English Language Arts
Grade 4
Interim Edition
Curriculum Guide
September 2012
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Acknowledgements
The Department of Education for Newfoundland and Labrador
gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the following members of
the provincial Grade 4 English Language Arts Curriculum working
group:
•
June Abbott, Western School District, Stephenville
• Annette Bull, Glovertown Academy. Glovertown
• Andrii Dicks, Pasadena Elementary, Pasadena
• Jacqueline Drodge, Anthony Paddon Elementary
• Tammy Eveleigh, Humber Elementary, Corner Brook
• Olga Gatehouse, Henry Gordon Academy
• Beverley House, French Shore Academy
• Kimberley Keating, Holy Trinity Elementary, Torbay
• Germaine Manners, Queen of Peace Middle School, Labrador€
• Marsha O’Rielly, Gander Academy, Gander
• Rona O’Rielly, St. Anthony Elementary, St. Anthony
• Sam Paterson, Beachy Cove Elementary, Beachy Cove
•
Nancy Pelley, Upper Gullies Elementary, Upper Gullies
• Agnes Penton, Nova Central School District, Gander
•
Trudy Porter, Department of Education, St. John’s
• Cathy Rowe, Helen Tulk Elementary, Bishops Falls
• Myrna Williams, Larkhall Academy, St. John’s
Every effort has been made to acknowledge all sources that contributed to the development of this document.
Any omissions or errors will be amended in future printings.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
Introduction
Background................................................................................ 3
Purpose of the Grade 4 English Language Arts
Curriculum.......................................................................... 4
The English Language Arts Strands........................................... 4
The Speaking and Listening Strand...................................... 5
The Reading and Viewing Strand......................................... 6
The Writing and Representing Strand................................... 7
Contexts for Learning and Teaching.......................................... 8
Comprehension and Metacognition...................................... 8
Definition of Text................................................................. 8
Literacy Learning.................................................................. 9
Developing Multiple Literacies.......................................... 9
Gradual Release of Responsibility......................................... 13
Principles Underlying the English Language Arts
Curriculum.................................................................... 14
Considerations for Program Delivery......................................... 17
The Nature of the Elementary Learner................................. 17
The Role of Teachers............................................................ 18
Establishing Community in the English Language Arts
Classroom...................................................................... 19
Learning Preferences........................................................ 20
The Inclusive Classroom................................................... 21
Differentiating Instruction............................................... 24
Assessment and Evaluation......................................................... 28
Understanding Assessment and Evaluation........................... 28
Designing Effective Assessment............................................. 29
Student Self-Assessment.................................................... 31
Rubrics........................................................................... 31
Purposes of Assessment...................................................... 32
Providing Feedback to Students........................................ 34
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Curriculum
Outcomes
Curriculum Outcomes Framework.............................................. 37
Essential Graduation Learnings ........................................... 38
General Curriculum Outcomes............................................. 39
Connections to Key-Stage Curriculum Outcomes................ 40
How to Use the Four Column Curriculum Layout............... 42
Beginning Grade 4
Beginning Grade 4...................................................................... 45
Mid Grade 4
Mid Grade 4............................................................................... 125
Late Grade 4
Late Grade 4............................................................................... 187
Appendices
References
iv
Appendix A: Authorized Resources for Grade 4 English
Language Arts....................................................................... 221
References................................................................................... 223
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
1
INTRODUCTION
2
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Background
The curriculum described in Foundation for the Atlantic Canada
English Language Arts Curriculum (1998) and in this curriculum
guide, English Language Arts Curriculum: Grade 4 (2012), has been
planned and developed collaboratively by a provincial working group
tasked with elementary curriculum renewal for English Language
Arts. The English language arts curriculum has been developed with
the intent of:
•
responding to continually evolving education needs of students
and society;
•
providing greater opportunities for all students to increase literacy
levels;
•
helping students develop multiple literacies and become more
critically aware in their lives and in the wider world;
•
contributing toward students’ achievement of the essential
graduation learnings (See Foundation for the Atlantic Canada
English Language Arts Curriculum, pages 5-9).
•
fostering a unified approach to teaching and learning in English
language arts within Newfoundland and Labrador.
Pervasive, on-going changes in society – for example, rapidly
expanding use of technologies – require a corresponding shift in
learning opportunities in order for students to develop relevant
knowledge, skills, strategies, processes, and attitudes that will enable
them to function well as individuals, citizens, workers, and learners.
