What does a student learn in StateKansas,GradeGrade 1,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Reading print means understanding that words on a page run left to right, top to bottom, and that spaces separate words. Students recognize where a sentence starts and ends.

Students know how to hold a book right-side up, open it from the front, and follow pages left to right. It sounds simple, but this is how reading begins.

Students learn the basic vocabulary readers and writers use, like what counts as a word, what counts as a letter, and where a sentence begins on the page.

The first word of a sentence starts with a capital letter and the last word ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point. Students learn to spot those features in print.

Students listen to spoken words and work with their individual sounds and syllables. They can clap out the beats in a word, blend sounds together to form a word, or break a word apart into its separate sounds.

Students listen to a word like "cap" or "cape" and decide whether the vowel sound is short or stretched out. This is the first step in reading and spelling those words correctly.

Students say a whole word out loud by blending separate sounds together. For example, a teacher says the sounds /b/ /l/ /a/ /k/ and students blend them into "black."

Students listen to a word like "cat" and identify each sound separately: the first sound, the middle vowel, and the last sound. This is an early building block for reading and spelling.

Students say a short word aloud, then break it apart sound by sound. For example, "cat" becomes three separate sounds: /k/, /a/, /t/.

Students use letter-sound patterns to read unfamiliar words and spell them out. This is the core decoding work of first grade, turning written letters into spoken words and spoken words back into writing.

Students learn that two consonants together can make one new sound, like the "sh" in "ship" or the "th" in "that." Reading these pairs is a stepping stone to sounding out longer words.

Students read short, everyday words by sounding out each letter in order. Think "cat," "ship," or "flag," where every letter follows a predictable pattern.

Students learn that a silent "e" at the end of a word (like "cake") stretches the vowel long, and that two vowels together (like "rain" or "boat") usually make one long vowel sound.

Students count syllables in a written word by finding the vowel sounds. Every syllable has exactly one vowel sound, so counting vowel sounds tells students how many syllables a word has.

Students learn to split a two-syllable word into parts and use vowel sounds to read each part. A word like "rabbit" becomes "rab" and "bit" so it's easier to sound out.

Students read words that have been changed by adding an ending like -s, -ed, or -ing. Seeing "walk" become "walked" or "play" become "playing" helps students recognize the same word in different forms.

Students read common words they'll see in first-grade books, including compound words like "sunshine" or "birthday" that are made from two smaller words joined together.

Students learn that c and g each have two sounds. In "city" and "gem," c sounds like s and g sounds like j. In "cat" and "got," both letters use their harder sound.

Students read short words where a vowel pairs with the letter r, like the sound in "car," "her," or "bird." The r changes how the vowel sounds, and students practice spotting that pattern in simple one-syllable words.

Students learn to read vowel pairs like "oi" in "coin" and "ou" in "cloud" as one blended sound. Hearing and spotting these pairs helps students decode new words on their own.

Students read sentences and short passages out loud smoothly enough that they can focus on what the words mean, not just on sounding them out.

Students read a short book or passage all the way through, thinking about what it means, not just sounding out words. The goal is to read so smoothly that understanding comes naturally.

Students read a short passage out loud, getting the words right and sounding natural, not robotic. The pace and expression match the meaning of what they are reading.

Students notice when a word they just read doesn't sound right or make sense, then go back and fix it. That self-correcting habit is how reading gets more accurate over time.

Students read a story and then ask or answer questions about what happened, who was in it, and where it took place.

Students retell a story in their own words, covering the key details, and explain what lesson or message the story teaches.

Students describe who is in a story, where it takes place, and what happens, pointing to details from the text to back up what they say.

Students find words in a story or poem that paint a picture or stir a feeling. Think "icy wind" or "warm hug", words that help readers almost see, hear, or feel what is happening.

Students learn to tell the difference between a storybook and an informational book. They notice that one uses characters and plot while the other shares real facts about the world.

Students figure out who is speaking or narrating at different moments in a story. Is it a character? The author? Noticing the difference helps students understand why the story feels the way it does.

Students look at the pictures and read the words to describe who is in a story, where it takes place, and what happens. Both the illustrations and the text count as clues.

This standard does not apply to literary reading. In literature, students focus on story elements like characters, setting, and plot rather than evaluating an author's argument or evidence.

Students look at two stories side by side and notice what the characters go through together and where their experiences differ.

This standard starts in second grade. There is nothing for first graders to cover here yet.

When students come across a word they don't know in a story, they use clues from nearby sentences to figure out what it means. Some words mean different things in different sentences, and students practice sorting those out too.

