Reading

Word Study - Vocabulary and Word Recognition:

Alaska Grade Level Expectations (GLEs):

Strategies to decode or comprehend meaning of words in text by:

• • [4] 2.1.1 Demonstrating knowledge of phonetics, word structure (root words, prefixes, suffixes, abbreviations) and language structure through reading words in text (word order, grammar)

  • [4] 2.1.2 Determining the meaning of unfamiliar words using knowledge of word families, phonetics, context and visual cues, structural elements (contractions, compound words, root words, prefixes, suffixes, plurals)

  • [4] 2.1.4 Identifying relationships among words by categorizing (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homophones, homographs) 

FNSBSD Core Learner Objectives (GLEs are labeled as (ES)):

Using a gradual release of responsibility model, students will:

Fourth Graders who lack the early literacy skills of phonics and phonemic awareness should receive immediate review and practice from this section in the lower grades.

Phonics: instruction that teaches children relationships between the letters (graphemes) of written language and the individual sounds (phonemes) of spoken language.

Phonemic Awareness: the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words.

• Notice and use new vocabulary learned by listening, reading, and discussing a variety of genres, and intentionally record and remember them to expand oral and written vocabulary

• Use various strategies to decode and learn words, including context clues, prefixes, suffixes, root words, contractions, glossaries, dictionaries, etc. (ES)

• Use words, sentences, and paragraphs as context clues to determine meanings of unknown key words, similes, metaphors, idioms, proverbs, clichés, and literary expressions

• Understand the figurative use of words

• Understand analogies

• Use context to determine meanings of synonyms, antonyms, homonyms (e.g., through/threw, principal, principle) and multiple-meaning words (e.g., seal)

• Derive the meaning of words that reflect regional or historical dialects as well as words from languages other than English 

Fluency:

Alaska Grade Level Expectations (GLEs):

The student reads text aloud by:

• • [4] 2.1.5 Self-monitoring and self-correcting while reading (e.g., sounding words out, adjusting reading pace, rereading difficult or relevant material) (L)

  • [4] 2.3.1 Reading orally with rhythm, flow, and expression, showing understanding of punctuation and other conventions of print*(L) 

FNSBSD Core Learner Objectives (GLEs are labeled as (ES)):

Using a gradual release of responsibility model, students will:

• • • Read orally with rhythm, flow, volume, smoothness, and expression that reflects understanding comprehension

    • Read grade level text at a fluency rate based on the district’s currently adopted Reading Curriculum Based Measure (R-CBM) instrument (ES)

    • Demonstrate appropriate stress on words, pausing and phrasing, intonation, and use of punctuation while reading in a way that reflects understanding (ES)

    • Read grade level text with an accuracy rate of 98-100%   

Comprehension:

Alaska Grade Level Expectations (GLEs):

Intentional thinking during which meaning is constructed through interactions between text and reader:

• • [4] 2.1.3 Obtaining information using text features including pictures, illustrations, text structure (e.g., bolded or italicized text, graphs, charts, or headings)

  • [4] 2.2.1 Locating information explicitly stated in narrative and informational text to answer literal-comprehension questions*

  • [4] 2.2.2 Self-monitoring comprehension by formulating questions while reading (e.g., why is this character not telling the truth, why are bears with cubs especially dangerous, what will happen next), or rereading (e.g., for clarification, confirmation, correction) (L)

  • [4] 2.2.3 Making simple inferences (e.g., predicts logical outcomes, deduces missing information, such as where a story takes place if not directly stated)

  • [4] 2.2.4 Drawing conclusions based on information presented in the text (e.g., cause and effect, character motivation)*

  • [4] 2.4.1 Retelling a story in correct sequence or identifying the correct sequence of events in a story (L)

  • [4] 2.4.2 Restating and summarizing information after reading a text or identifying accurate restatements and summaries

  • [4] 2.5.1 Identifying the main idea or central concept in various types of texts*

  • [4] 2.5.2 Locating information in narrative and informational text to answer questions related to main ideas or key details

  • [4] 2.5.3 Identifying or describing related experiences to support understanding of a main idea (L)

  • [4] 2.6.1 Completing a simple task by following written, multi-step directions (e.g., recipe) 

FNSBSD Core Learner Objectives (GLEs are labeled as (ES)):

Using a gradual release of responsibility model, students will:

Before-reading strategies

• • Set a purpose for reading

  • Make predictions based on text features (e.g., pictures, illustrations, text structure, sub-titles, graphs, charts, headings, etc.)

