First Grade

First grade (called Grade 1 in some nations) is a year of primary education in schools in many nations. It is the first school year after kindergarten. Pupils are usually 6 to 7 years old in this grade level; they are sometimes called "first graders".

In mathematics students may learn about addition and subtraction of natural numbers, and about measurement. Basic geometry and graphing may be introduced. Clock and calendar time and money may also be in the curriculum.

In language first graders are taught the fundamentals of literacy, including reading sentences, writing very simple statements and mastery of the alphabet, building on what the students have learned in kindergarten or other forms of pre-school (although because first grade is the first compulsory level of education in many U.S. states, the level of literacy in incoming students can vary widely). The expectations for first grade have changed. Curriculum is typically based on state standards developed by educators in each of the 50 United States. First graders are now expected to read and comprehend stories ranging in lengths and difficulty.

In the USA, students are also typically introduced to the concept of social studies with an emphasis on establishing ideas of history or civics in either a personal or in a larger sense. Some states focus on the basics of USA's history and patriotism is taught, with a focus on the founding fathers and the time period surrounding the American Revolution; other states require a social studies focus on family relationships in first grade, leaving community, state, and nation studies to higher grades. Basic geography is also taught in the 1st grade. Focus on the persons municipal area and culture, along with basic state geography may also be focused in 1st grade, depending on the state. First grade science usually involves the discussion of matter, plant and animal science, earth materials, and balance and motion.

Science as inquiry is taught and practiced in first grade. Students are encouraged to observe the world around them and begin asking questions about things they notice. As they become more comfortable investigating the world around them, students will also begin asking better questions and making better, more advanced predictions.