This fall, about 50,000 Wisconsin public school kids will start first grade. They'll file through hundred-year-old hallways and new builds, meeting teachers just out of college or 40-year veteran educators, with dozens of new faces around them.
It’s been awhile since our reporters were in first grade, and we wanted to know what it’s like. So we asked students from around the state who just finished first grade: What do this year's new first-graders need to know?
Prepping for first grade isn’t just about the academics, longtime Appleton teacher Amy Zewicki said. Kids also learn to problem-solve and do things on their own (although Zewicki still encourages parents to read to their kids every night).
The (former) first-graders we talked to learned to read, write and count. They shouted out their favorite books and games from the year — but they also talked about learning to make friends, to lean into kindness and creativity and to face first-day fears head on. Here's their advice.
You're going to be nervous
Hazel, who just finished first grade at Suamico Elementary in Brown County, wants new first-graders to know “you’re just going to feel nervous on the first day.” But once you get to know your teachers and make some friends, it’ll get better, she said. You can always tell your teacher you’re nervous.
The first thing Hazel’s class worked on in first grade was reading, a hot topic right now. Suamico Elementary, like most Wisconsin elementary schools, doesn’t have a specific list of words that graduating kindergartners need to know, but words like "and," "the" and "you" are considered "power words" they should know to start their first-grade year strong.
Hazel remembers learning to read the word “the” on her first day as they helped catch up some students. Reading was “a little” hard, but don’t worry, she's all set now.
The class also spent some time on math. Some problems were easy, Hazel said, while others were a little harder.
But having fun made up for that. She drew pictures of her dogs, Maddie and Arlo, and her cat, Oakley. And her favorite part of the whole year was using Canva: Hazel gave detailed instructions on how to make picture books about “cats, dogs, football, or whatever, really.”
'Run for your life' in Jurassic World Tag
On his first day at Suamico Elementary, Emerick was “a little scared and excited.” Scared to make new friends, although now he has lots. Excited to draw sharks, footballs and baseballs with his new markers.
Most first-graders read as homework, up a level from kindergarten. The longer words were a little rough for Emerick at the start, but now he knows lots of big words. For example, “example”; he’s still working on spelling it on his own, though.
But Emerick’s favorite part of first grade was gym, and not just because he plays sports. His favorite game was Jurassic World Tag. He tried to explain the rules, but between the dodgeballs and the T-Rexes, they were a little too complicated for our reporter to follow. All we know? “You have to run for your life!”
Learning 'All About Chimps'
On her first day at Suamico Elementary, Ellison was “a little bit scared, but happy.” There were a lot of other kids, but they were all friendly, she said.
The next day, they started learning “a little bit more than the first day of school.” She learned a lot in first grade — like how to tell time, which she said was the hardest thing to learn.
The class read for homework, and Ellison read “non-fantasy books and fantasy books.”
The best book? “All About Chimps.” She nodded. “They use sticks to get their food.”
'You can say hi to your teacher'
Stella wants new first-graders to know that "you can say hi to your teacher” on the first day. She was really nice, Stella said.
She spent her year learning and coloring rainbows. The best part, by far, was recess.
Her favorite subject, though, was reading. Stella learned to read chapter books, but she doesn’t quite have her favorite book nailed down yet. The first day of reading was hard: “The bigger words” got her for a bit, but she knows them now.
You'll make 'loads of friends' in first grade
Eliana Rysewyk was nervous going into first grade at Westwood Elementary in De Pere. There would be a lot of new people, and she was worried about not having many friends.
"It was kind of scary because of all the new faces I was going to see,” she said.
But in the end, she made “loads of friends.” Her advice? The first day of first grade will be OK.
“Don’t worry if you’re new to Westwood,” Eliana said. “It’s OK to be a little nervous.”
A Skittles game and new friends
The one thing Bexen remembers about his first day of first grade is the Skittles game his class played. Every first-grader got a few Skittles, and each Skittle color meant you had to tell the class a certain thing about yourself.
Bexen was nervous people wouldn’t like him “because it’s super new, and you just don’t know people super much.” But he made friends, and he liked reading his favorite books in class.
“Don’t be nervous,” Bexen said. “If you have fun, you could make new friends.”
'One of the funnest things I ever did'
For Ella, the first day of school was scary, but she knew she could make new friends. It wasn’t hard: “I could see them having fun, and I could just join in.”
