Common Core: 1st Grade English Language Arts : Common Core: 1st Grade English Language Arts
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Common Core: 1st Grade English Language Arts
All Common Core: 1st Grade English Language Arts Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #14 : Identify Key Details
African Elephants
Elephants are the biggest animals living on land. An adult male elephant can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and be more than 13 feet tall. The biggest elephants live in Africa.
Trunk
Elephants have a long trunk. An elephant uses its trunk in many ways.
An elephant’s trunk is its nose. It uses its trunk to smell and breathe. Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees. Elephants eat fruit, leaves and plants.
Elephants suck up water in their trunks and spray it onto themselves to stay clean.
Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.
Tusks
African elephants have 2 tusks on either side of their trunk. Elephants use their tusks to dig holes and find food and water. They also use their tusks to carry things and even rest their trunks on their tusks. An elephant’s tusks also help it stay safe. Elephants can use their tusks to battle and protect themselves from enemies.
Ears
Elephants have big ears. Elephants use their ears to stay cool on hot days. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.
Wrinkled Skin
Elephants have wrinkled skin. Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from sunburn and bug bites.
Feet
Elephants have big feet. Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to help them walk quietly.
What has a long trunk, two big tusks, big ears and wrinkled skin? It’s an African elephant!
According to the text, why does an elephant cover itself in dirt?
to protect itself from getting a sunburn
to clean itself
to play
to hide from predators
to protect itself from getting a sunburn
The text says “Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from sunburn and bug bites.
Example Question #15 : Identify Key Details
African Elephants
Elephants are the biggest animals living on land. An adult male elephant can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and be more than 13 feet tall. The biggest elephants live in Africa.
Trunk
Elephants have a long trunk. An elephant uses its trunk in many ways.
An elephant’s trunk is its nose. It uses its trunk to smell and breathe. Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees. Elephants eat fruit, leaves and plants.
Elephants suck up water in their trunks and spray it onto themselves to stay clean.
Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.
Tusks
African elephants have 2 tusks on either side of their trunk. Elephants use their tusks to dig holes and find food and water. They also use their tusks to carry things and even rest their trunks on their tusks. An elephant’s tusks also help it stay safe. Elephants can use their tusks to battle and protect themselves from enemies.
Ears
Elephants have big ears. Elephants use their ears to stay cool on hot days. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.
Wrinkled Skin
Elephants have wrinkled skin. Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from sunburn and bug bites.
Feet
Elephants have big feet. Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to help them walk quietly.
What has a long trunk, two big tusks, big ears and wrinkled skin? It’s an African elephant!
According to the text, how is an elephant’s trunk like a hand?
It uses its trunk to smell and breathe
It uses its trunk to wave hello to other elephants
It uses its trunk to pick food and feed itself
It uses its trunk to hold hands with other elephants
It uses its trunk to pick food and feed itself
The text says “Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees.”
Example Question #16 : Identify Key Details
The Best Pet
Dogs are the Best Pet
Dogs are the best pets!
Dogs are fun. Dogs love to play with you. Dogs love to play catch, fetch, tug-of-war, and chase. Dogs are so much fun to play with.
Dogs keep you healthy. Dogs love to go for walks. When you walk your dog you get exercise and fresh air.
Dogs keep you safe. Dogs will bark when they hear a strange noise or if they sense danger.
Dogs are smart. Dogs know their names and follow directions. Dogs can even learn how to do tricks.
Dogs are helpful. Some dogs work on farms. Other dogs are used to help people who cannot hear or see.
Dogs keep you company. Dogs love to cuddle and be with you. Dogs love you and want to make you happy.
Cats are the Best Pet
Cats are the best pets!
Cats love to play. Cats love to chase their toys around the house. Cats take care of their toys and do not chew them up.
Cats take care of themselves. You do not need to take your cat out for walks or give them a bath. Cats lick themselves clean and go to the bathroom in a litter box.
Cats are quiet. They do not bark. Cats make quiet purr sounds when they are happy or meow when they need something.
Cats love to cuddle. Happy cats will cuddle with you or rub against your legs. When cats purr they are happy.
Which of the following is not a reason the author gives to support their opinion that cats are the best pet?
