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Fourth Grade
Writing/Language Arts
Fourth Quarter /
Writing
ELACC.4.W.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
Prior Learning (CCGPS)Students learned opinion writing in third grade. This year, there is more of an emphasis on organization.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose
  • Introduce the topic with a hook that will engage the reader—a “brilliant beginning.”

  • Create an organizational structure that make sense in order to group information logically
  • main idea/detail
  • opinion/reasons
  • chronological order
  • similarity and differences
  • logical order
  • introduction, body, conclusion

b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details
  • Provide reasons that are supported by:
  • facts
  • anecdotes
  • examples
  • quotes from the text

  • Exclude extraneous details and inappropriate information

  • Use strategies to logically order reasons that support opinion
  • Save best reason for close to the end
  • Tie one reason to the next with good transitions

c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases
  • Use mature transition words, phrases, and clauses to organize:
  • consequently
  • specifically
  • therefore
  • more specifically

d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
  • Conclude with an “excellent ending”, leaving the reader satisfied

ELACC4W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Prior Learning (CCGPS) This standard is similar in third grade, but there is more emphasis this year in organization, supporting details, and word choice.
a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
  • Introduce the topic with a hook that will engage the reader—a “brilliant beginning.”

  • Include textual features to aid in comprehension:
  • headings
  • bullets
  • illustrations
  • charts
  • maps
  • diagrams

b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
  • Include appropriate strategies to develop the topic:
  • providing facts and details
  • describing or analyzing the subject
  • narrating a relevant anecdote
  • including quotations
  • acknowledge information from sources

  • Exclude extraneous details and inappropriate information

c. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases. (e.g., another, for example, also, because).
  • Use transition words and phrases to ensure coherence

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
  • Carefully choose words to precisely explain topic

e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.
  • Conclude with an “excellent ending,” leaving the reader satisfied

ELACC4W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
Prior Learning (CCGPS)Students learned opinion writing in third grade. This year, there is more of an emphasis on organization.
a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally
  • Use sensory details to communicate setting, characters, and plot

  • Begin narrative piece with an opening that hooks the reader

  • Organize with a clear beginning, middle, and end and events that happen in logical order

  • Use traditional narrative structures for conveying information:
  • Chronological order
  • Logical order
  • Beginning, middle, and end

b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
  • Use dialogue to develop experiences

  • Use dialogue to develop events

  • Use dialogue to show response of character to situations

  • Use description to develop experiences

  • Use description to develop events

  • Use description to show response of character to situations

c. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
  • Use transition words and phrases to move the story forward

d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
  • Carefully choose sensory details to convey experiences/events

  • Carefully choose concrete words and phrases to convey experiences/events

e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
  • End narrative piece with an “excellent ending” that will leave the reader with something to think about or a call to action

ELACC4W4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in Standards 1–3 above.)
Prior Learning (CCGPS)This was introduced in third grade. Attention to audience is new.
  • become more mature writers

  • organize a piece of writing based on task and purpose

  • develop fully a piece of writing based on task and purpose

ELACC4W5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 4.)
Prior Learning (CCGPS) Taught in third grade.
  • Use the stages of writing to produce a final copy.

  • Prewrite

  • Draft

  • Revise for the traits of writing:
  • ideas
  • word choice
  • sentence fluency
  • organization
  • voice

  • Revise to improve coherence and progression by adding, deleting, consolidating and rearranging text

  • Edit for conventions

  • Give and get feedback from peers to improve writing

  • Use feedback to improve writing

ELACC4W6: With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.
Prior Learning (CCGPS) Keyboarding is new learning.
  • Use technology to produce writing using:
  • Word
  • Powerpoint
  • Web 2.0 tools
  • Neo 2 boards

  • Use technology to publish writing:
  • Word
  • Powerpoint
  • Web 2.0 tools
  • Neo 2 boards

  • Use technology to interact and collaborate with others:
  • wikis
  • blogs
  • other web 2.0 tools

ELACC4W7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Prior Learning (CCGPS) Taught in third grade.
  • Uses a variety of resources to research and share information on a topic:
  • Dictionary
  • Thesaurus
  • Encyclopedia
  • Electronic information
  • Almanac
  • Atlas
  • Magazines and newspapers

ELACC.4.W.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. This is new learning.
Prior Learning (CCGPS): Introduced in third grade. Citing sources is new learning.
  • When writing informational text, identify and use information from experience (if applicable)

  • When writing informational text, gather information from print and digital sources:
  • Identify pertinent information using text and graphic features

  • Take notes on sources in own words.

