Every child is unique and different. We all have different learning styles and strengths. But in this country, there are minimum standards for education. You might be asking what your kid should know by the end of the year. What should my kid know before entering 1st grade? or What should my kid know before graduating 5th grade? What is the education checklist for graduating and entering a new grade? I’ve got them all here from kindergarten to 6th grade and all of elementary school.
Each state in the USA is different, but the following is general standards that I have gathered from California, Illinois, Florida, New York and Texas. Together I think they make a comprehensive guide to what your child should know before the end of the school year! I am only including english and math. There are many science, cognitive and social studies that differ from area to area. I personally use this to guide my homeschool curriculum and test my kids at the end of the year.
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End of the School Year | Kindergarten
Language Arts | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Recognize upper and lower case letters
- Know, identify, and increase sight word vocabulary
- Know the alphabet and basic features of letters and words
- Rhyming words
- Tell the difference between facts and fiction
- Recall sequence of events in a story (first, second, third, ending, etc.)
- Write upper and lower case letters
- Write their name
- Write in complete simple sentences
Math | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Understand Addition and Subtraction
- Add and subtract numbers 1 through 10
- Count simple money
- Know numbers from 1-30
- Know the tools to measure time and temperature
End of the School Year | 1st Grade
Language Arts
- Know long and short vowels
- Recall and retell events from a story (who, what, where, when, why, and how)
- Break down stories into characters, settings, plot, and problems
- Read grade level assigned books
- Know what point of view a story is being narrated in (first person, third person)
- Write independently about a single topic
- Know sentences structure begin with a capitol letter and end with a punctuation mark
Math
- Add and subtract number up to 20
- Solve words problems up to two-digit numbers
- Count to 120
- Understand the “ones” and “tens” place
- Tell the time to the hour and half hour on an analog clock
End of the School Year | 2nd Grade
Language Arts | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Explore fiction and nonfiction reading
- Read independently and at an appropriate comprehension level
- Read in groups and out loud
- Use a dictionary and thesaurus to check the accuracy of the spelling, definition, and pronunciation of a word
- Look up information in a book by using a table of contents, glossary, or index
- Write in paragraph form, using transitions
- Keep a journal to practice personal writing and handwriting skills
Math | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Identify, Add and subtract numbers to 10,000
- Memorize the multiplication table
- Add, Divide and Multiply multi-digit numbers by a single-digit number
- Use measuring tools to calculate volume, area, length, and height
- Analyze and graph data
- Work with simple fractions and decimals
- Round to the nearest whole number
- Tell time to the nearest minute
End of the School Year | 3rd Grade
Language Arts | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Identify the main idea and details in a story
- Use many forms of print (newspapers, magazines, websites)
- Recall and retell events from a story in order
- Read grade level assigned books
- Know how to write expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative essays
- Use prefixes, suffixes, homophones, and root words
- Use reference books independently (dictionary, thesaurus)
- Know all the parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives)
Math | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Work with larger whole numbers
- Solve two-three step word problems
- Multiplication times tables up to twelve and how to multiply numbers by ten
- Know how to solve and explain addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems
- Read and write up to six-digit numbers
- Understand and identify fractions
- Know how to compare two fractions (ex: 1/2 is bigger than 1/4)
- Understand and know the value of money
- Solve problems using money
- Understand weight and volume
- Read charts and graphs (bar graphs, pie graphs)
End of the School Year | 4th Grade
Language Arts | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Break down a story to identify the authors motivation, main point.
- Compare writing styles in different cultures
- Understand various forms of information (charts, drawings, timelines)
- Work on research projects in groups
- Read grade level assigned books
- Take notes and organize facts (written and oral reports)
- Use more dialogue and descriptive language when writing a story
- Know how to revise, edit, and proofread their work
- Mastered writing expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative essays
- Know how to write other forms of writing (personal letters, poetry)
- Understand and know figurative language and how to use it properly (metaphors, similes, personification, alliteration, idioms, hyperboles, and onomatopoeia)
- Mastered prefixes, suffixes, homophones, and root words
- Know proper punctuation and the parts of speech
Math | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Work with multi-digit numbers
- Solve multi-step word problems
- Compare fractions by using the numerator (top) and denominator (bottom)
- Create fractions that are equal to each other (1/2 and 3/6)
- Know how to subtract and add fractions
- Know how to multiply fractions
- Learn to change fractions with the denominators in multiples of ten to decimals
- Compare fractions using > (more than) < (less than) and = (equal to) and place them on a number line in order from least to greatest
- Know measurements and what is equivalent to them (1ft. = 12 in. 1yd. = 3ft. 1mi. = 5,280 ft.)
- Know what polygons are (triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons and octagons)
End of the School Year | 5th Grade
Language Arts | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Identify themes of stories, poems, and plays by looking at how characters respond to challenges.
- Compare stories and poems that talk about the same theme.
- Support ideas with facts and details from a text.
- Use information from many different sources (books, articles, websites) to find an answer to a question or problem.
- Learn the conventions of Standard English and learn topic-related vocabulary (like science words) to use in writing and speaking.
- Understand similes, metaphors, and other figurative language.
- Participate in conversations and discussions not only by listening, but also by asking questions and adding their own ideas.
- Give presentations, tell stories, and write reports, research papers, and opinion essays in a logical order and with supporting details.
Math | what your kid should know by the end of the year
- Compare two decimals and figure out which is greater or less than the other.
- Solve word problems using multiplication, fractions, or mixed numbers.
- Represent math problems on a graph.
- Measure volume and relate volume to multiplication and addition.
- Understand place value and be able to work with decimals up to the hundredths place.
- They’re also expected to know how to add, subtract, and multiply fractions.
That is all of elementary school for you! In case your kid is sick a lot, has to stay home, travels often, this is what your kid should know by the end of the year before entering the next grade level.
Of course, there is so much more to each grade level. There is science and social studies standards that differ in each state. There are also cognitive milestones that will be individual for each student. I wanted to provide the most basic guide so you can get an idea if your child is ready to move ahead to the next grade. If not, these are the areas to practice and work on, so they are ready for the next grade level by the end of the year.
I hope this helps with what your kid should know by the end of the year!