Reading Grade 1 Information Texts
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on reading a whole information text at grade level and holding the facts together.
Reading Grade 1 Information Texts is a free 40-minute Grade 1 English lesson plan for Common Core standard RI.1.10 — read Grade 1 information texts with some help. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 1
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- RI.1.10
Grade 1 · Reading: Informational Text
RI.1.10
With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.
Objective
Students will be able to read a Grade 1 information text and answer questions across the whole of it.
Students are successful when they can
- Reads the whole text.
- Answers a question from each half.
- Says what the text was about overall.
What you need
- A Grade 1 information text with headings
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — read the headings first
5 min- Read only the headings aloud. Ask what the text will cover.
- Say that reading the headings first is what a good reader does.
Teach — a fact from each section
13 min- Read section by section. After each, ask for one fact from it.
- Write the facts under the headings.
- At the end, read the whole list back. That is the text in summary.
- Ask a question from the first section, then one from the last.
- Point out that the headings held it together.
“One fact from each part. Then you have the whole thing.”
Guided practice — one fact per heading
12 min- Pairs read a text and write one fact under each heading.
- They then answer two questions from opposite ends of the text.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the reading page.
- They read the passage themselves.
Close
2 min- Ask what the whole text was about, in one sentence.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Loses the first section by the time they reach the last.
Why: The facts are unconnected and there is no narrative to hang them on.
Fix: Write one fact per heading as you go. The written list is the memory.
Skips the headings.
Why: They are not sentences and do not look like reading.
Fix: Read them first, on their own, as the warm-up. Once used, they are noticed.
Reads it as a story and expects it to end.
Why: Most of their reading has been narrative.
Fix: Point out that an information text stops rather than ends, and that this is normal.
If they are not there yet
- Two sections rather than four.
- Read one section to them first.
If they finish early
- Add a heading to a section that has none.
- Say which section was most useful and why.
- Compare the headings with the contents page.
Exit ticket
Give me one fact from the first part and one from the last. What was the text about?
What to look for: A fact from the first section is the one that goes. Its absence means the fact-per-heading habit needs building.
Printable practice for RI.1.10
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Reading a Grade 1 Fact TextRead the text, then answer the questions.
Questions about Reading Grade 1 Information Texts
How long does the Reading Grade 1 Information Texts lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Reading Grade 1 Information Texts teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.10 — RI.1.10, Reading: Informational Text for Grade 1: “With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.” In plain terms, read Grade 1 information texts with some help.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A Grade 1 information text with headings and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: loses the first section by the time they reach the last; skips the headings and reads it as a story and expects it to end. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Give me one fact from the first part and one from the last. What was the text about?.” A fact from the first section is the one that goes. Its absence means the fact-per-heading habit needs building. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Reading Grade 1 Information Texts?
Yes — 1 printable RI.1.10 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Reading Grade 1 Information Texts free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to RI.1.10 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.