1st grade English Curriculum

1st grade English Units

Open any unit to see the full lesson path. The summaries below are rendered in static HTML for clear curriculum discovery.

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  1

  Unit 1

  Print Concepts and Phonological Awareness

  Students build early reading habits by working with print, sounds, syllables, and rhyme. This unit lays the foundation for decoding and fluent reading.

  Print and sound basicsPhoneme changes and sound positions

  First steps

  1. 1Find vowels in words
  2. 2Sort consonants and vowels
  3. 3Count syllables
  4. 4Recognize rhyming words
  5. 5Blend simple sounds
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  2

  Unit 2

  Short Vowels, Digraphs, and Blends

  Students learn core decoding patterns for early reading and spelling. They read and write words with short vowels, digraphs, and blends.

  Decode and spell short-vowel wordsRead words with digraphs and blends

  First steps

  1. 1Read short a words
  2. 2Read short e words
  3. 3Read short i words
  4. 4Read short o words
  5. 5Read short u words
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  3

  Unit 3

  Long Vowels, Silent e, and Vowel Teams

  Students read and spell words with long-vowel patterns. They compare short and long sounds and use common spelling patterns to decode new words.

  Read long-vowel spelling patternsRead r-controlled vowels and diphthongs

  First steps

  1. 1Short and long vowels
  2. 2Read silent e words
  3. 3Read common vowel teams
  4. 4Sort long-vowel patterns
  5. 5Spell silent e words
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  4

  Unit 4

  High-Frequency Words and Decodable Fluency

  Students build automatic word reading and smoother oral reading. They practice sight words, sentence reading, and fluency with decodable texts.

  Recognize and use high-frequency words

  First steps

  1. 1Read sight words
  2. 2Use sight words in sentences
  3. 3Spell sight words
  4. 4Read short-vowel sentences
  5. 5Read long-vowel sentences
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  5

  Unit 5

  Reading Literature: Story Elements and Key Details

  Students listen to and read stories closely to understand characters, settings, events, and lessons. They use both words and pictures to answer questions.

  Identify story elements and retellTell fiction and solve story problems

  First steps

  1. 1Find characters and setting
  2. 2Find major events
  3. 3Put story events in order
  4. 4Retell with lesson
  5. 5Use pictures for story details
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  6

  Unit 6

  Reading Literature: Narrator, Feelings, and Inference

  Students think more deeply about stories by noticing who is telling the story, how characters feel, and what clues show but do not say directly.

  Use clues to understand stories

  First steps

  1. 1Find who tells the story
  2. 2Find feeling words
  3. 3Infer from pictures
  4. 4Infer from text clues
  5. 5Use actions and dialogue
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  7

  Unit 7

  Reading Informational Text: Main Idea and Text Features

  Students read simple informational texts to identify the main topic, key details, and useful text features. They learn how pictures and words each provide information.

  Find the main topic and use text features

  First steps

  1. 1Find main topic
  2. 2Find key details
  3. 3Retell facts in order
  4. 4Use headings labels captions
  5. 5Tell pictures from words
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  8

  Unit 8

  Reading Informational Text: Purpose, Sequence, and Comparison

  Students ask and answer questions about informational texts, notice why an author wrote a text, and compare facts across simple sources on the same topic.

  Understand purpose, order, and comparison

  First steps

  1. 1Find author purpose
  2. 2Put information in order
  3. 3Connect ideas and events
  4. 4Use context for word meaning
  5. 5Compare two texts
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  9

  Unit 9

  Grammar: Sentence Types, Complete Sentences, and Punctuation

  Students learn how sentences work and how punctuation helps readers understand meaning. They build complete sentences with correct endings and question words.

  Build complete sentences

  First steps

  1. 1Find naming and action parts
  2. 2Tell complete sentence or not
  3. 3Identify sentence types
  4. 4Choose end punctuation
  5. 5Use question words
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  10

  Unit 10

  Grammar: Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, and Modifiers

  Students strengthen sentence-building by learning the jobs of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, articles, and prepositions. They apply these skills in simple context.

  Use parts of speech in sentencesUse tense, be/have, and comparison words

  First steps

  1. 1Use common and proper nouns
  2. 2Make nouns plural
  3. 3Show ownership with nouns
  4. 4Use pronouns
  5. 5Use verbs with the subject
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  11

  Unit 11

  Vocabulary and Word Study

  Students grow word knowledge through sorting, meaning relationships, word parts, alphabetical order, and context clues. These habits support reading and writing across the year.

  Build and organize word meaning

  First steps

  1. 1Sort words by category
  2. 2Find synonyms and antonyms
  3. 3Understand multiple-meaning words
  4. 4Order words by strength
  5. 5Use simple word parts
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  12

  Unit 12

  Writing: Narrative Sentences and Storytelling

  Students write simple narratives with a beginning, middle, and end. They add event details and time-order words to make their stories clear.

  Write sequenced narratives

  First steps

  1. 1Write the beginning
  2. 2Write the middle event
  3. 3Write the ending
  4. 4Use time-order words
  5. 5Add one event detail
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  13

  Unit 13

  Writing: Opinion and Informative Pieces

  Students write short opinion and informative pieces with clear structure. They support opinions with reasons and share facts from simple sources.

  Write opinions and facts

  First steps

  1. 1State an opinion clearly
  2. 2Add one reason
  3. 3Write a closing sentence
  4. 4Write facts about a topic
  5. 5Add labels or captions
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  14

  Unit 14

  Revision, Publishing, and Speaking Skills

  Students improve writing with guidance, share ideas in discussions, and present clearly in complete sentences. They also explore simple digital publishing and visuals.

  Improve writing and share ideas

  First steps

  1. 1Revise one sentence for clarity
  2. 2Edit capitals and punctuation
  3. 3Publish with digital tools
  4. 4Take turns in discussion
  5. 5Ask a clarifying question
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  15

  Unit 15

  Extension: Advanced Reading Patterns and Language Use

  Students deepen end-of-year mastery with more complex decoding, fluent reading, and richer language use. This unit raises rigor while staying grounded in Grade 1 skills.

  Apply reading and language skills in connected text

  First steps

  1. 1Read mixed-pattern texts
  2. 2Choose grammar in context
  3. 3Tell formal and informal speech
  4. 4Read feeling language in poems
  5. 5Read-alone story questions
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  16

  Unit 16

  Stretch: Writing and Comprehension Synthesis

  Students bring together reading, writing, speaking, and vocabulary skills in longer tasks. These end-of-year challenges prepare them for more independent Grade 2-level work.

  Synthesize ideas across reading and writing

  First steps

  1. 1Compare story and information on one topic
  2. 2Collect facts from two sources
  3. 3Write a stronger informative piece
  4. 4Write a stronger opinion piece
  5. 5Explain ideas in complete sentences