What Your First Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals of a Good First-Grade Education (The Core Knowledge Series) (Paperback)

by E.D. Hirsch Jr. (Author) "Everyone agrees that children should learn to read..." (more)
Key Phrases: gonna study war, check your library, countable objects, Issun Boshi, Brer Fox, Brer Rabbit (more...)

Editorial Reviews

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Give your child a smart start with the revised and updated What Your First Grader Needs to Know -- Review

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Give your child a smart start with the revised and updated What Your First Grader Needs to Know

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Delta; Revised edition (February 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385319878
• ISBN-13: 978-0385319874
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,685 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #8 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Parent Participation
  #18 in	Books > Parenting & Families > Parenting > School-Age Children
  #20 in	Books > Parenting & Families > Education

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We Really Apppreciated this Book. And so will You., March 10, 2002

By	T. Carlsen - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an outstanding story book that's fun to read and excellent at educating young children. We read something from this book almost every evening. Both my seven-year old and four-year old love something from this book.

This book gives a good selection of classic children's stories, fun poems, singable songs, wise fables, and other works that are fun to read. It also gives great introductions to American history, world history, science, art and much more. What you see in this book is what your child should be learning at an ideal school.

Since no school is perfect and can cover everything, use this book as a great way of ensuring that your chilren receive an outstanding education.

This book tells you what you need to teach your first grader, and it's good reading. Next year we will buy the volumes for second grade and kindergarten.

It's interesting that one review made a claim that this book is a little too liberal. The fact is that the editor has been closely associated with forger Education Secretary William Bennett, a social conservative. In fact, the information in this book is neither liberal nor conservative. It's just excellent and enjoyable education for you kids, based on solid empirical research...

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Overview, April 1, 2004

By	D. Repp "reppfamily1" (Gig Harbor, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

Great springboard book to help if you're a homeschooler or trying to supplement your child outside of the classroom.

Language and Literature: Plenty of stories and poetry to read to your child and get them started. Weak in the phonics area. I would recommend a good phonics primer - Phonics Pathways by Dolories Hiskes (awesome and inexpensive resource and it will get your child reading fast).

Mathematics: Simple progression in math skills. I like the suggestions on manipulatives and games to do with your child, they make the learning process more fun for the child.

Science: Braod overview of many sciences. Good things to start talking about with your child before a trip to the local zoo or library to pick up more in depth information.

This book is not meant to be a complete curriculum for teaching your child, but is a nice supplement. I like the stories, poems and music. It's a great portable all in one book. The notes to parents are helpful in finding ways to teach each subject.

55 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Your First Grader Needs to Know, February 1, 2000

By	Mrs. Tiffany Regan "reading teacher" (Parker, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent resource to supplement a child's education. The topics are presented in an interesting, child-friendly manner. My daughter enjoys working from this book. As for the literature section, I found it to have a balanced mixture of traditional tales and multicultural folktales. Even though many traditional fairy tales are no longer politically correct, I feel that is important for my child to be exposed to literature that has endured for hundreds of years. When a poem or novel makes a literary allusion to Rapunzel or Sleeping Beauty, I want my child to understand. As for the multicultural stories, there are Hispanic, Japanese, English, Dutch, West African, German, Jewish, African American, Italian, and Iroquois selections. My daughter enjoyed reading stories from so many different cultures. I was also pleased with the math and art sections. This is a wonderful tool to use for following your child's education. Comparing the work that my daughter brings home from school to the curriculum in this book helps me know if she is on track or not.