  • Identify common categories within notes.

  • Categorize information based on common categories.

  • Paraphrase information, organizing by categories.

  • Document sources in final copy of informational piece.

ELACC.4.W.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Prior Learning (CCGPS) New learning.
a. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions.”)
  • Analyze a literary work. (Refer to Reading standards to see what type of analysis they should be doing.)
  • Use textual evidence to support analysis.

  • Reflect on a literary work (e.g., response to literature).
  • Make text-to-text, text-to-world, and text-to-self connections
  • Use textual evidence to support reflection.

  • Conduct research connected to literary works (e.g., time period in which it was written, research on author’s life).
  • Use textual evidence to support research.

b. Apply grade 4Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence supports which point[s]).
  • Make a judgment, in writing, that is interpretive, evaluative, or reflective

  • Apply fifth grade reading standards to informational texts when writing

  • Support judgments through references to the text, other works, authors, or personal knowledge

ELACC4W10:Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences
Prior Learning (CCGPS) Students have been writing since Kindergarten. They should have been participating in Writing Workshop, writing across the curriculum (i.e. Writing to Win), and writing to prompts for All-County Write.
  • Maintain a routine writing practice (collaborating as well as writing independently).

  • Practice maintaining focus on prolonged projects, writing or working a little each day on a larger project over time.

  • Write texts of a length appropriate to address the topic or tell the story

Speaking and Listening
ELACC.4.SL.3: Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.
Prior Learning (CCGPS)New learning
  • Differentiate between evidence and main points

  • Identify main points

  • Identify supporting reasons or evidence

ELACC.4.SL.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace
Prior Learning (CCGPS):Introduced in third grade.
  • Use knowledge of organizational structure to organize information for a report or presentation. (see RI5)

  • Differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate facts

  • Differentiate between important information and extraneous details

  • Interpret information to create new understandings and knowledge related to the topic

  • Use appropriate non-verbal techniques to enhance communication, e.g., posture, eye-contact, facial expressions, gestures.

  • Speak at an appropriate rate, volume, and tone.

ELACC.4.SL.5: Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
Prior Learning (CCGPS): Taught in third grade.
  • Identify audio and visual elements

  • Determine when the addition of multimedia and/or visual elements is appropriate

  • Share information in an appropriate format for written, oral, sound, and/or visual presentations.

  • Differentiate media types for audience, environment, and purpose of presentations

ELACC4SL6: Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation. (See grade 4 Language standard 1 for specific expectations.)
Prior Learning (CCGPS) In third grade, students had to speak in complete sentences depending on the context or situation.
  • Determine when speaking in complete sentences is appropriate to task or situation

  • Be able to appropriately request detail/clarification when needed

  • Take advantage of opportunities to speak in informal situations (e.g., telling a story to a younger sibling) as well as more formal situations (e.g., leading a class discussion).

Language
ELACC4L1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a. Use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why).
Prior Learning (CCGPS): Pronouns were taught in third grade. Relative pronouns are new.
  • Know that a relative pronoun is a pronoun that refers to a previously used noun. (Example: My first grade teacher, whose name I can’t remember, used to wear purple sneakers every day.)

  • Identify and use relative pronouns correctly when writing or speaking:
  • Who
  • Whose
  • Whom
  • Which
  • That

  • Know that a relative adverb refers to a previously used noun of place, time, or reason. (Example: They are filming a new movie in the small town where I grew up!)

  • Use relative adverbs correctly when writing or speaking:
  • Where
  • When
  • Why

b. Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb aspects.
Prior Knowledge (CCGPS): New learning.
  • Know the difference between a verb tense and aspect

  • Know that the progressive verb aspect, or continuous aspect, is formed with the auxiliary verb 'to be' + - ing. It shows that an action or state, past, present, or future, was, is or will be unfinished at the time referred to.
  • Examples:
  • I am reading The Hunger Games. (action unfinished now)
  • She was playing in the back yard when the phone rang. (action unfinished at the time the phone rang)

  • Form the progressive verb aspects when speaking and writing

  • Correctly use the progressive verb aspects when speaking and writing

c. Use modal auxiliaries (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions
Prior Knowledge (CCGPS): New learning.
  • Identify modal auxiliary verbs (Modal verbs are used to express ideas such as possibility, intention, obligation and necessity.)

