What your child learns in 1st grade in Minnesota
In 1st grade, reading and writing take off. Children sound out words, read short books and write simple sentences. In math they add and subtract within 20, count to 120 and start naming coins. Science covers plant and animal parts, parents and their young, light and sound, and materials, and social studies is “Communities and Culture”: rights and rules, choices and trade, and maps and timelines.
1st grade subjects in the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards
Math
Focus areas
- Patterns and relationships: adding and subtracting within 20, place value to 120, and coins
- Spatial reasoning, data and probability: measuring length, halves and fourths of shapes, and reading simple graphs
- Mathematical practices: making sense of problems and explaining reasoning
14 units, including Numbers to 20, Make 10, Adding, Take Away.
English Language Arts
Focus areas
- Reading: phonics, reading with fluency, and retelling stories and facts
- Writing, speaking and listening: writing sentences and short pieces, and sharing ideas
- Language: building vocabulary and using grammar, spelling and punctuation
13 units, including Blend It, Short Vowels, Word Families, Sh, Ch, Th.
Science
Focus areas
- Plant and animal parts, parents and young, light and sound, and materials
- Science and engineering practices: planning simple tests and designing solutions
- How science connects to people and communities in Minnesota and beyond
8 units, including Animal Survival, Light & Sound, Materials, Parents & Babies.
Social Studies
Focus areas
- Theme: Communities and Culture
- Rights, rules and taking part
- Scarcity, choices and trade
10 units, including Changes in My Life, School & Travel Long Ago, My Community, Respect & Inclusion.
Printable 1st grade sheets
One free practice sheet for each subject, with an answer key. Print them, or work through them on screen.
What to look for on the report card
Look for comments on reading simple books, spelling common words, adding and subtracting, and taking part in class.
Minnesota has no statewide report-card scale in 1st grade, so Gradelings describes practice in four steps: Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding. See what each level means.
Minnesota's social and emotional learning competencies apply in every grade. Read about Social emotional learning.
The four practice steps in 1st grade
- Beginning
- Practice shows a first understanding of the learning standards. Most answers still need a hint or a second try.
- At home: Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Practice shows a partial understanding of the learning standards. Some answers are right on the first try.
- At home: Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practicing the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Practice shows a solid understanding of the learning standards. Most answers are right on the first try.
- At home: Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Practice shows a deep understanding of the learning standards, including harder, unfamiliar questions.
- At home: Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Ready for 1st grade?
1st grade builds on what your child practiced in Kindergarten. If a skill feels shaky, a few short practice sessions before or early in the year can help:
- Math: Count to 10, Make 5 and 10, Add & Take Away, More, Less, Same, Shapes & Sizes
- English Language Arts: Letter Partners, First Sounds, Rhyme Time, Clap the Beat, Sight Words
- Science: What Living Things Need, Materials, Push & Pull, Weather & Seasons, Care for Our Earth
- Social Studies: All About Me, I Am Me, Families, Fair & Kind, My Jobs, Rules & Leaders
Common questions
1st grade covers math, English language arts, science, social studies in the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards. In 1st grade, reading and writing take off. Children sound out words, read short books and write simple sentences. In math they add and subtract within 20, count to 120 and start naming coins. Science covers plant and animal parts, parents and their young, light and sound, and materials, and social studies is “Communities and Culture”: rights and rules, choices and trade, and maps and timelines.
Minnesota has no statewide report-card scale in 1st grade, so Gradelings describes practice in four steps: Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding.
Practice shows a solid understanding of the learning standards. Most answers are right on the first try. At home: Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
1st grade builds on Kindergarten. In math, that means Count to 10, Make 5 and 10, Add & Take Away. In English language arts, that means Letter Partners, First Sounds, Rhyme Time.
About 10 minutes a day of short practice works better than long sessions, on the skills your child's teacher flags. Count everyday things out loud: stairs, grapes, steps to the car. Read aloud every day and let your child finish familiar phrases. Praise effort, and stop on a success.
Practice 1st grade skills with Gradelings
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