Learning Expectations
First Grade

Language Arts

Reading :

• Understands and uses concepts of print while reading
• Front of book, print contains a message, top to bottom, return sweep, left page before right, meaning of: period, question mark, comma, and quotation marks, difference between a letter and word, and capital letter vs. lower case letter
• Knows letter-sound relationships
• Uses a variety of decoding strategies (for example: picture clues, letter-sound relationships, reading on, context clues, word chunks, word families, self-correcting)
• Uses a variety of comprehension strategies (for example: making predictions, picture clues, story sequence, using prior knowledge, using context clues)
• Demonstrates phonemic awareness
• Identifies story elements (characters, setting, and beginning, middle and end of story)
• Makes text to text, text to self, and text to world connections

Writing:

• Writes using letter-sound relationships
• Writes pieces with a beginning, middle, and end that makes sense
• Applies the trait of idea in writing
• Uses pre-writing strategies (through guided instruction)
• Revises own writing (through guided instruction)
• Edits own writing to improve capital letters, ending marks, and sentence clarity
• Writes in complete sentences
• Uses capitalization correctly at the beginning of sentences and names (no random capitals within words)
• Uses punctuation correctly (period and questions marks)
• Spells high frequency words correctly
• Uses spelling strategies to spell unfamiliar words correctly

Speaking & Listening:

• Speaks clearly to a group
• Follows basic directions
• Comprehends oral communication
• Uses active listening behaviors
• Participates effectively in discussions

Mathematics

Problem Solving:

• Uses a variety of problem solving strategies for real world problems and situations
• Acting it out, drawing pictures, using physical objects, and writing a number sentence
• Explains mathematical thinking in a variety of ways (orally and with pictures, words, and numbers)

Number Operations and Relationships:

• Understands relationships between numbers and sets (to 100)
• Understands and uses fractions (with simple fractions such as ½ and ¼ in relation to the whole)
• Understands place value (to 2-digits / tens and ones)
• Uses the skill of estimation (for sets from 0-100)
• Adds whole numbers (basic facts to 9 + 9)
• Subtract whole numbers (basic facts from 18 – 9)
• Knows the relationship between the addition and subtraction (Instructional Only)
• Selects appropriate operation in problem solving situations

Geometry:

• Understands and recognizes two- and three-dimensional figures in the real world
• Including trapezoid, hexagon, pentagon, and octagon
• Understands the concepts of symmetry

Measurement:

• Measures length, height, and width (with standards and non-standard units)
• Measures weight (with non-standards units for comparison)
• Measures time (to the half hour with instruction to five minute intervals)
• Measures money (combined sets of coins to $1.00)

Statistics and Probability:

• Collects, organizes and displays data in bar and pictographs
• Reads and interprets data from bar graphs, pictographs, and tally charts

• Understands that future events are more, less, or equally likely, impossible, or certain to occur
• Conducts guided probability experiments

Algebraic Relationships:

• Solves for a variable in addition equations
• Creates and extends simple patterns and explains the relationship within them
• Recognizes and extends number patterns and explains the relationships within them (Instructional Only)

Science

Weather:

• Knows the importance of the sun to the earth
• Knows the water cycle
• Knows basic cloud formations and their possible effects on the weather
• Knows the causes of the day and night cycle

Organisms:

• Knows the characteristics of various habitats and their organisms (specifically pond/lake, jungle, ocean, desert, and forest)
• Knows the life cycle of a variety of organisms
• Knows plant parts and their functions
• Knows how science and technology have helped and/or hurt our way of life (Instructional Only)

Matter- Solids, Liquids, and Gases:

• Knows the states of matter
• Knows the physical properties of objects
• Knows how matter changes form

Human Body:

• Knows the basic systems of the human body
• Knows the elements of proper nutrition

Science Investigations:

• Guided instruction in the scientific method ( P roblem – H ypothesis - E xperiment - O bservation - C onclusion)
• Uses appropriate senses during science experiments
• Uses simple science equipment safely and effectively
• Communicates observations and conclusions from scientific investigation
• Uses a variety of sources to gather information for science-related questions

 Social Studies

Map Skills:

• Gather information from a variety of sources
• Locates places and features on a variety of maps and globes
• land vs. water, compass rose and directions (N-S-E-W), location of North America-USA-Wisconsin, map keys)

Being a Good Citizen:

• Knows the purpose of rules of behaviors
• Knows how institutions (e.g. schools, churches, businesses, government) contribute to society
• Knows how interactions among people affect individual and group behavior
• Knows the importance of national and state symbols

Cultures and Celebrations of the World:

• Knows how stories, music and other artistic creations are expressions of culture
• Understands the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people in relationship to historical events
• Knows the importance of national and state holidays

Self:

• Knows the factors that affect individual learning

Families-Today and Yesterday:

• Knows how families are alike and different
• Understands how life today is alike and different from life of the past
• Knows how personal economic decision affect the lives of others
• Knows the concepts of goods and services (Instructional Only)