First Grade Reading Literature Resources for Teachers

First Grade ELA Domain: Reading Literature

First graders will continue to explore the world of literature in this domain. Using the knowledge and skills established in their Pre-K and Kindergarten curriculums, students will read new stories, discover meanings of unknown words and phrases, and identify key parts of literary texts, like characters, plots, narrators, and settings. First-grade students will also learn to establish the difference between fiction and non-fiction texts. Here’s a closer look at what students can expect to discover throughout each standard within the First Grade ELA Reading Literature domain:

1.RL.1

Questions About Stories

In this first standard, first-graders will continue to practice asking and answering questions about different stories.

1.RL.2

Retell Stories

Students will be able to retell stories and provide an understanding of key details, messages, and lessons.

1.RL.3

Characters, Plot, and Setting

First-graders will learn to identify and describe different characters, places, and plots.

1.RL.4

Find Feeling Words in Stories

Through stories and poems, first-graders will identify sensory and feelings words.

1.RL.5.i-ii

Fiction or Non-fiction?

In this standard, students will learn to establish the difference between fiction and non-fiction texts.

1.RL.6

Identify Who's Telling the Story

As they expand their reading comprehension, first-graders will learn to identify the narrator(s) of stories.

1.RL.7

Images Help You Read

Students will practice describing characters, places, and events of stories, using images to help along the way.

1.RL.9

Compare and Contrast Characters

Finally, first-graders will continue to compare and contrast key elements of stories, including characters and their experiences.

Reading Literature is one of four domains included in the First Grade ELA standards. Students can expect to learn how to:

Ask and answer questions about ket details in stories
Retell stories and demonstrate the understanding of them
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story
Identify feeling words in stories
Understand the difference between fiction and non-fiction
Identify narrators in a story
Use images and illustrations to describe elements of a story
Compare and contrast different characters and their experiences

And with the help of eSpark Learning, first-graders can enhance their learning in all of the standards established by the Common Core. That’s because every resource and activity — from instructional videos and read-a-longs to learning songs and games — is aligned to each standard. As a result, teachers feel more confident in their curriculum, and students feel more engaged and excited with each new learning opportunity. Below are some examples of activities and resources that are aligned to each Common Core standard within the Reading Literature domain for First Grade: