ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES

LANGUAGE ARTS :: ELEMENTARY RESOURCES :: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS OVERVIEW

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
AN OVERVIEW
GRADE 4

Students in fourth grade apply reading strategies and skills automatically, flexibly, and strategically to comprehend fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.They read for literary experience, to gain information, and to perform a task.They use a variety of strategies and writing process elements to compose fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. They become increasingly proficient in active listening, speaking, and using media and technology.They deepen and extend their understanding and use of English language conventions in oral presentations and written products. The learner will:

• Expand vocabulary through wide reading, word study, exposure to content area words, and discussion.
• Routinely spell high frequency words and use resources to check spelling.
• Write for a variety of purposes and audiences and use writing as a tool for learning.
• Communicate effectively with different audiences through spoken, written, and visual formats.
• Use media and technological resources for research and as tools for learning.
• Use increasingly sophisticated knowledge of grammar and language conventions in oral and written products and presentations.
• Apply comprehension strategies critically, creatively, and strategically.

Strands: Oral Language, Written Language, and Other Media/Technology

WORD RECOGNITION/VOCABULARY

COMPETENCY GOAL 1

The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.

Objectives

1.01 Use word identification strategies appropriately and automatically when encountering unknown words (graphophonic, syntactic, semantic).

1.02 Infer word meanings from taught roots, prefixes, and suffixes to decode words in text to assist comprehension.

1.03 Identify key words and discover their meanings and relationships through a variety of strategies.

1.04 Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:

• wide reading.
• word study.
• knowledge of homophones, synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms.
• knowledge of multiple meanings of words.
• writing process elements.
• writing as a tool for learning.
• seminars.
• book clubs.
• discussions.
• examining the author's craft.

1.05 Use word reference materials (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus) to identify and comprehend unknown words.

1.06 Read independently daily from self-selected materials (consistent with the student's independent reading level) to:

• increase fluency.
• build background knowledge.
• expand vocabulary.

COMPREHENSION

COMPETENCY GOAL 2

The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.

Objectives

2.01 Demonstrate sense of story (e.g., beginning, middle, end, characters, details, setting).

2.02 Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:

• setting a purpose using prior knowledge and text information.
• making predictions.
• formulating questions.
• locating relevant information.
• making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.

2.03 Read a variety of texts, including:

• fiction (legends, novels, folklore, science fiction).
• drama (skits, plays).
• nonfiction (autobiographies, diaries, informational books, journals).
• poetry (concrete, haiku).

2.04 Identify and interpret elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:

• plot.
• theme.
• main idea and supporting details.
• author's choice of words.
• mood.
• author's use of figurative language.

2.05 Make inferences, draw conclusions, make generalizations, and support by referencing the text.

2.06 Summarize major points from fiction and nonfiction text(s) to clarify and retain information and ideas.

2.07 Determine usefulness of information and ideas consistent with purpose.

2.08 Verify the meaning or accuracy of the author's statement(s) by referencing the text or other resources.

2.09 Listen actively by:

• asking questions.
• interpreting speaker's verbal and non-verbal messages.
• interpreting speaker's purposes and/or intent.
• paraphrasing what was said.

CONNECTIONS

COMPETENCY GOAL 3

The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.

Objectives

3.01 Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:

• analyzing the impact of authors' word choice and context.
• examining the reasons for characters' actions.
• identifying and examining characters' motives.
• considering a situation or problem from different characters' points of view.
• analyzing differences among genres.
• making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters, events, and themes.

3.02 Analyze characters, events, and plots within and between selections and cite supporting evidence.

3.03 Consider the ways language and visuals bring characters to life, enhance plot development, and produce a response.

3.04 Make informed judgements about television and film/video productions.

3.05 Analyze and integrate information from one or more sources to expand understanding of text including graphs, charts, and/or maps.

3.06 Conduct research for assigned projects or self-selected projects (with assistance) from a variety of sources through the use of technological and informal tools (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people, libraries, databases, computer networks).

PRODUCTS

COMPETENCY GOAL 4

The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.

Objectives

4.01 Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, and expression demonstrating an awareness of volume and pace.