To function productively and participate fully in our increasingly
sophisticated, technological, information-based society, citizens will
need to flexibly use multiple literacies.
The English language arts curriculum is shaped by the vision of
enabling and encouraging students to become reflective, articulate,
critically literate individuals who use language successfully for learning
and communication in personal and public contexts.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
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INTRODUCTION
Purpose of the Grade 4
English Language Arts
Curriculum
Foundation for the Atlantic Canada English Language Arts Curriculum
provides a comprehensive framework for developing an integrated
language arts program for school entry to grade 12. This guide has
been developed to support teachers in the implementation of the
Grade 4 English language arts curriculum in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
It articulates the language arts curriculum by providing a focus for
learning, suggestions for teaching and assessment, and suggested
resources and notes. The curriculum document:
The English
Language Arts
Strands
•
reflects current research, theory, and classroom practice;
•
provides a coherent, integrated view of the learning and teaching
of English language arts;
•
places emphasis on student-centered learning;
•
provides flexibility for teachers in planning instruction to meet
the needs of their students.
The Grade 4 curriculum is designed to engage students in a range of
experiences and interactions. It creates opportunities for balance and
integration among the six strands of learning in language arts which
include speaking and listening, reading and viewing, and writing
and representing. These language processes are interrelated and can
be developed most effectively as interdependent rather than discrete
processes.
Reading and
Viewing
Thinking
Writing and
Representing
Making
Meaning
Thinking
Thinking
Speaking and
Listening
The curriculum includes choice and flexibility in classroom
organization, teaching practices, resources and assessment. Based
on the needs, interests and skills of elementary learners, there are a
number of organizational approaches that teachers and students may
select and combine in planning learning experiences to meet student
needs in many different contexts.
4
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
The Speaking and
Listening Strand
GCO 1. Students will be expected
to speak and listen to explore,
extend, clarify, and reflect on
their thoughts, ideas, feelings, and
experiences.
GCO 2. Students will be expected
to communicate information and
ideas effectively and clearly, and to
respond personally and critically.
GCO 3. Students will be expected
to interact with sensitivity and
respect, considering the situation,
audience, and purpose.
The Speaking and Listening strand encompasses General Curriculum
Outcomes 1-3.
Oral language is the cornerstone of successful experiences with
reading and writing since speaking and writing both share the
same skills (e.g., describing, explaining, elaborating, planning,
composing meaning). Students learn a great deal about language
through oral interactions which support them to make the
connection between the spoken and written word. Students will
continue to develop their knowledge of the sound-symbol system
(graphophonics), their background knowledge base (semantics and
syntax), and the complexity of their language structure. They also
bring this knowledge to the reading and writing process at varying
developmental levels as they develop their literacy skills.
The classroom should be a place where the use of spoken language
is supported and where active listening is developed and valued. The
role of the teacher in this environment is to
•
create a safe and caring classroom that encourages purposeful talk
and thinking aloud;
•
give students opportunities to gather information, and to
question and interpret, building on what they already know;
•
make informal talk and sharing of facts and opinions a regular
part of the language arts classroom;
•
respect cultural traditions;
•
assess both processes and products.
As students experience the power of language in authentic and
modelled situations, students gain insight into the importance
of developing and improving their speaking and listening skills,
becoming more aware of and sensitive to others’ opinions and beliefs
Listening is a skill that must be cultivated, nurtured and taught.
Explicit instruction on selected types of listening is important.
Type
Purpose
Aesthetic Listening
Refers to listening for enjoyment
Critical Listening
Listening for the purpose of evaluating the speaker’s message
Discriminative Listening
Used for non-verbal communication and for the deciphering of sound
Efferent Listening
Role in efferent listening is to make sense of messages
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
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INTRODUCTION
The Reading and
Viewing Strand
GCO 4. Students will be expected
to select, read, and view with
understanding a range of literature,
information, media, and visual texts.
GCO 5. Students will be expected
to interpret, select, and combine
information using a variety of
strategies, resources, and technologies.
GCO 6. Students will be expected to
respond personally to a range of texts.
GCO 7. Students will be expected
to respond critically to a range of
texts, applying their understanding of
language, form, and genre.
Four Resources Model
6
The Reading and Viewing Strand encompasses General Curriculum
Outcomes 4-7.
