This video describes the writing GOAL for fourth grade students. Each year in their writing, students should demonstrate increasing sophistication in all aspects of language use, from vocabulary and syntax to the development and organization of ideas, and they should address increasingly demanding content and sources. Students will write evidence-based explanatory, narratives and opinion pieces. We look for transition words, variety of words/language usage, punctuation, and capitalization.

1st 9 Weeks - Unit 1

The first reading unit is Hurricanes. In this unit, you learn how hurricanes impact our history. You will build on your understanding about hurricanes and how people share their memories of hurricanes through reading and analyzing texts. At the end of the unit, you will write a first person narrative about an experience in a hurricane based on the texts we will read.

2nd 9 Weeks - Unit 2

The second unit is a study of The American Revolution. In this unit, you learn

• What colonists considered when making decisions leading to and during the American Revolution
• The stance taken by Loyalists, the stance taken by Patriots
• Significant people, dress and symboles of the time period
• Why researchers use multiple sources
• How to read and extract information from multiple texts to form and justify an opinion
• How to debate different points of view which can lead to common ground.