Ella’s class learned about safety in first grade. Don’t touch fire alarms, she cautioned, and don’t touch any “hot electricity.” But future first-graders will be fine in first grade. Better than fine, Ella said.
“New first-graders: that was actually one of the funnest things I ever did,” she said.
Don't be rude!
Claire learned a lot in first grade. She loved science, in particular, especially when the class learned how plants grow.
She clearly also learned some wisdom to pass on to the next batch of first-graders: Be kind, she said, “because if you’re rude you’ll probably sit on the wall for recess.” Listen to the teacher, and don't be a bully.
“Because then no one wants to be your friend except the other bullies. And it’s rude,” Claire said.
First grade after a big move
Ruben started first grade in Texas. When he went to Westwood Elementary in De Pere after his family moved, he was surprised at the extra space the school had — and “the big library.”
His favorite book was "The Watermelon Seed," he said, and his favorite subject was math, although he couldn’t remember what kind of math was his favorite.
Future first-graders should practice their spelling, Ruben advised.
Have fun and be happy
On her first day of first grade at Parkway Elementary in Glendale, Zoey said she was nervous and played with some people she knew because she was scared of being made fun of “for being different.” She said she made a best friend who was nice to her as the school year went on.
Zoey said the best thing she learned was math because she really liked it, although she couldn't say why.
But she remembered why she liked the new scissors she got in her school supplies. First grade helped her learn how to use them and get it right, she said.
Zoey said she did not have any homework. But she and other students would take home games to play with their families, and they could read for a short time.
Reading was the most challenging for Zoey because of new words she had to learn. However, she said she “kept reading and reading.” Zoey said she was really good at reading by the end of the school year.
She advised incoming first-graders to have fun and be happy.
Don't miss the pizza
Joe said he remembered having to do “a lot” of math and reading in first grade at Jefferson Elementary School in Wauwatosa. He said math was his favorite subject; he liked adding and subtracting. He said the hardest part of first grade was writing, specifically spelling.
His favorite part of the school day was lunch; his favorite meal was pizza.
As for advice he'd give to future first-graders, Joe said he did not have any. “I'm just not the guy that does this stuff," he said during his interview.
Learning French
Kinzley said her first day of first grade at French Immersion School was “awesome.” She met a lot of new people and felt good about it. Her favorite part of the school day was meeting friends on the school bus.
Kinzley said it was cool to learn French. Some of the words she learned were “bonjour,” which means “hello,” and “pourquoi,” which means “why.”
Kinzley said she used a spelling book to practice her words and “a big book” for math. She said the best part of first grade was learning math.
Kinzley loved using Chromebooks and learning new stuff. She got better at her homework by continuing to try.
She loves school because it’s about learning and having fun. She also likes recess and being outside. School gives her something to do, she said.
Her advice for new first-graders: “You’re new, and it doesn’t matter if you mess up because it’s OK because you’re still learning.”
Phoenix said getting better at homework comes with practice
Phoenix said she had homework in first grade, but "the more I did it, the better I got at it."
Her favorite subject? "I just really like math," she said.
One incoming first-grader, Harper, had asked a reporter what first grade would be like.
Phoenix had an answer: "Fun, but challenging."
Incoming first-graders should know math
Kaya said incoming first-graders "should know how to do a lot of math" because "they were just in kindergarten."
But they have a chance to catch up, because she said she also learned lots of math in first grade.
Her favorite math lesson was how to subtract, a skill she said she uses outside of school.
A big plus for first grade: colored pencils
Theodore remembers bringing coloring supplies to first grade: crayons, colored pencils and markers.
His favorite was colored pencils, hands down.
While crayons and markers are big, he said, "colored pencils are not that big and not that wide," he explained.
Fast facts about first grade in WisconsinWisconsin had 52,597 first-graders in public schools in 2024-25 There were 10,304 first-graders In private schools in 2024-25First-graders don’t take the state's standardized Forward Exams. They do take literacy tests, however, which make sure their reading skills are at grade level. These exams start in 4K. Most first-graders are 6-7 years old. First-graders learn common one-syllable words like cat, fox and bet, and basic two-syllable words. They learn to add and subtract within 20, count to 120 and tell time.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Advice for new first-graders from the experts: former first-graders
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