1st Grade Curriculum Guide
Looking for a 1st Grade Curriculum Guide that doesn’t take all day, but covers what your child needs to succeed? I am going to share with you what worked for us and how we got there.
The 1st Grade Curriculum Guide is exactly that… a guide. I will lay out how we tackle each subject and to what degree. Whether you choose a similar route or one that is grossly different, hopefully, you will find some ideas about how you would like to tackle 1st grade. For the record, our learning philosophy is that learning happens all the time and is a part of life. We hold to an eclectic learning environment. However, we do make use of traditional tools enmeshed with a myriad of supplemental resources. Happy learning!
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1st Grade Curriculum Guide
Let me reiterate that this 1st Grade Curriculum Guide is what works for us. I am not going to supply time frames or even how often because there are no exacts. In our home, we have a general schedule that we follow, but we live life as it happens and things are always subject to change. We have followed the below 1st-grade curriculum guide for 4 children with another using this program starting in 2023.
For those wanting to see the exact learning standards for each grade for your state, I would advise you to search your state’s name along with the words, “state learning standards.” For example, Ohio state learning standards. You should be able to locate them this way.
For Georgia, the state standards are located here.
Do you have to follow the state standards? No. I do not follow them to a tee, but merely refer to them. However, if you plan to homeschool temporarily, it may be more helpful to you. In 1st grade, we focus on the three R’s… reading, writing, and arithmetic. All other subjects get weaved into our year through unit studies, reading, and a myriad of supplemental materials.
English & Language Arts
English and Language Arts covers a gamut of different skills and can seem overwhelming. I like to think of it in terms of phonetic sounds, spelling, reading, and writing. The cool thing is that you can use reading and writing to support the learning of history and science. During 1st grade, our ELA goals take up most of our school time. You can view the Georgia’s state standards for (ELA) English and Language Arts here.
Letters & Sounds 1 Workbook from Abeka
This workbook covers the phonetic aspect of 1st grade. What I love about the workbook is that I don’t have to worry about leaving gaps in my child’s education in terms of phonics. As a busy mom, the ability to order an already bound workbook that doesn’t require me to print is ideal.
How many pages a day do we cover? I take the days that we plan to homeschool and then divide by the number of pages in the book. We do not use the workbook everyday. We focus on 1 page front and back at a time. However, one of my children had to work up to doing the front and back at once. His attention span weaned, so we would complete one side and then move on to something else. We would come back to it later. Even if it was only thirty minutes later.
Language 1 Workbook from Abeka
The Language 1 Workbook from Abeka covers grammar, creative writing, and reading comprehension. Love that the book is ready to go. We read through the directions together and reiterate the new concepts.
How many pages a day do we cover? I implement this book the same as the Letters & Sounds. We only do 1 page front and back at a time. We alternate the Letters & Sounds book with the Language 1. For us, it is too much to do both in one day.
1st Grade Spelling Tasks Pack
The Spelling Tasks Pack is a set of daily tasks that my first grader completes Mon-Thur. You can read more about it and download your own printable 1st Grade Spelling Tasks Pack here. Each of the 36 weeks has a list of 8 words that focus on sight words and word family sets. I love the Spelling Tasks Pack because it focuses on so many of the goals we strive towards in 1st grade: reading, phonics, and writing. With that being said, we do not complete all 36 weeks. Nor, do we always complete all the tasks. Do what feels right for your kid. For one of my kids, the spelling tasks pack was not introduced until half way through the year and for another, they didn’t do it at all.
Writing
Manuscript Practice
In 1st grade, some of my kids are still working on writing their letters correctly. If this is the case, I purchase an inexpensive manuscript book. There are also tons of free alphabet and number printables online that you can use with your child to perfect their writing. Softschools.com offers a wide variety for you to choose from. Print out what you want to use and have them ready to go when the time is right!
Draw & Write Sheets
By 1st grade, my student is encouraged to use Draw & Write Sheets to illustrate and write about a topic. To see how we incorporate DRAW & WRITE SHEETS into our homeschool, click here.
Creative / Journal Writing
I love Primary Composition books. They are perfect for early learners. The top half of the page is empty while the bottom half is lined for writing. This allows for your child to write a few sentences at the bottom and draw a corresponding picture at the top. These books become great keepsakes.
Read more about how we include writing into our homeschool here at Elementary Writing.
Reading
Story time
Between story time, read alouds, and individual reading time, we enjoy a variety of books in 1st grade. During story time, my younger kids, Pre-K to 1st, gather around to hear traditional fun-loving fictional stories to history and science readers. Berenstain Bears books are some of our favorites story time picks.
Read Aloud
Now, read alouds are a little different. We all participate, young and old. All of us huddle around the living room piling in on couches and chairs (dog too) as I read a chapter or two of an engaging tale. We sometimes read fiction and other times books based on an historical account. Science and history can easily be hit upon during this time through the books we read. For example, you might read a book set during colonial times or read an adventure that revolves around an erupting volcano! My first grader may not like all of the books we read, but they are present and taking it all in… one book at a time. This is a great time to incorporate audio books too. You might want to try Charlotte’s Web or Magic Tree House Series.
Road to Reading
This is a big year for most of my 1st graders. This is the year that they start to feel like a real reader. When tackling the task of teaching my children to read, I follow a general set of steps that aren’t hard to follow. The key is to be consistent and to keep at it, even when you may both get flustered. I begin the road to reading as early as toddler/preschool teaching them letters and sound recognition. During kindergarten, we are moving on to reading BOB Books. Going into 1st grade, we have finished our set of phonics readers and are moving through the Preschool Prep reader sets.
The goal by the end of 1st grade is to have the preschool readers finished and moving onto more independent readers. We still sit together to read, but my child has earned the privilege of picking out their own books now (with some guidance). To read more about how we tacked learning to read, follow our ROAD TO READING or How To Encourage your Child to Read.
Additional English & Language Arts Resources
Word Families
Word families help students sound out words and assist them in seeing patterns within words. You can see how we add word families into our routine here. Word family activities are ones that we use in kindergarten and into first grade.
Sight Words
Learning sight words is a huge step towards learning to read. During 1st grade, my student does complete the Sight Word Fill-in-the-Blank Worksheet set, which can be downloaded under our SIGHT WORDS & MORE.
There is no certain schedule that we follow for learning sight words. We just keep plugging away at them. The kids watch videos, play sight word board games, use computer slideshows and put traditional flashcards to work. Whenever you can fit them in… great. Don’t stress over them… it will come.
Math
1st Grade Math standards for the state of Georgia can be accessed here on page 13.
Arithmetic 1 Workbook from Abeka
You can order this booklet and others bound or loose leaf. For organization purposes, we order the bound copy. The level of math in this workbook is challenging. Abeka curriculum features a spiral style of learning meaning that math concepts will continue to pop up even after a student’s mastery. This enables content to solidify and truly be mastered long term. With this being said, if the curriculum offers 6 of the same type problem, I may allow my student to complete only 3 of the 6 if they get them all correct.
We focus on 1 page front and back at a time.
Additional Math Resources
K-1st Math Upgrades
K – 1st Math Upgrades provides you with supplemental math activities, crafts, and ideas to make math hands-on and memorable. Some of the topics covered include addition, subtraction, place value, and more! Check out K-1st Math Upgrades!
Counting Money Unit
The Counting Money Unit is fun and engaging. My students have always particularly enjoyed the hands- on activities and projects provided. There are slideshows, printables, videos, and more! Check out the Counting Money Unit!
Days of the Week Activities
Learning the Days of the Week and Months of the year are one small aspect of 1st grade. Even though I touch on this topic during kindergarten, I try to have it solidified in 1st grade. It is a topic I reiterate in both grades. I use a couple of the teaching tools for my kindergarten student and then the others I save for 1st grade. Check out the Days of the Week Activities!
Science
At this age, science can be covered through reading books, science units, and natural observation. We do incorporate the reading of the Abeka Science textbook. It is a book that I read to my student on the couch in sections. It is a great time to discuss what we read together and what it means. I usually do not add in the science textbook reading until a few months into the first grade year. This is my preference. Besides the Abeka science textbook, we read other science readers too. We supplement science with hands-on labs, science related videos, and writing assignments using Science Draw & Write sheets.
Additional Science Resources
When planning for a year, I look at the state standards, but that doesn’t mean that I cover what they are. It is something that I merely refer to. As the years have gone by, we are more apt to do things science related that interest us. For first grade, we might hit on magnets, clouds, spiders, candy labs, or birds. Check out our Science Unit Studies to find fun interactive science investigations and resources!
Social Studies
The Abeka history reader, “My America and My World,” is included in our 1st Grade Curriculum Guide. We use our history reader just as we do our science reader. It is something we read together and discuss. Oftentimes, after reading a section of the book, we do a craft or write using a Historical Figures Draw & Write sheet or American Holidays Draw & Write Sheet. We may even watch a short educational video on the topic.
When planning for a year, I will usually look at the state standards for that year and try to hit on some topics of interest. For 1st grade, we usually cover community helpers, our country and its symbols (including the American Flag Unit), World Maps, various holidays, the Pilgrims and the Mayflower, where we live on Earth with the use of maps. You can check out the Georgia Standards here.
Fine Arts
Fine Arts in 1st grade is all about experiences, exposure, and opportunity. Taking a field trip to a local play or museum, watching and listening to different types of music, affording a child the chance to try different instruments, are all aspects of providing fine art exposure and experience. If time allows, this may be a great time to join the Christmas choir at church or try a dance class. Many colleges, churches, and universities offer free fine art opportunities for their communities.
Sometimes we don’t have the opportunity to visit or see fine arts in person. This is the perfect opportunity to think outside the box. Watch a ballet, hip hop, tap dancing, or waltz competition online. We spent a week watching different fiddlers on YouTube, while another week we viewed mini-documentaries on famous artists and musicians. Many of the most famous museums around the world can be toured online also.