  • Compile background information for reading

  • Participate in group activities to determine text features (e.g., genre, vocabulary, experience, etc.)

During reading strategies

• • Use a variety of reading strategies to unlock meaning of text (e.g., creating mental images, using background knowledge, asking questions, making inferences, determining the most important ideas or themes, synthesizing information, using 'fix-up' strategies)

  • Make 'text to text', 'text to self', and 'text to world' connections while reading

  • Use a system (e.g., yellow 'sticky' notes) to mark new vocabulary, key points, main idea, etc

  • Notice how the author or illustrator has used illustrations and other graphics to convey meaning or create mood

  • Self-monitor for understanding (ES)

 After reading strategies

• • Distinguish fact from fiction and opinion

  • Make simple inferences

  • Read and follow multi-step directions

  • Use text evidence to support predictions, opinion, and answers to comprehension questions (ES)

  • Apply a variety of comprehension skills, visualization, rereading for information, using context clues, asking questions, and making connections (ES)

  • Integrate existing content knowledge with new information from a text to consciously create new understanding

  • Retell main idea of fiction story

  • Retell beginning /middle/end key point of fiction piece

  • Follow more than two written steps or directions to complete a task

  • By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, such as stories, dramas, and poetry

Fiction

• Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text

Non-Fiction

• Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text

Fiction and Non-Fiction

• • Locate key information in text (ES)

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

  • Identify important ideas and information (longer texts with chapters and sometimes multiple texts)

  • Organize important information in summary form in order to remember and use them as background knowledge in reading or for discussion and writing

  • Identify the main ideas or central concepts and supporting details in various texts (ES) 

Craft & Structure:

Alaska Grade Level Expectations (GLEs):

The student analyzes content and structure of genres by:

• • [4] 2.7.1 Identifying the four major genres of fiction: short story, drama (plays), novel, and poetry (L)

  • [4] 2.7.3 Identifying use of literary elements and devices (i.e., dialogues, rhyme, alliteration, or simile) 

FNSBSD Core Learner Objectives (GLEs are labeled as (ES)):

Using a gradual release of responsibility model, students will:

Fiction

• • Understand and talk about the role of setting in realistic and historical fiction as well as fantasy

  • Identify the main idea elements of a story including theme, conflict and resolution, character, plot, and setting (ES)

Non-Fiction

• Use the structures of textbooks and other resources effectively

Fiction and Non-Fiction

• Distinguish and choose a variety of genres (realistic and historical fiction, fantasy, myths and legends, biography, autobiography, memoir and diaries, and others) for different purposes (ES)

• Evaluate the quality of illustrations or graphics

• Determine author’s purpose (ES) 

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

Alaska Grade Level Expectations (GLEs):

The student analyzes content of text to differentiate fact and opinion by

• [4] 2.9.1 Distinguishing fact from opinion in a text

The student connects themes by:

• • [4] 2.10.1 Identifying author’s message, theme, or purpose (e.g., helping others brings great rewards)

  • [4] 2.10.2 Identifying themes in texts and making relevant connections to [personal experiences, experiences of others or L] other texts

The student makes connections between cultural influences/events by

• • [4] 2.11.1 Identifying cultural influences in texts (e.g., dialects, customs, traditions)* (L)

  • [4] 2.11.2 Identifying common ideas, events, and situations in multicultural readings (e.g., trickster tales about Raven) (L) 

FNSBSD Core Learner Objectives (GLEs are labeled as (ES)):

Using a gradual release of responsibility model, students will:

Fiction

• • Infer the big ideas or themes of a text and discuss how they are applicable to people's lives today

  • Infer characters' feelings and motivations through reading their dialogue and what other characters say about them

Non-Fiction

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

Fiction and Non-Fiction

• • Read and follow three-step directions (ES)

  • Use knowledge from one text to help in understanding diverse cultures and settings encountered in new texts

  • Acquire new content and perspectives through reading both fiction and nonfiction texts about diverse cultures, times, and places

  • Hypothesize how characters could have behaved differently

  • Use text features (illustrations, chapter titles, italicized words, graphics, etc.) to further understand information read (ES)

  • Identify cause/effect (ES) 

Motivation, Engagement, & Stamina:

Alaska Grade Level Expectations (GLEs):

• Not addressed through Alaska Grade Level Expectations 

FNSBSD Core Learner Objectives (GLEs are labeled as (ES)):

Using a gradual release of responsibility model, students will:

• Develop confidence in skills in order to take risks in reading

• Set personal reading goals (ES)

• Generate questions to investigate

• Participate in self-selected reading of appropriate level extending to 30 minutes (ES) 

GLE Key: 

*Assumes a variety of text and increasing complexity. 

