1st GRADE Language Arts Information for Review PDF Print E-mail

What is meant by Language Arts?

Language Arts is the area of the curriculum in which students are taught the range of skills needed to become proficient in using the language. In the elementary and secondary grades, Language Arts is often used when referring to reading and writing. In upper grades, Language Arts usually includes oral communication, as well.

Those from a traditional school background may be accustomed to using the word "English" instead of the phrase "Language Arts". Sometimes, parents may also use these words that refer to all of the different components of Language Arts:

  • spelling
  • vocabulary
  • word study (or phonics)
  • reading (or literature)
  • writing (or composition)
  • grammar

Information taken from Quick Start Homeschool  

Please review the following information with your child regularly.  The information listed for each particular month has either been taught or will be taught during that month.

Grammar Glossary - http://www.harcourtschool.com/glossary/grammar/index1.html

SEPTEMBER

  • A sentence is a group of words that tells a whole idea.  A sentence begins with a capital letter, ends with the correct punctuation mark, has correct word order, and tells the whole idea.
    • Ex:  My name is Miss Hemphill.
  • Types of Sentences
    • A statement is a sentence that tells about something.  A statement ends with a period.  When statements are read, the students voice should remain at the same tone. 
  • An adjective is a word that is used to describe a noun.
    • Ex:  the tall tree
    • Ex:  the black dog
    • Ex:  the stinky shoe
  • Double Final Consonant- double consonants at the end of a word; double consonants makes one letter sound but there are two letters to be remembered
    • Ex: hill, bill, kiss, miss  

Other Reading/L.Arts/Writing Information 

  • Book Parts
    • Book Cover & Title Page
      • title, author, picture, and illustrator

OCTOBER

  • Types of Sentences
    • A question is a sentence that asks about something.  A question ends with a question mark.
      • EX:  Where are your keys? 
    • An exclamation is a sentence that shows strong feeling.  An exclamation ends with an exclamation mark/point.
      • EX:  Ouch!   
  • Common nounsname non-specific people, places, or things and are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence.
    • EX:  author, city, monument, flower, school, mall, dog, cat, girl, boy 
  • Possessive Nouns show that a person, animal, place, thing, or idea has or owns something. To make a singular noun possessive, you can add an apostrophe (') and add an (s) to the end of the word.
  • Writing Complete Sentences
    • A complete sentence begins with a capital letter, ends with the correct punctuation mark, tells the whole idea, and has correct word order. 

NOVEMBER

  • Common nouns name non-specific people, places, or things and are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence
    • EX:  author, city, monument, class, school, mall, dog, cat, girl, boy
  • The ending -ed is added to verbs to change their tense - from present to past tense. 
    • EX:  watch = watched, called = called, laugh = laughed, talk = talked, jump = jumped
  • Contractions with NOT
    • A contraction is a word formed by combining two or more words and leaving out sounds or letters.  An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used in contractions to identify where the missing letters or sounds are.
      • EX:  do not = don't     can not = can't     was not = wasn't     were not = weren't
    • Contractions: Background Information and Activities 
  • Plural Nouns (Adding -s or -es)
    • With some words changing its tense from singular to plural requires just adding an -s.
    • There are a few exceptions to the rule (1st grade will only be learning the following rule in November):
      • For words ending with s, f, x, sh, ch, or z, add -es.

DECEMBER

  • Contractions with NOT
    • A contraction is a word formed by combining two or more words and leaving out sounds or letters. An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used in contractions to identify where the missing letters or sounds are.
    • EX: do not = don't can not = can't was not = wasn't were not = weren't
    • Contractions: Background Information and Activities
  • Summarizing involves telling the most important information about a selection in a few statements. Good readers can identify the important ideas in a selection in order to summarize it.
  • The main idea of a selection is the most important POINT of the selection. Details give more information about the main idea.

JANUARY

  • Summarizing involves telling the most important information about a selection in a few statements.  Good readers can identify the important ideas in a selection in order to summarize it.
  • The main idea of a selection is the most important POINT of the selection.  Details give more information about the main idea.
  • Visualizing means to visualize or picture the mind, the characters, setting, and actions in the stories that are being read. 
  • Retelling means to retell a selection or story in one's own words, telling the most important information and events. 
  • Proper Nounsare the names of particular people, places, and things.  Proper Nouns begin with a capital letter.
    • EX:  Miss Hemphill (particular name of a person)
    • EX:  Mount Calvary Catholic School (particular name of a place)
    • EX:  Duke (particular name of a thing/pet)
    • EX:  The Adventures of Tin Tin (particular name of a thing/movie)
    • EX:  Fourth of July (particular name of a holiday)
    • EX:  January (particular name of a month)
  • Contractions with 's
    • A contraction is a word that is made when two words are put together to make one.  The new word means the same thing, but one or more letters are left out. 
      • EX:  he is = he's
      • EX:  she is = she's
      • EX:  that is = that's

FEBRUARY

  • Comprehension
    • Identifying the main idea, details, literary elements (characters, theme, setting, plot), etc.
  • Variety of Literature
    • narrative, expository, text (classics, poetry, magazines, etc.)
  • Analyzing the Story Structure
    • Paying attention and being able to tell what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of a story
  • Making Predictions
    • Using words and illustrations to make predictions or guesses, about what might happen in the story.
  • Present Tense Verbs
    • Present Tense Verbs PowerPoint Presentation
    • Verbs that tell about now are present-tense verbs.
      • Sometimes present-tense verbs end in -s and sometimes they do not. 
      • When the verb tells about 1 person, it ends with a -s.
        • EX:  The man paints pictures. 
      • Present-tense verbs that tell about 1 person and end with s, ch, sh, x or z, end in -es.
        • EX:  The girl scratches her head.
      • When it tells about more than one, it doesn't. 
        • EX:  James and Alex walkhome together
          • NOTE:  When the word I is used, the present-tense verb does not end in -s.  

MARCH

  • Past Tense Verbs
    • Verbs that tell about the past or about something that has already happened are past-tense verbs.
      • You can say what you did in the past by adding the ending -ed.
        • EX:  Sarah looked at her shadow.  (The action has already happened.)
        • EX:  I walked to school with my brother.  (The action has already happened.)
  • Grammar Review of Past Skills 

APRIL

  • Review of Present and Past Tense Verbs
    • Present Tense Verbs
      • Present Tense Verbs PowerPoint Presentation
      • Verbs that tell about now are present-tense verbs.
        • Sometimes present-tense verbs end in -s and sometimes they do not.
        • When the verb tells about 1 person, it ends with a -s.
          • EX: The man paints pictures.
      • Present-tense verbs that tell about 1 person and end with s, ch, sh, x or z, end in -es.
        • EX: The girl scratches her head.
      • When it tells about more than one, it doesn't.
        • EX: James and Alex walk home together
          • NOTE: When the word I is used, the present-tense verb does not end in -s.
  • Past Tense Verbs
    • Verbs that tell about the past or about something that has already happened are past-tense verbs.
      • You can say what you did in the past by adding the ending -ed.
      • EX: Sarah lookedat her shadow. (The action has already happened.)
        • EX: I walked to school with my brother. (The action has already happened.)
  • Analyze Text Structure
    • Authors can organize information in many ways to help readers understand it.  Some authors explain a subject by giving examples and descriptions.
  • Main Idea and Details
    • The main idea in a selection is the most important idea.  Authors give extra information that supports the main idea.  The extra information is called details. 

MAY