First Grade

Welcome to First Grade at Folsom Hills Elementary!

The first grade curriculum in California follows the California Common Core State Standards and the California Department of Education frameworks, focusing on core academic subjects designed for children who turn six years old on or before September 1.

Core Subjects and Standards

• English Language Arts (ELA) & Literacy: Emphasizes a daily literacy block (often around 120 minutes) covering foundational phonics, decoding skills, high-frequency sight words, reading comprehension via stories and informational texts, and basic writing (forming legible upper/lowercase letters, using basic punctuation and capitalization, and writing short narratives). 

• Mathematics: Aligned with California Common Core, focusing on developing an understanding of addition and subtraction equations (within 20), place value with tens and ones, linear measurement (measuring lengths and telling time to the hours and half-hours), and reasoning with shapes and their attributes (halves and quarters). 

• Science: Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), introducing students to waves (light and sound), structure and function of plants and animals (offspring and parents), and space systems (patterns of the sun, moon, and stars). 

• History-Social Studies: Guided by California content standards, focusing on local communities, national symbols, basic economic concepts, chronology/mapping skills, and foundational citizenship values like fairness, rules, and responsibility. 

• Arts and Physical Education: Includes basic motor skills, coordination, rhythmic movement, music appreciation, and visual arts.

First Grade Curriculum / Pacing Guides