Unit of Study-4th Grade ELA

APS Literacy
UNIT OF STUDY
FOURTH GRADE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDE
Unit of Study Description:
In unit 1, students will have the opportunity to engage in text that focuses on theme and main
idea. When identifying the theme, students will have the opportunity to read various text
including poetry, drama and prose. They will focus on characters, setting and dialogue as well as
explaining the major differences between the different text genres.
Students will not only identify the main idea, but explain what is explicitly stating in the text.
Students will read various information text to determine the meaning domain specific words and
phrases. These texts will directly tie into their science and social studies work.
The narrative writing genre will be both explicitly taught and practiced during unit 1. Students
will have the opportunity to create various types of narrative writings that will allow them to
build their capacity to write with strong narrative techniques. Students will have the opportunity
to not only create original writing pieces, but also practice essential skills necessary based on the
Georgia Milestone Assessment System.
4th Grade 2018-2019 1

Table of Contents
Content Page
Progression Quick Sheet …………………………………… 3
Standards Addressed ……………………………………….. 4
Enduring Understandings…………………………………….. 7
Content Integration………………………………………….... 7
Texts………………………………………………………….. 8
Lesson One Progression……………………………………… 10
Lesson Two Progression……………………………………… 27
Lesson Three Progression…………………………………….. 45
Lesson Four Progression……………………………………… 67
Lesson Five Progression………………………………………. 79
Lesson Six Progression………………………………………... 91
4th Grade 2018-2019 2

Progression Quick Sheet
Please refer to the chart to see where the standards are located throughout unit 1.
Progression # Focus/ Supporting Standard Suggested Number

of Days
Focus ELAGSE4RL1
1 ELAGSE4RI1
7
Supporting
Focus ELAGSE4RL2
2 ELAGSE4RL1
7
Supporting
Focus ELAGSE4RI2
3 ELAGSE4RI4
10
Supporting
Focus ELAGSE4RI3
4 ELAGSE4RI1
5
Supporting
Focus ELAGSE4RL3
5 ELAGSE4RL1
5
Supporting
Focus ELAGSE4RL4
6 ELAGSE4RI4
10
Supporting
4th Grade 2018-2019 3

Duration: 45 days
Georgia Standards of Excellence
Unit Focus Standard
Reading Literary (RL)

ELAGSE4RL1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
ELAGSE4RL2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text;
summarize the text.
ELAGSE4RL3: 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).
ELAGSE4RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g.,
Standards Herculean).
Addressed
Reading Informational (RI)
ELAGSE4RI1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
ELAGSE4RI2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by
key details; summarize the text
ELAGSE4RI3: 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.
ELAGSE4RI4: Determine the meaning of general academic language and domain-

specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area
Writing (W)
ELAGSE4W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events
using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or

characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the
responses of characters to situations.
c. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events
precisely.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
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ELAGSE4W8: 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.
ELAGSE4W9: 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].”).
Language (L)
ELAGSE4L1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
a. Use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where,
when, why).
b. Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking)
verb aspects.
c. Use helping/linking verbs to convey various conditions.
ELAGSE4L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
a. Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.*
ELAGSE4L4: 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. 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).
Speaking and Listening (SL)

ELAGSE4SL2: Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in
diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
ELAGSE4SL4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an

organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support
main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
Recurring
Reading Literary
ELAGSE4RL10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
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Reading Informational
ELAGSE4RI10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts,
including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5 text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Reading Foundational
ELAGSE4RF4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression
on successive readings.
Language
ELAGSE4L1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
h. Writes legibly in cursive, leaving spaces between letters in a word and between
words in a sentence
ELAGSE4L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English

capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
d. Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
ELAGSE4L6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and

domain-specific vocabulary, including words and phrases that signal precise actions,
emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and words and phrases
basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing
animal preservation).
Writing
ELAGSE4W4: 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.)
ELAGSE4W5: 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.)
ELAGSE4W6: 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.
ELAGSE4W10: 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.
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Readers understand that:
● by using the details from the text they can compose the main idea.
● the details relevant to the main idea will provide focus and help them make
inferences.
● their ideas and understandings should be clarified by using the text as support.
● an inference can only be made through utilizing supported background knowledge
and clues from the text.
● the main idea of a text can be found by utilizing the key details.
● details from the text can be used to summarize the text.
● a summary is composed of the main idea and relevant details in a concise
statement.
● every piece of text has a main idea.
● texts provide information that can be used to tell what happened and why.
● the reader must identify specific information from the text to support their
explanation of events, procedures, ideas, and concepts.
● to make meaning of a text, they must understand the vocabulary.
● a reader can use multiple strategies to find the meanings of unknown words.
Enduring ● by using the details from the story they can compose the main idea.
Understandings ● the details relevant to the main idea will provide focus.
● a main idea from a text will help them make inferences.
● their ideas and understanding should be clarified by using the text for support.
● an inference can only be made through utilizing supported background knowledge
and clues from the text.
● the central message of a story, drama or poem is the theme.
● details from the text can be used to summarize the text.
a summary is composed of the main idea and relevant details in a concise
statement.
● every piece of literature has a theme.
● a character is developed through actions, words, and thoughts.
● there can be multiple settings in a story and a specific setting can alter the story
line.
Along with the texts included with this unit, teachers have access to additional
resources that allow integration of Social Studies and Science texts. Teachers should
find additional text with Science A to Z and Social Studies Weekly to access
additional text resources.
Content
Some of these additional resources are already included with the 4 th grade unit.
Integration Teachers should be sure to consult their science and social studies scope and sequence
to make sure the text are aligned to current instruction.
For Science A to Z, teachers can find resources in the Outside the Solar System,
Planets I.Files, Properties of Stars I.Files, Earth, Moon, Sun, and Stars books.
Teachers should use their Studies Weekly online text as another resource for teaching
the reading skills. Please consult your Socials Studies unit of study to determine which
week coincides with literacy lessons.
4th Grade 2018-2019 7

Literary Text (Journeys)
● Because of Winn Dixie- Unit 1, pg. 21 (student), pg. T19 (Teacher), Lexile:
610L
● The Power of W.O.W. (Journeys)- Unit 1, pg. 111 (student), pg. T247
(Teacher), Lexile: 890L
● Me and Uncle Romie (Journeys)- Unit 2, pg. 231 (student), pg. T167
(Teacher), Lexile-780L
● Stormalong (Journeys)- Unit 1, pg. 139 (sudent), pg. T321 (Teacher)- Lexile:
900L
● Hercules Quest (Journeys)- Unit 4, pg. 529 (sudent), pg. T167 (Teacher)-
Lexile: 900L
Informational Text (Journeys)
● My Librarian is a Camel (Journeys)- Unit 1, pg. 79 (student), pg. T169

● From Idea to Book (Journeys)- Unit 1, pg. 96 (student), pg. T188 (Teacher),
Texts Lexile: 790L
Literary Text (Reading A to Z)
● Don’t Wake the Mummy (Reading A to Z) -Lexile 800L

● Noni”s Newspaper (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L
● The Black Stones (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 860L
● Adventures in Bear Valley (Reading A to Z) -Lexile-860L
● Odysseus and the Bag of Wind (Reading A to Z) -Lexile- 890L
● Tanya’s Money Problem (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L

● Mirroring Miranda (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 830L
● The House in the Desert (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L
● The Golden Touch (Reading A to Z) -Lexile- N/A
● The Labors of Hercules (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: N/A
● Ocean Quiz (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 860L
Informational Text (Reading A-Z)
● Eclipses (Reading A to Z)- Lexile 830L

● The Sun (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 830L
● Ben Franklin (Reading A to Z)-Lexile-860L
● The Sun, The Earth and Moon (Reading A to Z)- Lexile 800L
● The Bill of Rights (Reading A to Z) -Lexile 780L
● Jupiter’s Secrets Revealed (Reading A to Z)-Lexile-800L

● King George III (Reading A to Z) -Lexile 860L
Literary Texts (Readworks.org)
● The Shortcut (Readworks)- Lexile: 450L
Informational Texts (Readworks.org)
● Mercury (Readworks)-Lexile-900L
4th Grade 2018-2019 8

● Saratoga (Readworks)- Lexile: 880L
● How Did the Solar System Form (Readworks)- Lexile: 960L
● The Moon’s Phases (Readworks) -Lexile-930L
● What Causes the Seasons (Readworks) -Lexile- 870L
● Colonization and the Revolutionary War (Readworks)- Lexile: 820L
● One Way to Find A Planet (Readworks)-Lexile-790L
CommonLit and Other Resourcesresources
● Casey at the Bat- Lexile: 810L

● Act Your Age (CommonLit)- Lexile: 780L
● Two Famous Friends (CommonLit)-Lexile-830L
Suggested Alternate Literary Texts
● Judy Moody Declares Independence - Lex 530, 144 pgs - (APS E-

BookShelf) - ELAGSE4RL1
● The Lemonade War - Lex 630L, 142 pgs - (APS E-BookShelf) -
ELAGSE4RL1
● Amber Brown Sees Red - 610L, 116 pgs - (APS E-BookShelf) -
ELAGSE4RL1
● The Red Badge of Courage - 670L, 147 pgs - (APS E-BookShelf) -
ELAGSE4RL1
● Friends: Snake and Lizzard - AD620L, 147 pgs - (APS E-BookShelf) -
ELAGSE4RL1
● The Grass Patch Project - Lex 550L, 32 pgs - (MyOn) - ELAGSE4RL2
● Anna & Natalie - Lex 720L, 30 pgs - (APS E-BookShelf)- ELAGSE4RL2
● Mr. Lincoln’s Boys - Lex 710L, 36 pgs - (APS E-BookShelf) -
ELAGSE4RL3
● Pedro for President - Lex 500L, 32 pgs - (MyOn) - ELAGSE4RL1, 2
● Juneteenth for Mazie - Lex AD 660L, 40 pgs - (MyOn) - ELAGSE4RL3
● Article: A Critical History of “Lord of the Flies” - Lex 570L - 1140L
(BrainPop>Newsela) ELAGSE4RI4
Suggested Alternate Informational Texts
● A Beautiful but deadly predator stalks the Gulf of Mexico

(BrainPop>Newsela) Lex 700L-1040L {Ecosystems}
● What if the rain forest ran out of rain? Amazon's water needs protection
(BrainPop>Newsela) Lex 620L-1220L {Biomes}
● Learning About The Past: Geographers study parts of our planet
(BrainPop>Newsela) Lex 360L-800L {Exploration}
● It's app-ropos: Ancient Native American trail receives recognition
(BrainPop>Newsela) Lex 610L-1150L {Native Americans}
4th Grade 2018-2019 9

Lesson One Progression
Duration: 7 days
Reading Foundations Daily Suggested Learning Experiences – 30 Minutes/Day
Each foundational program is designed for students to participate in daily instruction that focuses on reading
foundational skills. Using the scope and sequence of the foundational program used, teachers should follow the
activities and foundational standards that are outlined in their reading foundations program. The daily activities
should follow the gradual release of responsibility so that students have an opportunity to see the activities modeled
and they also have time to practice daily.
The programs are designed for mastery. For detailed activities and standards addressed, the teacher should refer to
the program’s Teacher’s Edition to ensure instruction is properly implemented.
Focus Standards – ELA Content [7 Days]

Primary Focus Standard:
● 4RL1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
draws inferences from the text
Supporting Standard:
● 4RI1: Refer to details and examples and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly
and when drawing inferences from the text.
Performance-Based Objectives
As a result of their engagement with this unit…
Primary Performance-Based Objectives:
● SWBAT refer to details and examples IOT explain what the text says explicitly.
● SWBAT refer to details and examples IOT draw inferences.
Supporting Performance-Based Objectives:
Key Terms and Definitions

Primary Focus Standard: Supporting Focus Standard:
● Example- a thing characteristic of its kind or ● Details- important words or phrases

illustrating a general rule
● Explain- to make something clear by describing ● Explicit- clearly stated

it in more detail or by revealing relevant facts or
ideas
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● Inference- a logical assumption based on
● Explicitly-very clear and complete; openly observed facts from the text and one’s own
shown knowledge or experience
● Inference-a logical assumption based on ● Reference- mention

observed facts from the text and one’s own prior
knowledge
● Key Details- important words or phrases
● Refer- to direct to a source for information or

help
Guiding Questions
Primary Standard:
1. Define explicit.
2. What questions do you have about the text?
3. Define inference.
4. What can you infer based on explicit information drawn from the text?
Teacher Note: Be sure that students are required to integrate clues with prior knowledge and/or experience to make
an inference.

2. What does the author want the reader to know or do?
3. What is an inference?
4. What can you infer based on information drawn from the text?
Teacher Note: Be sure that students are required to refer to information from the text plus prior knowledge and or
experience to make the inference.
Interpretations and Reminders

Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text in order to explain what the text actually
states. Students should be engaged in conversations around key individuals/characters, the setting(s),
events, or ideas presented in stories (adventure stories, folktales, legends, fables, fantasy, realistic fiction,
and myths); dramas (dialogue and brief familiar scenes); and poetry (nursery rhymes, narrative poems,
limericks, and free verse poems) using literary texts across authors, themes, genres and traditions (i.e.
classical, traditional, and mythological). Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text
to explain what the text literally states (citations are more useful when they include the line number, page
number, paragraph/act/scene/stanza, and/or author).
Formatted: Font color: Red

Supporting Secondary Standard:
Part 1: Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text in order to explain what the text
actually states. Students should be aware that citations are more useful when they include line number,
4th Grade 2018-2019 11

page number, paragraph number, and/or author.
Part 2: In order to master this skill, students must understand that drawing inferences follows a formula.
Facts/information from the text + prior knowledge and/or experience= inference.
Misconceptions
● Making an inference is not the same as making a prediction. A prediction is an educated guess often about
explicit details. It is about a future event.
● When citing evidence, students must provide examples directly from the text.
● Students must have prior knowledge about the event in order to provide an inference.
In order to master this skill, students must understand that drawing inferences follows a formula.
● (Facts/information from the text + prior knowledge and/or experience=inference.) Formatted: Font: (Default) Calibri
It says…… I know……. So I think….. Formatted: Font: (Default) Calibri
Vocabulary Practice Activity

Teacher Instructions: The progression will begin with the teacher reviewing the key terms that will be introduced
throughout the lesson progression. It is important for students to not only understand the definitions of the key
terms, but students should also be able to use the terms in context.
For this activity, students will complete a Frayer Model for the key terms that will be introduced in this lesson
progression. The teacher should decide if students will work in pairs or in small groups.
● The teacher should introduce the activity by telling students over the next week they will refer to details
and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly; however, there are key terms that
must be understood before mastering the performance-based objective.
● The teacher should model completing the Frayer model by selecting a term and using the Think Aloud
strategy to fill in each box.
● The teacher should give students a copy of the Frayer model and assign each pair or small group a key
term. The teacher should also include tier 2 and 3 terms that students will encounter while working
through the lesson progression.
● The teacher should be sure students have a Frayer model sheet for each term they will work with during the
activity.
Allow student to complete the Frayer Model in pairs or small groups. Students should make sure to define the term,
draw a picture for the term, use the term correctly in a sentence and provide a synonym or antonym for the term. As
students complete their Frayer Model in pairs or groups, the teacher should model and informally observe.
● After students have completed the activity, allow students to think- pair-share with another partner group
or small group. This is the time for students to compare and contrast answers to see similarities and
differences.
After sharing, the teacher should bring the whole group back together and discuss answers. This is the time for the
teacher to clear up any misconceptions about the key terms. Students should be allowed to correct any mistakes
4th Grade 2018-2019 12

before moving forward in the progression.
*The teacher may elect to display the key terms throughout the progression so that students can reference them
while learning.
Language Mini Lesson [1 day]

The following language standard will be addressed during this progression:
ELAGSE4L1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
a. Use relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why).
During the mini lesson, the teacher will model how to recognize and use relative pronouns and relative adverbs.
Before beginning, the teacher should make sure students know how to recognize and use pronouns and adverbs in a
sentence.
● Be sure to explicitly teach how to use the relative pronouns and adverbs correctly in a sentence.
● Also, be sure students do not confuse whose with the conjunction who’s
● Students should know the purpose of relative pronouns and relative adverbs
o Relative Pronoun: used to introduce or connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun
o Relative adverb: used to join sentences or clauses
Throughout the progression, the teacher should point out examples of relative pronouns and relative adverbs in
sentences. Teachers may also use the video links in the online/print resources section of the progression for
additional resources. For the first part of the progression, the teacher will focus on relative pronouns. Relative
adverbs will be addressed with the 2 nd performance based objective.
Suggested Learning Experiences (Gradual Release) and Materials/Texts

Performance-Based Objective 1
Literary and Informational Texts
● Because of Winn Dixie- Unit 1, pg. 21 (student), pg. T19 (Teacher), Lexile: 610L
● Eclipses (Reading A to Z)- Lexile 830L
● The Sun (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 830L
● Noni’s Newspaper (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L
Before moving forward with the progression, please go over the performance based objective with students.
4th Grade 2018-2019 13

Focus Lesson: The teacher will begin the lesson by modeling how to refer to details in the text to be able to
explain what the text is saying. While modeling, the teacher will use the questioning
strategy in order to create questions in the text then answer them using the details and
examples from the text. The teacher will read and annotate the text Because of Winn Dixie
from Journeys.
Before reading the text, the teacher should preview the text to determine possible questions that can be answered
from the text. Some possible text based questions could be:
● In the beginning of the story, Opal gives a hint about how she feels
about the library. What is the hint?
● Opal and Miss Franny have several things in common. What are
they?
● What kind of person is Amanda Wilkinson? What is the text
evidence or words and phrases that tell you about her?
● How does Amanda act towards Opal?
The teacher should model reading and annotating the text. While reading and annotating, the teacher should use the
think aloud strategy to demonstrate how to answer the questions by referring to the details in the story. The teacher
should be sure to highlight and/or underline the key details in the text. When completing the graphic organizer,
the teacher should make sure to explain what the text is saying and what details and examples they are referring to.
Before moving forward in the progression, the teacher should be sure to review the steps that were modeled for
students.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should identify the relative
pronouns that are present in the text. The teacher should use the think aloud strategy to explain how they are used
in the sentence and how to recognize them.
Explicit Writing Instruction:
The teacher will focus on the following standard to model:
ELAGSE4W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event
sequence that unfolds naturally
4th Grade 2018-2019 14

During the explicit writing instructional time, the teacher will model how to select a focus for the
writing, introduce the plot (characters/narrator and setting) and begin to sequence events.
Because there are multiple skills in this standard, the teacher should be sure to model each skill
separately.
As a class, generate a list of topics students can choose from when they practice their writing.
Please allow this list of topics to remain posted in the classroom as students practice their writing.
The teacher will now choose one of the topics (or a topic of his/her choice) to model how to begin the story by
introducing the characters and the setting. The teacher should use mentor texts to show how authors introduce the
characters and setting. The teacher should make note of the different ways the writers choose to make those
introductions.
Some questions the teacher may ask as he/she is modeling are:
● What story am I telling: a real or imagined event?

