Grade 1 Curriculum

Unit Pacing - 6 weeks (September - October)

In this unit, students will: 

• Recognize how many objects are in a collection (up to 10), without counting from 1
• Identify 1 more and 1 less than a given number 
• Explore number combinations that add up to 5 and 10 
• Count by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s 
• Make and read simple graphs 
• Work with their classmates to build a math community of thinkers and learners

Unit Pacing - 5 weeks (October - November)

In this unit, students will: 

• Recognize the number of dots on dominoes or dice without counting one by one 
• Add and subtract within 10 
• Practice addition and subtraction strategies 
• Use dominoes and picture cards to write a fact family of equations 
• Solve and write word problems

Unit Pacing - 5 weeks (November - December)

In this unit, students will: 

• Practice efficient strategies to add and subtract within 10 and within 20 
• Solve addition and subtraction word problems 
• Compare quantities between 0 and 12 
• Build an understanding of place value with tens and ones

Unit Pacing - 4 weeks (December - January)

In this unit, students will: 

• Locate, identify, and order numbers to 120 
• Count forward and backward by 1s and 10s 
• Add, subtract, and solve word problems using number lines
• Measure, order, and compare heights

Unit Pacing - 6 weeks (February - March)

In this unit, students will:

• Use foundational facts to develop and practice efficient strategies for adding within 20
• Tell, write, and solve increasingly complex addition and subtraction word problems within 20 
• Learn more about the relationship between addition and subtraction 
• Determine whether equations involving addition and subtraction are true or false 
• Measure, order, and compare heights in inches

Unit Pacing - 5 weeks (March - April)

In this unit, students will: 

• Identify, describe, sort, and compare 2-D and 3-D shapes
• Draw 2-D shapes and build 3-D shapes 
• Put shapes together to create pictures, designs, and larger shapes 
• Divide circles and rectangles into halves and fourths 
• Add 1-digit and 2-digit numbers

Unit Pacing - 4 weeks (April - May)

In this unit, students will:

• Understand place value within 120 
• Represent quantities to 120 using groups of 1s, 10s, and 100
• Use models, sketches, and numbers to add and subtract within 100 
• Count forward and backward by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s on a number path

Unit Pacing - 4 weeks (May - June)

In this unit, students will: 

• Develop a sense of time by experiencing activities that last a second, minute, hour, and day 
• Solve word problems that involve comparing 
• Add and subtract within 100 
• Measure, order, compare, and find differences in length
• Collect and analyze data by making simple charts and graphs using pictures, numbers, and tally marks

September - The first month focuses on establishing fundamental concepts of place value, specifically around the structure of 10, counting, and early data analysis.

October - The core focus shifts to developing addition and subtraction skills within 20, representing these operations using stories and models, and extending data organization skills.

November - This month focuses on introductory concepts in fractions and time, and expanding computational strategies using doubles.

December - The emphasis is placed on three-dimensional geometry, solidifying time concepts, and generalizing doubles facts.

January - The curriculum concentrates on equivalence and solving equations with unknowns, while expanding coin counting to include dimes, and preparing for the 100th day of school.

February - The central theme is celebrating 100 days of school, exploring geometric concepts like congruency, and advancing computational fluency using multi-addend strategies.

March - This month consolidates skills related to time, money, and place value knowledge beyond 100, while focusing on the crucial "making 10" strategy for addition.

April - The focus is on measurement of length, solving subtraction problems involving decades, and comparing 2-digit numbers using place value.

May - The final month reviews and consolidates core Grade 1 skills, focusing heavily on mental computation using decade numbers and exploring the relationship between quarters and dollars as fractions.

Unit 1 Knowledge - 16 Days (September)

Students are introduced to fables and stories that have delighted people for generations, including Aesop’s fables, a folktale of Anansi the Spider, and Beatrix Potter’s “The Tale of Peter Rabbit.” Students increase their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills, learn valuable lessons about virtues and behavior, and become familiar with the key elements of a story.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Deepen comprehension through "Somebody Wanted But So Then" strategy 
• Set a purpose for listening and understand the meaning behind sayings and phrases
• Begin to explore the genre of narrative writing

Unit 1 Skills - 32-35 Days (September)

Unit 1 provides a review of the sounds and spellings taught in the CKLA Kindergarten curriculum. Students are introduced to Tricky Spellings (spellings that can be sounded more than one way) and Tricky Words (words that cannot be sounded out using the letter-sound correspondences taught so far).

