Fundamentals of a Good First-Grade Education

“What should my child be learning in school?” If you’ve ever asked that question, this book can help.

What Your First Grader Needs to Know is part of the eight-volume Core Knowledge Series—from What Your Preschooler Needs to Know through What Your Sixth Grader Needs to Know. The series offers parents, teachers, and children an  illustrated guide to the essential knowledge outlined in the Core Knowledge Sequence, including beloved stories and poems, familiar sayings, interesting information on history and geography, lively discussions of visual arts and music, and explanations and activities in math and science. Updated editions suggest related readings and resources, as well as age-appropriate questions that stimulate thinking and build vocabulary. The first grade volume also includes a section on how children learn to read.

This edition of What Your First Grader Needs to Know (revised and updated 2014) features:

• A new Introduction
• Illustrated favorite poems such as “The Owl and the Pussycat,” “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod,” and more
• Well-known stories, including “Hansel and Gretel,” “All Stories Are Anansi’s,” selections from Aesop’s fables, and more
• Familiar sayings such as “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and “Practice makes perfect”
• Friendly, fun introductions to both world and American history and geography, including close-up looks at ancient Egypt and colonial America
• Suggestions for fun activities that include drawing, painting, or working with clay and other materials, as well as discussions to encourage enjoyment and understanding of masterworks of art
• Introductions to types of music—including jazz, classical, and opera—as well as basic music terms and concepts, plus familiar songs to sing
• Interesting activities to support math skills, including counting, adding and subtracting, solving problems, and recognizing geometrical shapes and patterns
• Opportunities to begin exploring living things and their habitats, the human body, states of matter, electricity, famous scientists, and more