4th Grade ELA Curriculum Menu
Literature, Media Literacy, Nonfiction, Foundations, Speaking & Listening, Vocabulary, Writing Process, Writing Genres, Writing Handwriting, Writing Conventions, Research Process
Guiding Principle
Students read a wide range of fiction, nonfiction, classic, and contemporary works, to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They read a wide range of literature in many genres from a variety of time periods and cultures from around the world to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, and reading skills that they have developed and refined.1
1 Adapted from Standards for the English Language. National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association, 1996. Available at http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Books/Sample/StandardsDoc.pdf.
Reading: Vocabulary
There are two key areas found in the Reading: Vocabulary section for grades 6-12: Vocabulary Building and Vocabulary in Literature and Nonfiction Texts. By demonstrating the skills listed in each section, students should be able to meet the Learning Outcome for Reading: Vocabulary
Infusion of the Catholic Faith
Through Catholic education, we seek to better understand human nature, the choices we face, and the role our faith plays in these decisions. Through our study of Language Arts, we strive to better understand our role and identity as Christians, and our responsibility to social justice. Human virtues and a Catholic worldview are explored through reading, writing, discussion and reflection.
The Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Charleston examine each subject in the context of the Catholic faith. Our students learn and are formed through the infusion of Gospel Values into all disciplines. Through the diocesan curriculum and standards, our teachers seek to promote the synthesis of faith, life, and culture to form students as disciples of Jesus. This document has been created to serve as a curriculum guide for English Language Arts. The ELA Standards are supported through the infusion of the Cardinal Newman Society standards. Resources to support the infusion of our faith can be found through the links below.
Ways to Infuse the Faith
Ways to Infuse the Faith
The DOC ELA Standards align with the Cardinal Newman Society Catholic Curriculum Standards. Click HERE to infuse our faith into the ELA curriculum through literature, scripture, parables, and saints.
Learning Outcome 4-V: Build and use accurate general academic and content-specific words and phrases. Apply foundational reading skills to demonstrate reading fluency and comprehension.
Essential Question: When sharing how do my words show God’s beauty? What can happen when beauty is not used for the glory of God? How does figurative language, word relationships, and nuances demonstrate my understanding of God’s beauty? How did the strategy chosen reveal the truth and revelation of the word and phrases? Can the knowledge or situation under consideration be integrated with expanded by the knowledge from other academic disciplines?
Suggested Mentor Texts
Baloney, Jon Scieska
Brave Irene, William Steig
Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk: What Are Similes and Metaphors?
What’s Mite Might?, Guilio Maestro
The Sun Played Hide-and-seek: A Personification Story
Max’s Words, Kate Banks
If you were a Prefix, Marcie Aboff
If you were an Antonym, Nancy Loewen
If you were a Synonym, Michael Dahl
Birds of a Feather, Vanita Oelschlager
Eye to Eye: A Book of Body Part Idioms and SIlly Pictures, Vanita Oelschlager
The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, Jen Bryant
Life is a Bowl Full of Cherries, Vanita Oelschlager
In a Pickle: And Other Funny Idioms, Marvin Terban
Digital Resources
Smekens Rewind and Fast Forward
Considerations for Learning Differences
English Language Learner Strategies