How do dogs keep you healthy?
When your dog hears a strange sound it barks
When you play tug-of-war with your dog you get strong
When you walk your dog you get fresh air and exercise
When you work on a farm you eat heathy food
When you walk your dog you get fresh air and exercise
The article explains that dogs keep people healthy because when you walk your dog you get fresh air and exercise.
Example Question #21 : Reading
African Elephants
Elephants are the biggest animals living on land. An adult male elephant can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and be more than 13 feet tall. The biggest elephants live in Africa.
Trunk
Elephants have a long trunk. An elephant uses its trunk in many ways.
An elephant’s trunk is its nose. It uses its trunk to smell and breathe. Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees. Elephants eat fruit, leaves and plants.
Elephants suck up water in their trunks and spray it onto themselves to stay clean.
Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.
Tusks
African elephants have 2 tusks on either side of their trunk. Elephants use their tusks to dig holes and find food and water. They also use their tusks to carry things and even rest their trunks on their tusks. An elephant’s tusks also help it stay safe. Elephants can use their tusks to battle and protect themselves from enemies.
Ears
Elephants have big ears. Elephants use their ears to stay cool on hot days. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.
Wrinkled Skin
Elephants have wrinkled skin. Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from sunburn and bug bites.
Feet
Elephants have big feet. Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to help them walk quietly.
What has a long trunk, two big tusks, big ears and wrinkled skin? It’s an African elephant!
According to the text, why does an elephant have pads on the bottom of its feet?
To help it walk quietly
To help it stomp on branches
To help protect it from the hot ground
To help it fight off predators
To help it walk quietly
The text says “Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to help them walk quietly.”
Example Question #1 : Craft And Structure
The Cats
Pam and Tom are two cats. They live in the park and watch as the days go by.
Tom likes to watch the birds fly around the park. He watches them fly up in the tree tops and down to the ground. Tom’s favorite bird is the Blue Jay because he loves the color blue.
Pam likes to watch the kids play in the park. She watches as a boy goes down the slide and a girl swings on the swing set. Pam’s favorite part about the park is the slide. She is too scared to slide down the slide, but she likes to watch the kids slide down.
How does Pam feel about going down the slide?
She doesn't like the slide
She is scared of the slide
She lives on the slide
She loves to go down the slide
She is scared of the slide
From the passage, we learn that Pam loves to watch kids go down the slide, but she has been too scared to go down the slide herself.
Pam likes to watch the kids play in the park. She watches as a boy goes down the slide and a girl swings on the swing set. Pam’s favorite part about the park is the slide. She is too scared to slide down the slide, but she likes to watch the kids slide down.
Example Question #2 : Craft And Structure
Fox and Friends
Today, I woke up feeling sad. In a forest full of other animals, I do not have a friend. No one wants to be friends with me because I am a fox. When animals see me coming they run away.
As I walk to the pond, I hear laughing and a lot of splashing. I see a deer and a rabbit playing in the water. The deer is laughing and smiling. He looks very happy.
I decide to hide behind a bush and ask them if I can play. This way they can hear me but not see me. “Can I come play with you?” I yell.
The deer and rabbit look for me, but they cannot see me. The deer says, “Yes, but you have to stop hiding!”
When I come out the rabbit seems scared, but the deer comes straight to me and gives me a big hug. As I play in the pond with my two friends, I feel so happy.
How does the fox feel at the start of the story?
Excited
Sad
Happy
Tired
Sad
The start of the story is always at the beginning. We learn in the first sentence that the fox is sad.
Today, I woke up feeling sad. In a forest full of other animals, I do not have a friend. No one wants to be friends with me because I am a fox. When animals see me coming they run away.
Example Question #3 : Craft And Structure
Seed to Plant
A plant starts as a small seed. Different seeds become different plants. It is a long journey from a seed to a plant.
First a seed finds its spot in the dirt. Some seeds travel very far before they finally land. Wind can spread seeds long distances. Other seeds are carried and dropped by animals such as squirrels or birds.
Next seeds need water and sunlight. Soon the seed breaks open and roots begin to grow down into the ground. Roots soak up water and nutrients from the soil. Soon a small stem pops out above the ground.
The small stem continues to grow and forms leaves. The leaves soak up more water and sunlight to help the plant grow. Seeds and plants depend on sunlight and water to grow. Water and sunlight are food for plants.
Some plants have flowers and others have fruit. Flowers and fruit make more seeds. These seeds will drop and spread and soon start their journey to becoming a plant.
What is the meaning of the word depend in the sentence “Seeds and plants depend on sunlight and water to grow.”?
want
need
like
dislike
need
Seeds and plants need water and sunlight to grow. Water and sunlight give seeds and plants the food they need. Thus, depend means to need.
Example Question #4 : Understand Sense Vocabulary
Seed to Plant
A plant starts as a small seed. Different seeds become different plants. It is a long journey from a seed to a plant.
First a seed finds its spot in the dirt. Some seeds travel very far before they finally land. Wind can spread seeds long distances. Other seeds are carried and dropped by animals such as squirrels or birds.
Next seeds need water and sunlight. Soon the seed breaks open and roots begin to grow down into the ground. Roots soak up water and nutrients from the soil. Soon a small stem pops out above the ground.
The small stem continues to grow and forms leaves. The leaves soak up more water and sunlight to help the plant grow. Seeds and plants depend on sunlight and water to grow. Water and sunlight are food for plants.
Some plants have flowers and others have fruit. Flowers and fruit make more seeds. These seeds will drop and spread and soon start their journey to becoming a plant.
What is the meaning of the word journey as it is used in the passage?
Long time and change
Long time with sunlight
Long time of rain
Long story about change
Long time and change
There are many steps and changes that a seed goes through to become a plant. First if gets spread and falls into the dirt. Next the seeds gets enough water to break open and roots begin to grow. Then the roots get water and nutrients from the soil and a small stem begins to grow out of the ground. The stem then grows longer and leaves begin to grow. Leaves take in more sunlight and water and finally the plant grows flowers or fruit. This means that "Long time and change" is the correct answer.
Example Question #4 : Understand Sense Vocabulary
Seed to Plant
A plant starts as a small seed. Different seeds become different plants. It is a long journey from a seed to a plant.
First a seed finds its spot in the dirt. Some seeds travel very far before they finally land. Wind can spread seeds long distances. Other seeds are carried and dropped by animals such as squirrels or birds.
Next seeds need water and sunlight. Soon the seed breaks open and roots begin to grow down into the ground. Roots soak up water and nutrients from the soil. Soon a small stem pops out above the ground.
The small stem continues to grow and forms leaves. The leaves soak up more water and sunlight to help the plant grow. Seeds and plants depend on sunlight and water to grow. Water and sunlight are food for plants.
Some plants have flowers and others have fruit. Flowers and fruit make more seeds. These seeds will drop and spread and soon start their journey to becoming a plant.
What is the meaning of the word spread as it is used in the sentence “Wind can spread seeds long distances.”?
To move around
To grow
To have a lot of wind
To be cold
To move around
Seeds are spread before they finally fall into the dirt and begin to grow. Wind and animals both help seeds move around. Spread means to move around.
Example Question #4 : Craft And Structure
Seed to Plant
A plant starts as a small seed. Different seeds become different plants. It is a long journey from a seed to a plant.
First a seed finds its spot in the dirt. Some seeds travel very far before they finally land. Wind can spread seeds long distances. Other seeds are carried and dropped by animals such as squirrels or birds.
Next seeds need water and sunlight. Soon the seed breaks open and roots begin to grow down into the ground. Roots soak up water and nutrients from the soil. Soon a small stem pops out above the ground.
The small stem continues to grow and forms leaves. The leaves soak up more water and sunlight to help the plant grow. Seeds and plants depend on sunlight and water to grow. Water and sunlight are food for plants.
Some plants have flowers and others have fruit. Flowers and fruit make more seeds. These seeds will drop and spread and soon start their journey to becoming a plant.
Which of the following words does not belong?
Stem
Soil
Roots
Leaves
Soil
Roots, leaves and stem are all parts of a plant. Soil is not part of a plant.
All Common Core: 1st Grade English Language Arts Resources
