What does a student learn in StateNew Jersey,GradeGrade 1,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students read a story carefully and point to specific words or sentences from the book to back up what they think or say about it.

Students find the main idea of a story and explain which details from the text support it. They can retell the most important parts in their own words.

Students explain how a character changes during a story and why things happen the way they do. They connect events to show how one moment leads to the next.

Students figure out what tricky or unusual words mean by looking at how they're used in a story. They also notice how an author's word choices change the feel of a sentence.

Students notice how a story is put together: how one sentence leads to the next, how a paragraph fits with the rest, and how all the parts work together to tell the whole story.

Students identify who is telling the story and notice how that choice changes what details are shared and how the story feels.

Students look at pictures, illustrations, and words together to better understand a story. They use what they see in the images to explain what is happening in the text.

This standard doesn't apply to Grade 1 literary reading. When it appears at this grade level, it's typically a placeholder carried over from older grades and not taught as written.

Two stories can cover the same idea in different ways. Students read two books on the same topic and talk about what each author chose to show, leave out, or say differently.

Students read short stories and simple books on their own, without help on every word or idea. The goal is steady practice reading real texts from start to finish.

Students read a short nonfiction passage, then point to or quote the exact words that back up what they said about it. They learn to show where in the text they found their answer.

Students read a nonfiction book or article and figure out what it is mainly about. Then they point to the facts and details that support that main idea.

Students read a short nonfiction passage and explain how one person, event, or idea connects to another. They look for what caused something to happen or how one part of the story changed what came next.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word means by looking at the words and sentences around it in a nonfiction passage.

Students look at how sentences and paragraphs in a nonfiction book connect to each other and to the bigger idea the whole piece is trying to explain.

Students identify who is telling the information in a book or article and notice how that person's viewpoint shapes what gets included. A weather scientist and a farmer might write about rain very differently.

Students look at a picture, chart, or photo alongside a written passage and explain what the image adds to what the words say.

Students find the main point an author is trying to prove in a nonfiction book or article, then decide whether the reasons given actually support it.

Two books can cover the same topic in different ways. Students read two nonfiction books on the same subject and notice what each author chose to include or leave out.

Students read short nonfiction books and passages on their own, working through unfamiliar words and ideas without stopping for help. The goal is steady, independent reading that builds over the school year.

Students learn how a page of text works: that words run left to right, that spaces separate words, and that sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark.

Students learn to hear and work with the building blocks of spoken language. They break words into syllables, listen for rhymes, and swap out individual sounds to make new words.

Students use letter-sound patterns they've learned to read unfamiliar words on their own. This is the decoding work that turns printed words into words students can say and understand.

Students read sentences aloud smoothly enough that the words make sense as a whole. The goal is not just reading each word correctly but keeping a pace that lets the meaning come through.

Students pick a side on a simple topic and write sentences that explain why. They back up their opinion with a reason from a book or their own experience.

Students write short pieces that explain how something works or share facts about a topic. They stick to the subject and give readers clear, accurate information.

Students write a short story about something real or made up. They put the events in order, add details that bring the story to life, and give it a clear beginning and end.

Writing should match why and who it's for. A story sounds different from a how-to guide, and a note to a friend sounds different from a report. Students learn to make those choices on purpose.

Students plan, draft, and go back to improve what they wrote. That might mean adding details, fixing words, or starting fresh if something isn't working.

Students use a computer or tablet to write and share their work. They might type a sentence, publish a story online, or respond to a classmate's writing.

Students pick a question they want to answer, then find information that helps them answer it. They put what they learned into writing.

Students find facts from books and websites, check that the source seems trustworthy, and put the information into their own words when writing.

Students point to specific words or sentences from a story or book to back up what they think or noticed. This is the foundation for every research and reading response they will write.

Students practice writing often, both in quick exercises and longer projects. The goal is to get comfortable putting ideas on paper for different reasons and different readers.

First graders take turns in class discussions, listen to what a classmate says, and then add their own idea that connects to it. The goal is a real back-and-forth, not just waiting to talk.

Students listen to a read-aloud, watch a short video, or look at a picture, then talk about what they learned from it. They practice pulling together ideas from different sources, not just one book or one speaker.

Students listen to someone speak and decide whether their reasons and examples make sense. This is the beginning of learning to think critically about what they hear.

Students tell a story or share an idea out loud in a clear order, giving enough detail so listeners can follow along. What they say and how they say it fits the topic and the people listening.

Students add drawings, photos, or simple visuals to a presentation to help an idea land more clearly. The picture does work the words alone can't do.

Students practice speaking differently depending on the situation. They learn when to use careful, complete sentences (like talking to a teacher) versus everyday language (like talking to a friend at recess).

Students apply basic grammar rules when they write sentences or talk out loud, things like using the right word order, choosing correct verb forms, and matching words the way English speakers expect.

First-grade writers learn when to capitalize words, where to put periods and commas, and how to spell common words correctly. These are the basic rules that make writing easier for someone else to read.

Students learn that word choice changes how a sentence sounds and what it means. Picking a different word can make writing clearer, funnier, or more serious depending on what the sentence needs to do.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they use clues from nearby sentences, look at the word's parts, or check a dictionary to figure out what it means.

Students learn that words can mean more than they seem. They practice spotting phrases like "it's raining cats and dogs," connecting words that go together, and noticing how similar words feel slightly different.

Students learn and practice words that show up across subjects, like words used in science class, math directions, or nonfiction books. Knowing these words helps students read more, write more clearly, and follow classroom conversations.