Learn about what academic, social, and physical skills you should expect your first-grader to learn
In your child’s classroom
In first grade your child will become more independent and learn how to adapt to the school’s routine. Donna Adkins, our teacher consultant, explains: “First grade is probably the most critical period in your child’s education. It is a pivotal grade in which the foundation for the rest of the primary grades is set.” Your child’s first-grade skills will be academic, social and physical.
Building reading and writing skills
Most critical in first grade is the development of reading and writing skills. Your child will move from pre-reading skills to building crucial language skills in reading, spelling and writing. At home you can read stories aloud to your child often and ask questions such as “Who are the characters in the story?” “Where does the story take place?” “What happens in the beginning, middle and end of the story?”
Mastering math skills
In math your child will learn addition and subtraction facts, and how to tell time. She will count coins and identify patterns in numbers and objects. Practice these skills at home by asking your child to spot repeating patterns in her daily life and surroundings, such as designs in her clothing.
Assuming responsibility and routines
If your child attended a half-day kindergarten, first grade will mean attending school for a longer day. Talk to your child about “big kid” issues like packing a healthy lunch and how to treat other students on the playground. Adkins explains: “Since first grade is such a change from kindergarten, it becomes very important for parents to help their child set the stage for a great day. We know that we all feel poorly when we do not receive enough rest or do not eat properly. Children at this age do not know how much rest they need. It is up to the parents to ensure that their child learns these good habits.”
In first grade your child will begin to assume responsibility and reinforce learning through homework. You’ll want to prepare a quiet, organized work area and set aside time for her to do homework everyday.
You can use the summer before first grade to teach your child responsibility for a household chore. Adkins explains: “Choose a simple chore that that she can do without feeling overwhelmed. Start small and build. To raise a responsible child, responsibility must be cultivated early and continually.”
Adkins adds: “Teaching your child independence is one of the most important jobs a parent has. One way to accomplish this is to develop daily routines that a child can follow. If a child knows that every morning when she gets up, she follows a particular routine for getting ready, then she can soon do it herself. In the evening, if your child knows the bedtime routine is to take a bath, brush teeth, read a story and get into bed, then not only is it easier to get her into bed, it is easier for the child to do it independently.”
Each child passes through a range of social, academic and developmental stages at his own pace. Here are some guidelines for what to look forward to in the year ahead.
Physical and social skills you can expect of your first grader:
- Listen for longer periods of time
- Work independently at her desk
- Listen to longer sets of directions
- Complete homework and turn it in the next day
- Stay seated for a longer period of time
- Be able to see things from another person’s point of view so you can reason with her and teach her empathy
- Relate experiences in greater detail and in a logical way
- Problem-solve when disagreements arise
- Crave affection from parents and teachers (eager to please?)
- Experience minor difficulties with friends and working out problems with peers
- Be able to plan ahead
Academic skills you can expect of your first grader:
- Read directions off the board, some children may still have difficulty with this
- Write words with letter combination patterns such as words with the silent e like make
- Read and write high-frequency words such as where and every
- Write complete sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation
- Read aloud first-grade books with accuracy and understanding
- Count change
- Tell time to the hour and half-hour
- Quickly answer addition and subtraction facts for sums up to 20
- Complete two-digit addition and subtraction problems on paper
Learn more about where your child should be at the end of kindergarten.
FAQs
Count, read, and write whole numbers up to 100. Identify and write numbers up to 100. Recognize when a shape is divided into equal parts. Interpret simple pictures and graphs for meaning.
What my child should know by 1st grade? ›
Write and recognize upper- and lowercase letters. Match letters to sounds, make rhymes, and recognize some words without having to sound them out (teachers refer to these as sight words, and some of the first ones kids pick are and, the, and it). Learn and use new words to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
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 do first graders struggle with? ›
First Grade | Struggling Readers
“1 in 5 kids in the U.S. struggle with issues related to reading, writing, math, focus and organization. These kids with learning issues are as smart as their peers, but too many aren't getting the support they need to succeed.”
Is first grade hard? ›
First grade now is not the First grade you remember. It's very academic and the math is difficult. Your son might very well need a bit more time to be developmentally ready for first grade. Just like some children are late talkers or walkers, some need extra time to develop fine motor skills and academic skills.
How smart is a 1st grader? ›
Important Cognitive Milestones
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.
What math should 1st graders know? ›
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.
Should a first grader be able to read? ›
Reading in First Grade
They should also be able to read grade-level books fluently and understand them. More broadly, a first grader typically ends the school year as an independent reader, with improved phonics and reading comprehension skills. They also learn basic grammar skills, like capitalization and punctuation.
What should a 1st grader know by the end of the year? ›
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 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.
It's where kids begin to build the foundation for all their future learning. Just like you need strong bricks to build a sturdy house, you need 1st grade to build a strong base for your education. 2. Reading Magic: In 1st grade, kids learn to read, and that's like learning a superpower!
What is it like to teach 1st grade? ›
First graders' enthusiasm for school and life can be exhausting but infectious, and teaching them is an exciting and joyful experience (although you will need a great deal of energy!). But sometimes first graders' enthusiasm and gusto can make them bite off more than they can chew.
What do first graders love? ›
First Graders Love to Learn
Oh, the wonder of letters, numbers, shapes, and colors! These kids are writing names and tying shoes with determination.
What things do 1st graders like? ›
50 Activities for 1st Grade
- Go on a shape hunt. Read a book like The Shape of Me and Other Stuff by Dr. ...
- Design a school backpack. ...
- Create a digital greeting. ...
- Make a Mondrian. ...
- Explore emotions with the color monster. ...
- Celebrate a community helper. ...
- Tell a cycle story. ...
- Become the masked reader.
Your child will be expected to know how to follow the rules of conversation, such as taking turns and listening to others when they're speaking. They'll also be expected to know some basic academic skills in areas like math and literacy. Some of these include: Adding and subtracting numbers up to 10.
What to expect from my first grader? ›
By the time she reaches first grade, your child begins absorbing new material like a sponge. She understands at least 20,000 words, has some impressive spelling skills, and senses how words and language work. In math, she's getting faster by the week at adding and subtracting, and she's learning to solve word problems.
What are kids supposed to know by the end of first grade? ›
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 reading level expectation is a first grader? ›
A first grader should be able to recognize letters and their sounds, read grade-level text with suitable speed and expression for their age, comprehend simple stories, have a growing vocabulary, and retell stories in their own words.
What should a first grader know by the end of the year in math? ›
In first grade, you can expect your child to learn about:
- Addition and subtraction facts to 20. ...
- Addition and subtraction as inverse operations. ...
- Count and write within 120. ...
- Add within 100. ...
- Measure objects. ...
- Tell time to hour and half hour. ...
- Understand basic fractions.