(L) Some PSGLEs have been identified as Local. They are for local assessment and will not be on a state assessment. Items differentiated with an “i.e.” indicate that statewide assessment items may be written only to the content contained within the statement in the parentheses. Items differentiated with an “e.g’” do not limit assessment items to that content, but indicate examples of content that may be used in statewide assessment items. 

Differences between grade levels are underlined.

ELL Support Services may found in the appendix.

Reading Informational Text*

Key Ideas & Details (KI):

1. Locate explicit information in the text to explain what the text says explicitly and to support inferences drawn from the text. 

FNSBSD Additional Objectives:

• Read and follow three-step directions.

2. Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; paraphrase or summarize key ideas, events, or procedures including correct sequence when appropriate. 

3. Explain relationships (e.g., cause-effect) among events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. 

FNSBSD Additional Objectives:

• Understand and talk about the role of setting in realistic an historical fiction as well as fantasy.

Craft & Structure (CS):

4. Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a Grade 4 topic or subject area. 

5. Describe the overall structure (e.g., sequence, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text. 

6. Determine author’s purpose; compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided. 

Integration of Knowledge & Ideas (IK):

7. Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears. 

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

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

Range of Reading & Level of Text Complexity (RR):

10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend a range of informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts within a complexity band appropriate to Grade 4 (from upper Grade 3 to Grade 5), with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. 

Writing Standards*

Text Types & Purpose:

1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with fact- or text-based reasons and information (e.g., The character ___ was brave because she ____).

a.     Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.

b.    Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.

c.     Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).

d.     Provide a concluding statement or section that reinforces or restates the opinion presented. 

Essential Vocabulary:

• Text-based

• Focus

• Paraphrase 

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

a.     Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), labeled or captioned visuals/diagrams, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

b.    Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information/explanations and examples that support the focus.

c.     Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).

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

e.     Provide a concluding statement or section that paraphrases the focus of the text or explanation presented. 

3. Use narrative writing to develop real or imagined characters, experiences, or events using effective narrative techniques (dialogue, description, elaboration, problem-solution, figurative language) and clear event sequences (chronology).

a.     Orient the reader by establishing a context or situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

b.    Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description and elaboration, and concrete and sensory details to describe actions, thoughts, and motivations and to develop experiences and events showing the responses of characters to situations, problems, or conflicts.

c.     Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to develop the sequence of events.

d.    Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details, and elaboration to convey experiences and events precisely.

e.     Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. 

Essential Vocabulary:

• Chronology

• Transitional Words 

Production and Distributing of Writing:

4. 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). 

FNSBSD Additional Objectives:

• Recognize and produce the following genres: letter writing (friendly and business, both letter and envelope), opinion, and poetry. 

5. 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). 

6. With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce, edit, and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others and to locate information about topics; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.

Essential Vocabulary:

• Collaborate 

Research to Build & Present Knowledge:

7. Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. 

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. 

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

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]”).

b.    Apply Grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text”). 

Range of Writing:

10. 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. 

Language Standards*

Conventions of Standards English:

1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

a.     Use nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that), and relative adverbs (where, when, why) appropriate to function and purpose in order to apply the conventions of English.

b.     Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.

c. Use modal auxiliaries (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions.

d. Order adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g., a small red bag rather than a red small bag).

e. Form and use prepositional phrases.

f.      Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons. *

g.     Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two, there, their). *  

2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

a. Use correct capitalization.

b. Use commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.

c. Use commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.

d.     Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed. 

Knowledge of Language:

3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

a.     Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely. *

b.    Choose punctuation for effect. *

c.     Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion). 

4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. 

a. Determine meaning of unfamiliar words by using knowledge of phonetics, word structure, and language structure through reading words in text (word order, grammar, syntax), use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).

c.     Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. 

5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

a.        Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.

b.   Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.

c.     Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms). 

6. Acquire and accurately use grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).