First grade is an exciting time for your child! For a child that’s 6-8 years old, words and reading comprehension take center stage in the classroom. A life-long love affair with books can really start to take root in first grade. Here’s a quick guide to where your child is at developmentally in first grade, as well as what they’ll be learning in school.
Important Milestones for 6-8 year-olds
Fine Motor Skills
First grade marks a time of improved large motor and fine motor skills. Most children gain strength and stamina this year, though they may still be clumsy. They begin to build coordination, rhythm, and fine motor abilities like improved handwriting.
Important Cognitive Milestones
During first grade, many children start to learn to think things through on their own before making decisions. They want to find answers to their own questions through independent investigation. They can also start to learn concepts and facts from listening and reading, rather than only from first-hand experiences. According to Dana Sullivan with Baby Center, first graders can often:
- Read a number of sight words and sound out and read other words.
- Begin to have a better sense of time; understand increments of time in terms of days, weeks, months, and seasons.
- Start to show specific learning strengths—the ways they learn best.
Important Verbal Milestones
During the first grade year, many children have mastered language enough to use long, complicated sentences to talk about the past, present, and future. If they have not yet learned to read, this is often the year that the concepts of reading and writing begin to take root. Nurture these skills by reading together every day!
Important Academic Milestones
While every child learns in different ways and at a different pace, first-grade curriculum will teach your child to:
- Print uppercase and lowercase letters accurately.
- Print from left to right and to work from the top to the bottom of the page.
- Print their first and last name, with correct capitalization.
- Write clear, coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop an idea.
- Use adjectives when writing a sentence.
- Write several sentences about a specific experience.
- Read about 100 words.
- Ask questions about something they’ve read.
- Sound out unfamiliar words.
- Understand the difference between words, sentences, and paragraphs.
- Read contractions and compound words.
- Respond to “who,” “what,” “where,” and “how” questions.
- Follow one-step written instructions.
- Figure out what unfamiliar words mean through context.
- Use basic punctuation.
- Pronounce consonant and vowel sounds.
- Sound out consonant blends.
- Identify the main character, setting, and events after reading or hearing a story.
- Read and explain their own writing.
- Read different types of literature such as fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Nurturing Your 1st Grader’s Intellect at Home
- Read, read, read! Read out loud with your child every day and encourage independent “reading.” (Even if that just means flipping through books and looking for sight words.)
- Practice writing in fun ways. Have your children write notes and cards to friends and relatives.
- Indulge their creative minds by playing make believe. Have your child describe a fun scenario in as many details as possible, using new adjectives and descriptive talk.
Gauging Physical & Intellectual Milestones
It’s important to remember that every child is different, and there is a huge range of what’s considered “normal” when it comes to children hitting their physical and intellectual milestones. Each child will develop at their own unique pace, so don’t worry if there is a variance compared to other children. Your child’s pediatrician can offer more insights and address any concerns you may have, so don’t hesitate to bring it up at your next visit.
Virginia Academy Does First Grade Right
Choosing a school environment where your child will learn and grow through the years can be a daunting task. Setting a solid foundation for their education is key to their success later in life. At Virginia Academy, we value the personal relationships that children build with their teachers from the very beginning. Building trust at a young age influences how receptive they are to learning new concepts in every grade. Learn more about Virginia Academy here.
FAQs
Education experts say that, by the end of first grade, a student can count, read, write and sequence numbers up to 100. They also learn how to compare numbers using the symbols for greater than, less than and equal.
What does every first grader need to know? ›
Education experts say that, by the end of first grade, a student can count, read, write and sequence numbers up to 100. They also learn how to compare numbers using the symbols for greater than, less than and equal.
What is normal behavior for a 1st grader? ›
Form and break friendships easily, and can be critical of other kids. Get their feelings hurt more easily and start being very aware of other people's feelings. Are eager to please and want to “be first” and win. Understand right from wrong, but look for the loopholes in rules to get what they want.
What to expect from a grade 1 student? ›
The reading level will increase in the first grade, and your children will learn more complicated words and sounds. They will also be asked to read paragraphs and answer questions based on them. First graders are expected to read fluently and understand the information they read.
How to parent a first grader? ›
- Encourage reading in any way you can. ...
- Treat your child as though he's an author. ...
- Make math part of her everyday life. ...
- Teach your child how to listen. ...
- Support your child's teacher and the school rules. ...
- Tell the teacher everything. ...
- Make sure your child is ready for school. ...
- Spend time in your child's classroom.
Children will practice adding one-digit numbers to two-digit numbers using strategies like counting on and number charts. Children can practice adding larger numbers with the help of a 1-100 chart. First graders are also ready to practice adding and subtracting 10s to and from two digit numbers.
Do kids struggle in first grade? ›
This is also the time when you are most likely to start noticing any learning differences and challenges. As many as 1 in 5 children in the United States struggle with organization, reading, writing, math, focus, and time management.
How many sight words should a 1st grader know? ›
A good goal, according to child literacy expert Timothy Shanahan, is that children should master 20 sight words by the end of Kindergarten and 100 sight words by the end of First Grade.
Should a first grader be able to read? ›
The specific words and reading abilities of 6 and 7 year olds can vary, but in general, a first grader should be able to read commonly used sight words and simple sentences with decodable words and basic spelling patterns. A 1st grader should be able to read short books designed for beginning readers.
What do first graders want? ›
First Graders Crave Fun
And what a beautiful truth. Kids need room to run, a place to be loud and the freedom to act a little crazy. First graders are no exception. These are an optimistic, happy bunch, floating from playgroup to playgroup and finding all kinds of ways to use their imagination.
“Grade one can be tough for a lot of kids,” says Jane Garland, a child psychiatrist at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver. As kids are transitioning out of a more play-based environment into one where they're expected to spend long periods at a desk, you can expect a bit of pushback.
Why is first grade so important? ›
First Grade is a determinative year in a child's reading and language skills. This is the year students ideally become fluent readers, and their grammatical structures become complex.
What should a child know after 1st grade? ›
Word endings (example, -ed, -ing, -s) 70% of the high-frequency words (Please practice in the reading folder 10 minutes each night.) Counting coins (ex. Pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half-dollars) How to read a graph What number comes before, between, and after Less than and greater than (ex.
How to teach a 1st grader? ›
How to Teach First Grade – Tips Beyond the First Day
- Create a Numerical System. Take your alphabetical student list and assign each student a number. ...
- Use Visual Timers. ...
- Make Use of Rewards. ...
- Avoid Treating Them Like Babies. ...
- Make Math Routine. ...
- Limit Activities to 12-18 Minutes. ...
- Integrate Plenty of Movement Breaks.
First graders will be able to read at least 150 high-frequency words ("sight words") by year's end, and typically have improved phonics and reading comprehension skills by this time as well. They'll also read grade-level books independently, and understand them.
What should a 13 year old know academically? ›
Writing equations in slope-intercept form. Using the reading comprehension process skills of summarizing, predicting, visualizing, questioning. Applying writing skills on activities such as composing cover letters, poems, biography, position papers and more. Understanding social reform at the turn of the century.
What should a child know by the end of year 1? ›
In Year 1, children will: need to count forwards and backwards up to 100. need to know their addition and subtraction facts to 20. start to learn about times tables through the use of simple multiplication and division problems, for which they will be given objects to help them work out what is being asked.
What should a first grader know by the end of the year in math? ›
1st grade math
Most 1st grade classrooms teach a variety of addition and subtraction strategies for numbers 0-20 in addition to sequencing, place value, measurement, telling time, using graphs and knowing three dimensional shapes.
