50, identifying numbers in isolation, and different ways to make numbers.

• Has understanding of how to sort/classify objects, more or less, skip counting, and ordering numbers.

Reading/English Language Arts

• Has knowledge of letters/sounds, left to right and top to bottom progression, upper and lower case letters, putting words together, and can identify letters/words in isolation.

• Has understanding of word families, sentence formation, reading comprehension, story elements, and can retell a story.

• Has the ability to write first and last name correctly, reads and writes sight words, uses writing conventions-punctuation and capitals, write and say rhyming words, and write a simple story with at least 4 sentences. First graders at Glenhope typically enter 1st grade reading at least a Text Level 6.

Additional Factors to Consider

Behavior

• Will part from parents, general sense of independence, demonstrates respect for others, has peer to peer communication, and seeks help when needed.

• Follows directions, shares, sits in a group without distracting others, takes turns, and attends to a task until completed.

• Takes care of personal needs, lunch, picks up after self, and keeps up with supplies.

Fine Motor Skills

• Grasps pencil correctly and copies vertical and horizontal line, circle, cross, square, V, and triangle.

• Grasps scissors correctly and cuts out square, triangle, and circle on construction paper.

• Uses appropriate amounts of glue for tasks.