Verbs

Verbs express actions or states of being, serving as the engines that drive sentences forward. At the first-grade level, focus primarily on helping students identify and use action verbs that show observable behaviors (run, jump, write), connecting these words to physical movements and classroom activities for kinesthetic reinforcement. Guide students to recognize that every complete sentence needs a verb, and introduce the concept that verbs show when something happens through simple present and past tense forms. Implement engaging activities like "Verb Charades" or "Action Stations" where students physically demonstrate verbs before writing them in sentences. Scaffold instruction by first focusing on high-frequency, concrete action verbs before gradually introducing helping verbs and linking verbs like "am," "is," and "are" for students ready to explore states of being. Connect verb instruction to reading comprehension by discussing how authors' verb choices create movement and excitement in narratives, encouraging students to identify strong verbs during read-alouds.