Gathering Evidence and Speaking to Others
Grade Level: 4th
Subject: ELA
Time Frame: Quarter 4- 8 weeks
Essential Questions
Speaking and Listening
- How do we have collaborative conversations?
- Why do we paraphrase someone else's thinking before sharing our opinions?
- What are some important practices when presenting ideas?
Reading
- how do we determine a theme?
- how does the point of view affect a story?
- how do we differentiate various genres?
- what is important to include in a summary?
- what are strategies to determine the meaning of unknown words?
- why is it important to know if a text is a firsthand or secondhand account?
- how can analyzing word structures help readers understand word meaning?
- how do prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of a word?
- why do root words change their spelling when suffixes are added?
- how might a text feature help you in understanding an unknown word?
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Writing
- which tools are available to assist the writer in planning, drafting, and revising personal writing?
- how does audience and purpose affect an author's word choice?
- how are writers persuasive without being biased?
- how are literary genres different in form and substance?
- how does a graphic organizer assist a writer?
- how does word choice create a visual image for the reader?
- how might a writer organize their writing using multiple tools?
Language Usage
- how do writers best revise and edit their writing?
- how is punctuation connected to meaning?
- how does varied sentence structure affect a piece of writing?
- how do writers use technology to support the writing process?
By the end of the unit, students will know/be able to:
Speaking and Listening
• I can identify the reason a speaker provides to support a particular point.
• I can identify evidence a speaker provides to support particular points
• I can report on a topic or text using organized facts and details.
• I can speak clearly and at an understandable pace
• I can add audio or visual support to a presentation in order to enhance main ideas or themes.
• I use formal English when appropriate.
Reading
• I can explain what a text says using specific details from the text.
• I can make inferences using specific details from text
• I can determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem.
• I can summarize a story, drama, or poem
• I can describe a story’s character, setting, or events using specific details from the text.
• I can determine word meaning in a text
• I can compare and contrast different narrators’ points of view
• I can make connection between a text and the text’s visuals.
• I can determine the main idea using specific details from the text.
• I can summarize informational or argumentative text.
• I can determine the meaning of academic words or phrases in an informational text.
• I can determine the meaning of content words or phrases in an informational text.
• I can describe the organizational structure in informational or persuasive text (chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution).
• I can compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic.
• I can explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
• I can accurately synthesize information from two texts on the same topic.
Writing
• I can write an opinion piece that supports a point of view with reasons and information.
- I can introduce the topic of my opinion piece.
- I can create an organizational structure in which I group together related ideas.
- I can identify reasons that support my opinion.
- I can use linking words to connect my opinion and reasons.
- I can construct a concluding statement or section for my opinion piece.
• I can write informative/explanatory texts that convey ideas and information clearly.
- I can introduce a topic clearly.
- I can group supporting facts together about a topic in an informative/explanatory text
- I can use text, formatting, illustrations, and multi-media to support my topic.
- I can develop the topic with facts, definitions, details, and quotations.
- I can use linking words and phrases to connect ideas within categories of information. (e.g., another, for example, also, because)
- I can use precise, content-specific language/vocabulary to inform or explain about a topic.
- I can construct a concluding statement or section of an informative/explanatory text.
• I can choose evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.
- (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].”).
- (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text”).
Language Usage
• I can use a variety of strategies to determine the meaning of words and phrases.
- I can use context to help me determine what a word or phrase means.
- I can use common affixes and roots as clues to help me determine what a word means. (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph)
- I can use resource materials (glossaries, dictionaries, thesauruses) to help me determine the pronunciation and meaning of key words and phrases.
• I can analyze figurative language, word relationships, and slight differences in word meanings.
- I can explain the meaning of simple similes in context.
- I can explain the meaning of simple metaphors in context.
- I can explain the meaning of common idioms.
- I can explain the meaning of common adages.
- I can explain the meaning of common proverbs.
- I can name synonyms and antonyms for vocabulary words.
• I can use grammar conventions to send a clear message to a reader or listener.
- I can use ‘can’, ‘may’, and ‘must’ correctly.
- I can write complete sentences.
- I can express ideas using carefully chosen words.
- I can choose punctuation for effect in my writing.
- I use formal English when appropriate.
Assessments
• Answering Questions and Summarizing a Text about a chosen informational topic
• Compare Firsthand and Secondhand Accounts of a chosen informational topic
• Reading and Answering Questions about a chosen informational topic
• Part I: Reading and Answering Questions about Characters and Theme; Part II: Writing an Essay about the Theme of a chosen informational topic
• Presenting a Public Service Announcement about a chosen informational topic
Topics
• Reading first hand and second hand a chosen informational topic
• Understanding Unfamiliar Words and Figurative Language
• Identifying Main Ideas and Summarizing
• Analyzing Characters and their Actions
• Learning to Write a Literary Analysis Essay
• Exploring the Theme of a chosen informational topic
• Building Background Knowledge About a chosen informational topic
• Reading Opinions about a chosen informational topic
• Listening to and Analyzing Speeches
• Preparing a Script Writing an Opinion on a chosen informational topic
• Public Speaking: Presenting an Opinion on a chosen informational topic
Common Core Standards:
RL.4.1, RL.4.2, RL.4.3, RL.4.4, RL.4.6, RL.4.7
RI.4.2, RI.4.4, RI.4.5, RI.4.6, RI.4.8, RI.4.9
W.4.1, W.4.2, W.4.9
SL.4.3, SL.4.4, SL.4.5, SL.4.6
L.4.4, L.4.5, L.4.1c, L.4.3