English Language Arts — Grade 1

What's happening now?

This comprehension and writing lesson helps the student develop skills in predicting what will happen next and sequencing. It also develops the ability to answer what, where, when, and how questions. It can also include a writing activity that teaches writing in a newspaper format by answering the "W" questions and creating a class newspaper book.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts)

By Nancy McGowan.

Snakes are cool

This lesson begins with a reading of Verdi by Janell Cannon. It integrates science with language arts as the students learn about snakes and write about their findings.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and Science)

By Marcia Reich.

Seasons change

This lesson introduces students to the characteristics of the changing seasons and allows students to see how plants, animals, and people adapt to the changes.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 English Language Arts)

By Beth Herron.

Marc Brown author study: Arthur's Nose

Using the book Arthur's Nose by Marc Brown students will respond to the story through art, music, and in written form.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Visual Arts Education and English Language Arts)

By Kathy Palmore.

How much is that doggy in the window?

Using internet sources, students will explore information associated with owning a dog. Students will access a controlled collection of websites regarding owning a dog within the scavenger hunt.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies)

By Kathy Beck.

Healthy foods = super kids

This lesson focuses on how the foods we eat affect our bodies in both beneficial and harmful ways. Students will learn that grains provide energy; vegetables are needed for healthy skin, hair and eyes; fruits help the body heal, milk builds strong bones and teeth; meat builds muscle and gives strength; and sweets, fats, and oils are high in calories and give few vitamins and minerals and do little to help our bodies grow.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts, English Language Development, and Healthful Living)

By Phyllis Bass and Rubetta Carr.

Arctic animals

This is a whole language lesson for Speech Language Pathologists incorporating listening comprehension, categorizing, following verbal directions, and basic vocabulary and language concepts for First grade students.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and Science)

By Susan Ayers.

Walter the Baker

In this lesson, students will read and discuss Walter the Baker by Eric Carle. They will then create a personal response in words and pictures explaining what they want to be when they grow up.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Teresa Bennett.

Three Cool Kids

After reading Three Cool Kids by Rebecca Emberley, students will discuss literary elements: characters, setting, problem and solution. The teacher will record using the Inspiration software what students say, making a web that shows the different elements of the story.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts)

By Genevieve Kiser.

The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig

This lesson plan focuses on a English Language Arts objectives: similarity and difference. Students compare the story The Three Little Pigs and The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas. Students will work collaboratively in small heterogeneous groups to apply strategies for comprehension and vocabulary.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and English Language Development)

By Betty Coleman-Canty and Michelle Swain.

The Little Yellow Chicken

The students will be following an integrated unit on "Helping." They will use reading, math, social studies, science, technology, and other areas of study. Students will read, as a group, the book The Little Yellow Chicken by Joy Cowley. The students will be incorporating prediction, prior knowledge, comprehension skills, and language skills for the word family "-ook", the vowel sound "e", and the exclamation mark. The technology to be utilized by the students consists of use of the HyperStudio for math review, Math Software, Graph Club to create a graph of favorite party foods, Inspiration to guide and create graphic organizers for writing, and the Ultimate Writing Machine to create their own version of The Little Yellow Chicken. They will also incorporate color words to practice the Spanish Language.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Computer/Technology Skills and English Language Arts)

By diane williams.

The Alphabet Tree

After reading The Alphabet Tree by Leo Lionni to students, the students will retell the events on a flow map. Then using Kid Pix software, each child will choose an event, illustrate it, and write a caption for it. The students will then put their events in order in a Kid Pix Slide Show they can present to the class.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts)

By Jody Shaughnessy.

Resources on the web

Text Talk: "Julius, the Baby of the World"

This lesson from ReadWritethink helps young readers interact with and interpret text using Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes. The text talk strategy provides students with open-ended questions, which allow them to interpret the... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Junie B. Jones introduces literacy mystery boxes

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, the teacher reads aloud the Junie B. Jones selection Junie B., First Grader (at last!). Students discuss the text with a partner, and then individually record key events from the story. Each student also... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Creating class rules: A beginning to creating community

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students are led through a discussion designed to establish goals and needs for the classroom. Their ideas are charted on two lists: “Why Are We Here?” and “What We Need.” These two charts become... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink