English Language Arts Curriculum

Approved: 1999

First Grade

First grade students extend their understanding of the enabling skills of phonemic awareness and decoding and word recognition while they extend their comprehension and use of conventions for written language. They read a variety of texts, listen to literature, and respond to books, poetry, plays, age-appropriate expository texts, environmental print, and self-selected reading materials. They expand their oral language skills and their knowledge about recording oral language to express themselves clearly. As they participate in discussing texts and constructing texts, they expand their store of words. They begin to use new vocabulary and formats for their written products as a result of their examination of models of speaking and writing. First grade students will: Read a variety of texts in different settings. Respond to texts in different ways. Use conversational and literary language to express themselves. Begin to develop effective listening and speaking skills.

Strands: Oral Language, Written Language, and Other Media/Technology

Competency Goal 1	The learner will develop and apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
	1.01 Develop phonemic awareness and demonstrate knowledge of alphabetic principle: count syllables in a word. blend the phonemes of one-syllable words. segment the phonemes of one-syllable words. change the beginning, middle, and ending sounds to produce new words. 1.02 Demonstrate decoding and word recognition strategies and skills: use phonics knowledge of sound-letter relationships to decode regular one-syllable words when reading words and text. recognize many high frequency and/or common irregularly spelled words in text (e.g., have said, where, two). 1.03 Use pronunciation, sentence meaning, story meaning, and syntax to confirm accurate decoding or to self-correct errors. 1.04 Self-monitor decoding by using one or two decoding strategies (e.g., beginning letters, rimes, length of word, ending letters). 1.05 Increase vocabulary, concepts, and reading stamina by reading self-selected texts independently for 15 minutes daily. Self-selected texts should be consistent with the student’s independent reading level.
Competency Goal 2	The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
	2.01 Read aloud independently with fluency and comprehension any text that is appropriately designed for emergent readers. 2.02 Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of texts (storybooks, short chapter books, newspapers, telephone books, and everyday print such as signs and labels, poems, word plays using alliteration and rhyme, skits and short plays). 2.03 Read and comprehend both narrative and expository text appropriate for grade one. 2.04 Use preparation strategies to anticipate vocabulary of a text and to connect prior knowledge and experiences to a new text. 2.05 Predict and explain what will happen next in stories. 2.06 Self-monitor comprehension by using one or two strategies (questions, retelling, summarizing). 2.07 Respond and elaborate in answering what, when, where, and how questions. 2.08 Discuss and explain response to how, why, and what if questions in sharing narrative and expository texts. 2.09 Read and understand simple written instructions.
Competency Goal 3	The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
	3.01 Elaborate on how information and events connect to life experiences. 3.02 Recognize and relate similar vocabulary use and concepts across experiences with texts. 3.03 Discuss unfamiliar oral and/or written vocabulary after listening to or reading texts. 3.04 Share personal experiences and responses to experiences with text: publishing non-print texts. discussing interpretations. recording personal responses. 3.05 Recognize how particular authors use vocabulary and language to develop an individual, recognizable voice. 3.06 Discuss authors’/speakers’ use of different kinds of sentences to interest a reader/listener and communicate a message. 3.07 Compare authors’ uses of conventions of language that aid readers including: kinds of sentences. capitalization of first word in a sentence and proper names. punctuation to end a declarative and interrogative sentence.
Competency Goal 4	The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
	4.01 Select and use new vocabulary and language structures in both speech and writing contexts (e.g., oral retelling using exclamatory phrases to accent an idea or event). 4.02 Use words that name characters and settings (who, where) and words that tell action and events (what happened, what did ___ do) in simple texts. 4.03 Use specific words to name and tell action in oral and written language (e.g., using words such as frog and toad when discussing an expository text). 4.04 Extend skills in using oral and written language: clarifying purposes for engaging in communication. using clear and precise language to paraphrase messages. engaging in more extended oral discussions. producing written products. 4.05 Write and/or participate in writing by using an author’s model of language and extending the model (e.g., writing different ending for a story, composing an innovation of a poem). 4.06 Compose a variety of products (e.g., stories, journal entries, letters, response logs, simple poems, oral retellings).
Competency Goal 5	The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
	5.01 Use phonic knowledge and basic patterns (e.g., an, ee, ake) to spell correctly three-and four-letter words. 5.02 Apply phonics to write independently, using temporary and/or conventional spelling. 5.03 Write all upper and lower case letters of the alphabet, using correct letter formation. 5.04 Use complete sentences to write simple texts. 5.05 Use basic capitalization and punctuation: first word in a sentence. proper names. period to end declarative sentence. question mark to end interrogative sentence. 5.06 Self-monitor composition by using one or two strategies (e.g., rereading, peer conferences).