Year at a glance
Ten monthly themes from September to June. Choose a month to see its goals and weeks.
September: Welcome to First Grade / My Community & Neighborhood
We set up our routines, read and spell short-vowel words, add and subtract within 10 by counting on, and map our classroom, school and neighborhood.
Reading & writing
Routines, short vowels (a, i, o, u, e), story elements, first heart words
Math
Add and subtract within 10 by counting on and counting back
Science
Five senses review: observing like scientists; what makes sound
Social studies
Classroom rules and jobs, my neighborhood, maps of the classroom and school
October: Fall / Plants & Animals
We read words with sh, ch, th and wh, retell stories and read fact books, compare numbers, and learn how plant and animal parts help them live.
Reading & writing
Digraphs sh, ch, th, wh; retelling; informational texts
Math
Subtraction strategies, comparing numbers
Science
Plant and animal parts and what living things need
Social studies
Community helpers (farmers), harvest traditions
- Week5Seeds and PlantsDigraph sh · Subtraction: think addition
- Week6Plant PartsDigraphs ch and tch · Subtraction strategies within 10 (and a few to 20)
- Week7Animal BodiesDigraph th · Compare numbers to 20: greater, less, equal
- Week8Farm and HarvestDigraph wh, and ck review · Compare numbers with symbols and comparison stories
November: Family & Gratitude / Weather Patterns
We read words with blends, put events in order, start opinion writing, solve word problems, measure length, and watch weather and daylight change.
Reading & writing
Blends, sequencing, opinion writing begins
Math
Word problems, measuring length
Science
Weather observation and daylight patterns
Social studies
Family then and now, Thanksgiving traditions told truthfully, gratitude
December: Winter Holidays / Light & Sound
We meet our first vowel teams, write true and made-up stories, build numbers with tens and ones, test light and sound, and learn how families around the world celebrate.
Reading & writing
Vowel teams (ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, ow), narrative writing
Math
Place value: tens and ones to 50
Science
Light and materials, sound vibrations, communicating with light and sound
Social studies
Holiday traditions around the world, then and now
January: New Year / Polar Animals & Habitats
We learn the silent e trick, read more smoothly, write to teach, use place value to 100, add within 20, and learn how polar animals are built for the cold.
Reading & writing
Silent e (a_e, i_e, o_e, u_e), fluency, informative writing
Math
Place value to 100, addition within 20
Science
Animal structures for survival in cold places
Social studies
Community needs and wants, polar regions on maps and globes
February: Friendship / Feelings / Health
We read bossy-r words, compare two books, subtract within 20, tell time to the hour, learn how our bodies work, and read about people who made a difference.
Reading & writing
R-controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur), comparing texts
Math
Subtraction within 20, time to the hour (and half hour)
Science
Human body structures, healthy habits
Social studies
Friendship and kindness; simple biographies for Black History Month
March: Spring / Growth & Change
We read more vowel teams, find the main idea, write complete sentences, count to 120, graph data, and watch living things grow and change.
Reading & writing
Vowel teams (oo, ou, ow, oi, oy, aw), main idea, complete sentences
Math
Counting to 120, data and graphs
Science
Plant life cycles, parents and offspring
Social studies
Maps from neighborhood to state, spring holidays
- Week23Seeds GrowVowel teams oo (moon, book) · Count to 120 from any number
- Week24Baby AnimalsVowel teams ou and ow (out, cow) · Read and write numbers to 120
- Week25Spring ChangesVowel teams oi and oy · Tally charts and picture graphs
- Week26Growing and ChangingVowel teams aw and au · Ask and answer questions about graphs
April: Earth & Environment / Forces of Nature
We read word endings, use text features, write opinions, measure and describe shapes, watch the Sun and Moon, and design solutions like engineers.
Reading & writing
Endings and suffixes (-s, -es, -ed, -ing, -er, -est), text features, opinion writing
Math
Measurement, shape attributes
Science
Sun and Moon patterns, engineering design
Social studies
Earth Day, caring for our community, citizenship
May: Oceans / Transportation / Inventors
We review all our phonics, enjoy chapter-book read-alouds, write stories, split shapes into halves and fourths, and meet inventors who changed how we travel and talk.
Reading & writing
Phonics review (two-syllable words), chapter-book read-alouds, narrative writing
Math
Halves and fourths, operations review
Science
Using light and sound; animal adaptations
Social studies
Then and now in transportation, important inventors and people
June: Review & Celebration
We celebrate how much we have grown: favorite books, independent reading, math games, our favorite experiments and a look back at the year.
Reading & writing
Mixed review, favorite books, independent reading
Math
Math games and mixed review
Science
Favorite experiments, again
Social studies
My year in review, looking ahead to 2nd grade
Next: 2nd grade. Ready for what comes after 1st grade? See the 2nd grade year plan.