Common Core: 1st Grade English Language Arts › Reading
When I Grow Up
When I grow up I want to be tall like my mom! I have a lot to do before I become an adult.
First, I will go on a trip just like my siblings. When I finally get to my new home I will be very thirsty. I will soak up as much water as I can.
Once I have enough water I will begin to grow. First I will grow my roots. My roots will help me get even more water and nutrients, or vitamins, so I can grow taller and stronger. My roots will also help me stay in my home. My roots will grow long and strong so I do not blow over in a strong wind or storm.
Now that I have water and vitamins I can start to grow tall. I wish I could touch the sun. I will try! I will grow as tall as I can. The sun gives me my food. As I grow taller I will also grow leaves. My leaves help me get more water and sunlight so I can grow even bigger and stronger.
When I am an adult I will grow pink petals just like my mom! Then I will have seeds of my own.
Who is telling the story?
Good Job Jack!
Every morning when I wake up I run into my brother Sam’s bedroom, jump on top of him, and wake him up with wet kisses. “Good morning Jack!” he says to me. Sam is the best brother!
We eat breakfast and then Sam heads to school. I miss Sam when he is gone. Sometimes I even cry when mom and Sam leave in the morning.
While Sam is working hard at school I am busy at home. First, I play with my toys. My favorite game is to take all my toys out of my toy basket and hide them throughout the house. I take some of my bones and hide them in the backyard for later. Sometimes the mailman comes by. I do not like the mailman and I growl at him to stay away from our house. After I play with my toys I am very tired and take a nap. Then I wait by the door for Sam to get home from school.
When Sam gets home I am so excited that I jump up and yell “hello!” Sam puts my leash on and we go outside for a walk around the block. Some days we go to the park and play fetch. I am very good at fetch, much better than Sam. When we get home I drink lots of water and Sam gives me a treat.
I love my brother Sam. I wonder if he will find the bones I hid.
Who is Sam?
When I Grow Up
When I grow up I want to be tall like my mom! I have a lot to do before I become an adult.
First, I will go on a trip just like my siblings. When I finally get to my new home I will be very thirsty. I will soak up as much water as I can.
Once I have enough water I will begin to grow. First I will grow my roots. My roots will help me get even more water and nutrients, or vitamins, so I can grow taller and stronger. My roots will also help me stay in my home. My roots will grow long and strong so I do not blow over in a strong wind or storm.
Now that I have water and vitamins I can start to grow tall. I wish I could touch the sun. I will try! I will grow as tall as I can. The sun gives me my food. As I grow taller I will also grow leaves. My leaves help me get more water and sunlight so I can grow even bigger and stronger.
When I am an adult I will grow pink petals just like my mom! Then I will have seeds of my own.
Who is telling the story?
Seed to Plant
A plant starts as a small seed. Different seeds become different plants. It is a long journey from a seed to a plant.
First, a seed finds its spot in the dirt. Some seeds travel very far before they finally land. Wind can spread seeds long distances. Other seeds are carried and dropped by animals, such as squirrels or birds.
Next, seeds need water and sunlight. Soon the seed breaks open and roots begin to grow down into the ground. Roots soak up water and nutrients from the soil. Soon a small stem pops out above the ground.
The small stem continues to grow and forms leaves. The leaves soak up more water and sunlight to help the plant grow. Seeds and plants depend on sunlight and water to grow. Water and sunlight are food for plants.
Some plants have flowers and others have fruit. Flowers and fruit make more seeds. These seeds will drop and spread and soon start their journey to becoming a plant.
Who is telling the story?
First Day Jitters
I woke up feeling sick. I had knots in my stomach. When my mom came into my room to hurry me up I told her I was sick but she said I just had first day jitters. I threw the covers back over my head.
I finally decided to get up. I brushed my teeth, put on my new dress and walked downstairs. I told my mom over and over again at breakfast that I was sick, but she told me it was just first day jitters. “You will have a great day!” she said.
“Grab your backpack and hurry to the bus stop before you miss your bus,” mom yelled.
I sulked out the door and made it on the bus just before the doors closed. I would have been okay if I had missed my bus.
After 20 minutes we pulled up and I followed the other kids into the building. I was definitely sick, I could feel my stomach in my throat.
I read the banner above the door: WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN!