While speaking and listening are important in their own right as a
means for students to make sense of the world around them, they
are equally important as a route to the development of reading and
writing skills. Through sharing and talk, students not only acquire
new meanings and interpretations from their peers, but also refine
and enhance their own initial impressions of texts.
Reading and viewing extend comprehension and foster the complex
thinking processes necessary to analyze, compare, and evaluate texts
and synthesize information.
Teachers guide students in selecting reading materials, and provide
descriptive feedback on their oral and written responses to readings.
On other occasions, teachers provide for more student-directed
reading and viewing. In these situations, teachers become listeners,
observers, and class participants.
The classroom should be a place where positive reading and viewing
experiences are developed and valued. The role of the teacher in this
environment is to:
•
designate a space for meeting (whole group, small group);
•
provide seats reserved for reading;
•
offer an author’s chair for students to read their own writing;
•
arrange desks and seating that allow for work as individuals,
pairs, or small groups;
•
maintain an attractive and accessible classroom library with book
displays, shelves, bins, or baskets;
•
post student responses to reading and viewing around the room
and school;
•
display supportive text around the room, such as anchor charts
or word walls;
•
establish an expectation of reading without interruptions.
The skills and resources students use to make meaning of text are
complex and research to understand them is still evolving. Luke and
Freebody (1990) suggests one model where they describe reading
as an integration of four roles to gain meaning from text: meaning
maker, text user, code breaker and text analyst. In combination,
these four roles help students become proficient readers who can:
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
•
sense purpose for reading in all curriculum areas
•
understand the structures of a variety of texts
•
build on prior knowledge
•
have competency in using higher-order thinking skills to support
future learning
Role
Activity
Code Breaker
•
Decoding the codes and conventions of written, spoken and visual
text. Readers of text (including online text) must be able to break
the code – the language, syntax, vocabulary the author uses to
articulate the message.
Meaning Maker
•
Once a reader has broken the ‘code’ of the text – meaning is
brought to the words. The reader makes meaning by drawing on
prior knowledge and knowledge of similar text.
Text Analyst/Critic
•
Being a text critic is about taking a critical stance as a reader of a
text and asking questions about the origins, intent and messages of
texts.
Text User
•
Readers must be able to navigate and apply strategies across
different texts and genres. Readers must be able to understand
genre, structures, form and features of texts, so they can apply the
appropriate strategies necessary for making meaning.
Adapted from: Luke and Freebody, 1990
The Writing and
Representing Strand
GCO 8. Students will be expected
to use writing and other forms of
representation to explore, clarify, and
reflect on their thoughts, feelings,
experiences, and learnings; and to use
their imaginations.
GCO 9. Students will be expected
to create texts collaboratively and
independently, using a variety of
forms for a range of audiences and
purposes.
GCO 10. Students will be expected
to use a range of strategies to develop
effective writing and representing and
to enhance their clarity, precision,
and effectiveness.
The Writing and Representing strand encompasses General
Curriculum Outcomes 8-10.
Creating texts through writing and representing is a social practice.
The writing and representing processes consist of many aspects
including planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. It
is the recursive process of recording language graphically, through a
variety of media to explore and communicate ideas, information and
experiences.
To ensure student engagement, writing instruction should include
daily independent writing that is supported by explicit instruction,
choice, movement, social interaction, established classroom routines,
and flexible groupings.
The classroom should be a place where positive writing and
representing experiences are developed and valued. The role of the
teacher in this environment is to
•
write regularly with students and share their experience (both
successes and frustrations);
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
7
INTRODUCTION
•
use strong mentor texts to model writing techniques;
•
provide explicit writing and representing instruction;
•
provide opportunities for students to apply independently what
they have learned through instruction;
•
ensure time for conferencing with individuals or groups about the
text they are creating;
•
allow time for sharing and reflection with the whole group.
Through writing and representing, students can express themselves,
clarify their thinking, communicate ideas and connect with new
information. By being habitually engaged in text, a text creator will
develop concepts and ideas, and become aware of forms, structures,
styles, and conventions used by others.