● What is happening?
● Who are my characters and/or who is telling the story?
● Where is this story taking place?
The teacher will then begin to make a classroom anchor chart that will have the draft of this writing. The teacher
should model how to use the think aloud strategy to build the anchor chart that will show students how to create a
strong beginning to their narratives.
Before moving forward in the progression, be sure to:

▪ Review key general and domain specific vocabulary.
▪ Check for understanding of the performance based objective.
▪ Check for understanding of how to identify key details and examples
in a text.
▪ Check for understanding of how to refer to details and examples in a
text when explaining what the text says explicitly.
▪ Check for understanding of how to complete the graphic organizer.
▪ Check for understanding of the language skill practiced during the modeling.
Guided Practice: During the guided practice, students will model for the class how to explain what a text
explicitly says by referring to details and examples in the text. The students should be able
to provide evidence from the text to support their answers. During the guided practice, the
teacher should provide support to students as they are modeling for the class. Students will
read and annotate the text Noni””s Newspaper. Be sure that all students have a copy of the
text as the students are modeling the activity.
Before beginning the guided practice, students should preview the text to create questions that can be answered
based on the text. Students should make sure they are created questions they can answer based on the text. Students
will then read and annotate the text. While reading and annotating the text, they should model the think aloud
strategy to find key details to answer the questions they created. Remind students that they will explain what
those key details and examples from the text explicitly say in the graphic organizer.
After students have finished reading and annotating the text, students should complete the graphic organizer. In the
4th Grade 2018-2019 15

graphic organizer, students should model how to not only explain what the details and examples from the text
explicitly says, but also provide evidence to support their answer. As students are modeling, the teacher should
provide guidance for students. Students who are not modeling should be practicing along with students as well.
Once students have completed the modeling activity, the teacher should bring the class back together to clear any
misconceptions students may still have about the performance based objective.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, students should identify the relative
pronouns that are present in the text. Students should use the think aloud strategy to explain how they are used in
the sentence and how to recognize them. The teacher may need to provide guidance as students are still
learning relative pronouns and their function.
By this time, students have had an opportunity to see the teacher model how to generate ideas for
a topic. The teacher should make sure to have the list of topics available for students to reference
as they practice the skills independently.
The teacher will now model how to create some type of graphic organizer to gather ideas and put
them in some type of order. The teacher has the option to choose a particular type of graphic
organizer to focus on or give students a variety they can choose from. Some graphic organizers that could be
modeled include:
● Web
● T-Chart
● Bulleted Lists
● Sketching
The teacher should model how to gather the ideas for the story and put them in some type of order. It is important to
remind students that this is a rough draft. They will have opportunities to add to or delete specific events from the
story as they continue the writing process. At this point in time, the teacher should continue to model how to get
their first ideas down.
Remind students they will have the opportunity to practice this as they write their stories.

● Review key general and domain specific vocabulary.
● Check for understanding of how to refer to examples in the text.
● Check for understanding of how to identify the key details in the text.
● Check for understanding of how to explain what the text says
explicitly.
● Check for understanding of the performance based objective.
● Check for understanding of how to complete the graphic organizer.
● Check for understanding of the language skill practiced during the modeling.
Collaborative Practice: During the collaborative practice, students will work in partner pairs or small groups
4th Grade 2018-2019 16

to practice the performance based objective. For this collaborative practice, students will be working with an
informational text. It is important for the teacher to remind students that although they are
working with an informational text, they will continue to use the same strategies to explain what
the details and examples from the text explicitly say. In partner pairs or small groups, students
will read and annotate the text Eclipses.
Students will practice the strategy of creating and answering questions before, during and after reading the text.
Using the chart, students will preview the text and create 2-3 questions that can be asked and answered before
reading the text. Next, student students will create 2-3 questions as they read the text and answer the questions
using key details from the text. As students read, they should also annotate the text for key details to answer the
questions. The students should create a chart that is similar to this:
Questions to ask Before reading Questions to ask while I am reading
Once students have read and annotated the text, partner pairs or small groups should turn and talk about the
questions they have asked and answered. Encourage students to discuss what the key details in the text are explicitly
stating. Students should now complete the graphic organizer where they will list the key details from the text, what
the key details and examples explicitly say and evidence from the text to support their answer.
Before completing the activity, be sure students have had another chance to discuss their evidence in their partner
pairs or small groups. The teacher should be sure to bring students together to discuss their answers and clear any
misconceptions before moving into independent practice.
pronouns that are present in the text. Students should use the think aloud strategy to explain how they are used in
the sentence and how to recognize them. The teacher may need to provide guidance as students are still
learning relative pronouns and their function.
Explicit Guided Writing Practice:
Students should now have the opportunity to practice choosing a topic to write about and creating some
type of graphic organizer to create their first draft.
The teacher should remind students of the different types of graphic organizers they can choose to create
their writing or refer back to the example that was modeled for them in the previous lesson.
During this time, students should have the opportunity to practice in small groups or partner pairs. The teacher should work
with small groups of students at various points of the guided writing practice time to reiterate the modeled
instruction that occurred in the previous lesson.
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The teacher should be sure to remind students that this is the first draft. They will have the opportunity to come back
and add and/or delete parts to their narrative if necessary. At this point, no student has written a rough draft
narrative. Students are only working on organizing their writing.

▪ Check for understanding of how to refer to examples in the text.
▪ Check for understanding of how to identify the key details in the text.
▪ Check for understanding of how to explain what the text says
explicitly.
Independent Practice: During the independent practice period, students will have the opportunity to identify
key details from the text and explain explicitly what the text says. Students will read and
annotate the text The Sun. While reading and annotating the text, students should use the think
aloud strategy to generate questions regarding the text. Students should preview the text to
identify questions that could be created for the text.
While reading and annotating the text, students will find the key details that help to answer the
questions. Students should highlight and/or underline the key details that help to answer the questions that were
created. Students should be encouraged to create questions while they are reading the text as well. When
completing the graphic organizer, students should be sure to explain what the key detail or example is saying. They
should also provide evidence from the text that supports their answer.
Once students have completed their independent practice, make sure they check their work for accuracy.
Performance Based Objective Questions: Throughout the lesson progression, the teacher and students should
ask questions related to the performance based objective. Below are the performance based questions that should be
asked at each level of the progression.
● What is the meaning of explicit?

● What does the text say explicitly line by line?
● What questions do I have about the text?
● What information can I point to in the text that helps me to answer
that question?
● What questions do you have about the text?
● What does the author want the reader to know or do?
● What is an inference?
● What can you infer based on information drawn from the text?
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● Because of Winn Dixie- Unit 1, pg. 21 (student), pg. T19 (Teacher), Lexile: 610L
● The Sun, The Earth and The Moon (Reading A to Z)- Lexile 830L
● Don’t Wake the Mummy (Reading A to Z) -Lexile 800L

● Tanya’s Money Problem (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L
Before beginning the lesson, the teacher should review the performance based objective.
Focus Lesson: The teacher will model for students how to read and annotate the text to draw inferences from the
key details and examples in the text. Before modeling, the teacher should make sure students
have a clear understand of what an inference (a logical assumption based on observed facts from
the text and one’s own prior knowledge) is. The teacher may want to provide real world
examples of an inference. A possible example could be if a weather report shows an image of
the sun on Tuesday, a person could infer that Tuesday it will be sunny. They could also infer
there would be no need for an umbrella.
The teacher will go back to the text Because of Winn Dixie. Because the teacher has already read an annotated the
text for key details, they is no need to go back and re read the text. However, the teacher may want to go back and
review the key details found in the text.
The teacher will create a T-Chart that has evidence on one side and the inference it makes on the other side. The
teacher will model how to infer what the key details and examples from the text are saying. The teacher should
include key details and examples that may not be from the first reading.
While reading and annotating, the teacher should answer questions that will help with the inferencing activity. Some
possible questions that could be asked are:
● The author does not directly say how Miss Franny feels about seeing Winn-Dixie, yet we still know.
How does Miss Franny feel? She is scared. How do you know?
● Miss Franny keeps using a polite phrase which tells the reader something about her. What does it tell
you about Miss Franny?
● Why does Opal offer to be Miss Franny’s friend?
When identifying the key details and evidence from the text, the teacher should also make sure to look at the
pictures from the story. The teacher should model for students how to make inferences from the pictures and
illustrations as well. For example, on pgs. 30-31 of the text, looking at the picture, the reader can infer the character
and the dog are friendly towards each other.
Once the teacher has completing the modeling activity, the teacher should review the T-Chart to review the strategy.
4th Grade 2018-2019 19

The teacher should make sure to clear any misconceptions that may have come up during the modeling lesson.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should identify the relative
adverbs that are present in the text. The teacher should use the think aloud strategy to explain how they are used in
the sentence and how to recognize them. The teacher should also review the relative verbs that were identified in the
previous lesson. The teacher should show students the differences in how the relative verbs and relative adverbs are
used in the sentences.
At this point, the teacher has had an opportunity to engage and observe students as they created
their organizational chart.
The teacher should use this time to come back and model again any misconceptions students may
have about the beginning parts of the writing process. This would also be the time the teacher
could introduce another strategy to help organize the writing. This way, students can practice
multiple ways to organize their writing pieces.

▪ Check for understanding of the formula for making an inference.
▪ Check for understanding of how to identify key details and examples
in a text.
▪ Check for understanding of how to refer to details and examples in a
text in order to make inferences.
Guided Practice: During the guided practice, students will have the opportunity to model for the class and
practice how to identify key details and infer what the key details and examples from the text
are saying. While students are modeling, the other students in the class should be able to
practice along with the modeling. During this time, the teacher should continue to guide
students as they are modeling.
Students will model how to read and annotate and create a T-Chart similar to what was created in the focus lesson.
Students will read and annotate the text Don’t Wake the Mummy. Students should first preview the text to get an
understanding of what the story is about. Students will then complete the first column of the graphic organizer
which asks what students already know.
Students will then read and annotate the text. While reading and annotating the text, students will highlight and/or
underline key details from the text. Students should use the think aloud strategy to focus on key details that they
feel are important to the text and don’t provide explicit information. Students will then state what the key details
from the text infer. For example, students may provide evidence of the illustrations that show a group of children
and an adult. Students may infer that the children are students in a class and are on a class trip.
Students should complete the graphic organizer while reading and annotating the text. Once students have
completed reading and annotating the text and modeling how to complete the graphic organizer, the teacher should
make sure students have a clear understanding of how to make an inference. Students will have additional practice
4th Grade 2018-2019 20

during the collaborative practice.
adverbs that are present in the text. The students should use the think aloud strategy to explain how they are used in
the sentence and how to recognize them. The teacher should also review the relative verbs that were identified in the
previous lesson. Encourage students to show the differences in how the relative verbs and relative adverbs are used
in the sentences.
Explicit Writing Instruction
ELAGSE4W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally
Before beginning the new modeled lesson, the teacher should review the steps already taken in the writing. All
students should have a copy of the organizational chart they used for their writing. What type of chart they have is
based on what was molded and what the teacher has already exposed them to.
The teacher will now model the opening paragraph of the narrative. The teacher will use the graphic organizer that
was modeled in the previous progression to show how to transition from the graphic organizer to paragraph form.
The teacher should now model various ways to start the introductory paragraph and introduce characters and the
situation of the story. Some suggestions include:
● A flashback related to the narrative

● Ask a question
● Tell a joke related to the story (anecdote)
● Tell a fact that is related to the story
Choosing one of options, the teacher will model how to use the technique to introduce the story and write the
opening paragraph. Remind students that they will have the opportunity to practice these techniques in their own
writing.
As a reminder, the teacher should use a mentor text to show students how writers introduce their characters
and settings at the beginnings of stories.

● Check for understanding of the formula for making an inference.
● Check for understanding of how to identify key details and examples
in a text.
● Check for understanding of how to refer to details and examples in a
4th Grade 2018-2019 21

Collaborative Practice: For this activity, students should be in partner pairs or small groups. The teacher should
make sure that students have a copy of the text a piece of chart paper. Students will read and
annotate the text Tanya’s Money Problem. On the chart paper, students will create a T-
Chart that has where the left side says “When the text says..” and the right side says “I
infer…”. For students who may need a template, the teacher can use the attached graphic
organizer.
Students should first preview the text. After previewing the text, students will read and
annotate the text. Students should look for key details that are important to the text. Students will then either write
directly on the chart paper or write their key detail on a sentence strip and place the key detail on the “When the text
says…” side. In partner pairs or small groups, the students will then state what they can infer based on the key detail
or example from the text.
Once students have completed their T-Chart, allow students to hang up their work and allow students to do a gallery
walk. Give students sticky notes to provide feedback regarding the inferences. The teacher should bring students
back together as a whole group to clear any misconceptions students may still have and provide feedback.
a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event
sequence that unfolds naturally
b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
During the previous lesson, the teacher has modeled how to create an opening paragraph which the characters and
setting are introduced. The teacher will review the model before moving forward.
The model lesson will now show students various narrative techniques that should be included in their stories. The
teacher should model these techniques to students:
● Dialogue
● Descriptive language
The teacher should make note that these are just some of the techniques found in narrative writing. As students
continue to build their stories, more techniques will be introduced. The teacher should model how to continue
writing the narrative they began earlier in the progression. They should be sure to include the narrative techniques in
their story while modeling.
4th Grade 2018-2019 22

While modeling, the teacher should use a mentor text to show students how other writers use these same techniques
in their writing. Please refer to the suggested mentor list for texts that will help demonstrate these narrative
techniques.
The teacher should remind students that they will have a chance to practice these techniques in their own writing.

● Check for understanding of the formula for making an inference.
● Check for understanding of how to identify key details and examples in
a text.
● Check for understanding of how to refer to details and examples in a
Independent Practice: Student will now practice the performance based objective with little to no guidance.
Students should have a copy of the text The Sun, The Earth and The Moon. Students will
independently read and annotate the text to find important key details and examples. Students
should highlight and/or underline the key details and examples that are important to the
text.
Once students have completed reading and annotating the text, they should complete the
graphic organizer. Students should make sure to explain how inferencing helps with
understanding the text. After all students have completed the activity, students should make sure to review their
work for accuracy.
● What is the meaning of explicit?