4.02 Use oral and written language to:

• present information and ideas in a clear, concise manner.
• discuss.
• interview.
• solve problems.
• make decisions.

4.03 Make oral and written presentations using visual aids with an awareness of purpose and audience.

4.04 Share self-selected texts from a variety of genres (e.g., poetry, letters, narratives, essays, presentations).

4.05 Use planning strategies to generate topics and organize ideas (e.g., brainstorming, mapping, webbing, reading, discussion).

4.06 Compose a draft that conveys major ideas and maintains focus on the topic with specific, relevant, supporting details by using preliminary plans.

4.07 Compose fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using self-selected and assigned topics and forms (e.g., personal and imaginative narratives, research reports, diaries, journals, logs, rules, instructions).

4.08 Focus revision on a specific element such as:

• word choice.
• sequence of events and ideas.

4.09 Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., personal and imaginative narrative, research reports, learning logs, letters of request, letters of complaint).

4.10 Use technology as a tool to gather, organize, and present information.

GRAMMAR & LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

COMPETENCY GOAL 5

The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.

Objectives

5.01 Use correct capitalization (e.g., names of languages, nationalities, musical compositions) and punctuation (e.g., commas in a series, commas in direct address, commas and quotation marks in dialogue, apostrophes in possessives).

5.02 Demonstrate understanding in speaking and writing by appropriate usage of:

• pronouns.
• subject/verb agreement.
• verb tense consistency.
• subject consistency.

5.03 Elaborate information and ideas in writing and speaking by using:

• simple and compound sentences.
• regular and irregular verbs.
• adverbs.
• prepositions.
• coordinating conjunctions.

5.04 Compose multiple paragraphs with:

• topic sentences.
• specific, relevant details.
• logical progression and movement of ideas.
• coherence.
• elaboration.
• concluding statement related to the topic.

Composition Products

These composition products represent a basic list of text types. Teachers may want to focus instruction on these text types, but are encouraged to expose students to additional types of writing.

GRADE K
Participate in writing behaviors by using authors' models of language. Write by using models.

FIRST GRADE
Stories, journal entries, letters, response logs, simple poems, oral retellings

SECOND GRADE
Personal narratives, creative stories, skits (familiar stories/experiences), structured, informative presentations and narratives

THIRD GRADE
Simple narratives, short reports, friendly letters, directions, instructions, poems, learning logs, notes

FOURTH GRADE
Personal narratives, imaginative narratives, research reports, logs, diaries, journals, rules, instructions, letters-of-request, letters-of-complaint

FIFTH GRADE
Research reports, news articles, business letters, letters-to-the-editor, poetry, essays, feature stories

 

TEXTS IN GENRE

Grade Levels	Fiction	Nonfiction	Poetry	Drama
Grade K	Picture books Caption books	Short inofrmational texts	Nursery rhymes Word plays & Finger plays	Puppet plays Reenactments of familiar stories
Grades 1-2	Storybooks Short chapter books	Newspapers Telephone books Signs/labels	Short poems Word plays (alliteration/rhyme)	Skits Short plays
Grade 3	Short stories Novels Fantasies Fairy tales & Fables	Biographies Letters & Articles Procedures/instructions Charts	Proverbs Riddles Limericks Simple poems	Skits Plays
Grade 4	Legends Novels Folklore & Science fiction	Autobiographies Informational books Diaries & Journals	Concrete poems Haiku	Skits Plays
Grade 5	Tall tales Myths	True experiences Newspapers & Magazines Schedules	Narrative Lyric Cinquain	Skits Plays

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

International Reading Association (IRA)
800.336.READ; www.reading.org

North Carolina Reading Association (NCRA)
www.ncreading.org

National Council of the Teachers of English (NCTE) (Elementary Section)
800.369.6283; www.ncte.org

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
800.424.2460; www.naeyc.org

North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children (NCAEYC)
800.982.4406; www.ncaeyc.org

North Carolina Association of Elementary Educators (NCAEE)
Under Construction

SERVE
800.755.3277; www.serve.org

English Language Arts/Social Studies/Student Services Section
PreK-Elementary Division :: NC Department of Public Instruction :: 919.807.3931

 

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