Reading Informational Text and Writing

CCSS ELA Alignment

4th Grade

CCSS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1

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

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.6

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

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  • :
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Read the questions in the , then reread/ the article.
  • Note which paragraph contains each answer.
  • Take the .
  • Check your answers. Go back and reread the paragraphs you noted.
  • Retake the quiz to correct any mistakes you made.

  • Three Types of Questions:
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • What do you wonder about the article? Write 2-3 questions about what you read.
  • Reread the text and check for answers.
  • “Right there” questions: Some of your questions may be able to be answered by rereading, you may have just missed it the first time. This means the answer is written in the article. Try reading the  version if you are having trouble.
  • “Think and Search” questions: Some of your questions may require you to interpret and think more deeply about what the article is saying, then you can make a logical guess, based on the information that is available. This is called an inference.
  • “On your own” questions: Some of your questions may require further research or for you to think about your feelings and thoughts. (For an example of this type of question, read the .)
  • Use the text as evidence when you share your answer. Even though your answer may not come from the text, refer to a sentence that led you to your thinking.
  • According to the text, “...”
  • The author said, “...”
  • Post one of your ‘Think and Search’ or ‘On your Own’ questions in the comments of the article.
  • Check back a few days later to see if any fellow DOGO-ers have answered! If so, respond to them with your own ideas!

  • :
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Read the .
  • Think about what the question is asking. Look up any unknown words.
  • Reread/listen to the article.
  • Use the text as evidence when you share your answer. Even though your answer may not come from the text, refer to a sentence that led you to your thinking.
  • According to the text, “...”
  • The author said, “...”
  • Record your answer to the question in complete sentences.
  • Use the question stem to write an introductory sentence.
  • Add 2-3 details and facts, remember to refer to the article.
  • Try to use a quote.
  • Try to use some of the vocabulary from the article.
  • Leave the reader with something to consider as a conclusion.

CCSS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.7

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

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Read the , think about the question words. What information and language will your answer include? For example, to answer a ‘why’ question, your answer will include a conjunction, like  ‘because’ or ‘so’ to explain the cause and effect.
  • Then, reread/listen to the article. Pay attention, are there any text features, like charts, graphs or videos?
  • How do they help you better understand the article?
  • Did they add additional information?
  • Why do you think the author included them?
  • Stop and answer each question. If applicable, include a basic timeline or chart to support your idea, like in the text.
  • Check your answers with a partner. If you disagree, go back and reread or  the article. Work together to find the right answer, using the text features to help you.
  • Text Features Challenge
  • Choose a text feature to focus on, this may be a map, a diagram or a timeline.
  • Take notes on what information is included. Does it answer any ‘wh’ questions?
  • Write a few sentences explaining what you already know about the topic, just by looking at the text feature.
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Add to and revise your explanation after reading.

CCSS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2

Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  • Finding the Main Idea
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • If you chose the original version, next read the  version of the article. This version will also include the main idea and key details of the text. Pay attention to what is included, this will help you find the main idea.
  • Who or what is the article about? What is the subject? (Your answer should be a noun: a person, place or thing.)
  • When and where did this happen? Is this information important to understanding the text?
  • Many of the articles are current events, so the time may not be pertinent. If, however, this is the ‘first’ something or scientists have been investigating something for a long time, the ‘when’ may be a key detail.
  • The same goes for the ‘where’, is this a breakthrough in science in a certain place? Maybe a new discovery? If so, the location is a key detail. If not, you may be able to leave it out.
  • How or why is it happening? Understanding these answers is important.
  • Put all your answers together to find the main idea.
  • Who did what? Why or how did they do it?
  • Share out your main idea with a partner. How is their answer the same or different?
  • If your partner’s answer is different, think back to your key details that answered questions like, ‘who?’ or ‘how?’. Are these details included in your main idea? What about your partner? Explain your reasoning for including them to your partner. Go back and reread or listen if you disagree.


Language and Vocabulary

CCSS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.3.A

Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.4

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.

     CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.4.A

     Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a

     word or phrase.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  • :
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Read the  question.
  • Reread the paragraph where the word is found.
  • Look for clues in the words and phrases around the vocabulary.
  • Does the author give an example or a definition?
  • Do the sentences around the word restate the idea in a different way?
  • Try out the sample definitions in the sentence. Which one makes the most sense?
  • Choose an answer and explain why you picked it.

  • :
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Take the .
  • First, look for word endings, or suffixes that may help you figure out the part of speech.
  • Next, check by rereading the sentence to see if that makes sense.
  • Sometimes words can be used as multiple parts of speech, depending on where they are in the sentence.
  • Choose your best guess and check.
  • If you were correct, great work!
  • If you were incorrect, think about the correct answer. Reread the sentence and see if you can figure out why you got the answer wrong.
  • Then, try to think of another sentence that would use that word in the same way.
  • Share your sentence with a partner to check.
  • Vocabulary Practice:
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Choose a keyword in blue that is new or that you want to practice.
  • What part of speech is it?
  • What connotation does it have, is it positive or negative?
  • Can you tell its’ shade of meaning? (Shade of meaning refers to the continuum of word meanings. For example jog, run and sprint are synonyms, but each have different shades of meaning.)
  • Think about a context when you might use this word.
  • Could you use it at school? In what subject?
  • Could you use it when playing a game or talking with friends?
  • Write a sentence using the word.
  • Try to incorporate it into your conversation later!

CCSS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.5.C

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

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  •  
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • When you read a keyword in blue, click on it.
  • Scroll down and read the synonyms and antonyms.
  • Synonyms are words whose meaning is similar to the keyword.
  • Antonyms are words whose meaning is different from the keyword.
  • Think about using one of the synonyms in the sentence, instead of the keyword. Does it make sense?
  • Write a sentence telling about why the synonym works in the sentence or not.
  • Does it have a different shade of meaning? (Shade of meaning refers to the continuum of word meanings. For example jog, run and sprint are synonyms, but each have different shades of meaning.)
  • Does it have the wrong context?
  • Is it too formal or informal?
  • Play the .
  • Can you find all the words in the word search?