● What does the text say explicitly line by line?
● What questions do I have about the text?
● What information can I point to in the text that helps me to answer that
question?
● What questions do you have about the text?
● What does the author want the reader to know or do?
● What is an inference?
● What can you infer based on information drawn from the text?
2-Point Constructed Response Practice

After students have completed the progression activities, students should use the 2-point constructed response to
4th Grade 2018-2019 23

practice open ended questions.
Assessment
The assessment can be used as a pre/post assessment for the performance based objective.
Literacy Centers
Throughout the unit, the teacher should employ the use of carefully planned literacy stations to address the reading
foundational skills for learners that emphasize the five essential elements of literacy instruction (phonemic
awareness and phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension for all students). Students are placed in the work
station for independent use. Stations should remain set up all year long. Materials, however, should be changed to
reflect children’s reading levels, strategies being taught, and topics being studied. Stations should be used for
students’ meaningful independent work and are an integral part of each child’s instruction. All students should go to
work stations daily. Materials should be differentiated for students with different needs and reading level. The
teacher should meet with small flexible groups for guided reading or skills instruction during literacy workstations.
Guided Reading Word Study Comprehension and Think and Write

Fluency
The guided reading center All word study activities in Comprehension Practice Fourth grade students will
activity times should be led centers should be geared have the opportunity to
by a teacher. During this towards increasing During comprehension and explore narrative writing
time period (usually 30-45 vocabulary development. fluency practice, students strategies and techniques
minutes) the teacher will will get the opportunity to throughout the unit.
conduct targeted reading Students should have read various texts and
instruction strategies with multiple opportunities to answer questions based on During learning centers, the
small groups daily. Students explore how words are used the text. The questions teacher should provide short
in these groups should use (both connotation and should allow students to practice activities for
appropriate leveled texts on denotation) as well as practice the multiple reading students to engage with
their instructional reading develop skills for skills and strategies learned writing practice. Use these
level. recognizing and using during the class period. In activities to help with
unfamiliar words in text. addition, reading narrative writing.
When choosing instructional independently allows
level tests, the text should be students to practice and
based on oral reading Please see the activities increase fluency skills Generating Ideas
accuracy rate of 90% or located in the online/print
above for students. resources section for Students should be provided Strategy: Picture This,
additional support with books on their instructional Imagine That!
Teachers should choose word station activities. reading level and their
books during the guided interests. The activities that During writing practice,
reading from various accompany the text should students will have the
sources such as: require students to have a opportunity to view various
4th Grade 2018-2019 24

better understanding of the photographs and pictures
● Classroom guided text. (i.e. pictures from
reading libraries magazines, bring in
● Scholastic guided Please see the activities postcards, poster-sized
reading classroom and located in the online/print artwork, etc.). Students
book room libraries resources section for should select one
● Journeys leveled texts additional support with picture/photograph or
in each unit comprehension station postcard that captures their
activities attention. Student should
write down all the things
they see, the feelings the
picture evoke, any
connections they may have
and any other thoughts that
come to mind. Student then
take all the ideas that come
to mind about the
picture/photograph or
postcard and create an
imaginative story that relates
to the picture.
*Teacher Note: Assign a

number to every picture,
photograph, and postcard so
that you are aware of the
students’ selections. You
may also have students to
compare their ideas to that
of another student.
Differentiated Supports
● Provide alternative graphic organizers for students to use
Learning Difficulty ● Allow students to work in small groups
● Chunk the text
● Provide shorter text for students to practice creating questions and
answering
● Provide a template for students to take notes
Pace
High Achieving Accelerate GSE/CCSS
Complexity
Examining past, present, and future
Critically examining opposing viewpoints
Connecting ideas to another field or discipline
Depth
Developing specialized vocabulary of a field beyond simple academic terms
Examining unanswered questions
Developing theories or principles
Creating connections or establishing interrelationships
Determining political or ethical effects
Integrate
Use cross-disciplinary content and integrate standards from two or more
disciplines
Curriculum Compacting (a procedure used to streamline the regular curriculum
4th Grade 2018-2019 25

for students who are capable of mastering it at a faster pace)
Focus on solving complex, open-ended problems
Evaluate situations by analyzing possible consequences and implications
Allow students to think about discrepancies in what is known
Instructional Approaches (such as Socratic Seminar; see Core Six and Strategic
Teacher)
Use analogies to introduce new concepts; Ask students to come up with their own
Account for Characteristics of the Gifted Learner
Emotional Intensity
Empathy – Social Concern (utilize service learning)
Moral Maturity
Create interdisciplinary product demands to evaluate learning for gifted students
and to efficiently address multiple standards at once
Focus on concepts, issues, and themes
Providing more open tasks (as opposed to structured) in regard to solutions,
decisions, and approaches than less advanced peers
Opportunities for creative production (competitions, mentorships, production in
public venues, etc.)
WIDA English Language Development Standards

English Learners ESOL instruction is guided by the WIDA English Language Development
Standards and grade-level content area GSE/GPS. English Learners (ELs) must
develop proficiency in the language domains of listening, speaking, reading and
writing while simultaneously acquiring academic content knowledge and skills.
Differentiated Learning Tasks
Learning tasks should be aligned to content standards, but instructional supports
should vary according to the student’s language proficiency level. The WIDA
Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition can be used as a starting point to indicate
the linguistic performance abilities of ELs at each proficiency level in the areas
of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, for the purposes of recounting,
explaining, arguing and discussing. For example, a 3rd grade student with an
English proficiency level of 2-Emerging can be expected to process arguments
by distinguishing opinions from facts from peer’s oral presentations and/or
categorizing content-based pictures or objects from oral descriptions (e.g.,
“animals that form groups to help members survive”).
Additional information, resources, and strategies to differentiate learning tasks
for ELs can be found in the “Strategies” category of the APS ESOL Support Site
at tinyurl.com/apsesol.
Strategies to Increase Comprehensibility

In general, ELs benefit from extensive opportunities to build background
knowledge, increased focus on the academic language of the discipline, and
multiple presentations of content in multiple formats (i.e., repetition, recasting,
chunking of information, and step by step modeling). Additional information,
resources, and research-based strategies can be found on the APS ESOL Support
Site at tinyurl.com/apsesol.
With instructional supports, English Learners will be able to produce…
Advanced ELs (Levels 5-6)
· Multiple, complex sentences
· Organized, cohesive, and coherent expression of ideas
Recommended Strategies
· Explicit support during pre-writing and drafting to support inclusion of
adequate detail and development of ideas
4th Grade 2018-2019 26

Intermediate ELs (Levels 3-4)
· Short and some expanded sentences with increasing complexity
· Organized expression of ideas with emerging cohesion
· Visual supports (word and phrase banks, tables, graphs, illustrations,
maps, etc.)
· Graphic organizers
· Sentences starters and paragraph frames
· Explicit teaching of general and content-related terms (war, conflict,
outcome, perspective, etc.)
· Daily opportunities for oral and written practice
Beginning ELs (Levels 1-2)
· Single words, phrases or short sentences
· Emerging expression of ideas
· Visual support (word banks with images, tables, graphs, illustrations,
maps, etc.)
· Graphic organizers pre-populated with key information
· Sentence frames to assist with oral and written production
· Explicit teaching of general terms (north/south, male/female, skin, water,
etc.)
Assessment
Daily and weekly assessments of ELs’ progress should be differentiated to their
specific proficiency level, in the same manner that learning tasks are
differentiated. The use of instructional accommodations and modifications does
not indicate that a student cannot receive the highest grade in the content area. In
general, all teachers of ELs should:
· Create and use assignments/assessments that allow students to
demonstrate content knowledge, skills, and abilities without language
mastery.
· Focus on correct answers rather than errors and omissions.
· Weight graded components according to students’ linguistic strengths and
capabilities.
· Make the assignment/assessment process comprehensible by explaining the
directions orally and in writing, providing step-by-step instructions, and
ensuring visual supports whenever possible (e.g., regalia, icons,
manipulatives, modeling and exemplars).
Additional information, resources, and strategies to assess and grade ELs’
performance and progress can be found in the “Assessment” category of the APS
ESOL Support Site at tinyurl.com/apsesol.
Online/Print Resources
Teachers may use these resources to help facilitate instruction during center activities.
4th Grade 2018-2019 27

Relative pronouns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHzKQkX3IxI
Relative adverbs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ub0Qu4uxpc&disable_polymer=true

Commented [1]: Additional resources to use
throughout lesson progression
Powerful words
Vivid descriptions
Lesson Two Progression Jazz Up the Sentence
Making Inferences organizer
Duration: 7 days QAR strategy
Making Connections (2 documents)


● 4RL2. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text
● 4RL1: Refer to details and examples and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly
● SWBAT identify key details IOT determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem.
● SWBAT determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem IOT compose a summary.
4th Grade 2018-2019 28


● Determine- to find out or come to a decision ● Explain- to make something clear by describing it in
more detail or by revealing relevant facts or ideas
● Drama- a play; a prose or verse composition telling a
story that is intended for representation by actors ● Explicitly- very clear and complete; openly shown
impersonating the characters
● Key Details- important word or phrases ● Inference- a logical assumption based on observed
facts from the text and one’s own knowledge or
● Poem- a composition, usually in verse, that maybe experience
characterized by a highly developed artistic form and
by the use of heightened language and rhythm ● Key Details- important word or phrases
● Story- a narrative account, either real or fictitious,

told in prose ● Refer- to direct to a source for information or help
● Summarize- a brief statement that contains the

essential ideas of a longer passage
● Summary- a brief statement that contains the

● Theme- unifying or dominant ideas

Guiding Questions
Primary Standard:
1. What is a story?
2. What is a drama?
3. What is a poem?
4. What type of text is this?
5. What is theme?
6. What is the theme of this literary text?
7. What key details support the theme of this literary text?
8. What is the process for summarizing a text?
9. What is the summary of this text?
1. How do I define explicit?

2. What does the text say explicitly line by line?
Teacher Note: Be sure that students are required to refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the
text says explicitly plus use prior knowledge and/or experience to make the inference.
4th Grade 2018-2019 29

Students must be able to note key individuals/characters, the setting(s), events, or ideas presented in stories
(adventure stories, folktales, legends, fables, fantasy, realistic fiction, and myths); dramas (dialogue and brief
familiar scenes); and poetry (nursery rhymes, narrative poems, limericks, and free verse poems) for the purpose of
connecting the details to the author’s purpose for composing the text. Students must understand that an author
intentionally uses details and/or events to intentionally develop and reveal the theme (unifying or dominant idea) of
the text to the reader.
Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text in order to explain what the text actually states.
Students should be engaged in conversations around key individuals/characters, the setting(s), events, or ideas
presented in stories (adventure stories, folktales, legends, fables, fantasy, realistic fiction, and myths); dramas
(dialogue and brief familiar scenes); and poetry (nursery rhymes, narrative poems, limericks, and free verse poems)
using literary texts across authors, themes, genres and traditions (i.e. classical, traditional, and mythological).
Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text to explain what the text literally states (citations are
more useful when they include the line number, page number, paragraph/act/scene/stanza, and/or author).
In order to master this skill, students must understand that drawing inferences follows a formula. Facts/information
from the text + prior knowledge and/or experience = inference.
Misconceptions
● Theme is not the same as main idea.

● The theme is the unifying or dominant idea, the underlying message that the author wants to convey, whereas
the main idea is what the story is mostly about.
● In order to master this skill, students must understand that a summary is a brief statement that contains the
essential ideas of a longer passage, not to be conflated with a paraphrase, which is a restatement of the source
text in about the same number of words.
Vocabulary Practice
For this activity, students will create vocabulary frame index cards for the terms that will be studied in this lesson
progression as well as any terms that are essential to comprehension of the text and/or in need of reinforcement.
● The teacher will give each student a copy of the vocabulary frame template and a term.
● On the index card, the student will write the following:
o The definition of the term
o A picture of the term
4th Grade 2018-2019 30

o A silly sentence using the term
o An antonym for the term
A picture of what the card should look like is below.
● The teacher will provide model creating a vocabulary frame index card before allowing students to
complete one of their own. Teacher should select a Tier 2 Vocabulary word from the text that will be
utilized for the focus lesson.
● As students complete their vocabulary frame, the teacher should monitor and informally observe student
understanding.
Once students have completed their frames, allow students to gather in small groups to discuss their term. Students
should change groups after a few minutes to allow students to hear all of the terms that were created on the index
cards. Bring group together to share experiences, group conversation and discuss answers. This is the time for the
teacher to clear up any misconceptions about the key terms. Students should be allowed to correct any mistakes
before moving forward in the progression. The cards should be displayed for reference once the activity is
completed.

speaking.
b. Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb aspects.
During the mini lesson, the teacher will review the function of verbs and model how to form and use the progressive
form of the verb. The teacher should emphasize that progressive verb tense describe actions ongoing in the past,
present and/or future.
The teacher should point out examples where progressive verb tense is present. This can be done through a mentor
text or any text that the class has previously read. The teacher should make note that students will practice forming
and identifying progressive verb tense throughout the progression.
4th Grade 2018-2019 31

Literary Texts
● The Power of W.O.W. (Journeys)- Unit 1, pg. 111 (student), pg.
T247 (Teacher), Lexile: 890L
● The Shortcut (Readworks)- Lexile: 450L
● SWBAT identify key details IOT determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem.
Focus Lesson: During the focus lesson, the teacher will model how to determine the theme of the story, drama or
poem by identifying the key details. It is important for the teacher to first make sure students
understand the term theme and give some examples of what the theme could be in text.
During the focus lesson, the teacher will model how to look for repeated points in the text. The
teacher should annotate the text for words and actions that appear often throughout the text.
The teacher will also model for students which of those key details are important to determine
the theme. The teacher should use the text The Power of W.O.W from Journeys and the graphic organizer.
The teacher should model how to preview the text and make predictions on what the theme of the text could be.
The teacher should model how to look at words, phrases and illustrations to determine what theme may be. After
reading and annotating the text, the teacher can refer back to the predictions to see if there are any alignments. The
teacher should also use the close reading strategy to help master this skill. The teacher should model how to
complete the graphic organizer for students.
As the teacher is looking for repeated actions in the characters and or words and phrases that are repeated, some
possible questions to ask are:
● Are Mrs. Nyguen and the bookmobile important to Ileana?

● What do you think are some of Mr. Diaz’s reasons for donating to
the use of his parking lot?
● What type of literary text are we reading?
● What are some things that are repeated throughout the text?
Using the think aloud strategy, the teacher should note that the theme of the text will be the message that the author
wants the reader to know. Once the teacher has identified the key details in the text, the teacher should model how
to complete the graphic organizer. In the graphic organizer, the teacher will place the key details that state what is
happening in the text and what is the big idea presented based on this information. After completing the graphic
organizer, the teacher should be sure to review the lesson before moving forward.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should identify the progressive
verb tense that is present in the text. This is another opportunity for the teacher to change an existing verb and form
4th Grade 2018-2019 32

it into the progressive verb tense and change the sentence. The teacher should use the think aloud strategy to
explain how they are used in the sentence and how to recognize them.
Explicit Writing Practice
During this time, students should have opportunities to work in small groups or partner pairs to
practice the writing skills modeled. Students will now begin to write the rough draft of their
narrative.
The teacher should monitor students as they work to complete their rough drafts. Be sure to
remind students that this is not their final copy. They will be going back to make changes to
their work and add more.
During this time, the teacher should make time to provide feedback to small groups as they are working. During this
feedback time, teachers should allow students to ask clarifying questions and the teacher should provide feedback
on what has occurred so far.

● Check for understanding of how to identify key details in a text.
● Check for understanding of how to determine the theme of a story,
drama, or poem.
Guided Practice: During the guided practice, students will model and practice the difference between the topic
of the text and the theme. Students should model how to identify the key details and examples
from the text that help to distinguish possible topics in the text and the overall theme. Because
the difference between topics and themes can be confusing for students, the teacher should
guide all students while they are modeling the activity.
Students will model reading and annotating the text The Black Stones. While modeling reading and annotating the
text, students will identify key details and examples that are repeated and important to the text. Students should
highlight and/or underline these key details. As students are identifying these key details and examples, students
should identify the common topics that these key details may fall under. In the graphic organizer, students should
write down these common topics found throughout the text.
After identifying the topics, students should ask the following questions:
● What common topics are repeated throughout the text?
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● What did the characters learn?
● What is the author saying about these topics?
Students should now use the think aloud strategy to review the topics and decide what the theme of the text could
be based on the key details and topics that have arisen from the text. Students should make sure to review their work
after modeling the activity. The teacher should make sure to answer any clarifying questions before moving on to
students practicing in groups.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, students should identify the progressive
verb tense that is present in the text. This is an opportunity for students to change an existing verb and form it into
the progressive verb tense and change the sentence. The teacher should use the think aloud strategy to explain how
they are used in the sentence and how to recognize them.
During this time, students should continue to utilize opportunities to work in small groups or
partner pairs to practice the writing skills modeled. During this time, students are continuing to
write the rough draft of their narrative.
The teacher should monitor students as they work to complete their rough drafts. Be sure to
remind students that this is not their final copy. They will be going back to make changes to
their work and add more.
During this time, the teacher should make time to provide feedback to small groups as they are working. During this
feedback time, teachers should allow students to ask clarifying questions and the teacher should provide feedback
on what has occurred so far.

drama, or poem.
Collaborative Practice: During this time, students will work together in partner pairs of small groups to
practice the performance based objective. During the collaborative practice, students will identify
the key details and examples that help to determine the theme and create a foldable to document
their answers. Students will read and annotate the text Mirroring Miranda.
Each partner pair or small group will read and annotate the text. While reading and annotating the
4th Grade 2018-2019 34

text, students should use the think aloud strategy to highlight and or underline the key details and examples that
help to determine the theme. Students should be encouraged to use the strategies that they have practiced in the
progression:
● Look for repeated words and phrases and/or ideas and concepts
● Identify similar topics that are present and determine the theme from the topics
Once students have completed annotating the text, students should create their folder. On the top cover they will
write the name of the text and identify the theme. On each layer of the foldable, students will write the key detail or
topic. Inside of the layer, students should write how that key idea or topic contributes to the theme.
Once all students are completed, allow students to hang their foldable around the room so each partner pair or small
group can provide feedback on the theme. Teachers should encourage students to provide which states how the key
details presented relate to the theme. To extend the activity, the teacher can assign each partner pair or small
group a different text and complete the same activity.
Once all students have completed giving feedback, the teacher should bring students back together as a whole group
to clear any misconceptions students may still have before moving into independent practice.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, students should identify the progressive
verb tense that is present in the text. Students should make sure to highlight and/or underline them in the text.

