New Jersey Standards
New Jersey 1st Grade ELA Standards
All 38 New Jersey English language arts standards for 1st grade, each explained in plain English. The official wording is one click away under each one.
38 standards
Foundational Skills: Reading Language
4 standardsL.RF.1.1
Know how print works and point out what makes a sentence, like its capital first word and the punctuation mark at its end.
Official wording
Demonstrate mastery of the organization and basic features of print (including those listed under L.RF.K.1); recognize and understand the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).
L.RF.1.2
Count syllables in a printed word by finding its vowel sounds, and blend, split and say each sound in short spoken words, telling long vowels from short.
Official wording
Demonstrate mastery of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes) by using knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.ADistinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.BOrally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.CIsolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.DSegment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).
L.RF.1.3
Say the main sound of each consonant, know the long and short sounds of a, e, i, o and u, and read common sight words like the, of and you.
Official wording
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.AKnow the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs (two letters that represent one sound).BDecode regularly spelled one-syllable words.CKnow final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.DDistinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.EDecode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables using knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound.FRead high-frequency and grade-level irregular words with automaticity (e.g. fly, walk, old).GRecognize the parts of high-frequency words that are regular and the parts that are irregular.
L.RF.1.4
Read 1st-grade books aloud smoothly and accurately with expression, understand them, and reread when a word or sentence does not make sense.
Official wording
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.ARead grade-level text with purpose and understanding.BRead grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.CUse context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Foundational Skills: Writing Language
3 standardsL.WF.1.1
Write every capital and small letter from memory, choose letters for each sound in a spoken word, and know that every syllable has a vowel sound.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of writing (including those proficiencies listed in L.WF.K.1).AWrite the upper and lowercase alphabets from memory.BWrite a common grapheme (letter or letter group) for each phoneme.COrally segment the phonemes in any single syllable, spoken word.DRecognize that each syllable is organized around a vowel sound.
L.WF.1.2
Spell short one-syllable words with short vowels, letters like qu and x, endings like ck, pairs like sh and th, doubled letters, and blends like st.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of encoding and spelling common, regular, single-syllable words (including those proficiencies listed in L.WF.K.2) with:AShort vowels and single consonants.BConsonant graphemes including qu, x, and –ck; digraphs (thin, shop, when, much, sing); and doubled letters (off, will, mess).CInitial and final consonant blends (must, slab, plump).
L.WF.1.3
Write longer sentences with capitals for names, days and months, the right end marks, commas in dates and lists, and words like but and so to join ideas.
Official wording
Demonstrate command and use of the conventions of writing, (including those proficiencies listed in L.WF.K.3):AWrite sentences with increasing complexity.BSupply the “who,” “is doing,” “what,” in a subject-verb-object sentence frame.CCapitalize the first word of a sentence, days of the week, months, names of people, and proper names.DMatch periods, question marks, and exclamation points to statements, questions, commands, and exclamations.EUse commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.FDistinguish between a complete sentence and a sentence fragment and supply the missing phrase or clause.GWrite statements in response to questions, and questions transformed from statements, using conventional word order.HElaborate a simple subject or simple predicate, in response to questions who, what, where, when, how, or why.IUse conjunctions appropriately in sentences (e.g., and, but, so, and because).
Language Domain
3 standardsL.KL.1.1
With help, build an understanding of how English works and follow its rules when talking, listening, reading and writing.
Official wording
With prompting and support, develop knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
L.VL.1.2
Ask and answer questions to figure out new words and words with more than one meaning, trying different strategies and noticing words about feelings or senses.
Official wording
Ask and answer questions to determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content.AChoose flexibly from an array of strategies to determine the meaning of words and phrases.BIdentify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
L.VI.1.3
With adult help, sort words into groups, define them by group and trait, link them to real life, and act out small differences like whisper versus shout.
Official wording
With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.AIdentify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.BSort words into categories (e.g., colors, clothing) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.CDefine words by category and by one or more key attributes (e.g., a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with stripes).DIdentify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., note places at home that are cozy).EDistinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
Reading Domain
15 standardsRL.CR.1.1
Ask and answer who, what, where, when, why and how questions about the important details in a story.
Official wording
Ask and answer questions about key details in a literary text (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how).
RI.CR.1.1
Ask and answer questions about important facts in a nonfiction text, like what an animal eats or where it lives.
Official wording
Ask and answer questions about key details in an informational text (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how).
RL.CI.1.2
Retell a story's events in order and tell the lesson or message the author wants readers to take away.
Official wording
Determine central message and retell a sequence of events in literary texts (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how).
RI.CI.1.2
Name what a nonfiction text is mostly about and retell its important facts in order.
Official wording
Determine main topic and retell a series of key details in informational texts (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how).
RL.IT.1.3
Describe a story's characters, where it takes place and its big events, using details from the text.
Official wording
Describe characters, settings, and major event(s) in a story, using key details.
RI.IT.1.3
Explain how pieces of information in a text connect, like steps in order, a cause and its effect, or two things being compared.
