A typical day for a 1st/2nd grader includes developing both gross and fine motor skills like balancing, skipping, writing the alphabet, and coloring. Cognitively, they can understand concepts like addition/subtraction and compare quantities, think logically and from other perspectives. Socially and emotionally, children at this age begin to develop fears of harm, failure, follow rules strictly, and desire peer acceptance as social groups form.

1. A Day in The Life of a 1st/2nd Grader

2. Gross Motor
 Perform a series of
continues motions
 Balance on one foot
 Skipping with alternate
feet
 Run lightly
 Catch Balls

3. Fine Motor
 Be able to cut out simple
shapes
 Learn to write the alphabet
 Color within the lines
 Hold a pencil with thumb
and index finger
 Establish right- or left-
handedness

4. Cognitive
 Understand and manipulate
concrete symbols (addition &
subtraction symbols)
 Can compare variations in
length, substance, volume, and
quantity
 Understand other people’s points
of views
 Logical thinking patterns and are
able to think backwards

5. Communication
 Be able to follow 2-4 step
directions in a sequence,
either given written or oral
(Listening)
 Stay on topic, take turns
and use appropriate eye
contact during
conversation (Speaking)
 Have fully mastered
phonics/sound awareness
(Reading)
 Use basic punctuation and
capitalization appropriately
(Writing)

6. Adaptive
 Chooses clothes and gets
dressed
 Learns to put shoes on the
correct feet
 Learns to tie shoelaces
 Can engage and attend
to school work
 Can solve simple dilemmas

7. Social Emotional
 Development of fear for
things that could possibly
harm them (real-life things,
not imaginary)
 Fear of failing/performing
poorly (begin to compare
themselves to peers)
 Follow rules strictly, and
believe in extreme
consequences when rules
are broken (Heteronomous
morality stage- Piaget)
 Desires some level of peer
acceptance as social
groups begin to emerge