● Check for understanding of how to identify key details and examples
in a text.
drama, or poem.
● Check for understanding of language skill practiced during the modeling.
Independent Practice: Students will now have the opportunity to practice the performance based objective for
mastery. The teacher should be sure each student has a copy of the text and the graphic
organizer. Students will read and annotate the text The Shortcut from Readworks. The teacher
has the option to use another text for this activity.
Students should independently read and annotate the text. While students read and annotate the
text, students should identify the key details and examples that help to determine the theme.
Students should continue to use the strategies that have practiced throughout the progression. Once students have
completed reading and annotating the text, students should complete the graphic organizer. In the graphic organizer,
students should make sure that identify the key details as well as explain how the key details contribute to the
theme.
After students have completed the activity, the teacher should make sure students review their work for accuracy.
4th Grade 2018-2019 35

● What is a story?
● What is a drama?
● What is a poem?
● What type of text is this?
● What is theme?
● Does the author use symbols or repeating language to hint at a theme?
● What is the theme of this literary text?
● What key details support the theme of this literary text?
Literary Texts
● The Power of W.O.W. (Journeys)- Unit 1, pg. 111 (student), pg.

T247 (Teacher), Lexile: 890L
● Casey at the Bat- Lexile: 810L
● SWBAT determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem IOT compose a summary.
Focus Lesson: The teacher should remind students that have look at key details that identified the theme of the
text and also explained how a character reacts to a challenge. The teacher should explain now
they will identify key details to create a summary of the text. For this focus lesson, the teacher
will again use the text The Power of W.O.W from Journeys and the graphic organizer that will
model the skill. Because the teacher has already read the text before in a previous lesson, the
teacher should do a quick review of what the story entails.
The teacher will model how to summarize text. After reading each page of the text, the teacher will annotate the
text by writing a brief summary at the end of each page. The brief statement should give a description of what
happened during that portion of the text. Using the think aloud strategy, the teacher should also annotate the text
for key ideas that should be included in the summary. The teacher is encouraged to look at the annotated notes from
the previous lesson to determine if they help to give a summary of the text.
The teacher should model how to complete the graphic organizer while he/she is reviewing the annotated notes and
key details from the text. The teacher should be sure to show the connection of the character’s reaction to a
4th Grade 2018-2019 36

challenging event and the summary to the theme of the text. It is important for the teacher to help students
recognize how these same key details help to determine the theme.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should continue to identify the
progressive verb tense that is present in the text. This is another opportunity for the teacher to change an existing
verb and form it into the progressive verb tense and change the sentence. The teacher should use the think aloud
strategy to explain how they are used in the sentence and how to recognize them.
c. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events
The teacher should already have the rough draft of the model copy of the story. In this rough draft copy, the teach
should be able to review:
● The opening paragraph of the story

● The use of narrative techniques within the story (dialogue, descriptive words, etc.)
● The events have been told in some type of order
● There is a closing to the story
The teacher will now model how to incorporate transitional words and phrases to show sequence throughout the
story.
The teacher should begin by reviewing the different grammatical terms that should be present in the story.
● Phrase
● Transitional Words
The teacher will model how to make sure the story incorporates transitional words, phrases and clauses to show how
the story progresses. The teacher should use the suggested transitional words, phrases and clauses list to show where
the transitions make sense and how they should be used.
The teacher should remind students they will have the opportunity to go back to their own writing and
include transitions if they have not already done so.
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● Check for understanding of the performance based
objective.
● Check for understanding of a summary.
● Check for understanding of how to determine the theme in
order to compose a summary.
Guided Practice: For the guided practice activity, students will model how to read and annotate the text to
identify they key details that create a summary. The students will read Casey at the Bat from
Readworks. While reading and annotating the poem, students should use the think aloud
strategy to determine the key details that help to compose of summary of the poem. Students
should model the summarizing strategy by writing a brief summary of each stanza of the poem.
In the brief summary, students will write a sentence stating what is happening in the stanza.
Students should also model how to annotate key details in each line of the poem that help to
determine the summary.
Students should be completing the graphic organizer as they are modeling how to summarize the text. Be sure
students have used the key details in the text to identify how the character reacts the challenge presented in the
poem and how the key details help to determine the theme of the text.
After annotating the text and completing the graphic organizer, students should model how to review the work that
has already been completed. Be sure to review the questions that were asked and answered from the text. The
teacher should allow time to answer any clarifying questions students may have before moving forward in the
progression.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, students should continue to identify the
progressive verb tense that is present in the text. Students should use the think aloud strategy to explain how they
are used in the sentence and how to recognize them.
During the writing practice time for students, the teacher will allow students the opportunity to
practice incorporating transitional words and phrases into their writing. Students should have the
opportunity to work in small groups or partner pairs to add this to their rough draft.
The teacher should make sure to review with students:
4th Grade 2018-2019 38

● The opening paragraph of the story
● The use of narrative techniques within the story (dialogue, descriptive words, etc.)
● The events have been told in some type of order
● There is a closing to the story
The teacher should also use this time to work with small groups of students to ensure they are using the transitional
words, phrases and clauses properly. The teacher should provide feedback on how the transitions have the pacing of
their story.

● Check for understanding of how to determine the theme in order to
compose a summary.
Collaborative Practice: During the collaborative practice, students will work in partner pairs or small groups
to practice the performance based objective. Students will read and annotate the text The Black
Stones to identify the key details that provide a summary for the text. In the partner pair or small
group, the students should practice the close reading strategy to annotate the text for key details.
Students should summarize the text after each page.
To summarize the text, the students will create a foldable. In the foldable, students will write down the most
important parts of the text and write a brief summary that encompasses the summary of the entire text. Students will
make a Three-Quarter Book. On one side of the book, students will write the title of their summary and draw a
picture that represents the summary. On the other side, the outside flap will identify 4-5 key details that are
important for the summary. Under the flap, the student will write a brief paragraph summary.
Students should work in partner pairs or small groups to identify the key details as well as read and annotate the
text. However, each student is responsible for creating their own foldable. Once students have completed the
activity, allow students to complete a gallery walk to provide feedback on the summaries.
The teacher may also bring the class together to discuss the summaries that students determined for their
assignment. The teacher should use this opportunity to clear any misconceptions regarding the performance
based objective before moving into the independent practice.
During the writing practice time for students, the teacher will allow students the opportunity to
continue practicing incorporating transitional words, phrases and clauses into their writing.
Students should have the opportunity to work in small groups or partner pairs to add this to their
rough draft.
The teacher should also use this time to work with small groups of students to ensure they are
using the transitional words, phrases and clauses properly. The teacher should provide feedback on how the
4th Grade 2018-2019 39

transitions have the pacing of their story.

● Check for understanding of how to determine the theme in order to
compose a summary.
Independent Practice: Students will now have the opportunity to practice the performance based objective
independently. Students will read and annotate the text Mirroring Miranda and identify the key
details that help to create the summary of the text. Students should be encouraged to use the
summarizing strategy by reading each page and writing a one sentence summary of what has
occurred on the page. Students should continue to underline and/or highlight the key details that
are important for the summary.
As students are reading and annotating the text, they should also be completing the graphic organizer. Students
should be sure to write a brief paragraph of the text and identify theme of the text.
Once students have completed the activity, the teacher should make sure students review their work for accuracy.
Performance Based Objective Questions: Throughout the lesson progression, the teacher and students should ask
questions related to the performance based objective. Below are the performance based questions that should be
● What type of text is this?

● What is theme?
● What is the theme of this literary text?
● What key details support the theme of this literary text?
● What is the process for summarizing a text?
● What key details should I include in a summary of this text?

4th Grade 2018-2019 40

Assessment
Literacy Centers
Comprehension and Think and Write

Word Study
Guided Reading Fluency
based on oral reading Please see the activities increase fluency skills Generating Ideas
above for students. resources section for Students should be provided Flashback Frenzy: During
additional support with books on their instructional writing practice, students
Teachers should choose word station activities. reading level and their brainstorm a list of their
books during the guided interests. The activities that fondest memories. After
reading from various accompany the text should generating the list, students
sources such as: require students to have a then answer the following
better understanding of the question(s) for each
● Classroom guided text. memory:
reading libraries ● What makes this
● Scholastic guided Please see the activities memory so special?
reading classroom and located in the online/print ● When/Where did
4th Grade 2018-2019 41

book room libraries resources section for this memory
● Journeys leveled texts additional support with happen?
in each unit comprehension station ● Who were you with
activities when this memory?
Mix and Match Literary

Elements
Strategy: Make a three-

column chart-one for
characters, one for setting,
and one for theme. List ideas
in each column. Take one
from each column and
imagine “What if?” Write a
blurb of a story idea.
Prompts:
● What ideas do you
have for characters
you might create?
● What settings can
you think of?
● What are some
possible themes
you’ve discussed in
class?
● Chunk the text
answering
Pace
Complexity
4th Grade 2018-2019 42

Depth
Integrate
disciplines
Teacher)
Emotional Intensity
Moral Maturity

explaining, arguing and discussing. For example, a 3 rd grade student with an

4th Grade 2018-2019 43

maps, etc.)
maps, etc.)
etc.)
Assessment
mastery.
capabilities.
4th Grade 2018-2019 44

Progressive verb tense: https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/6918-form-and-use-the-progressive-

tense/
Lesson Three Progression

Duration: 10 days

● 4RI2:. Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the
text.
4th Grade 2018-2019 45

● SWBAT identify key details IOT determine the main idea of a text.
● SWBAT identify the main idea of a text IOT explain how it is supported by key details.
● SWBAT identify the main idea of a text IOT compose a summary.

● Determine- to conclude or ascertain after reasoning ● Details- important words or phrases
● Explain- to make something clear by describing it in ● Explicit- clearly stated

more details or by revealing relevant facts or ideas
● Inference- a logical assumption based on observed
● Key Details- important word or phrases facts from the text and one’s own knowledge or
experience
● Main Idea- what the text is mostly about
● Reference- mention
told in prose
● Summary- a brief statement that contains the

Guiding Questions
Primary Standard:
1. What is the topic of the text?

2. What is a main idea?
3. How is a topic different than a main idea?
4. What is the topic of the text?
5. What is a key detail?
6. How is a key detail different from a detail?
7. What is support?
8. What is the main idea of the text?
9. What are the key details in the text that help to support the main idea?
10. What is a summary?
11. What is the difference between summarizing and retelling?
Teacher Note: Students should then be asked to summarize the text.

4th Grade 2018-2019 46

Teacher Note: Be sure that students are required to refer to information from the text plus use of prior knowledge
and/or experience to make the inference.

Part 1: Students should be able to determine what the text is mostly about. Students should be able to distinguish
between the main idea and the topic/subject of the text, which is too broad to be the main idea. Students should be
aware that: (1) the main idea of text is not always found in the first sentence of a text, in fact, it is seldom found
there; (2) in some cases the main idea is not stated at all; and (3) key details are too narrow to be the main idea.
In order to support their determination of the main idea, students will need a great deal of practice with
distinguishing between ancillary and important words or phrases (key details) in order to explain how the key details
support the development of the main idea.
Part 2: In order to master this skill, students must understand that a summary is a brief statement that contains the
essential ideas of a longer passage, not to be conflated with a paraphrase which is a restatement of the source text in
about the same number of words.
Part 1: Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text in order to explain what the text actually
states. Students should be aware that citations are more useful when they include the line number, page number,
paragraph number, and/or author.
Facts/information from the text + prior knowledge and/or experience = inference.
Misconceptions
● The main idea of a text is not always found in the first sentence of a text.
● Students should look forthe what the text is mostly about to determine the main idea.
● The main idea of the passage will not be directly told. Students will need to use context clues to determine the
main idea.
Vocabulary Practice
For this activity, students will play Vocabulary Bingo. The teacher should create custom bingo with
vocabulary terms using the following website: https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator.
Students will each receive a vocabulary bingo sheet. There are several versions of the sheet. The teacher can
decide if students will play in pairs, small groups, or individually.
*The teacher is able to add additional bingo sheets with tier 2 and tier 3 terms from the texts read throughout the
progressions.
4th Grade 2018-2019 47

The teacher should now begin the lesson progression by introducing the standard and going over the performance
based objective.
The teacher should annotate the performance-based objective to ensure students understand the performance based
objective and what they are being asked to do to demonstrate mastery. Call out any misconceptions that students
bring with them to this objectives. Provide students with an opportunity to restate the performance-based objective.

speaking.
c. Use helping/linking verbs to convey various conditions.
During the mini lesson, the teacher should make sure students understand the function of verbs before moving into
discussing helping and linking verbs. Please be sure to review the terms:
● Helping verbs: verbs that help the main verb in a sentence by extending its meaning
● Linking verbs: verbs that express a state of being
The teacher should be sure to show examples in text of how helping and linking verbs are used. Using one of the
previous text as a mentor text, highlight various times in the text that helping and/or linking verbs are used and
their function in the sentence.
Here are some examples of linking verbs used in a sentence:
● She appears upset about the announcement.

● The eggs smell rotten.
● He went red after tripping on the rug.
● Your plans for the wedding sound nice.
● You look exhausted after studying all night.
Here are some examples of helping verbs used in a sentence
● I am having another piece of pizza.

● She is making dinner for us now.
● I do not know the answer.
● I have been running for over an hour.
● She was given the grand prize.
Examples used from http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-linking-verbs.html
http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/verbs/helping-verbs.html

Informational Texts

● Colonization and the Revolutionary War (Readworks)- Lexile: 820L
● The Sun (Reading A to Z)-Lexile-830L
4th Grade 2018-2019 48

● SWBAT identify key details IOT determine the main idea of a text.
Focus Lesson: The teacher will inform students they will now be reading and annotating informational text. The
teacher should review with students the difference between informational and literary text.
Explain to students they will be looking at informational text to identify key details that
determine the main idea in the text. The teacher should make sure students understand they will
be using some of the same strategies from the previous lesson to identify key details.
The teacher will model reading and annotating the text My Librarian is a Camel from Journeys. Before reading
and annotating the text, preview the text for illustrations and text that could help determine what the main idea of
the text would be. Remind students through the think aloud strategy that the main idea is different than a summary.
The teacher should model looking for words and illustrations that repeat in the text. The teacher should highlight
and/or underline these key details.
While the teacher is modeling how to identify the main idea of the text, the teacher should be modeling how to
complete the graphic organizer. The teacher should make sure to model how using the annotated notes and key
details helped to determine the main ideas of the text.
While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should generate questions to help determine what the main idea
of the text could be. Some possible text dependent questions are:
● What evidence in the text supports the idea that if the book boat didn’t come, the children
in the Gulf of Finland might not be reading at all?
● What are the three different programs for bringing books to

communities in Peru? Describe them.
● What is the goal of the Thai government for the Books-by-Elephant

program?
After modeling the strategy and how to complete the graphic organizer, the teacher should review the steps with
students to make sure they have a clear understanding before they practice themselves.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should use the think aloud
strategy to model identifying helping and linking verbs in the sentence. The teacher should be sure to highlight
and/or underline the linking and helping verbs found in the sentence and explain their usage.
4th Grade 2018-2019 49

d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely
For this model lesson, the teacher will focus on the types of words students are using in their writing. It is important
for the teacher show students that using vivid word choice helps the reader to visualize their words.
● Using the think aloud strategy, the teacher will review the rough draft for words that can be replaced.
o It is important for the teacher to find words that can be replaced to show vivid action
o Once the teacher has identified the words, the teacher will continue to use the think aloud
strategy to change those words
o For this lesson, the teacher will model using personification
● The teacher should use the think aloud strategy to ask questions as they model:
o What is an action that could be associated with the object?
o What’s a word that is similar?
o What does the word remind you that people
do?
o What are some words that describe what
humans do?
Please look at the example from Jennifer Serravallo’s Writing

Strategies Book© as an example of changing words that do not
show much action to works that are more vivid in language.
The teacher should remind students they will have the opportunity to
do this in their own writing as they continue to work towards their
final copy.