Contexts for Learning
and Teaching
Comprehension and
Metacognition
Definition of Text
8
Those who can monitor their learning, assess their strengths and
needs, and set goals for improvement become independent, lifelong
learners. When students learn language arts in an integrated fashion,
they use the strands interdependently to comprehend and make
meaning. For example, a structured talk may lead to writing, while
viewing graphs and images may also lead to writing. By thinking
about how they think and learn, students gain personal control over
the strategies they use when engaged in literary activities. This control
develops through metacognition – that is, thinking about thinking
which empowers learning. Students become increasingly aware of
and more purposeful in using the strategies for self-monitoring, selfcorrecting, reflecting and goal setting to improve learning. Every
student can develop metacognitive strategies and skills when teachers
explain, model and help them practice talking and writing about their
thinking.
In this document, the term text is used to describe any language event,
whether oral, written, visual or digital. In this sense, a conversation, a
poem, a novel, a poster, a music video, and a multimedia production
are all considered texts. The term is an economical way of suggesting
the similarity among the many skills involved in viewing a film,
interpreting a speech, or responding to an online forum. This
expanded concept of text takes into account the diverse range of texts
with which people interact and from which they construct meaning.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Literacy Learning
In all curriculum areas students are challenged to make connections,
form hypotheses, make judgements, and analyse and synthesize
information. Literacy learning is a process of making and not just
receiving meaning. It also involves negotiating meaning with others,
rather than only thinking alone. Literacy is
“Literacy involves a continuum of
learning in enabling individuals to
achieve their goals, to develop their
knowledge and potential, and to
• a process of receiving information and making meaning from it;
participate fully in their community • the ability to identify, understand, interpret, communicate,
compute and create texts, images and sounds.
and wider society.”
The Plurality of Literacy and its Implications
for Policies and Programmes (2004) p.13
Developing Multiple Literacies
The elementary English language arts curriculum emphasizes the
teaching of cognitive strategies that students use to make meaning of
texts as they communicate with others. Teachers create experiences
where students use and adapt these strategies as they interact with
information. Published work, student exemplars, existing criteria
and student-teacher developed criteria can be used as references when
discussing assigned tasks.
Understandings of what it means to be literate change as society
changes. The rise of the Internet and consumerist culture have
influenced and expanded the definition of literacy. No longer are
students only exposed to printed text. While functional literacy
skills such as knowing how to create sentences and spell words
correctly are still important, effective participation in society today
requires a knowledge of how to understand and apply a range of
literacies including media literacy, critical literacy, visual literacy and
information literacy.
New technologies have changed our understandings about literacy and
how we use language. As adolescent learners become more skilled with
locating, analysing, extracting, storing and using information, they
require skills to be able to determine the validity of information and
select the most appropriate technology to complete a learning activity.
They need to learn, read, negotiate and craft various forms of text,
each with its own codes and conventions. Multi-media materials often
have a variety of texts embedded within them, requiring students to
consider multiple text structures and contexts simultaneously.
Media Literacy
To be successful, students require a set of interrelated skills, strategies
and knowledge in multiple literacies that facilitate their ability to
participate fully in a variety of roles and contexts in their lives, in order
to explore and interpret the world and communicate meaning.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
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INTRODUCTION
Media literacy refers to an informed and critical understanding of
the role of mass media in society (television, radio, film, magazines,
Internet, etc.) and the impact of the techniques used. It is the ability
to
• bring critical thinking skills to bear on all media;
•
ask questions about what is there, and noticing what is not there;
•
question what lies behind the media production (motives,
money, values and ownership);
•
be aware of how these factors influence content.
Most mass media is produced for general consumption and rarely
reflects the culture of smaller groups and issues on a local level. It is
necessary for individuals to see themselves and hear their own voices in
order to validate their culture and place in the world.
Engaging students in recognizing the types of media they are
interacting with (e.g., television, videos, electronic games, films and
various print media forms) is an important part of media awareness.
They can examine the reliability, accuracy and motives of media
sources. They can
•
analyse and question what information has been included;
•
explore how information has been constructed;
•
investigate information that may have been left out.
Media awareness also involves exploring deeper issues and questions
such as, “Who produces the media we experience – and for what
purpose?”, or “Who profits? Who loses? And who decides?”
Media literacy involves being aware of the messages in all types of
media. It involves students asking questions such as
Critical Literacy
10
•
Do I need this information? What is the message? Why is it
being sent?
•
Who is sending the message? How is the message being sent?
•
Who is the intended audience? Who or what is left out?
•
Who benefits from this message?
•
Can I respond to this message? Does my opinion matter?
