ELA Curriculum Map for Fourth Grade 2012-2013
Course: Fourth Grade First Nine Weeks(20 days)ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework Chart for Grade 4
The units presented during a nine week grading period are meant to be completed in the suggested chunks of time listed within each unit. This means that you may have a unit that continues into another nine week period. The Common Core Standards are year end benchmark standards and will be taught throughout the school year; therefore, these literacy units of study may not always end when your grading period does.
Fourth Grade / Overview: Students examine emotions, beginning with a traditional favorite, Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, and continuing with Sharon Creech’s Love That Dog, Grace Nichols’s poem, “They Were My People,” and the traditional “Monday’s Child Is Fair of Face.” Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh) is the suggested read aloud for this unit because, just as Harriet writes everything down in her journal, students keep a journal of what they learn throughout the year. Nonfiction text about body systems is supplemented with nonfiction biographies of doctors. Students summarize fiction and nonfiction texts, write informative/explanatory pieces, and engage in collaborative discussions—all skills that will be used throughout the fourth-grade year. Finally, this unit ends with a class discussion and paragraph response to the essential question.
Unit 1: Tales of the Heart / ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do stories reveal what we have in common? / Estimated Time: 4 weeks
CCSS College and Career Anchor Standards
Reading
§ Craft and Structure
Writing
§ Text Types and Purposes
Speaking and Listening
§ Comprehension and Collaboration
Language
§ Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Unit Vocabulary
Bio-poem, characters, dramatization , fluency, graphic organizer, metaphor, poetic devices: rhyme scheme, meter, alliteration, poetic terms: stanza, line, verse, problem and solution, semantic map, simile
CCSS Standards / Formative Assessments / Explanations and Examples/Activities / Resources
§ RL.4.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
§ RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
§ RF.4.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
o RF.4.3(a): Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.
§ W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
o W.4.2(a): Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension.
o W.4.2(b): Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
§ SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, group, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
o SL.4.1(a): Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
o SL.4.1(b): Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
§ L.4.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
o L.4.4(a): Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Suggested Objectives
· Find similarities and differences in story characters, and how they change over the course of a story.
· Write a variety of responses to stories and poems using coherent paragraphs.
· Research a famous doctor or scientist and write a bio-poem (i.e., a biography in poem form) about him/her.
· Recite poetry for classmates.
· Become more fluent in the use of terminology related to poetry.
· Begin to make connections between poetic/literary devices and the theme of a story, drama, or poem. / Web or Map Concept
Exit Ticket
Visual Displays of Information
Read-Write-Pair-Share
Response Cards
Editing rubric
Summary Writing
Public Performances
Mix and Match (Logic Lineups) Kagan
Oral Questioning
Turn to a Partner – Rally Robin
One-Minute essay
Observation
Differentiated assessments based on students’ developmental spelling stage. / Balanced Literacy: Use all components of the balanced literacy framework daily.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Morning Meeting: Connect yesterday’s learning to today’s learning through the use of a morning message. Encourage students to think and talk with one another about your unit of study. Afterwards, encourage further exploration through the completion of a writing prompt.
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
As a class, we will keep a chart with the categories listed below of the stories and poems we read. As the chart is filled in, we will use the information to talk about what we learned from literature.
· Title and author
· Type of literature (story or poem)
· Main character(s)
· Problem
· Solution
· Summary (using the “Somebody-Wanted-But-So” strategy)
Write your own response on a sticky note, on a whiteboard, or in your journal and share it with a partner before each section of the class chart is filled in. (RF.4.3a, RL.4.1, RL.4.2, RL.4.5, L.4.4a)
Reading Informational Text, Research, Vocabulary
As a class, keep a chart of information about the respiratory, circulatory, and endocrine systems. As the chart is filled in, use open-ended research questions to select the most useful and relevant information to include in a discussion about related information in nonfiction books. The body system
· What does it do?
· What are its parts?
· What are some interesting facts?
· What are the words we should know? (e.g., cardiology, pulmonology.)