● Check for understanding of how to identify key details in a text.
● Check for understanding of how to distinguish between ancillary and key
details.
● Check for understanding of how to determine the main idea of a text.
Guided Practice: Students will now model how to read and annotate the text for key details that identify the
4th Grade 2018-2019 50

main idea of the text. The teacher should guide students as they are modeling this performance based objective.
Students will model reading and annotating the text Colonization and the Revolutionary War
from Readworks and the graphic organizer. As students are modeling, the other students should
be reading along and annotating as well.
Students will model the strategy of looking at the key details in the text and determining if it is
interesting or important to determining the main idea. While reading and annotating the text,
students will highlight and/or underline key details and examples from the text. Students will create a T-Chart that
identifies interesting details and important details. Students should use the think aloud strategy to determine
whether the key detail is an interesting fact or an important detail to determine the theme.
As students are continuing to read and annotate the text, students should remember the theme what message is the
author giving. Students should recognize the main idea is what the author is saying about the topic. The teacher
should make sure to guide students through recognizing the important key detail that is relevant to the main topic.
Once students have finished reading and annotating the text, they are now ready to model how to complete the
graphic organizer. Students should make sure to identify the main idea of the text.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, students should use the think aloud
strategy to model identifying helping and linking verbs in the sentence. Students should be sure to highlight and/or
underline the linking and helping verbs found in the sentence and explain their usage. The teacher may need to
guide students with identifying helping and linking verbs in the text.
Students should now have the opportunity to practice adding vivid words to their narrative. Remind
students they should add/change words so the reader can visualize what is happening in the story.
● Give students the opportunity to look for words that can be changed in the text.
● Allow students to use the think aloud strategy to ask the following questions:
o What does the word remind you that people do?
o What are some words that describe what humans do?
● Once students have identified the words they would like to change, students should change the words
and phrases.
During this time, the teacher should hold small conferences with students to provide feedback. The teacher
should make sure students are providing revisions that make sense and help to enhance the overall meaning
of the narrative.

4th Grade 2018-2019 51

● Check for understanding of how to distinguish between ancillary and key details.
● Check for understanding of how to determine the main idea of a text.
Collaborative Practice: Students will work in partner pairs to identify the key details that determine the main
ideas of the text. Students will read and annotate the text Ben Franklin. The partner pairs or
small groups will practice the strategy of reading and annotating the text and identifying the
topic, subtopics and key details in the text. Students should chunk the text in order to help
identify the sub topics. For each sub topic, students should identify the important details
from the text. Once students have identified the topic(s), subtopics and key details, they
should use this information to determine the main idea of the text. The teacher should
remind students the main idea focuses on what the author wants the reader to know. It
is what the text will mostly talk about. While reading and annotating, students should complete the graphic
organizer. Although students are working in partner pairs or small groups, each student should complete the graphic
organizer.
The teacher will provide support as needed to partner pairs or small groups. Once all students have completed the
activity, you can allow partner pairs to share with another group to see if they have similar main ideas and key
details. To extend the activity, the teacher can differentiate the text based on the students reading levels. Once
completed, students can provide feedback regarding the main ideas and key details to other groups.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, students should use the think aloud
strategy to identifying helping and linking verbs in the sentence. Students should be sure to highlight and/or
underline the linking and helping verbs found in the sentence and explain their usage. The teacher may need to
guide students with identifying helping and linking verbs in the text.
Students should now have the opportunity to continue practicing adding vivid words to their
narrative. Remind students they should add/change words so the reader can visualize what is
happening in the story.
● Give students the opportunity to look for words that can be changed in the text.
● Allow students to use the think aloud strategy to ask the following questions:
o What does the word remind you that people do?
o What are some words that describe what humans do?
● Once students have identified the words they would like to change, students should change the words
and phrases.
4th Grade 2018-2019 52

During this time, the teacher should hold small conferences with students to provide feedback. The teacher
should make sure students are providing revisions that make sense and help to enhance the overall meaning
of the narrative.

o Review key general and domain specific vocabulary.
o Check for understanding of the performance based objective.
o Check for understanding of how to identify key details and examples
in a text.
o Check for understanding of how to distinguish between ancillary and
key details.
o Check for understanding of how to determine the main idea of a text.
o Check for understanding of how to complete the graphic organizer.
o Check for understanding of language skill practiced during the modeling.
Independent Practice: Students will now work independently to practice the performance based objective.
Students will independently read and annotate the text The Sun. While reading and
annotating the text, students will identify the key details that help to determine the main idea
of the text. Students will also identify the main idea.
Students should be encouraged to use one of the strategies they have practiced. Students can
identify the key details and determine if they are interesting or important to the main idea.
They can also look at topic, subtopic and key details to determine the main idea. While
observing students as they work, the teacher should make sure students have highlighted and/or underlined key
details that help to determine the main idea.
Once students have completed their independent practice, the teacher should make sure they have reviewed their
work for accuracy.
● What is the topic of the text?

● What is a main idea?
● How is a topic different than a main idea?
● What is a key detail?
● How is a key detail different from a detail?
● What is support?
● What is the main idea of the text?
Informational Texts
4th Grade 2018-2019 53

● Mercury (Readworks)-Lexile-900L
● Jupiter’s Secrets Revealed (Reading A to Z)-Lexile-800L
● SWBAT identify the main idea of a text IOT explain how it is supported by key details.
Focus Lesson: The teacher will now model explaining how the main idea in the text is supported by key details.
Because the texts have been read in the previous part of the progression, the main ideas of the
text have already been established. Now the teacher will focus on modeling how the key
details support the main idea. The teacher will model this strategy with the text My
Librarian is a Camel from Journeys.
The teacher should display the key details found in the text from the previous reading. The
teacher can decide to either re read the text or model an overview of what the text was about. While modeling, the
teacher should remember to use the think aloud strategy to inform students they are now going to explain how the
key details support the main idea of the text. As the teacher models how to complete the graphic organizer, the
teacher will now provide an explanation of how those key details help to support the main idea. The teacher should
generate questions as they are modeling to help explain the importance of those key details.
Some questions the teacher can ask are:
● How does the key detail support the main idea?

● What important information does the key detail give?
● What are the connections between all of the key details that support the main
idea?
● What other information supports the main idea?
In the graphic organizer, the teacher should make sure to explain how the key details help to support the main ideas.
Be sure to provide evidence to support. Once the teacher has completed the graphic organizer, the teacher should
review the lesson.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should continue to use the
think aloud strategy to model identifying helping and linking verbs in the sentence. The teacher should be sure to
highlight and/or underline the linking and helping verbs found in the sentence and explain their usage.
4th Grade 2018-2019 54

e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
The teacher will now model how to make sure the narrative has a strong conclusion. In the conclusion, the teacher
should model how to write a conclusion that is logical based on the sequence of the narrative.
If the teacher has already written the conclusion in the rough draft, the teacher will use this opportunity model the
think aloud strategy to check and make sure the conclusion makes sense. If the conclusion has not be written, the
teacher will now model writing a conclusion.
When writing the conclusion, the teacher should use the think aloud strategy to ask the following questions:
● What’s the big idea of the narrative?
● What are a few sentences that could sum up what the narrative is about?
● How does the narrative end?
Remind students that will have an opportunity to write or change their conclusion to make sure it is a logical ending.

● Check for understanding of the meaning of key ideas.
● Check for understanding of how to determine the main idea.
● Check for understanding of how to explain how key details support
the main idea.
● Check for understanding of the language skill practiced during the modeling
Guided Practice: Students now have the opportunity to again model how to identify the
main idea of the text using key details but also explain how the key details in the text support
the main idea. Students should model reading and annotating the text Saratoga from
Readworks. For this activity, students will model how to read each paragraph of the text and
write a brief description (one sentence) stating what the paragraph says.
4th Grade 2018-2019 55

Students should us the think aloud strategy to explain the strategy they are using. The teacher may need to guide
students to remind them how to use the strategies to find the main idea. Students should also make sure they
highlight and/or underline the key details in the text. Students should also continue to model how to generate
questions to help determine the main idea.
Some questions that could be asked are:
● What are some statements that help to centralize the main idea of the text?
● What key details are important to understand the main idea?
● What key terms help to understand the main ideas presented in the text?
● How are the main ideas similar and/or different?
Students should complete the graphic organizer as they are modeling the strategy. In the graphic organizer, the
teacher should guide students to make sure they explain how the key details support the main ideas of the text. Once
students complete modeling, have students review for the class the steps they went through to complete the activity.
The teacher should also follow up by clearing up any misconceptions regarding finding the main idea and
explaining how the key details support the main ideas in the text.
**Language standard reminder: While reading and annotating the text, students should continue to use the think
aloud strategy to model identifying helping and linking verbs in the sentence. Students should be sure to highlight
and/or underline the linking and helping verbs found in the sentence and explain their usage.
The teacher should use this time to allow students to practice writing or adding to their conclusion.
When writing the conclusion, the student should use the think aloud strategy to ask the following
questions:
The teacher should use this time to meet with students in small groups to make sure their narratives follow a logical
conclusion.

4th Grade 2018-2019 56

the main idea.
Collaborative Practice: During the collaborative practice, students will work in partner pairs of small groups
to determine the main idea presented in the text and how the key details help support the
main idea of the text. Students will create a foldable that details the facts from chunked
sections of the text, identify the main idea presented in the text and determine how the facts
and key details help to support the main idea. Students will read and annotate the text
Jupiter’s Secrets Revealed.
Students will read and annotate the text identifying 2-3 facts from each subheading section that connect. They will
document these facts in their foldable. Once students have collected the facts from each subheading, students will
determine the main idea present in the article and explain how those facts support the main idea. Because students
are working together, they can complete a close read of the text to determine the important facts from each
subheading section.
In partner pairs or small groups, students will create a Layered Book. On the cover, students will write the title of
the text and the main idea of the text. Students should complete the cover after reading and annotating the text
and reviewing the key details. On each tab, students should write one sentence that describes the subheading.
Inside of the tab, students will write the key details and fact from the sub heading. As students are reading and
annotating the text, they should be generating questions that help to determine how the key details and facts
support the text.
Some questions that can be asked are:
● What did I learn after reading each paragraph?

● How do the 2-3 facts link together?
● How do these facts relate the main idea(s) of the text?
● What are key details that are important to the main idea?
Once students have completed their foldables, students should complete a gallery walk where they are able to
provide feedbak on the foldables and the main ideas that are presented in the text.
The teacher should continue to use this time to allow students to practice writing or adding to
4th Grade 2018-2019 57

their conclusion.
When writing the conclusion, the student should use the think aloud strategy to ask the following questions:
The teacher should use this time to meet with students in small groups to make sure their narratives follow a logical
conclusion.

the main idea.
Independent Practice: Students are now ready to practice the skill independently. The teacher should remind
students of the strategies that have been previously practiced throughout the progression.
Students will read and annotate the text Mercury.
Students will read and annotate the text in order to identify the key details in the text. While
reading and annotating the text, students should continue to practice the strategies that have
been taught throughout the progression. Students can chunk the text to find the key details,
look for words and phrases that are repeated as well as find 2-3 facts in each paragraph that
would support the main idea. As students are working on the assignment, the teacher should monitor for appropriate
practice of the strategies.
Students should complete the graphic organizer while they are reading and annotating the text. While completing
the graphic organizer, the students should be able to explain how the key details support the main ideas. Once
students have completed the activity, students should go back and review their work for accuracy.
4th Grade 2018-2019 58

● What are the key details in the text that help to support the main idea?
Informational Texts

● One Way to Find A Planet (Readworkds)-Lexile-790L
● SWBAT identify the main idea of a text IOT compose a summary.
Focus Lesson: The teacher will model how to compose a summary after identifying the main idea of the text. The
teacher should remind students they have already practiced how to summarize text
using a literary text. They will summarize looking at an informational text.
The teacher will model how to summarize text. The teacher should read annotate the text My
Librarian is a Camel from Journeys. After reading each page of the text, the teacher will
annotate the text by writing a brief summary at the end of each page. The brief statement should give a description
of what happened during that portion of the text. Using the think aloud strategy, the teacher should also annotate
the text for key ideas that should be included in the summary. The teacher should be sure to use the strategies to
identify the key ideas in text that have practiced throughout the progression. The teacher should continue to generate
text dependent questions that help to summarize the text.
As the teacher completes the graphic organizer, the teacher should make sure to use the annotated notes and key
details from the text to write the summary for the text. The teacher should also be sure to explain how the key
4th Grade 2018-2019 59

details helped to determine the summary.
Once the teacher has completed the modeling activity, the teacher should review the steps that have completed to
model the skill.
The teacher will focus on the reviewing the following standard:
a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an
event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to
situations.
d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events
During this model lesson, the teacher will model how to edit and revise their writing. It is important for the teacher
to review the previous writing lessons during this time so students will remember the things they should have
already done in their writing.
When editing and revising there are various strategies that can be used to check writing. Attached you will find two
different checklists the teacher could model using to check over their work.
Please be sure to inform students they will have peer check time and the teacher will provide feedback on
their writing before they begin writing their final copy.

o Check for understanding of the meaning of key ideas.
o Check for understanding of how to determine the main idea.
o Check for understanding of how to explain how key details support
4th Grade 2018-2019 60

the main idea.
Guided Practice: During the guided practice, students will have the opportunity to again practice summarizing
text. Students will read and annotate the text Saratoga from Readworks. While students are
modeling the summarizing strategy, students should be sure to identify the key details in
each paragraph that help determine the main ideas presented in the text. Once students have
completed reading and annotating the text, students should write a summary of the text. In the
summery, students should include the key details that are important to the text.
While students are reading and annotating the text, students should complete the graphic organizer. In the graphic
organizer, the students should identify how the key details help in the summary of the text. The teacher should guide
students as they model the strategy for the class. The teacher should remind students the summarizing strategy
can be used with both literary and informational text.
Allow students to begin revising their writing. Please remind students to ask the following
questions as they are editing and revising:
● Is my spelling correct?
● Are there any grammatical errors?
● Is there punctuation at the end of my sentence?
● Have I made sure that I included all of the elements that have been practiced?
The teacher should use this time to form small groups with students to provide feedback on their rough draft before
moving into writing their final copy. The teacher should be sure to provide feedback back to each student to ensure
they have made logical editing and revising changes.
Collaborative Practice: Students will now work in partner pairs to summarize the text. Students will use the
closed reading strategy to read and annotate the text. In partner pairs or small groups,
students will read and annotate the text Ben Franklin. After reading and annotating the text,
students will complete the graphic organizer. In the graphic organizer, students will identify
an appropriate headline for the summary and subheadings. In the subheadings, students will
identify the key details. The text already has several chapters in the book. Students are to
create new subheadings for the activity.The idea is for the reader to be able to understand
what the article was about based on the information presented. To extend the activity, the teacher can assign
different articles to different groups and complete the same activity. Once students are finished, they will provide
feedback to the other groups.
After students have had an opportunity to complete the graphic organizer, allow students to turn and talk or form
small groups to discuss the activity. The teacher should identify any misconceptions students may still have before
moving into the independent activity.
4th Grade 2018-2019 61

The teacher should continue working with students to revise writing. Please remind students to ask the following
questions as they are editing and revising:
● Is my spelling correct?
● Are there any grammatical errors?
● Is there punctuation at the end of my sentence?
● Have I made sure that I included all of the elements that have been practiced?
The teacher should use this time to form small groups with students to provide feedback on their rough draft before
moving into writing their final copy. The teacher should be sure to provide feedback back to each student to ensure
they have made logical editing and revising changes.

o Check for understanding of the meaning of key ideas.
o Check for understanding of how to determine the main idea.
o Check for understanding of how to explain how key details support
the main idea.
Independent Practice: Students will now have the opportunity to practice the performance based objective
independently. During the independent practice, students will work to identify the key details
and write a brief summary of the text. Students will independently read and annotate the text
One Way to Find A Planet from Readworks. After reading and annotating the text, students
should complete the graphic organizer. In the graphic organizer, students should identify the
main ideas of the text and write a brief summary of the text. Students should be sure to explain
how the key details support the summary of the text.
Once students have completed the activity, make sure students review their work for accuracy.

● What are the key details in the text that help to support the main idea?
● What is a summary?
4th Grade 2018-2019 62

● What is the difference between summarizing and retelling?