Texts are constructed by authors who have different purposes for
writing. Critical literacy involves the ability to question, challenge,
and evaluate the meaning and purposes of texts in order to learn
how they are used to construct particular historical, social, cultural,
political and economic realities. It involves the ability to read deeper
into the content and to recognize and evaluate the stereotyping,
cultural bias, author’s intent, hidden agendas, and silent voices that
influence texts.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Critical literacy requires students to take a critical stance regarding
the way they use language and representations in their own lives
and in society at large in an effort to promote and effect positive
change by addressing issues of social justice and equity. It is a way of
thinking that involves questioning assumptions and examining power
relations embedded in language and communication. Students need
to recognize their personal power and learn how to use language and
other text features to communicate a perspective or influence others.
Critical literacy learning experiences should offer students
opportunities to
“Critically and reflectively reading
the word, ultimately empowers
readers to critique and transform
their worlds toward greater equity
and social justice.” (Giese, 2009)
•
question, analyse and challenge the authority of the text;
•
read resistantly;
•
rewrite texts in ways that are socially just;
•
identify the point of view in a text and consider what views are
missing;
•
write texts representing the views of marginalized groups;
•
examine the processes and contexts of text production and text
interpretation;
Students can interrogate a text by asking some of the following
questions:
•
Who constructed this text? (age/gender/race/nationality)
•
For whom is the text constructed? To whom is it addressed?
•
Where did the text appear? For what purpose can it be used?
•
What version of reality does this present?
•
Who is marginalized in this text?
•
What does the text tell us that we already know or don’t know?
•
What is the topic? What are the key messages?
•
How is the topic presented? (What themes and discourses are
being used?) What are other ways in which this topic could be
presented?
•
What view of the world does the composer assume that the
reader/viewer holds?
•
What has been included and what has been omitted?
•
Whose voices and positions are being/not being expressed?
•
What is the author/text trying to do to the reader/listener/
viewer? How does he/she do it?
•
What other ways are there to convey this message? Should the
message be contested or resisted?
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
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INTRODUCTION
Visual Literacy
Visual literacy involves the ability to decode, interpret, create,
question, challenge and evaluate texts that communicate with visual
images as well as, or rather than, words. If viewing is meant to be
a meaningful experience, it should consist of more than merely
eliciting a quick reaction from students. Teachers guide students
through the viewing experience as they engage in dialogue about
elements of design and colour, for example, and discuss how the
artist/ illustrator uses these effectively to convey a message. This
includes questioning the intended meaning in a visual text (for
example, an advertisement or film shot), interpreting the purpose
and intended meaning, investigating the creator’s technique, and
exploring how the reader/viewer responds to the visual.
Students must learn to respond personally and critically to
visual texts imagery and be able to select, assimilate, synthesize,
and evaluate information obtained through technology and the
media. Students can be asked, for example, to create their own
interpretation of a poem through a visual arts activity (drawing
a picture, making a collage, or creating their own multimedia
productions).
Since response is a personal expression, it will vary from student
to student. A climate of trust and respect for the opinions of all
students must be established to ensure that everyone feels free to
express his/her own personal point of view. The unique perspectives
of many different student voices will enhance the understanding of
all and will help students to appreciate the importance of non-verbal
communication.
Students can also discuss the feelings that a visual image evokes
in them, or associations that come to mind when viewing a visual
image.
Key questions for students to ask in the critical thinking process
during visual literacy instruction include
12
•
What am I looking at? What does this image mean to me?
•
What is the relationship between the image and the displayed
text message? How is this message effective?
•
How can I visually depict this message? How can I make this
message effective?
•
What are some visual/verbal relationships I can use?
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Information Literacy
Information literacy is a process in which the learner needs to find,
understand, evaluate, and use information in various forms to create
for personal, social or global purposes. It also involves the ability
to judge whether the information is meaningful and how best to
communicate the knowledge.
To become effective users of information, students need to know
how to define a question and how to locate, access and evaluate
information from a variety of sources. Teachers are encouraged
to use a wide range of print, non-print, and human resources in
their learning and teaching in order to provide students with the
knowledge and skills they need to be information literate.
Once students have located a resource they must be able to evaluate
information from it. This involves detecting bias, differentiating
between fact and opinion, weighing conflicting opinions, and
evaluating the worth of sources. Information literacy also focuses
on the ability to synthesize the information so that it can be
communicated.
Using technology, media and other visual texts allows students to
develop information literacy and critical thinking skills – more
specifically, accessing, interpreting, evaluating, organizing, selecting,
creating and communicating information in and through a variety of
technologies and contexts.
