Pacing Guide for 1st Grade English Language Arts

Fishtank ELA offers two types of units for 1st Grade. Our Literature units center fiction texts that explore themes and topics that are relevant to students’ day-to-day lives, and cover the 1st Grade Reading Standards for Literature. Our Science and Social Studies units build knowledge about a specific topic through content-rich nonfiction texts, and cover the 1st Grade Reading Standards for Informational Text.

In each 60 minute lesson, students read and write about unit texts, building their vocabulary, language, and writing skills, as well as their speaking and listening skills. We also suggest students be given dedicated time and well-designed structures for independent reading during the school day.

Please note: Our 1st Grade curriculum focuses on language comprehension, and does not include instruction in phonemic awareness, decoding, or sight words. You will need to implement a structured foundational skills program alongside Fishtank ELA to support students’ development as skilled readers.

If you have a single block for ELA, we offer this suggested combined scope and sequence of Literature and Science and Social Studies units. Together, this unit sequence ensures coverage of all grade-level reading, writing, language, and speaking and listening standards.

If you have 2 blocks available daily for reading and writing instruction, you can teach the Literature units in sequence and the Science and Social Studies units in sequence.

For more guidance on implementing the 1st Grade ELA course, see our Preparing to Teach Fishtank ELA Teacher Tool.