Assessment
Literacy Centers

Word Study
based on oral reading Please see the activities increase fluency skills Focusing on Main Idea
4th Grade 2018-2019 63

above for students. resources section for Students should be provided R.A.F.T.S. Writing
additional support with books on their instructional
Teachers should choose word station activities. reading level and their R-Role of the writer
books during the guided interests. The activities that A-Audience for the piece of
reading from various accompany the text should writing
sources such as: require students to have a F- Format of the material
better understanding of the T-Topic of subject of the
● Classroom guided text. piece of writing
reading libraries S- Strong verb- directs the
● Scholastic guided Boxes and Bullets Strategy writer to the writing purpose
reading classroom and (i.e. create, predict, defend,
book room libraries Draw a box and several evaluate, etc.)
● Journeys leveled texts bullets beneath it in a
in each unit notebook. As you read, think
about the information you R- Class President
just read. Ask yourself, A- Classmates
“Does this sentence say F-Story
what this part is mostly T-Classroom Constitution
about (box), or is this a S- Create
detail (bullet)?” Write the
information you read on the You are the class president.
graphic organizer as you Create a silly story about a
learn it. day the classroom
constitution was changed.
Please see the activities Teacher Note: You may

located in the online/print substitute for any of the
resources section for letters in the acronym. The
additional support with R.A.F.T.S. example listed
comprehension station above is optional.
activities
● Chunk the text
answering
Pace
Complexity
Depth
Integrate
disciplines
4th Grade 2018-2019 64

Teacher)
Emotional Intensity
Moral Maturity


4th Grade 2018-2019 65

maps, etc.)
maps, etc.)
etc.)
Assessment
mastery.
capabilities.
4th Grade 2018-2019 66

Helping verbs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVLql3nVt5M
Linking verbs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dPbciiZSbo
Lesson Four Progression

Duration: 5 days

● 4RI3. 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.
● SWBAT describe and identify historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, and technical procedures IOT
explain historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, and technical procedures from a given text.
4th Grade 2018-2019 67


● Concept- an abstract idea ● Details- important words or phrases
● Event-something that happens, an activity or ● Explicit- clearly stated

occasion
● Historical Events-concerning past events facts from the text and one’s own knowledge or
experience
● Idea- a thought, plan of action, opinion
● Reference- mention
● Procedure- a series of action, steps
● Scientific Ideas/Concepts- of or related to methods

and principles of Science
● Technical Procedures- a series of actions related to

a particular subject, art,, or craft or its techniques
Guiding Questions
1. What is an historical event?

2. What is a scientific idea or concept?
3. What are technical procedures/processes?
4. What is sequence?
5. What is cause/effect?
Historical Text Questions

1. What are the events presented in the historical text?
2. What was the cause of the event or events presented in the text? Cite textual evidence to support your
response.
3. What are the ideas presented in the historical text?
Scientific Text Questions:

1. What scientific procedure(s) is presented in the text? Cite textual evidence.
2. What scientific ideas or concepts are presented in the text?
Technical Text Questions:

1. What are the technical procedures presented in the text? Cite textual evidence.
2. Why is a particular step an important part of the overall technical procedure?

4th Grade 2018-2019 68

Teacher Note: Be sure that students are required to refer to information from the text plus prior knowledge and/or
experience to make the inference.
Students must be exposed to historical, scientific, and technical texts to master this standard. The relationship
between individuals, events, and ideas should be examined in historical texts. The relationship between concepts
and procedures should be examined in scientific texts. The relationship between procedures/steps should be
examined in technical text.
Part 1: Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text in order to explain what the text actually
states. Students should be aware that citations are more useful when they include line number, page number,
paragraph number, and/or author.
Facts/information from the text + prior knowledge and/or experience= inference.
Misconceptions
● Students must understand the difference between historical, scientific and technical text and their purpose.
● Students must understand the different types of relationships that are a part of texts.
● Students should know that technical texts are found in all subject areas.
Vocabulary Practice
For this activity, students will create a vocabulary concept graphic organizer to better understand the terms that
will be used. A model of the vocabulary concept graphic organizer is below.
4th Grade 2018-2019 69

● Each student should get a copy of the vocabulary concept graphic organizer. The teacher should assign a
key term to each student. The teacher should also assign tier 2 and 3 vocabulary terms that students
will see in their reading during the lesson progression.
● In the middle of the graphic organizer, students should write the word they have been assigned.
● Inside the outer circle (blue), students will write words/phrases or draw pictures that come to mind when
they either see or hear the key term.
● Inside the square (red), students should provide evidence of how they know their drawings or
words/phrases are true. This evidence can come from text previously read or examples of when the student
used the word in context.
● A sample sentence starter for evidence could be: I know ________________ is related to _________
because ___________________________.
● Once students have completed the vocabulary concept map, bring students into small groups and allow
them to discuss their key terms. Students should state the words that come to mind and their evidence.
● Allow students to change groups and complete the same sharing activity with a new group.
Once all students have completed the sharing activity, bring students back together in a whole group to discuss the
activity. The teacher should clear any misconceptions about the terms that will be used at this time by going over the
terms.
*The teacher may elect to display the key terms throughout the progression so that students can reference them
while learning.

Informational Texts
● King George III (Reading A to Z) -Lexile 860L

● Two Famous Friends (CommonLit)-Lexile-830L
● How Did the Solar System Form (Readworks)- Lexile: 960L
● From Idea to Book (Journeys)- Unit 1, pg. 96 (student), pg. T188
Before moving forward with the progression, please go over the performance based objective with students.
● SWBAT describe and identify historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, and technical procedures
IOT explain historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, and technical procedures from a given text.
Focus Lesson: In the focus lesson, the teacher will model how to read and annotate a text to explain its historical
significance. For this lesson, the teacher will model reading an historical text. The teacher
will read and annotate the text King George III. The teacher should begin by explaining the
features of historical text. Some features to emphasize are:
● Dealing with a point in history

● Follows a sequential order
4th Grade 2018-2019 70

Before reading the text, the teacher should preview the text and make a prediction about what the text could be
about. While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should use the think aloud strategy to identify the key
details to the text. The teacher should be sure to focus on key details as they appear in the sequence of events for the
historical text.
While reading and annotating the text, the teacher should be completing the graphic organizer. In the graphic
organizer, the teacher will order the key details as they appear in the sequence of events. After identifying the key
details, the teacher will explain the historical events of the text. Using the think aloud strategy, the teacher will
review the key details and explain how they help to describe the historical events from the text.
The teacher will review the following standard:
a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an
event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to
situations.
d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events
Now that students have had an opportunity to work on a narrative writing paper with assistance from their teacher,
students will now have the opportunity to choose a new topic and write a narrative. Students should be able to
choose from a topic that was created during the initial lessons at the beginning of the unit, or the teacher can choose
to allow students to write a specific topic of the teacher’s choice.
During this focus lesson, the teacher should review the mini lessons that were done to build the first narrative and
inform students they should continue these steps throughout the writing process.

● Check for understanding of how to identify scientific ideas or concepts,
historical events or technical procedures.
● Check for understanding of how to describe scientific ideas or
4th Grade 2018-2019 71

concepts, historical events or technical procedures.
● Check for understanding of how to explain ideas or concepts including what happened and
why based upon specific textual evidence.
Guided Practice: In the guided practice, students will model reading and annotating a text in order to explain a
technical procedure. For this activity, students will read annotate a text that details a
technical procedure. While students are modeling, the teacher should guide students if
they have any misconceptions. Students will read and annotate the text From Idea to
Book from Journeys.
While students are reading and annotating the text, students should identify key details that help to describe the
procedures that are occurring in the technical text. As students are reading and annotating the text, they should also
be generating questions to ask. Some possible text dependent questions that can be asked are:
● After an author turns in a manuscript to a publisher, what is the next

step in the book-making procedure?
● How many steps does the diagram show?
● Why are the steps necessary?
As students read and annotate the text, make sure they are also modeling how to complete the graphic organizer.
After reading and annotating the text, the student should be sure to explain the technical procedures that are in the
text. After modeling of the text is complete, the teacher should make sure students have a clear understanding of
how to find the key details to explain the type of text.
Students should continue to write their narrative. This is from a new topic they have chosen.
While students are writing, the teacher should monitor students as they work through the writing
process. The teacher should continue to meet with students in small groups to provide feedback
on their writing.

● Check for understanding of how to identify scientific ideas or concepts,
● Check for understanding of how to describe scientific ideas or concepts,
4th Grade 2018-2019 72

● Check for understanding of how to explain ideas or concepts including what happened
and why based upon specific textual evidence.
Collaborative Practice: Students will work in partner pairs to create a foldable that that describes the text.
Students will read and annotate the text How Did the Solar System Form. Students should
understand this is a scientific text. While reading and annotating the text, students should
practice the close reading strategy.
Both students will read and annotate the text. After students have read and annotated the
text, they will work together to create the foldable. In the foldable, students will provide the
key details that provide a description of the text. Students will create a bound book. In the
book students will create a title cover and create the necessary pages that provide key details that come from the
article. The last page of the book should be a description created by the students that explains the topic of the text.
Students should be able to give specific information regarding the structure of the text (cause and effect,
chronological order, etc.) and how the graphic features contribute to the key details for the text. Please remind
students they are not write a summary. To extend the activity, provide a different text to the partner pairs or
small groups and complete the same activity.
Once the foldable is completed, students can form a new small group to discuss the relationship between the two
texts. The teacher should be sure to clear any misconceptions students may still have regarding the activity.
Students should continue to write their narrative. This is from a new topic they have chosen.
While students are writing, the teacher should monitor students as they work through the writing
process. The teacher should continue to meet with students in small groups to provide feedback
on their writing.

● Check for understanding of how to identify scientific ideas or
● Check for understanding of how to describe scientific ideas or
● Check for understanding of how to explain ideas or concepts including
what happened and why based upon specific textual evidence.
4th Grade 2018-2019 73

Independent Practice: Students will now have the opportunity work independently to practice the performance
based objective. During the independent practice, students will read and annotate and
describe the text using they key details found in the text. Students should be able to identify
the type of text they are reading, the structure, identify they key details and explain the topic
of the text. Students should also be encouraged to use strategies such as summarizing,
repeated words and phrases and/or generating questions to help them identify the key
ideas the text.
Students should read and annotate the text Two Famous Friends from CommonLit. This is a historical text.
While reading and annotating the text, students should highlight and/or underline the key details in the text that
will help explain the text.
Students should complete the graphic organizer as they are reading and annotating the text. While reading students
should generate questions to help identify key details. Once students have finished the activity, the teacher should
make sure students have check their work for accuracy.
● What is a scientific idea or concept?

● What scientific procedure(s) is presented in the text? Cite textual evidence.
● What scientific ideas or concepts are presented in the text?
● What are technical procedures/processes?
● What is an historical event?
2-Point Construction Response Practice

Assessment
Literacy Centers
4th Grade 2018-2019 74


Word Study
unfamiliar words in text. addition, reading narrative writing
level tests, the text should be students to practice and Creative Writing
based on oral reading Please see the activities increase fluency skills
accuracy rate of 90% or located in the online/print Strategy: S.P.A.W.N.
above for students. resources section for Students should be provided Writing
Teachers should choose word station activities. reading level and their Special Powers- Students
books during the guided interests. The activities that have the ability to change
reading from various accompany the text should one aspect of a text or topic,
sources such as: require students to have a but must explain what they
better understanding of the changed, why they made this
● Classroom guided text. change, and what the effects
reading libraries of the change are.
● Scholastic guided Please see the activities
reading classroom and located in the online/print Problem Solving- Students
book room libraries resources section for must respond to problems
● Journeys leveled texts additional support with discussed in the books being
in each unit comprehension station read or topics being
activities discussed.
Alternate Viewpoints-
Students are to write about a
topic from a new, unique
perspective.
What If? Teacher

introduces a change to the
text or topic, students
respond to teacher’s change
(similar to Special Powers).
Next- Student anticipates
4th Grade 2018-2019 75

what will be discussed next
and explains the logic
behind their prediction
Have students to read a

familiar text and use their
“Special Powers” to make
one change to the text.
Students should answer the
questions related to Special
Powers and rewrite the new
text.
● Chunk the text
answering
Pace
Complexity
Depth
Integrate
disciplines
Teacher)
Emotional Intensity
Moral Maturity
4th Grade 2018-2019 76



maps, etc.)
4th Grade 2018-2019 77

maps, etc.)
etc.)
Assessment
mastery.
capabilities.
Commented [2]: Additional resources to be used with

this standard can be uploaded in this section. I got the
resources from Coach Digital
Historical Texts
Scientific Texts
Technical Texts
Progressive Verb Tenses
4th Grade 2018-2019 78

Lesson Five Progression
Duration: 5 days

● 4RL3. 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).
● 4RL1: Refer to details and examples and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly
● SWBAT draw on specific details (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions) IOT describe in depth a
character, setting or event in a story or drama.
4th Grade 2018-2019 79

● Action- behaviors ● Explain- to make something clear by describing it in

more detail or by revealing relevant facts or ideas
● Character- a personality in a literary work
● Explicitly- very clear and complete; openly shown
● Character Traittrait -- quality of a personality
● Describe- to give an account in words (of someone facts from the text and one’s own knowledge or
or something) including the important characteristics, experience
qualities, or events
● Key Details- important word or phrases
● Details- the particular fact or piece of information
about something or someone
● Drama- a play; a prose or verse composition telling a ● Refer- to direct to a source for information or help
story that is intended for representation by actors
impersonating the characters
● Event- something that happens or happened
● In Depth- thorough detailed

● Formatted: Font: (Default) Calibri, 12 pt, Font color:
● Setting- where the story takes place Auto
Formatted: Outline numbered + Level: 1 + Numbering
● Specific- clearly or exactly presented or stated
Style: Bullet + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25"
told in prose
Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 11 pt, Font color: Auto
●
Formatted: Indent: Left: 0.5", No bullets or
Guiding Questions
Primary Standard:
1. Who are the characters in this literary text?

2. What is the process of characterization? Formatted: Font: (Default) Calibri, 12 pt, Font color:
2.3. Auto
Teacher Note: Characterization is the process by which an author reveals the personality traits of the characters
(their words, actions, appearance, thoughts, and what other characters say).
3.4. Based on the characters words, actions, appearances, thoughts, and what other characters say about them,
what traits does this character possess?
4.5. What is the setting in this literary text? Describe using specific details from the text.
5.6. What are the events take place in the story or drama? Describe using specific details from the text.
Teacher Note: Each character, setting, and event in the text should be described individually.
1. How do I define explicit?

2. What questions do you have about this literary text?
4. What can you infer based on explicit information drawn from the text?
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Teacher Note: Be sure that students are required to refer to integrate clues with prior knowledge and/or experience
to make an inference.

Students must be able to recognize, name, and describe (at length) internal and external traits/characteristics of the
major and minor characters in a story or drama (play). Students must be able to define characterization as the
process by which the author reveals the personality traits of the characters, which is done in one or more of the
following ways: (1) How the character looks; (2) How the character feels; (3) How the character actions/behaviors;
(4) The character’s thoughts; and (5) What other characters say about the character. Students must be able to
distinguish between ancillary and important details for the purpose of (1) developing an in-depth description of
where the story takes place and (2) developing an in-depth description of events in the story or drama (play).

Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text in order to explain what the text actually states.
Students should be engaged in conversations around key individuals/characters, the setting(s), events, or ideas
presented in stories (adventure stories, folktales, legends, fables, fantasy, realistic fiction, and myths); dramas
(dialogue and brief familiar scenes); and poetry (nursery rhymes, narrative poems, limericks, and free verse poems)
using literary texts across authors, themes, genres and traditions (i.e. classical, traditional, and mythological).
Students must be able to cite details and examples from the text to explain what the text literally states (citations are
more useful when they include the line number, page number, paragraph/act/scene/stanza, and/or author).
In order to master this skill, students must understand that drawing inferences follows a formula. Facts/information
from the text + prior knowledge and/or experience = inference.
Misconceptions
● Students must have a strong understanding of character traits in order to understand the standard
● Students must understand both internal and external characteristics.
● Some additional vocabulary terms students will need to know and understand:
o Motivation – reasons for the ways they act Formatted: Font: Bold, Font color: Auto
o Rising Action – events in the story that lead to a conflict
o Climax – the part of the story where the conflict reaches its most exciting point Formatted: Indent: Left: 0.99", Hanging: 0.31", Outline
o Conflict – a problem that the main character in a story must solve numbered + Level: 1 + Numbering Style: Bullet +
o Plot – a series of events that happen in a story Aligned at: -0.14" + Indent at: 0.11"
Formatted: Font: 11 pt, Font color: Auto
Vocabulary Practice Activity Formatted: Font: Bold, Font color: Auto
Teacher Instructions: The progression will begin with the teacher reviewing the key terms that will be introduced Formatted: Font: 11 pt, Font color: Auto
Formatted: Font: Bold, Font color: Auto
Formatted: Font: Bold, Font color: Auto
Formatted: Font: Bold, Font color: Black
For this activity, students can work in groups of 3-4. Students will need a copy of the Vocabulary Word Challenge
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sheet as well as one die.
● Before beginning the activity, the teacher should write down key terms on index cards for students to choose
from for the activity (one term per card). The teacher should use the key terms from previous units as well
as tier 2 and 3 terms students should know.
● Each student will get a copy of the Vocabulary Word Challenge. Teachers may choose to copy the game
board to cardstock for future use.
● The student will take turns rolling the die. Once they roll the die, the student must pick a term from the card
deck and complete the directions for the number die. Example: If the student rolls a one (1) they must define
the word.
● Once the term is used, the students should place it at the bottom of the pile and continue playing the game.
● If the student rolls the same number again, they must pass to the next player. The goal is to get all six words on
the sheet.
● Students can play as many rounds as needed for students to familiarize themselves with the terms that will be
used for the lesson progression.

Literary Texts
● Me and Uncle Romie (Journeys)- Unit 2, pg. 231 (student), pg.