Gradual Release of
Responsibility
Teachers must determine when students can work independently
and when they require assistance. In an effective language arts
program, teachers choose their instructional activities to model and
scaffold composition, comprehension and metacognition that is just
beyond the student’s independence level. In the gradual release of
responsibility approach, students move from a high level of teacher
support to independent practice, as students become more skilled at
using the new strategies. If necessary, the teacher increases the level
of support when students need further assistance.
The goal is to empower students to make the strategies their own,
and to know how, when, and why to apply them when speaking,
listening, reading, viewing, writing, representing, and thinking about
their thinking. Guided practice supports student independence.
As a student demonstrates success, over time the teacher gradually
decreases his or her support. By differentiating instruction and
assessment, teachers can provide various levels of support as students’
independence increases.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
13
INTRODUCTION
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Principles Underlying the
English Language Arts
Curriculum
)
*
Language is a primary instrument of thought and the most powerful
tool students have for developing ideas and insights, for giving
significance to their experiences, and for making sense of both their
world and their possibilities within it.
The following underlying principles of the English language arts
curriculum describe that language learning is
14
•
an active process of constructing meaning, drawing on all
sources and ways of knowing;
•
a primary instrument of thought and the most powerful
tool students have for developing ideas and insights, for giving
significance to their experiences, and for making sense of
both their world and their possibilities in it;
•
assessed in an integrated manner and it is an ongoing part of
the learning process itself, not limited to final products;
•
best when students are aware of the strategies and processes
they use to construct meaning and to solve information
related problems;
•
best when students experience frequent opportunities to
conference with the teacher as they assess and evaluate their
own learning and performance;
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
•
continual and multidimensional; it can best be assessed by
the use of multiple types of evidence that reflect authentic
language use over time;
•
developed out of students’ home language and their social and
cultural experiences;
•
developmental in that students develop flexibility and
fluency in their language use over time;
•
helpful when expressing cultural identity;
•
most effective when students learn language concepts in
context rather than in isolation, as all the language processes
are interrelated and interdependent;
•
open for students to have opportunities to communicate in
various modes what they know and are able to do;
•
personally connected to individuality;
•
purposeful and challenging when experiences are designed
around stimulating ideas, concepts, issues, and themes that
are meaningful to them;
•
receiving various forms of feedback from peers, teachers,
and others – at school, at home, and in the community.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
15
INTRODUCTION
English language arts teachers can help all students become competent and confident language users. Students
must develop an understanding of ideas and language processes that will allow them to participate and
communicate in a variety of roles and settings. For information regarding what language arts is and what it is
not, refer to the table which follows.
English Language Arts ...
... IS
... IS NOT
Appreciating children as active learners and
accepting them as competent co-learners who can
socially and culturally construct knowledge with
adults
Seeing children as passive vessels to be filled and
believing that learning is received from outside
sources and it is to be recapitulated
Helping children actively seek to understand the
world around them and to learn about life and
language
Telling children what knowledge they need to know
but not having them use it or apply it
Using visual, multimedia, oral, and written
communication competently, appropriately, and
effectively for a range of purposes
Using only print resources with a fictional emphasis
for a limited range of purposes (usually isolated to a
school task)
Recognizing the central role of language in
communicating, thinking, and learning
Letting printed books, isolated activities, and
worksheets drive the program
Setting meaningful and relevant contexts for
teaching and learning including connections to
students’ experiences, knowledge, and personal and
cultural identity
Helping students know what and why they are
learning and doing something (share outcomes,
indicators, and exemplars)
Giving isolated language activities and using
unrelated texts
Teaching and learning for “deep understanding”
(including using compelling questions as a focus)
Asking and answering solely teacher-directed
questions
Making meaning of ideas or information received
(when viewing, listening, and reading)
Answering only comprehension questions,
individually, after reading print texts
Creating meaning for students and others (through
speaking, writing, and representing)
Using only limited forms of communicating, usually
writing
Using a variety of strategies (before, during, and
after) depending upon the activity
Following only teacher-directed skills and strategies
and spending time on isolated skill and drill
Engaging in inquiry learning
Doing a project or, if time permits, a series of
activities to bring closure
Reflecting on own learning and literacy
Assuming that the responsibility for learning and
literacy lies with the teacher
Having only teacher awareness of the outcomes and
not sharing them with students
This table has been adapted from English Language Arts 1 (Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, 2008). Used with
permission of Saskatchewan Ministry of Education.