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Identify 5 short vowel sounds and 25 consonant/consonant digraph sounds
• Spell words with double-letter spellings
• Identify Tricky Spellings ‘th’ >/th/, /th/ and ‘s’ pronounced /s/ or /z/
• Consonant digraphs (‘ch’, ‘sh’, ‘th”, ‘ng’)
• Identify Tricky Words (review from K)
• Read stories in the decodable Reader
• Answer story questions

Unit 2 Knowledge - 16 Days (September - October)

Students are introduced to the systems of the human body and the functions of major organs. They learn about care of the body, germs and disease, vaccines, and keys to good health.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Deepen comprehension through “Somebody Wanted But So Then” strategy
• Set a purpose for listening and identify important information in a text
• Explore informational writing through collecting and synthesizing information in a group then recording it into a body systems booklet

Unit 2 Skills - 19-22 Days (October - November)

This unit introduces five vowel sounds and the most common (or least ambiguous) spelling for each sound. Students learn to read and write words with separated digraphs (such as a and e in cake). The unit also includes grammar lessons on nouns (including proper nouns) as well as practice with new Tricky Words.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Read and write long vowel sounds, including separated vowel digraphs (CVCe words)
• Identify and use common and proper nouns
• Identify and spell Tricky Words he, she, we, be, me, we, they, their, my, by, you, your
• Spell dictated words

Unit 3 Knowledge - 15 Days (October)

Students encounter different cultures from around the world as they explore the ways in which folktales from different lands treat similar themes or characters, including variations on the Cinderella story, the adventures of supernaturally small characters, and the exploits of cunning tricksters.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Deepen comprehension through “Somebody Wanted But So Then” strategy
• Set a purpose for listening and make text-to-text connections
• Retell stories using story grammar and a correct sequence of events
• Compare and contrast fairy tales and folktales

Unit 3 Skills - 19-22 Days (November - December)

This unit introduces students to five vowel sounds and the most common spelling for each sound, five new Tricky Words, and the Tricky Spelling “oo.” Grammar exercises focus on identifying verbs and verb tenses (regular present, past, and future). Students begin formal instruction in the writing process with a focus on narrative writing.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Read and write words with vowel sounds /oo/, /oo/, /ou/, /oi/, /aw/
• Distinguish between similar vowel sounds /ue/, /oo/, /oo/ and /u/
• Identify and spell Tricky Words should, could, would, down, because
• Spell grade-level words correctly
• Identify and use verbs and verb tenses
• Use the writing process to compose a narrative

Unit 4 Knowledge - 23 Days (November - December)

What is needed to build a civilization? Going back to the ancient Middle East, students explore Mesopotamia and Egypt and learn about the importance of rivers, farming, writing, laws, art, and beliefs.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Deepen comprehension through “Somebody Wanted But So Then” strategy
• Set a purpose for listening and identify important information in a text
• Explore informational writing by collecting information and recording it in timelines, graphic organizers, and using the information to write a paragraph

Unit 4 Skills - 28-31 Days (January - February)

This unit introduces the most common (or least ambiguous) spellings for /r/-controlled vowel sounds. Students learn the concept of a syllable and practice with two-syllable words. Students are introduced to past-tense verb forms ending with –ed as they continue to work with nouns and verbs in phrases. Students are introduced to adjectives and they practice descriptive writing.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Read and write words with r-controlled vowels
• Review long vowel spellings, including digraphs
• Identify and use contractions
• Spell grade-level words correctly
• Divide multi-syllable words into parts
• Read and spell Tricky Words today, yesterday, tomorrow
• Read and write past tense verbs with -ed
• Compose descriptive writing pieces

Unit 5 Knowledge - 17 Days (December - January)

Students compare and contrast key features of the early civilizations of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, and explore the development of cities such as Tenochtitlan and Machu Picchu. They are also introduced to the work of archaeologists who unearth ancient civilizations.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Set a purpose for listening
• Identify important information in a text
• Explore informational writing through collecting and synthesizing information, and recording it in charts, graphic organizers, and a written paragraph

Unit 5 Skills - 22-25 Days (March)

