Grade 1 ELA

Knowledge

In this unit, students will listen to classic fables and stories that have been enjoyed for generations. Students will build vocabulary and comprehension skills while learning about story elements such as characters, setting, and events. Through read-alouds and discussion, students will explore lessons about behavior and choices, ask and answer questions, describe key details, make connections, and participate in shared writing activities.

Skills

In this unit, students will review sounds and spellings learned in Kindergarten and continue building accuracy with early reading skills. Students will also be introduced to Tricky Spellings, which can represent more than one sound, and Tricky Words, which do not follow the letter-sound patterns students have learned so far.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will learn about the human body and how different body systems help people live, move, and stay healthy. Students will explore the basic parts and functions of the skeletal, muscular, digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems. Through informational read-alouds, discussion, and shared writing, students will also learn how to care for their bodies, how germs can cause illness, and how people can help stop the spread of germs.

Skills

In this unit, students will learn five vowel sounds and the most common spelling for each sound. Students will practice reading and writing words with separated digraphs, such as the a and e in cake. Students will also learn about nouns, including proper nouns, and continue practicing new high-frequency Tricky Words.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will listen to folktales and stories from different countries and cultures. Students will build vocabulary and comprehension skills while exploring story elements such as characters, setting, plot, conflict, and central message. Through read-alouds, discussion, and writing activities, students will compare and contrast similar stories from different cultures, identify universal lessons, retell and sequence events, and share their ideas using complete sentences.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will learn about the development of early civilizations by exploring shared features such as farming, cities, government, writing, laws, and religion. Students will study ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, including the importance of major rivers, forms of writing such as cuneiform and hieroglyphs, leaders and laws, and cultural practices connected to daily life and beliefs. Students will also be introduced to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam while practicing how to ask and answer questions, compare and contrast information, build vocabulary, and organize ideas through discussion and writing.

Skills

In this unit, students will learn five vowel sounds and the most common spelling for each sound. Students will also practice five new high-frequency Tricky Words and the Tricky Spelling oo. In grammar, students will learn to identify verbs and verb tense, including present, past, and future tense. Students will also begin formal instruction in the writing process with a focus on narrative writing.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will learn about the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations by exploring shared features such as farming, cities, government, and religion. Students will compare and contrast these civilizations while learning about their cultures, daily life, and contributions. Through informational read-alouds, discussion, and shared writing, students will practice identifying the main topic, retelling key details, asking and answering questions, building vocabulary, and explaining their ideas using complete sentences.

Skills

In this unit, students will learn common spellings for r-controlled vowel sounds and begin working with two-syllable words. Students will also learn about syllables, practice past-tense verbs ending in -ed, continue working with nouns and verbs in phrases, and begin using adjectives to support descriptive writing.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will learn about the solar system and Earth’s place in space. Students will explore the sun, stars, moon, planets, Earth’s orbit around the sun, and how Earth’s rotation causes day and night. Students will also learn about the history of space exploration, including NASA, the Space Race, the Apollo missions, and what it takes to be an astronaut. Through informational read-alouds, discussion, and writing, students will practice identifying the main topic, retelling key details, asking and answering questions, building vocabulary, and explaining their ideas using complete sentences.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will learn about Earth’s surface, shape, and layers, including the crust, mantle, and core. Students will explore geographical features, the North and South Poles, the equator, volcanoes, geysers, minerals, rocks, fossils, and dinosaurs. Through informational read-alouds, discussion, and writing, students will learn how these features help scientists understand Earth’s history while practicing how to ask and answer questions, use key details, build vocabulary, and explain their ideas using complete sentences.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will learn about habitats and how living things interact with their environment and with one another. Students will explore different types of habitats, the plants and animals that live there, and the ways living things are suited to their environments. Students will also learn about food chains, animal diets, habitat destruction, endangered species, and extinct species. Through informational read-alouds, discussion, and writing, students will practice asking and answering questions, making connections, building vocabulary, and explaining their ideas using complete sentences.

Skills

In this unit, students will begin learning advanced spelling patterns and practice using them in reading and writing. Students will work with plural nouns, suffixes, and spelling changes that occur when suffixes are added. In grammar, students will identify sentence types, including statements, questions, and exclamations, and practice creating longer sentences. Students will also plan, draft, and edit an opinion letter connected to the Student Reader.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will listen to classic fairy tales that have been enjoyed by children for generations. Students will learn the elements that make fairy tales a unique type of fiction while continuing to explore story elements such as characters, setting, plot, and events. Through read-alouds, discussion, and shared writing, students will practice asking and answering questions, describing key details, building vocabulary, and explaining their ideas using complete sentences.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will learn about how the United States of America began. Students will explore important people and events connected to the thirteen colonies and their decision to seek independence from Britain. Through informational read-alouds, discussion, and writing, students will practice identifying the main topic, retelling key details, asking and answering questions, building vocabulary, and explaining their ideas using complete sentences.

Skills

In this unit, students will continue working with spelling alternatives for consonant sounds. Students will also review nouns and pronouns and learn how to match pronouns to the nouns they replace. In writing, students will plan, draft, and edit a personal narrative.

Knowledge

In this unit, students will learn about the American frontier and early westward expansion in the United States. Students will review the thirteen colonies and the Revolutionary War, then explore the challenges of crossing the Appalachian Mountains and the role of important people such as Daniel Boone, Thomas Jefferson, and the explorers sent west to gather information. Through informational read-alouds, discussion, graphic organizers, and writing, students will practice making connections between people and events, building vocabulary, and explaining their ideas using complete sentences.

Skills

In this unit, students will continue learning advanced spelling patterns, with a focus on spelling alternatives for vowel sounds. Students will also learn how to use conjunctions and commas and practice noun-verb agreement in sentences. In writing, students will plan, draft, and edit an informative/explanatory text. Students will also complete a cumulative End-of-Year assessment to show their progress and help inform continued support in Grade 2.