Help! Preparing for 1St Grade

I am a kindergarten teacher and expectations are pretty high. It's not too often you hear of skipping grades. Kindergarten is like first grade used to be. I would look up the Illinois State Standards and go by those. I'm assuming he must be really mature as well as bright. Some of the more important areas to focus on are sight words, phonics, comprehension and fluency in reading, as well as being able to relate to the story. Also, writing preparation for ISAT is a major focus. Being able to write a main idea with supporting details. Also, if he is skipping kindergarten his teacher will expect him to form all of his handwriting correctly. Find out if his school used D'Nealian handwriting.
I hope this helps. Good luck!

Hi N.-
My daughter is in the 1st grade right now and they are learning how to read, adding subtracting, learning time. They are also learning about different cultures and ecosystems. They also learned the names and positions of all of the planets..Good luck to your son..Hope this helps..

My son is in first grade now and what helped him the most knowing his site words and math facts. Ask the first grade teacher for a list of site words he will need to know in first grade and practice them over the summer. Also, start him on basic addition math facts. My son loves flash cards. Plus, what I assume you are already doing is read, read, read,...let him read to you. Congrats on your obviously bright son. good luck in first grade.

your school/district should have an 'incoming expectations' list.

This is what we have for K-1st

Kindergarten Entry Expectations

Write first name - First letter in capitals and the rest in lower case
Know first and last name
Be familiar with home number and address
Be able to take work materials out and put them away
Use art supplies appropriately
Go to the bathroom independently
Get ready to leave independently - put on coat
Have a basic knowledge of colors and shapes
Sit & listen to a story without interrupting or bothering others
Know how to request help
Have a basic understanding of letters and numbers

First Grader Entry Expectations
Reading

Know capital and lower case letters and sounds.
Identify 15 basic sight words.
Be able to listen and respond verbally to a story.
Writing
Be able to write first and last names.
Print uppercase and lowercase letters.

Write 3 ideas about a topic.
Be able to draw and label a picture in response to a prompt or directions.

Attempts to write words with more than just beginning sounds.

Can read what they have written using inventive spelling.

Math

Can identify numbers 0-10.
Can match numbers 0-10 to a like set .
Can write numbers 0-10.
Can touch count to 20.

hope that helps. Ask the school he will be atending to provide you with their expectations so you can be sure you are prepared. Our school has even gone so far as to go beyond what skills they have, but also consider mentality.

I am so blown away that your son will skip kindergarten - usually you hear of people holding them back because they don't know if they're fully ready for their age. You should sell your eggs! you got a little smarty pants there :) good job mom! yahoo!

My daughter is in 1st grade now and they are reading a lot, spelling tests, adding, subtracting, money, planets, fractions, story problems, shapes such as polygons, handwriting, science about the earth, history, writing full sentences with correct grammar, keeping a journal. Hope this helps!

Hi N..
I teach second grade, but I have some experience with first. Here is what I would do...
1, Try and meet with the first grade teacher and get an idea of the curriculum that she teaches
2. google dolsh words. These are leveled and make sure he knows the 1st grade ones.
3. pick up some 1st grade workbooks. The dollar tree is great.
4. Make sure he is using "spaceman" when he writes. This is leaving a finger space between each word when he writes a sentence.
Good luck.