Students begin learning spelling alternatives that make up the advanced code. They practice making nouns plural and changing spelling when adding suffixes. In grammar, students identify sentence types (statements, questions, and exclamations) and practice creating longer sentences. They plan, draft, and edit a letter in which they express their opinions to the main character of the Student Reader.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Segment and blend two-syllable words
• Read and write spelling alternatives for /ch/, /j/, /v/, and /r/
• Review single and double-letter consonants
• Form plural nouns by adding -s, -es
• Write words with suffixes -ed or -ing
• Spell grade-level words correctly
• Identify and write different sentence types
• Use the writing process to compose a letter expressing an opinion

Unit 6 Knowledge - 13 Days (January - February)

In this introduction to the solar system, students learn about Earth in relation to the moon, the other planets, the sun, and the stars. They learn about the sun as a source of light, heat, and energy. And they are introduced to space exploration, including the Apollo missions to the moon.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Set a purpose for listening
• Identify important information in a text
• Explore informational writing through collecting and synthesizing information, and recording it in charts and graphic organizers
• Explore opinion writing by stating an opinion and supplying reasons to support it

Unit 6 Skills - 25-28 Days (April)

Students continue to work with several spelling alternatives for consonant sounds. Students review nouns and pronouns and learn to match pronouns to the nouns to which they refer. They plan, draft, and edit a personal narrative.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Segment and blend two-syllable words
• Read and write spelling alternatives for /s/, /n/, /ng/, /w/
• Spell grade-level words correctly
• Use past, present, and future verb tenses
• Build phrases and expand sentences using adjectives
• Match pronouns to antecedents
• Use the writing process to compose a personal narrative

Unit 7 Knowledge - 14 Days (February - March)

Students learn about the geographical features of the earth’s surface, the layers of the earth, rocks and minerals, volcanoes, geysers, fossils, and dinosaurs.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Set a purpose for listening
• Identify important information in a text
• Identify the format and parts of a friendly letter and synthesize important facts and information to write a friendly letter

Unit 7 Skills - 20-23 Days (May - June)

Students continue to learn the advanced code, focusing on spelling alternatives for vowel sounds. In addition, students learn about the use of conjunctions and commas as well as noun-verb agreement in sentences. Students practice the writing process by planning, drafting, and editing an informative/explanatory text. 

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Segment and blend two-syllable words
• Read and write spelling alternatives for /ae/, /oe/
• Spell grade-level words correctly
• Identify and use plural nouns
• Identify and use correct noun-verb agreement
• Write sentences using conjunctions
• Use the writing process to compose instructional writing

Unit 8 - 15 Days (March)

Students focus on the interconnectedness of living things with their physical environment as they learn what a habitat is and explore plants and animals in specific types of habitats.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Set a purpose for listening
• Identify important information in a text
• Explore informational writing through collecting and synthesizing information, and recording it in a journal and graphic organizers

Unit 9 - 15 Days (April)

Students are introduced to fairy tales that have been favorites for generations, including “Sleeping Beauty,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” “The Frog Prince,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Students learn about the Brothers Grimm, identify common elements of fairy tales, consider problems and solutions, make interpretations, and compare and contrast different tales.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Deepen comprehension by identifying the elements of a fairy tale
• Set a purpose for listening and compare and contrast literary ideas such as Fantasy and Reality and Hero and Villain
• Deepen understanding of narrative writing by planning, drafting, and revising a retelling of a favorite fairy tale

Unit 10 - 16 Days (May)

Students learn about the birth of the United States of America. They are introduced to important historical figures and events in the story of how the thirteen colonies became an independent nation. They also learn the significance of patriotic symbols, including the U.S. flag, the Liberty Bell, and the bald eagle.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Set a purpose for listening
• Deepen comprehension through “Somebody Wanted But So Then” strategy
• Identify important information and sequence events in a text
• Explore informational writing through collecting and synthesizing information, and record it in an informative paragraph

Unit 11 - 17 Days (June)

Students are introduced to early exploration of the American West and learn about key figures such as Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, and Sacagawea. They learn how colonists spread westward, including their struggles and successes and their interactions with native peoples.

Overall Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Set a purpose for listening
• Deepen comprehension through “Somebody Wanted But So Then” strategy
• Identify important information and sequence events in a text
• Explore informational writing through collecting and synthesizing information, and record it in an informative paragraph