T167 (Teacher), Lexile-780L
● The House in the Desert (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L
● Act Your Age (CommonLit)- Lexile: 780L
● Ocean Quiz (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 860L
The teacher should now introduce the performance-based standard that will be used during this progression.
● SWBAT draw on specific details (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions) IOT describe in
depth a character, setting or event in a story or drama.
Focus Lesson: The teacher will model how to focus on specific key details in order to describe a character,
setting or event in a story. When modeling, the teacher should focus on key details such as
the character’s thoughts, words and/or actions, how the setting is described and what
transpires in the events taking place in the story. The teacher should remind students they
will now be working with literary text. The teacher may want to also remind students of the
elements that are a part of a story (plot, characters, setting, problem and solution, etc.) The
teacher will model reading and annotating the text Me and Uncle Romie from Journeys.
The teacher should model the think aloud strategy to identify key details.
When reading and annotating the text, the teacher should make sure to model the generating questions strategy to
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find key details that will be compared and contrasted. Some possible text dependent questions are:
● What is the problem in this story?

● What kind of person is James’ uncle? What key details from the text
help the reader understand him?
● Why does Aunt Nannett take James to Harlem first? What evidence
states this?
● How is pepper jelly important in the relationship between Uncle Romie and James?
● How does James change in the story?
After the teacher has modeled reading and annotating the text, the teacher should model how to complete the
graphic organizer. The teacher should remember to use the annotated notes and key details to help describe the
character, setting or event in the story. Once the activity is completed, the teacher should review the activity.
Students have had two chances to write a narrative story going through the writing process.
The teacher will now allow students to answer narrative prompts based on the Georgia
Milestone Assessment. During this modeling activity, the teacher will model how to
deconstruct a writing prompt.
The teacher should model how to read the writing prompt and understand what the prompt is asking students to
write about.
Students will have opportunities to practice the activity in the remaining parts of the unit.

● Check for understanding of how to identify and provide specific
details about the characters in a text.
details about the setting in a text
● Check for understanding of how to identify and provide specific details about the events
in a text.
● Check for understanding of the meaning of characterization.
● Check for understanding of how to describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a
story or drama.
Guided Practice: Students will now model how to read and annotate text for key details that help to describe a
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character, setting or event from a story or drama. The teacher will guide students as they practice the strategies in
the guided practice. Students will read and annotate the text
Ocean Quiz. Students should model the think aloud strategy as they read and annotate the
text.
For the modeling activity, students will look at how a character evolves over the course of the
text. Students should annotate the text for key details that describe how the characters feel and act at the beginning
and towards the end of the text. The students should generate questions to find the key details.
As students read and annotate the text, they should also complete the graphic organizer. In the graphic organizer, the
students should model the key details related to the character that compares and contrasts them. Once students have
finished completing the graphic organizer, the students should review their work with the class.
Before moving forward in the progression, the teacher should review the performance based objective and clear up
any misconceptions students may have regarding comparing and contrasting.
Students will now practice reading a Georgia Milestone Assessment writing prompt and
identifying what the prompt is asking students to do. The teacher should review the strategy
previously modeled for students before moving forward with the practice.
Students should have the opportunity to practice deconstructing the writing prompt before answering what the
prompt is asking students to do. Once students have had the opportunity to practice, the teacher should review to
make sure every student knows exactly what they should be writing about. For these activities, students will be led
through the writing process to ensure students are staying on topic.

details about the characters in a text.
details about the setting in a text
in a text.
story or drama.
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Collaborative Practice: Students will now work in partner pairs or small groups to identify the key details in the
text that describe the character and setting in depth. Students will read and annotate the text
The House in the Desert.
Partner pairs or small group should us the think aloud strategy to read and annotate the text.
Students should work together identify the key details that help to the characters and the
setting in the text. Students should look for key details that describe how the characters feel and act and how the
setting and/or change in setting relate to how the characters change throughout the text. Once students have finished
reading and annotating the text, students should create and complete their graphic organizer.
Partner pairs or small groups should decide how they want to put their information in their graphic organizer. Some
choices are:
● A three flap foldable

● A T-Chart
Once all students have finished with their graphic organizers, students should form a new small group where the
partner pairs will present their graphic organizer to the group. Students should explain why they chose that graphic
organizer and the key details that are a part of their description. After all partner pairs have presented in their
groups, the teacher should bring students back together as a class to clear up any misconceptions before moving into
independent practice.
The teacher will now model how to write based on a writing prompt. Using the same prompt
that was deconstructed, the teacher will use the think aloud strategy to answer the writing
prompt. The teacher should refer to the APS Writer’s Instructional Resource Guide for
Grades 3-5 for strategies for the 4-point narrative writing activity. Please note the writing
prompt the teach will use should be different than the writing prompt students use when they write
independently.

● Check for understanding of how to identify and provide specific details
about the characters in a text.
● Check for understanding of how to identify and provide specific details
about the setting in a text
in a text.
story or drama.
Independent Practice: Students will now independently read and annotate a text to identify the key details to
describe the character, setting or event in depth. Students will read and annotate the text Act Your Age from
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CommonLit.
Students should complete the graphic organizer to identify key details from the text.
Students should make sure details from the annotated text are used in the graphic organizer
to describe the character, setting or event. Once students finish the graphic organizer, the
teacher should make sure students review their work for accuracy.
● Who are the characters in this literary text?

● What is the process of characterization?
● Based on the characters words, actions, appearances, thoughts, and
what other characters say about them, what traits does this character possess?
● What is the setting in this literary text? Describe using specific details
from the text?
● What are the events that take place in the story or drama? Describe using specific details
from the text.
2-Point Constructed Response

Assessment
Literacy Centers
4th Grade 2018-2019 86


Word Study
unfamiliar words in text. addition, reading narrative writing
based on oral reading Please see the activities increase fluency skills Developing Ideas
above for students. resources section for Students should be provided Strategy: Create a Character
Teachers should choose word station activities. reading level and their Students create a character.
books during the guided interests. The activities that It may be based upon
reading from various accompany the text should someone they know,
sources such as: require students to have a someone they’ve observed,
better understanding of the or a combination of people
● Classroom guided text. they know.
reading libraries
● Scholastic guided Please see the activities Provide students with a list
reading classroom and located in the online/print of prompts to help them
book room libraries resources section for think about their character,
● Journeys leveled texts additional support with such as:
in each unit comprehension station
activities Wants? Needs?
Likes? Dislikes?
Strengths? Weaknesses?
Physical description?
Who else is in this
character’s life? How do
they impact him/her?
Places he/she feel safe?
Scared?
Students then make a list of

problems the character may
have.
Students create a comic

strip, drama or story that
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includes their
character.How’s the
Character Feeling?
One way to get to know

characters well is to make
sure we care about how they
feel, talk, act, and think.
Students will create a

character collage using
words and pictures.
Prompts Formatted: Centered

How’s the character feeling?
How does the character act? Formatted: Font: (Default) Calibri, 11 pt
Do you think the feeling is
positive or negative?
Use descriptive words to
describe the character’s
feelings from the beginning
to the end of the story. Formatted: Font: (Default) Calibri, Not Bold, Font color:
Differentiated Supports Auto
● Chunk the text
answering
Pace
Complexity
Depth
Integrate
disciplines
Teacher)
Emotional Intensity
Moral Maturity
4th Grade 2018-2019 88



maps, etc.)
4th Grade 2018-2019 89

maps, etc.)
etc.)
Assessment
mastery.
capabilities.
Commented [3]: Additional resources can be

uploaded here to use throughout the lesson.
Character Analysis organizer
Character trait wheel
Story map
Character attributes
4th Grade 2018-2019 90

Lesson Six Progression
Duration: 10 days
should follow the gradual release of responsibility so that students have an opportunity to see the activities
modeled and they also have time to practice daily.
The programs are designed for mastery. For detailed activities and standards addressed, the teacher should refer
to the program’s Teacher’s Edition to ensure instruction is properly implemented.

● 4RL4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that
allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean)
● 4RI4: Determine the meaning of general academic language and domain-specific words or phrases in a
text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
4th Grade 2018-2019 91

● SWBAT identify and define word part IOT determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.
● SWBAT identify context clues IOT determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.
● SWBAT identify and define word parts and context clues IOT determine the meaning of unfamiliar words
and phrases, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology.
● SWBAT identify and define word parts IOT determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.

● Alliteration- the repetition of the same initial ● Base Word- a word that can sand alone without a
consonant sound prefix and/or suffix
● Allude- to mention without discussing at length ● Context- the part of a text that surrounds a
particular word, or phrase used by a reader to
● Base Word- a word that can sand alone without a create meaning
prefix and/or suffix
● Domain Specific Words- words that might be
● Character- to find out or come to a decision found in a text of a particular subject area
● Determine- a narrative account, either real or ● General Academic Words- words that might be
fictitious, told in prose found in any text, regardless of subject area
● Figurative Language- the use of words in an ● Phrases- a sequence of words intended to have
unusual or imaginative manner meaning
● Hyperbole- an exaggeration or overstatement (e.g., I ● Prefix- a word part added to the beginning of a
had to wait forever) root or base word
● Idiom- an expression that is peculiar to itself ● Root Word- a word part to which a prefix and/or
grammatically and cannot be understood a suffix may be added to create a word
● Metaphor- comparison between two unlike things ● Suffix- a word part added to the end of a root or
without the use of like or as base word
● Multiple Meaning Words- a word that has multiple

meanings depending on how it is used in a sentence
● Mythology- a traditional, ancient story, usually with

heroes and gods
● Personification- an object or abstract idea given

human qualities or human form (e.g., Flowers danced
about the lawn)
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● Phrase- a group of two or more words that express a
single idea but do not form a complete sentence
● Prefix- a word part added to the beginning of a root

or base word
● Range- a set of different things of the same general

type
● Root Word- a word part to which a prefix and/or

suffix may be added to create a word
● Significant-very important
● Strategy- a careful plan or method
● Suffiix- a word part added to the end of a root or

base word
Guiding Questions
Primary Standard:
1. What is a prefix?
2. What is a root word?
3. What is a base word?
4. What is a suffix?
5. What is phrase?
6. What is literal?
7. What is non-literal?
8. What is figurative language?
9. What is the meaning of allude?
10. What is mythology
11. What is a significant character?
General Questions:
1. What is a prefix?
2. What is a root word?
3. What is a base word?
4. What is a suffix?
5. What is a phrase?
6. What is literal?
7. What is figurative language?
Questions for Analyzing a Specific Word:

1. Look at this word from the text. Do you see a prefix?
2. What does that prefix mean?
3. Look at this word from the text. Do you see a suffix?
4. What does that suffix mean?
5. Look at this word from the text. If we take away the prefixes/suffixes do you see a root or base word?
6. What does that root or base word mean?
Teacher note: Some letters may need to be added to the root or base word to make it look complete for the
students. Example: unhappy and unhappiest
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7. Look at the meaning of the prefix, root word, and suffix. Put them together so they make sense to you.
What do you think the whole word means?
8. Is the word literal or figurative? Explain.
9. What is a domain-specific word?
10. What is a general academic word?
11. Is the word under study domain specific or a general academic word?
Questions for Defining a Specific Word/Phrase Using Context Clues:

1. What are context clues?
2. Using those context clues can you figure out what the general academic/domain- specific word means?
3. Using those context clues can you figure out what the phrase means?

Ninety-seven percent of the words that students will encounter when they read are made up of 30 prefixes, 30
roots, and 30 suffixes. Seventy percent of the words students will encounter can be defined using word parts and
30% can be defined using context clues. Students must be able to determine the meaning of words as they are
used in the text by making use of their knowledge of word parts and context clues.
This standard requires that students have an opportunity to read mythological texts and determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they are used in the text to allude (mention) significant (important/widely known)
characters in this tradition of literature.

Ninety-seven percent of the words that students will encounter when they read are made up of 30 prefixes, 30
roots, and 30 suffixes. Seventy percent of the words students will encounter can be defined using word parts and
30% can be defined using context clues.
Determining the meaning of phrases is a critical skill with implications for all later grades and disciplines.
Misconceptions
● Students should understand that both prefixes and suffixes have meanings that can change the meaning
of the root/base word
Vocabulary Activity Practice

Teacher Instructions: The progression will begin with the teacher reviewing the key terms that will be
introduced throughout the lesson progression. It is important for students to not only understand the definitions of
the key terms, but students should also be able to use the terms in context.
For this activity, students will engage in the K.I.M. vocabulary strategy. This strategy requires students to
identify the key term, information about it, and a memory cue based on their own understanding of the
vocabulary term. This strategy is similar to the vocabulary frame activity introduced to students during
Progression 1. Provide students with the terms that will be studied in this lesson progression as well as any terms
that are essential to comprehension of the text and/or in need of reinforcement.
● The teacher will give each student a copy of the K.I.M. chart.
● The teacher will provide each student with one vocabulary term.
● The teacher will explain to students that although they only have one term, they will continue to use this
chart throughout the progression.
● The teacher will model completing the K.I.M. chart for one of the vocabulary words.
4th Grade 2018-2019 94

● Explain to students that the memory clue is their choice. They may draw a sketch if they like.
● Teacher should select a Tier 2 Vocabulary word from the text that will be utilized for the focus lesson.
● As students complete their K.I.M. chart, the teacher should monitor and informally observe student
understanding.
Once students have completed their charts, allow students to gather in small groups to discuss their term.
Students should change groups after a few minutes to allow students to hear all of the terms that were added to
their chart. Bring group together to share experiences, group conversation and discuss answers. This is the time
for the teacher to clear up any misconceptions about the key terms. Students should be allowed to correct any
mistakes before moving forward in the progression. The charts will be used throughout the lesson and key terms
should be displayed for reference once the activity is completed.

ELAGSE4L5: 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
During the mini lesson, the teacher should make sure students understand the difference between similes and
metaphors. The teacher should be sure to emphasize that similes use the terms “like” and “as” to make the
comparisons whereas metaphors do not.
The teacher should provide examples of common similes and metaphors and while also finding examples within
a mentor text. Remind students they will be looking for similes and metaphors throughout the progression in the
text.
Simile examples:
● As cute as a kitten
● As happy as a clam
● As light as a feather
● As blind as a bat
● As bold as brass
Metaphor examples:
● That child is a bear when he is sleepy.

● The dancer was a graceful eagle taking flight.
● This pie is heaven!
The teacher should go over the examples to model the difference between the simile and metaphor.
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Literary Texts
● Adventures in Bear Valley (Reading A to Z) -Lexile-860L
● Don’t Wake the Mummy (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L
900L
The teacher should review the performance based objective before beginning the lesson.
● SWBAT identify and define word parts IOT determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.
Focus Lesson: The teacher will model how to look at word parts to identify the meaning of unfamiliar words.
While modeling this strategy, the teacher will model how to separate words by their
parts and determine their meaning as they are used in sentences. The teacher should
model the differences between prefixes and suffixes and how they can change the
meaning of a root word
The teacher will begin by previewing the text to identify any words that may be
unfamiliar to students. It is important for the teacher to read the text before the
lesson and make a list of the unfamiliar word and phrases. The teacher should also look for figurative
language (similes and metaphors) that may be unfamiliar to students.
The teacher will read and annotate the text Tall Tale Stormalong from Journeys. While reading and annotating
the text, the teacher will identify key words that can be broken into word parts. The teacher will define what the
word means based on the word parts added to the root/base word. The teacher should show the words broken
apart in the graphic organizer and also define the word. The teacher should use the think aloud strategy while
modeling how to define the word.
As the teacher is modeling reading and annotating the text, the teacher should also look for examples of similes
and metaphors in the text. The teacher should be sure to highlight and/or underline the examples and explain
how they contribute to the meaning of the text.
Once the teacher completes the graphic organizer, the teacher should review familiar prefixes and suffixes and
how they change the meaning of root/base words.
Students should continue to practice their writing based on a narrative writing prompt. This
will mirror the writing prompts on the Georgia Milestone Writing Assessment. Students
will now practice writing the 4-point writing prompt. As students are writing, the teacher
should meet with students in small groups to provide feedback.

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● Check for understanding of how to identify a prefix.
● Check for understanding of how to identify a root word.
● Check for understanding of how to identify a base word.
● Check for understanding of how to identify a suffix.
● Check for understanding of how to identify a phrase.
Guided Practice: During the guided practice, students will model how to identify and define the word parts
to find the meaning of unfamiliar words. Students will read and annotate the text
Adventures in Bear Valley in order to practice this skill. While students are modeling the
skill, the class should also have access to the text and practice the skill as well.
Before reading and annotating the text, students will preview the text to determine words
that are unfamiliar to students. Students will also look for figurative language that may be
present in the text. The teacher may need to guide students through the preview portion of the text. Once
students are ready, they should model reading and annotating the text. While reading the text, students should
break words about by their prefix and/or suffix. Students should also look for figurative language (similes and
metaphors) to determine their meaning in the text. While reading and annotating the text, students should look for
examples of similes and metaphors. Be sure students can explain the difference between the two.
In the graphic organizer, students will define what the word means based on the word parts added to the root/base
word. Students will also explain the meaning of the figurative language found in text and they key detail in the
words or phrase that helps the reader understand what the figurative language means.
Once students finish the graphic organizer, students should review the lesson. The teacher should also answer any
clarifying questions before moving on in the progression.
should meet with students in small groups to provide feedback

Collaborative Practice: Students will now work in partner pairs or small groups. Students will identify
4th Grade 2018-2019 97
word parts in unfamiliar words in order to define its meaning. They will also look for unfamiliar figurative
language to determine the meaning as it is used in the text. Students will read and annotate
the text Odysseus and the Bag of Wind.
Students will create a Matchbook Foldable to show how words are broken apart. Under
the first flap, students will write the word or figurative language phrase and under the
other flap, students will write the meaning as it is used in the text. The student should be
sure to also state where the words and phrases can be found.
Once students have finished creating their foldable, allow students to conduct a gallery walk and provide
feedback to other students. Bring students back together to clear up any misconceptions before moving forward
in the progression.
should meet with students in small groups to provide feedback.

