Montague Township School District
English Curriculum Guide
Grade 1
2025-2026
Danielle Christmann · Annie Lutz
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Description
The Montague Township School Grade 1 English Language Arts curriculum addresses all areas of Speaking & Listening, Writing, Reading Foundational Skills, Reading Literature, Reading Informational Texts, and Language. The curriculum is organized as 12 student-centered units, each approximately 3 weeks in duration, delivered during an 80-minute daily Literacy Block. Each unit is composed of focus New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Reading and Writing to anchor the skills assessed within that unit. The format follows Understanding by Design principles with established goals, enduring understandings, essential questions, and necessary skills and knowledge students must attain. Teachers are provided flexibility in lesson design and unit sequencing while maintaining awareness of scaffolded skill development.
Big Ideas
- Relationships and communication are foundational to learning and growth.
- Understanding connections between individuals, communities, and the natural world builds perspective.
- Close observation of the world reveals how living things adapt and survive.
- Cooperation and perseverance help individuals and groups achieve goals.
- Natural cycles and patterns govern change in the world.
- Shared symbols and traditions create cultural identity and unity.
- Humans are interconnected with nature and have responsibility toward it.
- Stories convey lessons, emotions, and truths about human experience.
- Growth and development require specific conditions and resources.
- Creative thinking and problem-solving expand possibilities.
- Different text types serve different purposes and have distinct features.
- Literary genres convey meaning through specific conventions and structures.
Essential Questions
- How can making new friends and learning new things help us?
- How does everyone in my family and community make them special?
- How do animals' bodies help them?
- Why is it important to do my best and get along with others?
- Why do light and dark come and go?
- What do holidays and symbols tell us about our country?
- How do you play a part in nature?
- What lessons can we learn from stories?
- What do plants need to live and grow?
- How can thinking in new ways help solve problems?
- What are the characteristics of narrative nonfiction, informational text, and biography?
- What are the characteristics of realistic fiction, folktales, and fantasy?
Core Textbook
Into Reading, Grade 1 — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Language
Reading: Informational Text
Reading: Literature
Speaking and Listening
Writing
Students explore Earth and space sciences throughout Unit 5 by studying light and dark patterns, the water cycle, and seasonal changes. Students engage with informational texts about weather, habitats, and natural cycles to support their understanding of scientific phenomena.
Students in Unit 3 investigate animal adaptations and characteristics through reading and research. They use informational texts to learn how animals' bodies help them survive and make connections between animal features and human solutions through biomimicry activities.
Students examine plants, growth cycles, and gardening through narrative nonfiction and informational texts in Unit 9. They read about seeds, plant life cycles, and cultivation to develop scientific understanding of how plants grow and meet their needs.
Students in Unit 6 read about American holidays, symbols, and historical figures to understand national identity and civic values. They study patriotic traditions and learn how symbols reflect shared American principles and beliefs.
Students develop civic awareness in Unit 6 through discussions and writings about community participation and responsibility. They learn about American government, leadership, and the importance of individual and civic responsibility in a democratic society.
Students in Unit 2 explore family structures, community helpers, and local environments. They read informational texts about communities, neighborhoods, and the roles people play in building strong family and community relationships.
Students examine character traits and personal qualities in Unit 4 through literature and discussions about sportsmanship, teamwork, and cooperation. They make connections between literary themes and real-world applications of respect and kindness in communities.
Assessment occurs throughout the year in multiple forms to support student learning and measure growth. Formative assessments include weekly selection quizzes, teacher observation, response to text activities, and informal reading conferences conducted during instruction. Each of the 12 units culminates in a summative assessment task aligned to the unit's writing mode and essential question, such as narrative writing, informational essays, opinion pieces, and research projects. Teachers use these assessments to identify instructional needs, adjust pacing, and provide targeted small-group interventions. Additionally, benchmark assessments and end-of-module assessments track progress across broader skill domains throughout the year. All assessments are grounded in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and designed to measure proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and foundational skills.
| Unit | Formative | Summative | Benchmark | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Nice to Meet You! | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 02My Family, My Community | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 03Amazing Animals | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 04Better Together | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 05Now You See It, Now You Don't | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 06Celebrate America | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 07The Big Outdoors | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 08Tell Me a Story | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 09Grow, Plants, Grow! | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 10Dare to Dream | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 11Genre Study: Nonfiction | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 12Genre Study: Literary Texts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 12/12 | 12/12 | 2/2 | 12/12 |
| Unit | IEP | 504 | MLL | At-Risk | Gifted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Nice to Meet You! | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 02My Family, My Community | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 03Amazing Animals | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 04Better Together | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 05Now You See It, Now You Don't | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 06Celebrate America | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 07The Big Outdoors | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 08Tell Me a Story | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 09Grow, Plants, Grow! | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 10Dare to Dream | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 11Genre Study: Nonfiction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 12Genre Study: Literary Texts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 |