North Carolina Grade 1 English

Words and Pictures

Use words and an original art-tray picture to explain a Grade 1 information text, with North Carolina English references and printable practice. Use this focused activity alongside the school’s wider reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language sequence.

Curriculum reference: 2017 North Carolina English Language Arts Standard Course of Study, from the North Carolina English Language Arts standards page.

North Carolina Grade 1 references for this activity

NCDPI identifies the 2017 English Language Arts Standard Course of Study as the current instructional reference for 2026–2027. Its newly adopted 2026 standards begin implementation in 2027–2028. The selected references here use the current 2017 document; consult the school’s wider reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language sequence and check the state resources page when planning for the transition.

These selected reference labels identify an activity focus, with the correct grade and PDF page linked separately. Read the complete standards selected by the school and its learning 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.

Two places in an art tray

This original classroom example is separate from official assessment questions.

This is our class art tray. The crayons go in the small cup. The paper goes in the wide space. The drawing shows these two places. We can find each thing in its place.

Try the activity

An adult may read aloud. What goes in the cup? What goes in the wide space? Point to the drawing and the words that help you answer. Explain what the tray helps the class do.

Follow the reasoning

The words say that crayons belong in the small cup and paper in the wide space. The drawing shows a cup with crayon shapes on the left and a broad stack of paper on the right. Together they explain two places for keeping the materials so children can find them. A child can point, name each item, and explain its place orally. The picture makes the relative sizes and arrangement visible; the words tell what belongs where and why the arrangement is useful. Match the same item across both forms of information rather than answer from the picture alone.

Notice what needs more practice

This is an invented classroom illustration, not a photograph or a measured plan. It does not establish how many crayons the class owns or whether the paper fits every tray. Keep answers to its stated key idea. This selected comprehension task does not establish decoding fluency or complete Grade 1 literacy progress.

Use the next session to build independence

1. Name the two items in the words.
2. Find each item in the picture.
3. Explain how the words and picture work together.

Draw a simple organizer for two teacher-approved materials. Dictate or write a sentence that explains where each belongs. Let a partner use both the sentence and drawing to explain the arrangement.

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

North Carolina Grade 1 English: useful planning questions

Should I use only the picture to answer?

Use the picture and the text details together. Explain which information each provides.

Which standards does the school use?

NCDPI identifies the 2017 English Language Arts Standard Course of Study as the current instructional reference for 2026–2027. Its newly adopted 2026 standards begin implementation in 2027–2028. The selected references here use the current 2017 document; consult the school’s wider reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language sequence and check the state resources page when planning for the transition. The school’s sequence also includes reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language work beyond this example.