Independent Practice: Students will now independently practice defining unfamiliar words by identifying
the word parts. Students will read and annotate the text Don’t Wake the Mummy. Before
reading and annotating the text, students will preview the text to determine words that are
unfamiliar. Students will also look for figurative language that may be present in the text.
Students will now read and annotate the text. While reading the text, students should
break words about by their prefix and/or suffix. Students should also look for figurative
language (similes and metaphors) to determine their meaning in the text. Students will write the word parts and
meanings in the graphic organizer. After students finish, students should check their work for accuracy.
4th Grade 2018-2019 98

Performance Based Objective Questions: Throughout the lesson progression, the teacher and students
should ask questions related to the performance based objective. Below are the performance based questions that
should be asked at each level of the progression.
● What is a prefix?
● What is a root word?
● What is a base word?
● What is a suffix?
● What is a phrase?
● The Moon’s Phases (Readworks) -Lexile-930L

● What Causes the Seasons (Readworks) -Lexile- 870L
● The Bill of Rights (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L
900L
Focus Lesson: The teacher model will now use context clues in the sentence to determine the meaning of
unfamiliar words. While reading and annotating the text, the teacher will model the
questioning strategy to clarify the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases. The teacher
go back to the text Tall Tale Stormalong from Journeys. Although the story was read in
the previous part of the progression, now the teacher will model how to use context clues
to find the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.
When asking questions, some possible text based questions are:
● What is a fathom? What context clues help you figure out what a
fathom is?
● What do you think the expression blow me down means? Why?
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● Why does the author use words and phrases such as aye and a month o’ Sundays in
the dialogue between the sailors and Stormy? What does it mean?
The teacher should model completing the graphic organizer. In the graphic organizer, the teacher will document
the unfamiliar word or phrase, its meaning and what context clue helped to define the meaning. The teacher
should be sure to review the steps after the graphic organize is completed so students understand what they are
being asked to do.

● Check for understanding of the definition of context clue.
● Check for understanding of the various types of context clues.
Guided Practice: Students will model how to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases using
context clues. Students will use the generating questions strategy to read and annotate the
text. Students to read and annotate the text The Moon’s Phases from Readworks. While
modeling, students should identify unfamiliar words and phrases. Students should
annotate the text for key details that provide meaning to the unfamiliar words. These
words can be located in the same sentence or surrounding sentences. The teacher should
make sure students understand although the text is informational, they should still
use the same strategies.
Students should complete the graphic organizer where students will identify the unfamiliar word or phrase, its
meaning and the context clues that help to define the word or phrase. As students complete the modeling activity,
they should review the steps completed. The teacher should clarify any misconceptions students may have about
using context clues to define unfamiliar words or phrases.
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● Check for understanding of the various types of context clues.
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Collaborative Practice: Student will now work in partner pairs to determine the meaning of unfamiliar
words or phrases using context clues. Students will read and annotate the text What
Causes the Seasons from Readworks. In the partner pairs, students should use the
questioning strategy to determine the context clues that help to define the unfamiliar
words and phrases. Students should annotate the text for key details that provide meaning
to the unfamiliar words. These words can be located in the same sentence or surrounding
sentences.
Students should complete the graphic organizer where students will identify the unfamiliar word or phrase, its
meaning and the context clues that help to define the word or phrase. Once students have finished the activity,
allow them to form a new small group where they discuss their work. The teacher should make sure students
discuss how the context clues helped them find the meaning of the unfamiliar word.
The teacher should bring the students back together to clear up any misconceptions students may still have about
the performance based objective before moving forward in the performance based objective.

Independent Practice: Students will now work independently to determine the meaning of unfamiliar
words and phrases using context clues. Student will read and annotate the text The Bill
of Rights. Students should read and annotate the text for unfamiliar words. Once
identified, students should determine which context clues help to define the unfamiliar
words and phrases. Students should complete the graphic organizer where students will
identify the unfamiliar word or phrase, its meaning and the context clues that help to
define the word or phrase.
Once students have finished the activity, the teacher should make sure students review their work for accuracy.
● Which words or phrases in a sentence don’t I understand?

● How can I figure out the word’s meaning?
● Can I use the context or the words around it to help me figure out the meaning?
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Literary Texts
● The Golden Touch (Reading A to Z) -Lexile- N/A
● The Labors of Hercules (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: N/A
● Hercules Quest (Journeys)- Unit 4, pg. 529 (sudent), pg. T167 (Teacher)-
Lexile: 900L
● SWBAT identify and define word parts and context clues IOT determine the meaning of unfamiliar
words and phrases, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology.
Focus Lesson: The teacher will model how to look at word parts to identify the meaning of unfamiliar words.
However, the teacher will now look at how these unfamiliar words allude to significant
characters found in mythology. While modeling this strategy, the teacher will model
how to separate words by their parts and determine their meaning as they are used in
sentences. They should also use the strategies identifying how context clues help to
determine the meanings of these unfamiliar words. The teacher should model the
differences between prefixes and suffixes and how they can change the meaning of a
root word
The teacher will begin by previewing the text to identify any words that may be unfamiliar to students. It is
important for the teacher to read the text before the lesson and make a list of the unfamiliar word and
phrases. The teacher should also look for figurative language (similes and metaphors) that may be
unfamiliar to students.
The teacher will read and annotate the text Hercules’ Quest from Journeys. While reading and annotating the
text, the teacher will identify key words that can be broken into word parts. The teacher will define what the word
means based on the word parts added to the root/base word. The teacher should show the words broken apart in
the graphic organizer and also define the word. The teacher should use the think aloud strategy while modeling
how to define the word.
While reading and annotating the text, some possible questions the teacher can ask are:
● What does mission mean? What synonym is a context clue?

● When it says, “You’ve opened a Pandora’s box,” the text is
making an allusion to the myth of Pandora who was forbidden to open a box, but did
so, letting loose all the world’s troubles. What does the allusion mean?
● What allusions to this mythological character have you seen or
heard?
● What everyday word is an allusion to Atlas?
As the teacher is modeling reading and annotating the text, the teacher should also look for examples of similes
and metaphors in the text. The teacher should be sure to highlight and/or underline the examples and explain
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Once the teacher completes the graphic organizer, the teacher should review familiar prefixes and suffixes and
how they change the meaning of root/base words.
**Language standard reminder: The language standard practice will continue for this part of the progression.
The teacher should model how to identify the similes and metaphors in the text. The teacher should also explain

● Check for understanding of the definition of literal.
● Check for understanding of the definition of non-literal.
● Check for understanding of the meaning of figurative language.
● Check for understanding of the definition of allude.
● Check for understanding of mythology?
● Check for understanding of a significant character.
● Check for understanding of how to complete the graphic organizers.
Guided Practice: During the guided practice, students will model how to identify and define the word parts
to find the meaning of unfamiliar words and explain how the unfamiliar words allude to
significant characters found in mythology. Students will again look at the text Odysseus
and the Bag of Winds in order to practice this skill. While students are modeling the skill,
the class should also have access to the text and practice the skill as well. While students
are modeling, the rest of the class should be following along and practicing the skill.
Students should review their key details from the beginning part of the progression. The teacher may need to
guide students through the preview portion of the text. Next, students will need to annotate the text for
context clues and unfamiliar words that allude to significant characters within the text. While reading the text,
students should break words about by their prefix and/or suffix. While reading and annotating the text, students
should look for examples of similes and metaphors. Be sure students can explain the difference between the two.
In the graphic organizer, students will define what the word means based on the word parts added to the root/base
word. Students will also explain how the unfamiliar words allude to the significant character.
Once students finish the graphic organizer, students should review the lesson. The teacher should also answer any
clarifying questions before moving on in the progression.
**Language standard reminder: The language standard practice will continue for this part of the progression.
Students should model how to identify the similes and metaphors in the text and explain how they contribute to
the meaning of the text.

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Collaborative Practice: Students will now work in partner pairs or small groups. Students will identify
word parts in unfamiliar words in order to define its meaning and explain how the
unfamiliar words allude to significant characters in mythology. Students will read and
annotate the text The Golden Touch.
Students will create a Bound Book Foldable to identify the unfamiliar words and explain
their significance to the character in mythology. On one side of the page, students will
identify the unfamiliar words that allude the character. On the other side of the page, the
students will explain how those words relate to the character from mythology with examples from the text.
Students should work together to identify he words, however they can make their own bound book.
Once students have finished creating their foldable, allow students to conduct a gallery walk and provide
feedback to other students. Bring students back together to clear up any misconceptions before moving forward
in the progression.

Independent Practice: Students will now independently practice defining unfamiliar words by identifying
the word parts and explaining how the unfamiliar words allude to significant characters in
mythology. Students will read and annotate the text The Labors of Hercules. Before
reading and annotating the text, students will preview the text to determine words that are
unfamiliar
Students will now read and annotate the text. While reading the text, students should
break words about by their prefix and/or suffix. As they are reading and annotating the text, students should look
for unfamiliar words that allude the character of Hercules. Students will write the word parts and meanings in the
graphic organizer and explain how the unfamiliar words allude to the character of Hercules. After students finish,
students should check their work for accuracy.
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● What is a phrase?
● What is literal?
● What is non-literal?
● What is figurative language?
● What is allude?
● What is mythology?
● What is a significant character?
Literacy Centers
Throughout the unit, the teacher should employ the use of carefully planned literacy stations to address the
reading foundational skills for learners that emphasize the five essential elements of literacy instruction
(phonemic awareness and phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension for all students). Students are placed
in the work station for independent use. Stations should remain set up all year long. Materials, however, should
be changed to reflect children’s reading levels, strategies being taught, and topics being studied. Stations should
be used for students’ meaningful independent work and are an integral part of each child’s instruction. All
students should go to work stations daily. Materials should be differentiated for students with different needs and
reading level. The teacher should meet with small flexible groups for guided reading or skills instruction during
literacy workstations.

Word Study
instruction strategies with multiple opportunities to answer questions based on
small groups daily. Students explore how words are used the text. The questions During learning centers,
in these groups should use (both connotation and should allow students to the teacher should
appropriate leveled texts on denotation) as well as practice the multiple reading provide short practice
their instructional reading develop skills for skills and strategies learned activities for students to
level. recognizing and using during the class period. In engage with writing
unfamiliar words in text. addition, reading practice. Use these
When choosing instructional independently allows activities to help with
level tests, the text should be students to practice and narrative writing
based on oral reading Please see the activities increase fluency skills
above for students. resources section for Students should be provided Elaborating Ideas
Teachers should choose word station activities. reading level and their Strategy: Show Not Tell
books during the guided interests. The activities that
reading from various accompany the text should Provide students with a
sources such as: require students to have a list of telling statements.
better understanding of the (i.e. My school is fun.
● Classroom guided text. Planet Earth is amazing.
reading libraries Exercising is important.)
● Scholastic guided Please see the activities
reading classroom and located in the online/print
4th Grade 2018-2019 105

book room libraries resources section for Ask students to
● Journeys leveled texts additional support with brainstorm and write
in each unit comprehension station down as many detail as
activities they can about these
general ideas.
Have students to rewrite

one general statement
(telling) into one that is
much more focused,
interesting, and detailed
(showing).
● Chunk the text
answering
Pace
Complexity
Depth
Developing specialized vocabulary of a field beyond simple academic
terms
Integrate
disciplines
Curriculum Compacting (a procedure used to streamline the regular
curriculum for students who are capable of mastering it at a faster pace)
Instructional Approaches (such as Socratic Seminar; see Core Six and
Strategic Teacher)
Use analogies to introduce new concepts; Ask students to come up with their
own
Emotional Intensity
Moral Maturity
Create interdisciplinary product demands to evaluate learning for gifted
students and to efficiently address multiple standards at once
4th Grade 2018-2019 106

Opportunities for creative production (competitions, mentorships, production
in public venues, etc.)

Standards and grade-level content area GSE/GPS. English Learners (ELs)
must develop proficiency in the language domains of listening, speaking,
reading and writing while simultaneously acquiring academic content
knowledge and skills.
Learning tasks should be aligned to content standards, but instructional
supports should vary according to the student’s language proficiency level.
The WIDA Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition can be used as a starting
point to indicate the linguistic performance abilities of ELs at each proficiency
level in the areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, for the purposes
of recounting, explaining, arguing and discussing. For example, a 3 rd grade
student with an English proficiency level of 2-Emerging can be expected to
process arguments by distinguishing opinions from facts from peer’s oral
presentations and/or categorizing content-based pictures or objects from oral
descriptions (e.g., “animals that form groups to help members survive”).
for ELs can be found in the “Strategies” category of the APS ESOL Support

resources, and research-based strategies can be found on the APS ESOL
Support Site at tinyurl.com/apsesol.
· Explicit support during pre-writing and drafting to support inclusion
of adequate detail and development of ideas
maps, etc.)
4th Grade 2018-2019 107

maps, etc.)
· Explicit teaching of general terms (north/south, male/female, skin,
water, etc.)
Assessment
Daily and weekly assessments of ELs’ progress should be differentiated to
their specific proficiency level, in the same manner that learning tasks are
differentiated. The use of instructional accommodations and modifications
does not indicate that a student cannot receive the highest grade in the content
area. In general, all teachers of ELs should:
mastery.
capabilities.
performance and progress can be found in the “Assessment” category of the
APS ESOL Support Site at tinyurl.com/apsesol.
Commented [5]: Additional resources could be added

here to use throughout the lesson.
Context Clues
Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root words
Determining word meanings
Myths
4th Grade 2018-2019 108

Unit of Study-4th Grade ELA

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Unit of Study-4th Grade ELA

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APS Literacy

4th Grade 2018-2019 1

Progression Quick Sheet …………………………………… 3

Standards Addressed ……………………………………….. 4

Lesson One Progression……………………………………… 10

Lesson Two Progression……………………………………… 27

Lesson Three Progression…………………………………….. 45

Lesson Four Progression……………………………………… 67

Lesson Five Progression………………………………………. 79

Lesson Six Progression………………………………………... 91

4th Grade 2018-2019 2

Progression # Focus/ Supporting Standard Suggested Number

4th Grade 2018-2019 3

Georgia Standards of Excellence

Unit Focus Standard

Reading Literary (RL)

ELAGSE4RL3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or

ELAGSE4RI3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific,

ELAGSE4RI4: Determine the meaning of general academic language and domain-

a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or

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

4th Grade 2018-2019 4

ELAGSE4W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,

ELAGSE4L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning

Speaking and Listening (SL)

ELAGSE4SL4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an

4th Grade 2018-2019 5

ELAGSE4L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English

ELAGSE4L6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and

4th Grade 2018-2019 6

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Informational Text (Journeys)

● My Librarian is a Camel (Journeys)- Unit 1, pg. 79 (student), pg. T169

Literary Text (Reading A to Z)

● Don’t Wake the Mummy (Reading A to Z) -Lexile 800L

● Tanya’s Money Problem (Reading A to Z)- Lexile: 800L

Informational Text (Reading A-Z)

● Eclipses (Reading A to Z)- Lexile 830L

● Jupiter’s Secrets Revealed (Reading A to Z)-Lexile-800L

● The Shortcut (Readworks)- Lexile: 450L

Informational Texts (Readworks.org)

4th Grade 2018-2019 8

CommonLit and Other Resourcesresources

● Casey at the Bat- Lexile: 810L

Suggested Alternate Literary Texts

● Judy Moody Declares Independence - Lex 530, 144 pgs - (APS E-

Suggested Alternate Informational Texts

● A Beautiful but deadly predator stalks the Gulf of Mexico

4th Grade 2018-2019 9

Focus Standards – ELA Content [7 Days]

Supporting Performance-Based Objectives:

Key Terms and Definitions

● Example- a thing characteristic of its kind or ● Details- important words or phrases

● Explain- to make something clear by describing ● Explicit- clearly stated

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● Inference-a logical assumption based on ● Reference- mention

● Key Details- important words or phrases

● Refer- to direct to a source for information or

1. What questions do you have about the text?

Interpretations and Reminders

Formatted: Font color: Red

4th Grade 2018-2019 11

Vocabulary Practice Activity

4th Grade 2018-2019 12

Language Mini Lesson [1 day]

Suggested Learning Experiences (Gradual Release) and Materials/Texts

Literary and Informational Texts