Grade 1 Language Arts/Reading

Course Overview

This Grade 1 Language Arts/Reading course uses grade-appropriate books, stories, and poems to teach letter recognition and to support standards for reading literature and informational text.Scope and Sequence

Unit 1 – Phonemic Awareness and Consonant SoundsThis unit introduces the alphabet, including the vowel A and the consonants B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V, W, and Z. It further discusses tracking letter sounds, sight words, reading simple words, reading books, the consonant teams Wh, Ch, Th, and Sh, and applying letter sounds, and includes practice listening to and comprehending stories read aloud.Unit 2 – Sentences and Spelling WordsThis unit discusses capital letters, spelling with short A, the letters X and Qu, consonant tracking with train cars, using a keyboard to type words, sentences, vocabulary, correct word order, finding, writing, and finishing statements, and using correct word order to share ideas. It also includes practice listening to and comprehending stories read aloud.Unit 3 – Sentences and Short VowelsThis unit covers the importance of vowels, initial and medial short vowel sounds, spelling with short I, finding and writing questions and exclamations, sentence order, choosing punctuation, and practice listening to and comprehending stories read aloud.Unit 4 – Personal Narrative and Reading Long VowelsThis unit discusses personal narrative, including writing ideas, revising, listening, and presentation. Also covered are vocabulary words, as well as spelling with short O, vowel plus E sounds, vowel plus E word blending, adding E to the end in reading, and spelling sight words by typing.Unit 5 – Different Genres and Reading Vowel TeamsThis unit discusses reading vowel teams, including discovery, vowel team sounds, slider vowel sounds, spelling with short E, the "two vowels go walking" rule in reading, vowel tracking with train cars, applying vowel teams, vowel plus R (crazy R's), and vowel plus R word blending. Also covered are features of non-fiction text, using illustration to find details, distinguishing between information sources, comparing genres, and connecting ideas.Unit 6 – Consonant Blends and Basic ExpectanciesThis unit discusses spelling with short vowels, reading and spelling the letters C and G, rhyming, tracking, and spelling words that end with mp and nt, reading letters on squares, and practicing expectancies.Unit 7 – Consonant Blends and NounsThis unit discusses nouns, including noun discovery, people nouns, days of the week, months of the year, capitalizing special words, plural nouns with s and with es, irregular plural nouns, and applying nouns. Also covered are vocabulary, tracking and spelling words with dr, gr, and tr, reading and spelling plurals, and practice listening to and comprehending stories read aloud.Unit 8 – Plural Nouns and Book ReportsThis unit discusses vocabulary words, possessive nouns, abbreviations, spelling plural nouns by adding S, diagrams, comparing and contrasting characters, details in writing, and techniques for writing a book report, including gathering ideas, organizing ideas, and collaborating with peers.Unit 9 – Consonant Teams and Action VerbsThis unit covers verbs, including present, past, and future tense verbs, using was, were, is, and are, and comparing and applying verbs. Also discussed are vocabulary words, sorting and spelling words with cl, fl, sl, and st. The unit also provides practice listening to and comprehending stories read aloud.Following this unit, students are presented with the Mid-Term Review and Exam.Unit 10 – Explanatory Writing and Reading SyllablesThis unit discusses reading syllables, counting syllables, open and closed syllables, and applying what we have learned about syllables. Also covered are vocabulary words, charts, logical order and sequence, and reading and spelling words with double consonants, as well as the steps for explanatory writing including revising, speaking, listening to, and presenting.Unit 11 – Consonant Teams and Non-FictionThis unit discusses discovering non-fiction, reading biographies, news articles, lists, and charts, sorting and spelling words with Sh, Ch, Wh, and Th, punctuating letters, and finding authors' intent.Unit 12 – Long Vowels and Non-FictionThis unit discusses book titles, spelling by adding E to the end, spelling words with long A and long I, and vocabulary words. Also covered are finding facts, telling the details, paragraphs, answering questions, and applying what we have learned about non-fiction.Unit 13 – Long Vowels and SyllablesThis unit discusses discovering and applying word endings, sorting and spelling words with long O, finding and spelling words with long E, vocabulary words, reading and spelling with syllable cards, and practice listening to and comprehending stories read aloud.Unit 14 – Long and Short Vowels and AdjectivesThis unit discusses description including discovering description; adjectives; words that describe weather, color, feelings, and numbers; sorting and comparing adjectives; and applying what we have learned about description. Also included are vocabulary words and how to appreciate poetry.Unit 15 – Comparing Adjectives and Long A SpellingThis unit discusses the "two vowels go walking" rule and spelling words with long A teams, as well as how to use a dictionary, synonyms, similar adjectives, using conjunctions, showing relationships with conjunctions, vocabulary words, reading in context with focus on paragraphs, and categorizing and classifying.Unit 16 – Pronouns and Sentence PartsThis unit covers pronouns, including discovering pronouns, using he, she, it, they, I, me, we, and us, and applying what we have learned about pronouns. Also discussed are subjects, predicates, compound subjects and predicates, sorting and spelling words with long E teams, words that rhyme with the long I sound but are spelled with Y, how "long I spelled with Y" words are spelled, and vocabulary words.Unit 17 – Research and ReportingThis unit discusses expository writing, including discovering expository writing, main and supporting ideas, research, organizing ideas, presentation skills, and making your presentation. Also covered are using commas, using text features, homonyms, vocabulary, time order words, and sorting and spelling words with long O sounds.Unit 18 – Word Parts and Verb TensesThis unit covers finding root words, understanding prefixes and suffixes, making and spelling compound words, finding meaning with context clues, vocabulary words, using the right words, using prepositions, spelling words by adding ED and words with ING endings, and improving sentences.

Following this unit, students are presented with the Final Review and Exam.