When a sentence has an unfamiliar word, students use the rest of that sentence to figure out what it means. A nearby definition or a familiar word with the same meaning is the clue.

Students spot common word parts like "un-" or "-ful" to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. Seeing "unhappy" and knowing "un-" means "not" is the kind of thinking this standard builds.

Students spot a root word like "look" and recognize how adding -s, -ed, or -ing changes what it means. This is one of the first steps in reading longer, unfamiliar words without getting stuck.

Students practice describing things with comparing words, such as "bigger" or "biggest." They learn that adding -er or -est to a word shows how things measure up against each other.

Students learn that words have shades of meaning. For example, "happy," "joyful," and "ecstatic" all describe feeling good but in different amounts. A teacher helps students notice those differences in the stories they read.

Students group words by what they have in common, like animals, foods, or colors. Sorting helps them see what a category actually means, not just what things are called.

Students sort words into groups and name what makes each group alike. For example, a duck is a bird because it has feathers and wings.

Students find words they know in books and connect them to real life. A word like "freezing" in a story links to what cold weather actually feels like.

Students learn that verbs like "walk," "stomp," and "tiptoe" all describe movement but feel different. They practice picking the right word for a sentence or acting it out to show the difference.

Students listen to and read plays, stories, and poems written for first grade. With a teacher's help, they work through the words and ideas to understand what they heard or read.

Students read a short nonfiction passage and answer questions about what it says. They also ask their own questions about details they want to understand better.

Students find the big idea a nonfiction book or article is mostly about, then describe a few details that support it.

Students read a nonfiction book or article and explain how two things in it are connected, like how one event caused another or how two people worked toward the same goal.

Students stop at unfamiliar words in a nonfiction passage and ask what the word means, then look for clues in nearby sentences to figure it out.

Students learn to use headings, a table of contents, and glossaries to find specific facts in a book. These features act like signposts that point to the right page or section without reading the whole thing.

Pictures and words do different jobs in a book. Students practice noticing what a photo or diagram shows that the words don't say, and what the words explain that a picture can't.

Students look at the pictures and read the details in a nonfiction book to explain what the text is mainly about. The pictures and words work together to tell the full story.

Students find the reasons an author gives to back up the main point in a book or article. For example, if a book says dogs make good pets, students look for the sentences that explain why the author thinks so.

Students read two books on the same topic and spot what matches and what differs, like noticing that one book shows a frog's life cycle in pictures while another describes it in words.

This standard starts in second grade. First graders work toward it through the reading skills covered in the other Grade 1 standards.

When students hit a word they don't know in a nonfiction book, they figure out what it means using clues from the sentences around it. Some words have more than one meaning, and students practice picking the right one.

Students use nearby words in a sentence to figure out what an unfamiliar word means, like when an author explains a word right after using it.

Students use word parts like prefixes and suffixes to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. For example, knowing "un-" means "not" helps them read words like "unhappy" or "unkind."

Students spot the base word hiding inside longer words like "looks," "looked," and "looking," and notice what was added to the end to change its meaning.

Students learn that some words are closely related (like "hot," "warm," and "cold") and that small differences in meaning matter. A teacher or adult helps them notice how word choice changes what a sentence actually says.

Students sort a list of words into groups (animals, colors, foods) to see what the words have in common. Sorting helps them notice patterns and build a clearer picture of what each category means.

Students sort words into groups and describe what makes each one distinct. For example, a duck is a bird that swims.

Students spot words they already know and connect them to real objects or situations. A book about weather might use words like "stormy" or "freezing" that students hear every day.

Students sort words that describe similar actions but with different intensities, like the gap between "walk" and "stomp." They pick the right word for a sentence or act out what each one means.

First graders read simple nonfiction books and articles with a teacher's help. The goal is building comfort with real-world topics presented in straightforward, age-right text.

Students pick a topic or book, write what they think about it, and give one reason why. The piece ends with a closing sentence instead of just stopping.

Students pick a topic and write a few facts about it, then wrap up with a closing sentence. Think of it as a short "here's what I know" paragraph with a real ending.

Students write a short story that tells two or more events in order, uses words like "first," "then," and "finally" to show what happened, and ends with a closing sentence.

This standard doesn't apply in first grade. Writing production and distribution skills like planning, drafting, and revising formal pieces start in third grade.

Students share their writing with a classmate or adult, listen to feedback, and then go back to add details or fix parts that are unclear.

With a teacher's help, students use tools like a keyboard or tablet to write and share their work. Sometimes they write alongside a classmate.

Students work with classmates to research a topic using books or other sources, then write something together based on what they found, like a set of steps explaining how to do something.

Students look back at a book, picture, or their own experience to find an answer to a question. A teacher or adult helps them decide what information fits.

This standard doesn't apply in first grade. Writing research skills start in fourth grade, when students are ready to pull evidence from texts and use it in their own writing.

Students use correct grammar when they write, things like matching words that go together ("she runs," not "she run") and putting sentences in the right order.

Students practice writing every letter of the alphabet in both uppercase and lowercase forms, forming each one correctly on the page.

Students practice using everyday nouns like "dog" or "park," names like "Maria" or "Monday," and words that show ownership like "Sarah's backpack" in their writing.

Students practice matching the verb in a sentence to its noun: "The dog runs" but "The dogs run." This builds the habit of checking that each sentence fits together correctly.

Students learn to swap in words like "I," "me," and "my" instead of repeating a person's name over and over. It keeps sentences from sounding clunky.

Students choose verbs that show when something happened, is happening, or will happen. "She ran" sits in the past; "she runs" is now; "she will run" is coming.

Students practice using small connecting and describing words, like "and," "but," "the," and "big," when they write. These words make sentences flow and hold together.

Students practice writing four kinds of sentences: statements, questions, commands, and exclamations. They also learn to stretch short sentences into longer ones by adding details.

Students learn which words get a capital letter, where to put a period or question mark, and how to spell the words they use in their writing.

Students learn which words in a sentence need a capital letter. They practice writing the first letter of a person's name and a date (like Monday or June) as a capital.

Students learn to end every sentence with a period, question mark, or exclamation point. It's one of the first rules that turns a string of words into writing that's easy to read.

Students learn to put a comma between the day and year in a date, and between each word in a list. Think "red, blue, and green" or "January 5, 2025."

Students spell common short words correctly, including tricky ones that don't follow the rules, like "said" or "have." They also apply patterns like doubling the final letter in short words such as "hill" or "buzz."

When students don't know how to spell a word, they sound it out and write what they hear, using what they know about letters and sounds.

This standard doesn't apply in Grade 1. Writing range expectations start in third grade.

Students take turns talking and listening in small groups and class discussions, about books or topics the class is studying. The goal is to understand more by hearing other people's ideas.

Students take turns talking and listen quietly while others speak, following the rules the class agreed on for group discussions.

Students keep a conversation going by listening to what someone says and responding to it, not just waiting for their turn to talk. A short back-and-forth with a classmate counts.

When something is confusing during a class discussion, students ask a question instead of staying stuck. It keeps the conversation moving and helps everyone understand.

Students listen to a story or short video, then ask and answer questions about what happened or what they learned. The focus is on picking out the key details, not just the general idea.

Students listen to a speaker, then ask questions to fill in what they missed or didn't understand. It's the same back-and-forth as a classroom discussion, just with a purpose.

Students pick a person, place, thing, or event and describe it out loud using details that actually matter. They say what they mean clearly, including how they feel about it.

Students learn when to add a drawing or picture to what they're saying so the listener understands more clearly. A labeled sketch or simple diagram can show what words alone don't quite capture.

Students practice saying full sentences out loud, speaking clearly, loudly enough to be heard, and at a steady pace so listeners can follow along.

Students use correct grammar when they speak out loud, saying things like "she went" instead of "she goed" and "I have two dogs" instead of "I has two dogs."

Students use everyday nouns (dog, park), names of specific people or places (Maria, London), and ownership words (Maria's dog) in regular conversation and class discussion.

Students practice saying sentences where the verb matches the noun: "The dog runs" but "The dogs run." It's the grammar rule that makes spoken sentences sound right.

Students use words like "he," "mine," and "someone" in conversation instead of repeating the same name or noun over and over. This standard covers the small words that keep sentences from sounding clunky.

Students choose the right verb form to show when something happened, is happening, or will happen. In conversation, they say "she ran," "she runs," or "she will run" to place events in time.

Students use common describing words (like "big" or "happy"), connecting words (like "and" or "but"), and short words like "the" or "in" when they talk. These small words help sentences sound complete and clear.

Students practice saying complete sentences out loud: statements, questions, commands, and exclamations. A teacher gives a prompt, and students respond with a full sentence in the right form.

Students connect ideas in speech by using words like "because," "but," and "so." They practice linking thoughts clearly, drawing on words picked up from books, read-alouds, and everyday conversation.