“Good morning! My name is Mrs. Sweeterman! I am so glad you are here!” said the woman at the door. “Go find your cubby with your name and meet your new classmates.”
Mrs. Sweeterman seemed nice. My stomach was starting to feel a little better. I walked in and looked for the cubby with my name: ADLEY. There was another girl unpacking in the cubby next to mine. I looked at the name on her cubby: ALISON. Then I saw that Alison had the same backpack that I had. She looked up and smiled. “Hi!” she said. “My name is Alison but you can call me Ali. What’s your name?”
Maybe my mom was right. Maybe I wasn’t sick. My stomach felt much better. Maybe it was just jitters. Maybe I would like Kindergarten after all.
Who is telling the story?
Baa, Baa Black Sheep
Baa, baa black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir,
Three bags full;
One for the master
And one for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane
What type of text is this?
First Day Jitters
I woke up feeling sick. I had knots in my stomach. When my mom came into my room to hurry me up I told her I was sick but she said I just had first day jitters. I threw the covers back over my head.
I finally decided to get up. I brushed my teeth, put on my new dress and walked downstairs. I told my mom over and over again at breakfast that I was sick, but she told me it was just first day jitters. “You will have a great day!” she said.
“Grab your backpack and hurry to the bus stop before you miss your bus,” mom yelled.
I sulked out the door and made it on the bus just before the doors closed. I would have been okay if I had missed my bus.
After 20 minutes we pulled up and I followed the other kids into the building. I was definitely sick, I could feel my stomach in my throat.
I read the banner above the door: WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN!
“Good morning! My name is Mrs. Sweeterman! I am so glad you are here!” said the woman at the door. “Go find your cubby with your name and meet your new classmates.”
Mrs. Sweeterman seemed nice. My stomach was starting to feel a little better. I walked in and looked for the cubby with my name: ADLEY. There was another girl unpacking in the cubby next to mine. I looked at the name on her cubby: ALISON. Then I saw that Alison had the same backpack that I had. She looked up and smiled. “Hi!” she said. “My name is Alison but you can call me Ali. What’s your name?”
Maybe my mom was right. Maybe I wasn’t sick. My stomach felt much better. Maybe it was just jitters. Maybe I would like Kindergarten after all.
Who says “you will have a great day!” to the narrator?
Fox and Friends
Today, I woke up feeling sad. In a forest full of other animals, I do not have a friend. No one wants to be friends with me because I am a fox. When animals see me coming they run away.
As I walk to the pond, I hear laughing and a lot of splashing. I see a deer and a rabbit playing in the water. The deer is laughing and smiling. He looks very happy.
I decide to hide behind a bush and ask them if I can play. This way they can hear me but not see me. “Can I come play with you?” I yell.
The deer and rabbit look for me, but they cannot see me. The deer says, “Yes, but you have to stop hiding!”
When I come out the rabbit seems scared, but the deer comes straight to me and gives me a big hug. As I play in the pond with my two friends, I feel so happy.
Who is telling the story?
When I Grow Up
When I grow up I want to be tall like my mom! I have a lot to do before I become an adult.
First, I will go on a trip just like my siblings. When I finally get to my new home I will be very thirsty. I will soak up as much water as I can.
Once I have enough water I will begin to grow. First I will grow my roots. My roots will help me get even more water and nutrients, or vitamins, so I can grow taller and stronger. My roots will also help me stay in my home. My roots will grow long and strong so I do not blow over in a strong wind or storm.
Now that I have water and vitamins I can start to grow tall. I wish I could touch the sun. I will try! I will grow as tall as I can. The sun gives me my food. As I grow taller I will also grow leaves. My leaves help me get more water and sunlight so I can grow even bigger and stronger.
When I am an adult I will grow pink petals just like my mom! Then I will have seeds of my own.
Who is telling the story?
Valentine’s Day
February is one of my favorite months because we get to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I make each of my students their own very special Valentine’s Day card. Everyone wears red and pink instead of their usual blue uniforms. In class we play games to celebrate. My students make cards for their families with construction paper, paint, and glitter. Then everyone passes out Valentines to the rest of the class and they even give me Valentines. At the end of the day every class gets to go to the school’s Valentine’s Day dance. They play music and there is plenty of food and snacks for the kids to enjoy. I even dance a little too.
Who is telling the story?