When reading, fourth graders  learned how to . . . 

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says and when drawing inferences

Determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem 

Determine the main idea of a text

Summarize a text

Give an in depth description of  characters, settings, and events in stories

Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in informational texts

Determine the meanings of words and phrases, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings

Explain major differences between poems, drama, and stories, and refer to the structural elements 

Describe the overall structure of events, ideas, and concepts of information in a text or part of a text

Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated

Compare and contrast two accounts of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided

Make connections between the print version of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the same text

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text 

Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes, topics, and patterns of events in stories from different cultures.

Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably

When reading, fifth graders will learn how to . . .

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text

Determine a theme or central idea of a story, drama,  poem, or informational text and explain how it is conveyed through details in the text

 Summarize a text

Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in a text

Explain the relationships and interactions among two or more individuals, events, and/or ideas in an informational text

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language with emphasis on similes and metaphors; analyze the impact of sound devices on meaning and tone

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. 

Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fit together to provide the overall structure of particular texts

Compare and contrast the overall structure of events, ideas, and concepts of information in two or more texts

Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described

Analyze the similarities and differences in points of view of multiple accounts of the same event or topic

Explain how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or mood of a text, such as in a graphic novel, multimedia presentation, or fiction, folktale, myth, or poem

Locate an answer to a question or solve a problem, drawing on information from multiple print or digital sources

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which points

Compare and contrast stories in the same genre on their approaches to similar themes and topics

Integrate information from two or more texts on the same topic in order to build content knowledge 

When writing, fourth graders learned how to . . . 

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

• Introduce a topic or text

• Develop an opinion with reasons that are supported by facts and details

• Create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose

• Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented

• Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information.

• Introduce a topic.

• Group related information in paragraphs and sections.

• Include formatting, features, illustrations, and multimedia, when needed, to provide clarity to the reader.

• Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.

• Provide a conclusion related to the information or explanation presented.

• Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases.

• Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using an effective technique, such as descriptive details and clear event sequences.

• Establish a situation by using a narrator, including characters, and organizing an

• event sequence that unfolds naturally.

• Use dialogue and/or descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events, or to show the response of characters to situations.

• Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.

• Provide a sense of closure.

When writing, fifth graders will learn how to . . .