Nevada Grade 1 English

Words that show a character’s feelings

Use this original Grade 1 activity to practice one selected English skill. Read the example, explain your choice, and compare it with the worked response before choosing further practice.

Curriculum reference: Nevada Academic Content Standards for English Language Arts, Version 1.3 accessible document, from the Nevada Department of Education ELA directory.

Nevada Grade 1 references for this activity

The current Nevada Department of Education ELA directory links its Nevada Academic Content Standards. The selected references below were checked in its Version 1.3 accessible document, using the appropriate grade column. Standard codes identify a strand, grade and numbered requirement; read the full requirement and the school’s curriculum before planning instruction.

These selected reference labels identify an activity focus, with the grade column and PDF page linked separately. Read the complete state requirements and the school’s sequence, including reading, writing, language, speaking, and listening. This short original example does not fulfill the entire curriculum or establish a student’s grade-level proficiency.

A worked Grade 1 English activity

This original classroom example is separate from official assessment questions.

Nora grinned as she held up her drawing. “I cannot wait to show Dad!” she said. She carried the picture to the door.

Try the activity

Which word suggests Nora’s feeling? Use something she says to explain your choice.

Follow the reasoning

Grinned suggests that Nora feels pleased or excited. Her words, “I cannot wait to show Dad,” help explain that reading: she looks forward to showing him the picture. A child might respond, “Nora grinned, and she wants to show her drawing. I think she feels happy about it.” The response connects a feeling word with a detail from the story. The sentence about carrying the picture describes an action, but the grin and spoken words give clearer clues to the feeling.

Notice what needs more practice

A grin can mean different things in different situations, so read it with the nearby words. The passage does not tell us what Dad thinks of the drawing, what its colors are, or whether Nora wins a prize. Avoid treating an imagined later reaction as a detail already in the story. An adult can read aloud and invite the child to point to the relevant word before explaining.

Use the next session to build independence

1. Read the story aloud together and find the word that describes Nora’s expression.
2. Ask the child to connect that word to Nora’s spoken sentence, using their own words.
3. Choose another short classroom story and compare the feeling clues without assuming the characters feel the same.

In the next reading session, pause at one expression or spoken line and ask what it suggests in that particular scene. Accept a reasonable interpretation when the child can connect it to the text. Continue with books and poems of suitable Grade 1 complexity; this small passage is a teaching example, not a complete reading assessment.

For more general reading and writing resources, visit the Grade 1 English Online Center.

Nevada Grade 1 English: useful planning questions

Does one expression prove how a character feels in every situation?

No. Use the expression with the nearby words and events. Here, Nora’s grin and anticipation of showing her drawing support an interpretation of pleasure or excitement.

Where are the complete state requirements?

The current Nevada Department of Education ELA directory links its Nevada Academic Content Standards. The selected references below were checked in its Version 1.3 accessible document, using the appropriate grade column. Standard codes identify a strand, grade and numbered requirement; read the full requirement and the school’s curriculum before planning instruction. The school’s sequence also includes reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language work beyond this example.