Write your own response on a sticky note, on a whiteboard, or in your journal and share it with a partner before each section of the class chart is filled in. (RF.4.3a, RI.4.1, RL.4.2, RL.4.4, RI.4.9, L.4.4a)
Informative Writing, Language Usage
As a follow-up to completing the endocrine chart on the respiratory, circulatory and endocrine systems, found in the Reading Informational Text, Research and Vocabulary activity in this section, choose a system about which to write a well-developed essay that includes at least two supporting details and a summary of how these systems are interrelated. Before turning in your essay, edit your work for correct capitalization, use of relative pronouns and adverbs, and homophones (see Standards for more details). (W.4.9a, W.4.9b, W.4.4, L.4.1a, L.4.1g, L.4.2a)
Vocabulary, Language Usage
Words that share roots are related in their meanings. As an individual and as a class, keep an index card file of new words learned in this unit (i.e., cardiovascular, cardiac, cardiology, pulmonology, pulmonologist). Keeping the words on index cards will allow you to use and sort the words by meaning and spelling features. (Note: This will be an ongoing activity all year long.) You may also be asked to work in groups to create semantic maps of the body systems in order to explore your understanding of the interconnectedness of the body systems. (L.4.4a, RI.4.6)
Language Mechanics
As a class, create a Mechanics/Grammar bulletin board where, throughout the year, you will add to a checklist of editing topics as they are taught through targeted mini-lessons (e.g., proper use of punctuation and capitalization). Once skills are taught in a mini-lesson and listed on the bulletin board, you are expected to edit your work for the elements before publication. (L.4.1, L.4.2, L.4.3)
Vocabulary, Language Usage
As a class, create a Vocabulary Word Wall bulletin board where, throughout the year, you will add and sort words as you learn them in each unit of study. (L.4.4)
Reading Poetry, Writing Poetry
Not only do poets use a variety of verses, rhyme schemes, and meters, but they use specific techniques to make their poems unique. Find examples of rhyme schemes, alliteration, similes, and metaphors in Love That Dog (Sharon Creech) and other poems read in this unit. As a class, create a T-chart that includes the name of the technique and examples of each. Mark your poems with sticky notes so you can easily reference the examples you found when it’s time for class discussion. Finally, try to write your own poem that imitates a poet of choice. (RL.4.5, L.4.5a, W.4.4)
Reading Informational Text, Research, Writing Poetry, Multimedia Presentation
Read a biography and other informational text about famous doctors and scientists. Generate several open-ended research questions to guide your research. Write a bio-poem about the person that includes important facts you think your classmates should know. Include audio or visual displays in your presentation, as appropriate. Share your poem with your class. Before turning in your poem, edit your work for correct capitalization, use of relative pronouns and adverbs, and homophones (see Standards for more details). Your teacher may ask you to type your poem and insert a picture of the person from the web for publication on the class web page. (RI.4.1, RL.4.6, RI.4.8, RI.4.9, W.4.2d, W.4.7, SL.4.4, SL.4.5, L.4.1a, L.4.1g, L.4.2a)
Narrative Writing, Speaking and Listening
How do Peter’s experiences in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Judy Blume) remind you of your family? Talk with a partner and share your ideas. Then, write a short story about a family member, and share it with the same partner. Ask your partner to tell you what they like and what could be improved (i.e., if a specific section needs more details to be clear). Your teacher may ask you to type your story and possibly draw and scan an illustration for publication on the class web page. (W.4.3a, W.4.3b, W.4.4, W.4.5)
Language Mechanics
Your teacher will teach mini-lessons on the individual language standards. For example, as a class you will make a list of times when capitalization is used (i.e., first word of a sentence, proper nouns, important words in a title of a book or article, and abbreviations). Then, you will choose a piece of your own writing and underline words that should be capitalized in your own rough draft (using appropriate editing marks). Check your work with a partner. (L.4.2a)
Reading Literature
Jack changes from the beginning to the end of Love That Dog (Sharon Creech). Create a two-column chart in your journal with two headings: “Beginning of School Year” and “End of School Year.” Under each heading, list examples of the things Jack does, thinks, and says in the beginning of the year compared to the end of the year. What do you think Jack can teach you about yourself? (RL.4.1, RL.4.3)
Informative Writing
Following a class discussion of each body system and the similarities and differences between them, be ready to write in your journal about each system and how they work together, citing evidence from what you have read. (SL.4.1.a, SL.4.1b, W.4.2a, W.4.2b, W.4.4, W.4.7, L.4.1a, L.4.1g, L.4.2a)
Language Usage
Your teacher will teach mini-lessons on the individual language standards. For example, he/she will explain relative pronouns to the class, and then you will practice some cloze activities as a class: (i.e., The story was about a girl _____ [who, what, which] wanted a dog of her own.) Select a piece of your own writing, circle the relative pronouns, and ensure the correct ones were used. (L.4.1a)
Reading Poetry, Reading Fluency, Performance
Choose one of the poems from this unit, such as “They Were My People” (Grace Nichols), to read and discuss with a partner. Perform the poem as a duet with a classmate. Record the readings using a video camera for future reference and to see how your fluency improves during the course of the year. (RF.4.3a)
Speaking and Listening, Informative Writing
As a class, summarize what was learned in this unit as it relates to the essential question: How do stories reveal what we have in common? Following the class discussion, write your response in your journal. Edit your work for correct capitalization, use of relative pronouns and adverbs, and homophones (see Standards for more details) before sharing it with your teacher. Your teacher may ask you to type your essay and respond to a poll about the unit on the classroom blog. (W.4.9a, W.4.9b, W.4.4, L.4.1a, L.4.1g, L.4.2a)
Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening
Compare and contrast what is the same and what is different about characters, problems, and solutions in literature. Does any of this remind you of experiences you’ve had? Turn and talk about your ideas with a partner. Then, look back for specific lines or paragraphs from the stories and poems read that describe what you mean. (SL.4.1a, SL.4.1b, RL.4.2)
Art, Speaking and Listening
View each of the images and try to identify the emotion that the artist wanted to impart to the viewer. Compare the Dying Gaul with the Lamentation. What did the artists want you to feel? Next, look at The Swing. How is this different? What elements of the artists’ painting styles, color palettes, or details did they include that help to convey these emotions? Is it the subject matter that mostly conveys the emotions, or is it the artists’ way of presenting it? (SL.4.1)
Art, Speaking and Listening
Review the elements of form in art (e.g., line, color, texture, form). Identify and describe these in Picasso’s Guernica and van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet. How did these artists use formal elements to convey emotion in these works? (SL.4.1)
Spelling is taught through differentiated word study groups formed using data from the Developmental Spelling Analysis given at the beginning of the year.
This approach teaches students to look closely at words to discover vowel patterns, syllable structures, and spelling-meaning connections in English orthography.
For a more detailed look at word study in action, check out this article: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top_teaching/2010/10/my-november-top-ten-list-word-study-in-action / Treasures Series