  • Understand and use modal auxiliaries when writing or speaking

d. Order adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g., a small red bag rather than a red small bag).
Prior Knowledge (CCGPS): Adjectives were taught in third grade. Order of adjectives is new.
  • Order adjectives in sentences when speaking or writing according to conventional patterns:
  • number
  • opinion
  • size
  • age
  • shape
  • color
  • origin
  • material
  • purpose

e. Form and use prepositional phrases.
Prior Learning (CCGPS): New learning.
  • Identify and explain the uses of prepositions and prepositional phrases

  • Compose sentences using prepositional phrases to modify nouns and verbs.

  • Form and use prepositional phrases

  • Strengthen writing by revising to include prepositional phrases.

  • Analyze writing models for the effective use of prepositional
phrases.
f. Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting rhetorically poor fragments and run-ons
Prior Learning (CCGPS): New learning.
  • Differentiate between grammatically complete sentences,
sentence fragments, and run-on sentences.
  • Revise incomplete, fragments, or run-ons by:
  • combining sentences with a conjunction
  • adding end punctuation and beginning a new sentence
  • by adding to the sentence to make it complete (e.g. subject or predicate

  • Differentiate between:
  • rhetorically poor and “functional fragments”
  • rhetorically poor run-ons and ”functional run-ons”
“Rhetoric” is defined as the art of speaking or writing effectively and/or persuasively.
Rhetorical fragments (a.k.a. functional fragments) are incomplete sentences that are used in writing to persuade the reader, or to evoke some emotional response from the reader's perspective. A rhetorically poor fragment would be one that does not invoke in the reader any emotional response. It is simply incorrect.
Run-ons are almost never used rhetorically. Students should be able to spot them and correct them.
g. Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their).
Prior Learning (CCGPS)New learning.
  • Identify homophones

  • Correctly use frequently confused words

  • Use references to ensure that the correct homophone is used when writing

h. Writes legibly in cursive, leaving spaces between letters in a word and between words in a sentence.
Prior Learning (GPS) Students had instruction in cursive writing in third and fourth grade.
  • Writes legibly in cursive.

  • Leaves space between letters in a word.

  • Leaves space between words in a sentence.

ELACC4L2:Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Use correct capitalization.
Prior Learning (CCGPS): Students have learned capitalization of words in titles, holidays, names, holidays, dates, the pronoun I, and first words in sentences.
  • Use correct capitalization:
  • beginning of sentences
  • proper nouns (names of days, people, countries, months, streets, cities, states, etc.)
  • proper adjectives
  • titles
  • for the pronouns “I”

b. Use commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.
Prior Learning (CCGPS): Dialogue was introduced in third grade.
  • Use commas and quotation marks when writing dialogue

  • Use commas and quotation marks when writing direct quotes from a text.

c. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.
Prior Learning (CCGPS) Subordinating and coordinating conjunctions were taught in third grade.
  • Identify and use compound sentences

  • Identify and use coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS- for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

  • Identify and correctly use coordinating conjunctions in compound sentences

d. Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consultingreferences as needed.
Prior Learning (CCGPS): New learning.
  • Read irregularly spelled words in grade level text

  • Read a variety of genres on grade level for exposure to irregularly spelled words

ELACC4L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.*
Prior Knowledge (CCGPS): Taught in third grade.
  • In writing and speaking, select precise words that will:
  • set the tone
  • communicate feelings
  • communicate mood

  • In writing and speaking, use:
  • Precise language
  • Action verbs
  • Sensory details
  • Appropriate modifiers
  • Active rather than passive voice

b. Choose punctuation for effect.
Prior Learning: New learning.
  • Use and identify correct punctuation

  • Think of punctuation as part of author’s craft (use punctuation for effect)
  • Experiment with punctuation to create voice.

c. Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and situations where informal discourse is appropriate
Prior Learning (CCGPS): In third grade, students had to recognize and observe differences between the conventions of spoken and written English.
  • Recognize situations as requiring formal or informal English

  • Adjust language to a variety of situations.

  • Demonstrate command of conventions of standard English grammar and usage when speaking. See ELACC4L1.

ELACC4L6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific vocabulary, including words and phrases that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and words and phrases basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).
Prior Learning (CCGPS) In third grade, this standard focused on spatial and temporal relationships.
  • Read literary and informational texts and incorporate new words into oral and written language.

  • Read and use accurately domain-specific vocabulary (content-related words)

  • Be able to tell the difference between similar words and justify the reasoning behind the thinking involved

  • Be able to read and use specific words that signal precise
  • actions
  • emotions
  • states of being

  • Acquire and use words and phrases basic to a particular topic

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