Curriculum  /  ELA  /  1st Grade  /  Materials

Unit Materials for 1st Grade English Language Arts

Explore the texts and supporting materials used in each unit of 1st Grade English Language Arts.

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You can request a current spreadsheet with all unit texts needed to teach Fishtank ELA for the 2025-26 school year by emailing [email protected].

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Being a Good Friend

Core Texts

  • Book: The Day You Begin by by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by Rafael López (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018)   —  AD980L

  • Book: The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013)   —  680L

  • Book: Matthew and Tilly by Rebecca C. Jones (Puffin Books, Reprint edition, 1995)   —  570L

  • Book: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell (P. Putnam's Sons, 1st edition, 2001)   —  560L

  • Book: Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann (Scholastic, 52850th edition, 2006)

  • Book: Enemy Pie by Derek Munson (Chronicle Books, 736th edition, 2000)   —  550L

  • Book: The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio (Disney-Hyperion, 2010)   —  570L

  • Book: The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (Dragonfly Books, 2003)   —  590L

  • Book: Jamaica and Brianna by Juanita Havill (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1996)   —  470L

  • Book: Big Al by Andrew Clements (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Reprint edition, 1997)   —  740L

  • Book: Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012)   —  530L

  • Assessment Text: “Your Name is a Song” by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (The Innovation Press)

Supporting Texts

Folktales Around the World

Core Texts

Supporting Texts

Amazing Animals

Core Texts

Supporting Texts

Love Makes a Family

Core Texts

  • Book: Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer (Chronicle Books)

  • Book: Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match by Monica Brown and illustrated by Sara Palacios (Children's Book Press, Bilingual edition, 2011)   —  580L

  • Book: In Our Mothers' House by Patricia Polacco (Philomel Books)   —  750L

  • Book: Pecan Pie Baby by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by Sophie Blackall (Puffin Books, 2013)   —  AD710L

  • Book: Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o and illustrated by Vashti Harrison (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers)   —  580L

  • Book: The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali and illustrated by Hatem Aly (Little Brown Books for Young Readers)   —  500L

  • Book: Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan and illustrated by Sophie Blackall (Viking Books for Young Readers, 2010)   —  490L

  • Book: My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete and illustrated by Shane Evans (Scholastic Press, 1 edition, 2010)   —  540L

  • Book: A Tale of Two Seders by Mindy Avra Portnoy and illustrated by Valeria Cis (Kar-Ben Publishing)

  • Book: Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by James E. Ransome (Puffin Books, Reprint edition, 2015)   —  520L

  • Book: Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 1 edition, 2015)   —  610L

  • Book: Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker and illustrated by April Harrison (Schwartz & Wade)

  • Book: I Love Saturdays y domingos by Alma Flor Ada and illustrated by Elivia Savadier (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Reprint edition, 2004)   —  510L

  • Book: Grandfather Counts by Andrea Cheng and illustrated by Ange Zhang (National Geographic School Pub, Reprint edition, 2003)   —  AD570L

  • Book: Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina and illustrated by Angela Dominguez (Candlewick, 1st Edition edition, 2015)   —  560L

  • Book: Ojiichan’s Gift by Chieri Uegaki and illustrated by Genevieve Simms (Kids Can Press)   —  800L

  • Book: Dear Juno by Soyung Pak and illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung (Puffin Books, Reprint edition, 2001)   —  500L

  • Book: Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal (Roaring Brook Press)

  • Book: Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith and illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu and Cornelius Van Wright (Heartdrum)   —  650L

  • Book: Freedom Soup by Tami Charles and illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara (Candlewick)

  • Book: First Laugh - Welcome Baby! by Rose Ann Tahe, Nancy Bo Flood and illustrated by Jonathan Nelson (Charlesbridge)   —  500L

  • Assessment Text: “Sitti's Secrets” by Naomi Shihab Nye and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Aladdin)   —  AD650LL

Supporting Texts

Inspiring Artists and Musicians

Core Texts

Supporting Texts

The Seven Continents

Core Texts

Supporting Texts

The Power of Reading

Core Texts

Supporting Texts

Making Old Stories New

Core Texts

Supporting Texts

Movements for Equality

Core Texts

Supporting Texts

Ancient Egypt

Core Texts

Supporting Texts

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

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