Fundations®: Level 1
Reinforce basic skills and continue to study word structure through a structured literacy approach.
Curriculum Overview
Level 1 of Fundations reinforces the essential components of structured literacy that were learned in Kindergarten and progresses further into the study of word structure. Teachers should combine Fundations with a wide variety of text experiences, and expose students to poetry and narrative and informational text.
By the end of Level 1, students will be able to:
- Segment syllables into sounds (phonemes)–up to 5 sounds
- Name sounds of primary consonants, consonant digraphs, and short and long vowels when given letters
- Name and write corresponding letter(s) when given sounds for consonants, consonant digraphs, and short and long vowels
- Print all uppercase and lowercase letters
- Distinguish long and short vowel sounds
- Name sounds for r-controlled vowels
- Name sounds for vowel digraphs and vowel diphthongs
- Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words
- Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions
- Read and spell the first 100 high frequency words, including irregular words (Trick Words)
- Identify word structures such as blends, digraphs, basewords, suffixes, syllable types (closed and vowel-consonant-e syllables)
- Read and spell CVC, CCVC, CVCC, CCVCC, CVCe words
- Read and spell compound words and other words with two syllables by breaking them into syllables
- Read and spell words with -s, -es, -ed, -ing suffixes when added to non-changing basewords
- Apply correct punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation point)
- Apply capitalization rules for beginning of sentences and names of people, places, and dates
- Explain major differences between fictional stories and informational text
- Explain narrative story structure including characters, settings, and main events
- Retell key details of a fictional story and demonstrate understanding
- Use illustrations and/or details in a story to describe its characters, settings, and events
- Ask and answer questions about key details in a text
- Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text
- Identify specific words in a story that tell or suggest details
- Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text
- Identify the main topic and retell key details of informational text
- Identify and explain new meanings for familiar words and newly taught words
- Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts
- Construct complete sentences using vocabulary words
- Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase
- Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g., look) and their inflectional forms (e.g., looks, looked, looking)
- Sort words into categories to gain a sense of the concept the category represents
- Define words by category and by one or more key attributes
- Apply beginning dictionary skills
- Identify real-life connections between words and their use
- Use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future
- Read controlled stories with fluency, expression, and understanding
Do your rising first graders need extra support before beginning the Level 1 curriculum? Consider Fundations Ready to Rise® for rising first graders.
Access Virtual Resources through the FUN HUB®
FUN HUB® is an online resource for educators implementing Fundations in remote or hybrid settings. Helpful resources to support instruction include an interactive teaching tool, demonstration videos, targeted practice support, and family resources.