Official wording
Describe relationships among pieces of information (e.g., sequence of events, steps in a process, cause-effect and compare-contrast relationships) within a text.
RL.TS.1.4
With help, explain how storybooks differ from fact books, noticing how stories follow a plot in time order and use pictures to tell what happens.
Official wording
With prompting and support, explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information recognizing organization and features of literary texts (e.g., follows a story line, chronology of events, interprets illustrations) while drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.
RI.TS.1.4
With help, tell how fact books differ from storybooks and use headings, a table of contents or a glossary to find key facts.
Official wording
With prompting and support, explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, identifying various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text while drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.
RL.PP.1.5
Tell who is speaking at different points in a story, like when the narrator stops and a character starts talking.
Official wording
Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
RI.PP.1.5
Tell which facts come from a book's pictures and which come from its words, like a photo showing a bird's colors while the text names its food.
Official wording
Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
RL.MF.1.6
With help, look at a story's pictures and words to tell what the characters, the place and the events are like.
Official wording
With prompting and support, use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
RI.MF.1.6
With help, use diagrams, charts and other text features to explain the main ideas of a nonfiction text.
Official wording
With prompting and support, use text features (e.g., diagrams, tables, animations) to describe key ideas.
RI.AA.1.7
Find the reasons an author gives for the points in a text and explain how the author uses them, with help as needed.
Official wording
Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text and explain how that information is applied, with prompting as needed.
RL.CT.1.8
Tell how two stories about the same topic are alike and different, like their characters, events or pictures.
Official wording
Identify similarities in and differences between two literary texts on the same topic (e.g., characters, experiences, illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
RI.CT.1.8
Tell how two nonfiction texts about the same topic are alike and different, like the facts, pictures or steps they give.
Official wording
Identify similarities in and differences between two informational texts on the same topic (e.g., characters, experiences, illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
Writing Domain
7 standardsW.AW.1.1
With help, write an opinion about a topic or book, state it, back it with facts or examples, and end with a closing sentence.
Official wording
With prompts and support, write opinion pieces on a topic or texts.AIntroduce an opinion.BSupport the opinion with facts or other information and examples related to the topic.CProvide a conclusion.
W.IW.1.2
With help, write to teach about a topic, naming it, giving facts and examples, and ending with a closing sentence.
Official wording
With prompts and support, write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information.AIntroduce a topic.BDevelop the topic with facts or other information and examples related to the topic.CProvide a conclusion.
W.NW.1.3
With help, write a real or made-up story of several sentences that sets the scene, tells events in order with words like then, adds details and ends with a reaction.
Official wording
With prompts and support, write narratives of several complete sentences based on real or imagined experiences or events.AUsing words and pictures, establish a situation and/or introduce characters; organize an event sequence.BProvide dialogue and/or description and details of experiences, events, or characters.CUse transitional words to manage the sequence of events.DProvide a reaction to the experiences or events.
W.WP.1.4
With help, plan, revise and edit writing, thinking about who will read it and fixing spelling, capitals and punctuation already taught.
Official wording
With prompts, guidance and support develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.AWith prompts and support, identify audience and purpose before writing.BWith prompts and support, find and correct errors of spelling, capitalization, and punctuation after skills have been taught.
W.WR.1.5
With help, come up with questions about a topic during a class research project and name places to find answers, like books or websites.
Official wording
With prompting and support, generate questions through shared research about a topic and determine possible sources to obtain information on that topic.
W.SE.1.6
With adult help, collect and pick facts from several sources, like books and videos, to find an answer or to write on a subject.
Official wording
With guidance and support from adults, gather and select information from multiple sources to answer a question or write about a topic.
W.RW.1.7
Write, draw and talk often in short, regular tasks, like a daily journal entry or a quick response to a story.
Official wording
Engage in discussion, drawing, and writing in brief but regular writing tasks.
Speaking and Listening Domain
6 standardsSL.PE.1.1
Talk with classmates and adults about 1st-grade topics and books, following discussion rules, building on what others say over several turns, and asking when confused.
Official wording
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.AFollow agreed-upon norms for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).BBuild on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.CAsk questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.
SL.II.1.2
Ask and answer questions about the key details of a read-aloud, a talk or a video, like what the main character wanted.
Official wording
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
SL.ES.1.3
Ask a speaker questions to learn more or to clear up something confusing, and answer questions about what they said.
Official wording
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
SL.PI.1.4
Describe a person, place, thing or event with details that matter, saying ideas and feelings clearly, like what made a trip to the zoo fun.
Official wording
Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
SL.UM.1.5
Add a drawing, photo or other visual when it makes an idea, thought or feeling clearer to listeners.
Official wording
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
SL.AS.1.6
Speak in complete sentences when the situation calls for it, like when answering a question in class.
Official wording
Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
The official New Jersey documents
- New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts, 2023 · adopted October 2023 · since 2024-25
New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts, New Jersey Department of Education.
Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.
The plain-English lines are EMStudio's own explanations, shown beside the official wording. They are not part of the standards.