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1st Grade Essays Resources

26 1st grade essays resources: 16 activities, 5 worksheets, 3 Common Core Lessons and more. How teachers use these

1st Grade Essays Resources

26 1st grade essays resources: 16 activities, 5 worksheets, 3 Common Core Lessons and more. How teachers use these

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeAnimal Facts Worksheet

Our animal facts worksheet teaches 1st graders to spot the name, facts, and ending in a frog piece, then write their own. Includes an answer key and builds strong informative writers.

Activity
Activity1st GradeStrong Writing Activity

In this strong writing activity, K-1st Grade children answer a partner's question apples, add details to simple sentences and draw them, with an answer key included.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeJust the Facts Worksheet

This just the facts worksheet teaches 1st grade students to label the topic, fact, and ending sentences of a short piece, then write their own. An answer key is included for quick checking.

Activity
Activity1st GradeTelling A Story Activity

This telling a story activity helps PreK to 1st Grade children order picture cards, tell first, next and last, and share a feeling. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity1st GradeBack to School Adjective Writing Activity

This back to school adjective writing activity helps 1st to 3rd grade students plan a first-day story and add describing words. An answer key is included for the practice page.

Activity
Activity1st GradeThe Best Season Is Writing Activity

The best season is writing activity guides 1st-3rd Grade writers to plan and publish an opinion piece about their favorite season, with a model, practice and answer key included.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeDigital Tools Skills Assessment Worksheet

A digital tools skills assessment worksheet for 1st grade teachers: twelve observable technology skills and a class grid with room for five students, so one page records who can do what and when.

1st GradeOther Ways to Write Worksheet

Using Other Ways to Write Worksheet, students write their story using the computer and other digital tools.

Activity
Activity1st GradeWrite about Bugs Activity

This write about bugs activity guides 1st to 3rd Grade writers to plan and publish a short insect report with fact cards, a planner, practice and an answer key included.

Activity
Activity1st GradeWishes and Stars Peer Publishing Writing Activity

The Wishes and Stars Peer Publishing Writing Activity is a draft and wish matching game where children find the fix each draft needs. Made for 1st through 3rd grade, with an answer key included.

Activity
Activity1st GradeWriting With Technology Activity

This writing with technology activity gives K-1st grade students eight task cards for typing, recording and printing their own writing. Answer key included for the matching practice.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core Lesson1st GradeW.1.5 First Grade Common Core Lesson

Using W.1.5 First Grade Common Core Lesson, students focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core Lesson1st GradeW.1.8 First Grade Common Core Lesson

Using W.1.8 First Grade Common Core Lesson, students explore a numberof “how-to” books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence ofinstructions.

Video
Video1st GradeExpository Writing Song (MP3)

Using this Expository Writing Song (MP3), your students learn about how to use write an expository essay.

Activity
Activity1st GradeFraming an Opinion Activity

The Framing an Opinion Activity helps 1st to 3rd grade writers build opinion pieces with an opinion, two reasons, and a closing. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity1st GradeWriting About the Topic Activity

This writing about the topic activity helps kindergarten and 1st grade writers pick a This or That topic, share an opinion with a reason and publish it. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity1st GradeStrengthen Your Writing Revision and Editing Activity

Use this strengthen your writing revision and editing activity with 1st to 3rd Grade writers to find and fix capital, end mark and spelling mistakes on task cards. Answer key included.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeWriting Improvement Worksheet

Use this writing improvement worksheet to help 1st grade writers share their work with a friend, answer questions, take a suggestion and add new details that make their writing better.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core Lesson1st GradeW.1.6 First Grade Common Core Lesson

Using W.1.6 First Grade Common Core Lesson, studentsuse a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

Activity
Activity1st GradeWishes and Stars Peer Publishing Activity

This peer publishing activity teaches kids to give stars and wishes about writing with a fun note card sort. Made for 1st to 3rd grade, with an answer key included for the sort.

From our teachers' playbook

Little writers, big ideas!

What do 1st graders learn about essays?

In first grade, an "essay" is a short piece of a few connected sentences with a clear job. Kids write three kinds: opinion pieces that give a reason, informative pieces that share facts, and simple stories. They learn to name the topic, add details, and close with an ending, like I think fall is best. The leaves crunch! That is why I love fall. They also start revising with a little help. The click moment comes when a child adds a "because" all by themselves.

Our favorite ways to grow first-grade writers

Young writers need lots of talking, modeling and short pieces. These moves get them writing with purpose.

Write the first one together

Pick an animal and write a fact piece in front of the class, thinking out loud: "My topic is frogs. Now I need facts." Then kids write their own with the same frame. Seeing the whole process once makes the blank page far less scary.

Why it works: showing first, practicing together, then letting kids try alone is the "gradual release" model teachers have relied on for decades (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).

Animal Facts WorksheetTry it withAnimal Facts WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Build an opinion frame

Give kids three parts to fill: my opinion, my reason, my ending. Let them say all three to a partner before writing a word. Rehearsing out loud is the biggest boost for six-year-old writers.

Why it works: the U.S. Department of Education's guide for teaching elementary math recommends moving from hands-on objects to drawings to numbers.

Framing an Opinion ActivityTry it withFraming an Opinion ActivityActivitiesOpen it →

Come back and make it stronger

The next day, return to yesterday's piece and add one detail or fix one capital letter. Short revision sessions spread over the week teach kids that good writers keep working on their pieces.

Why it works: spreading practice out over days is one of the two most effective study methods in a major research review (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).

Strengthen Your Writing Revision and Editing ActivityTry it withStrengthen Your Writing Revision and Editing ActivityActivitiesOpen it →

Questions teachers and parents ask

Do 1st graders write essays?

Yes, in a simple form. First graders write short opinion, informative and narrative pieces of a few sentences that name a topic, give details or reasons, and include an ending.

How many sentences should a 1st grader write?

Most first graders work toward three to five connected sentences by the end of the year. Early in the year, one or two clear sentences with a picture is a great start.

How do I teach opinion writing in 1st grade?

Start with a fun question like "Which pet is best?" Have kids say their opinion and one reason, then write it with a frame such as "I think… because…" and add an ending sentence.

How can I help my 1st grader with writing at home?

Let them write lists, notes and cards for real reasons. Talk before writing, praise ideas first, and fix just one thing at a time, like spaces between words.