Your child can also enter a myriad of contests. One website that is worth looking into for its list of potential art contests and wealth of FREE resources including art lessons is Samantha’s Bell. Great for older kids too. Another site that my youngest boy loved during 1st grade was The Art Hub featured on YouTube. My son started a portfolio that year to feature all of the art he created through their tutorials.
Our focus for arts in first grade is to keep it fun. Don’t be scared to try something artsy or crafty… paint like Picasso, try your hand at pottery, or create unique nature art! We also make instruments, which is always an engaging activity. You can use all kinds of recycled objects to create instruments such as drums with large coffee cans, shakers with rice in bottles, string instruments with rubber bands and shoe boxes. Have fun with it!
Enrichment Ideas
It is truly mind boggling how many enrichment activities your child could potentially participate in. This part of your child’s education can really become custom to their gifts and strengths. Enrichment for your family may include lots of crafts, models, games, and hands-on labs. For another, gardening or caring for animals takes center stage. And yet, when I scroll homeschool groups across the nation, I read about second languages being mastered and students learning computer skills that top my own. Sewing and cooking come into play as well. Oh, don’t forget activities like gymnastics, chess competitions, carving and even archery! The list of enrichment ideas goes on to include instruments of all kinds, sports of all kinds, LEGO construction, woodworking, painting, embroidery, and so much more!
Before you get overwhelmed… stop. Don’t do what I and other moms often do… compare your homeschool. We read about what other moms say on social media and we are convinced that we aren’t providing our children with enough opportunities. Bologne. We are all different and our family situations are too. It is important for us to remember that the homeschool environment we create for our kids is our own. It isn’t meant to look like someone else’s. What a shame if it did. So, with that being said, don’t compare your children, and don’t compare your homeschool. Remind yourself that God is sovereign and knows more than you do about what you and your family needs.
Physical Education
The kids spend plenty of time outdoors walking, playing, running, jumping, climbing, etc. Our first graders were always fortunate enough to be able to play in some sort of county rec sport. The kids enjoy playing basketball at the park too. In our area, there are classes available called Homeschool PE which may be of interest to you. Truth is, the best physical activity at this age seems to be the kind they get while playing on the playground. To view the complete standards for the state of Georgia, look here.
For us, learning about who created us and how we should care for our body is essential to physical education. During the early years, we study God’s creation and how He made us each special in His image. Furthermore, we talk about keeping our bodies healthy in a unit we call Keep Clean Hygiene mixed with another unit called What can we do to keep from getting sick? We also cover food groups and where our food comes from in the Farm Unit along with the Fruits & Vegetables Unit. The child learns that healthy foods produce a healthy body.
Bible
Bible time we do together as a group. We read, discuss, and do crafts related to Bible stories. The kids watch videos and listen to songs filled with Bible truths. If you would like to learn more about how we incorporate God’s word into our homeschool, check out Bible Truths.
1st Grade Curriculum Guide Supportive Programs
STARFALL
Starfall has been a program that we have used for years. My kids have all loved it. It provides so many avenues for learning. Starfall is only $35 annually.
Starfall offers a phonic based reading program that introduces sight words and word families. There are math games, nursery rhymes, and a variety of other fun activities that will be sure to entice your child to sit and learn.
FREE EDUCATIONAL ONLINE GAMES
This is a compilation of educational games that we have used over the years. Many of the gaming sites featured are educational, fun, and engaging. This is a tool to keep in your teacher’s bag for that rainy day! Skip the math workbook and reward your student with math games that focus on addition facts as a nice change of pace. Check out the games that we have tried and enjoyed at FREE EDUCATIONAL ONLINE GAMES!
RECOMMENDED EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS
If your student is a visual learner, it will be important to add videos to your homeschool. My kids love the opportunity to watch videos that pertain to whatever it is we are reading about in our science and history books. Explore RECOMMENDED EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS where you will discover a large list of videos that we have used and abused!
What about Socialization?
Many new homeschooling families are concerned about their child’s socialization. I would encourage you to rethink your perception of what socialization is and how children acquire it. There are plenty of opportunities for your child to meet others and develop social graces. Social interactions take place at church, co-ops, sports programs, farmer’s market, and even the grocery store.
Over the years, my children have developed relationships with people of all ages. We have participated in everything from soccer to Awanas to co-ops to Tae Kwon Do. I have a friend who serves the homeless making lunches while another visits elderly homes singing and ministering to them. More families take classes at the local homeschool co-ops. And still other families travel more than they are home!
Some things to keep in mind...
What we do may not work for you. This 1st Grade curriculum guide isn’t meant to give you an exact plan for your homeschool, but to give you a general idea of what may work for you… or not. Hopefully it will help you to take one step at a time to pave your own path. I encourage you to take advantage of the benefits to homeschooling. There is no set time frame for learning. Nor does learning require a room with 4 walls. This will take time for those of you who come from a traditional public school setting to process. Sometimes the sheer amount of freedom is overwhelming. So, stop, take it in. Breathe. Enjoy the process.
You and yours are free to go explore new ventures. There is a freedom to homeschooling that is hard to understand until you are in it. Just remember that you are blessed. Happy Homeschooling!
Check out these other FREE resources
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Romans 15:4
