The First 9 Weeks of Word Study
Word Study is a time in our day when we focus on spelling, vocabulary, descriptive language, or grammar. The goal of Word Study is to help students be better readers, writers, speakers, and listeners.
During the first 9 weeks of the school year, 4th graders will be focusing on different spelling and vocabulary skills. During Unit 1, we will learn:
How does Word Study help me as a learner?
How do the DSI, Dictation Sentence, and other assessments help me as a learner?
What are syllables and how do they help me as a reader and writer?
What is a Word Observation? How can you tear apart and build words with spelling skills?
What is a Word Web? How can you generate a list of words to help you as a writer?
What are Word Connections? How can you use a word like "run" and make variations of this word to help your writing?
What are Word Sorts?
Spelling and Vocabulary
What are synonyms?
What are antonyms?
What are nouns? How do I use the suffixes: -s, -es, -ies with plural nouns?
What are verbs?
What are suffixes? How do these suffixes affect a base word?
We will study these suffixes: -er, -est, -ful, -less, -th, -able, -ible, -ion*
Resources
How do I use a dictionary or thesaurus?
Why should I use a dictionary or thesaurus?
When should I use a dictionary or thesaurus?
The Second 9 Weeks of Word Study
Word Study continues to be a time in our day when we focus on spelling, vocabulary, descriptive language, or grammar. The goal of Word Study is to help students be better readers, writers, speakers, and listeners. During the second 9 weeks of the school year, 4th graders will be focusing on different spelling and vocabulary skills. During Unit 2, we will learn:
Why and how do spelling patterns help me grow as a speller?
We will study how -au and -aw are used to spell words.
We will study how -ough and -augh are used to spell words.
We will look for spelling patterns that help us use these vowel patterns.
We will grow our vocabulary knowledge.
Building Meaning With Words: Prefixes
What are prefixes?
What is a base word?
How do prefixes affect the meaning of a word?
We will study the following prefixes: under-, ex-, sub-, col-, com-, dis
il-, im-, ir-, in-, de-, inter-
Sentence Observations: Studying and Revising Sentences In Our Writing
As writers, we study the mechanics and construction of sentences.
We will study and understand what makes a complete sentence.
We will learn how to avoid fragments and run-on sentences.
We will study different Parts of Speech to improve our writing. We will learn about:
Relative Pronouns (Maria went to the library. She carried her books home in her backpack.)
Verb tenses (past, present, and future actions)
Modal Auxiliaries (Using principal modal verbs such as: can, could, may, might, must, ought, shall, should, will, and would.). A modal verb is used to change the meaning of other verbs (commonly known as main verbs) by expressing modality—that is, asserting (or denying) possibility, likelihood, ability, permission, obligation, or future intention. For example, We could go to the movies after dinner. We should not go to dinner after the movie because the restaurant will be closed.
Figurative Language: Similes and Metaphors
We will study figurative language and learn how Similes and Metaphors add creative ways of expressing our ideas. Similes are expressions that use "like" or "as" to compare 2 different subjects. Metaphors compare two subjects without "like" or "as."
Simile: The wind howled like an angry cat.
Metaphor: The breeze purred in my ear and tickled my cheek.