16
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Considerations for Program Delivery
The Nature of the
Elementary Learner
Physically
There is a wide range of interests, behaviours, readiness and ability
levels inherent in elementary classrooms. However, there are many
general characteristics which apply to large numbers of students at this
level. It should be cautioned that these are general patterns and there
are considerable individual differences. Elementary students may:
• differ in growth patterns by gender
• have an inherent need to move
• display some awkwardness
• have improving physical coordination
• easily accomplish activities using large muscles more easily
• be still developing fine motor skills
Intellectually
• be curious and ask many questions
• have increasing attention spans
• have an increasing ability to use language and reasoning skills
• be still in a concrete stage of thinking (some are able to handle
more abstract concepts and to apply simple problem-solving
techniques)
• understand increasingly difficult concepts
• be developing personal interests
Emotionally
• display egocentric behaviours
• be growing in independence
• become discouraged easily
• need to feel successful
• display more aggression as they struggle to determine their own
identity
• enjoy repetition of favoured activities
• enjoy competition but can be easily upset with losing
• become concerned by issues such as pollution, war, poverty and
death (can become frightened and pre-occupied by these)
• may have behaviour affected by the onset of puberty
Socially
• judge their own ability and the abilities of their peers on the
levels of performance they observe
• be aware that their classmates have different levels of
competence in various areas
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
17
INTRODUCTION
• view achievements as a result of a person’s ability level and not
just their effort
• view social comparison as more and more important in the
appraisal of self and others
• become more interested in group involvement and sociability
• require structure and clear limits
• be cautious and fear failure
• be hesitant to demonstrate affection
• continue to seek attention and approval
• form tight social circles which exclude some peers
• develop love-hate relationships with peers of opposite sex
• respond to new knowledge and experiences according to its
relevance to their emerging interests
• experience external regulation of learning
• develop internal standards of right and wrong
Spiritually and Morally
• choose “suitable” behaviours in order to avoid censure
The Role of
Teachers
18
Teachers bring diverse knowledge, strengths and experience to their
roles. They have knowledge of the subject area and the skills necessary
for teaching. The language arts learning environment must be
inclusive, caring and safe for all students. Teachers should:
•
act as coach, facilitator, editor, a resource person, or a fellow
learner (some situations call for teacher-supported activities with
the whole class, a small group of students, or individual students);
•
create activities that are inquiry-based to challenge students to
develop critical analysis as they question and analyze issues;
•
provide students with relevant and engaging learning
opportunities that integrate the language arts processes and
scaffold learning;
•
monitor learning as students become more responsible and
develop a focus for their learning; the teacher intervenes, when
appropriate, to provide support;
•
plan learning activities that enhance students’ self esteem,
recognize their accomplishments, and encourage the development
of positive attitudes (affective domain);
•
provide learning opportunities that allow students to learn
how language can empower them to make a difference in their
personal, peer, family and community lives;
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
•
Establishing
Community in the
English Language
Arts Classroom
select appropriate strategies for student learning, considering the
ways in which gender, race, ethnicity and culture shape students’
ways of viewing and knowing.
To create a community of learners, teachers need to demonstrate a
valuing of all learners, emphasizing that diversity enhances everyone’s
experience of learning. Teachers need to establish and maintain a
supportive environment. Students’ level of comfort and trust within
a class is built on teacher-student and student-peer relationships and
impacts the learner’s engagement.
If an environment sensitive and responsive to the needs of all students
is to be created, the students must come to know and interact with
one another. Flexibility is important for all students, especially for
those who need extra support. The teacher and the students together
can make decisions as to appropriate groupings for various activities.
This builds the base for peer partnerships, for peer teaching, sharing
and various other collaborative efforts. Students need to feel supported
as they learn about themselves, others and the world around them.
“Effective teachers believe that all
students can learn and be successful
... consciously create a climate in
which all students feel included ...
believe that there is potential in each
learner and commit to finding the
key that will unlock that potential.”
(Gregory and Chapman 2007)
It is necessary that the teacher’s role as facilitator be a very active one.
The teacher circulates around the room, tuning in to the vocal and the
silent members of each group, modelling ways of drawing everyone
into the dialogue as well as ways of respecting and valuing each
person’s contribution, making notes about students to confer with on
an individual basis. Considerations for establishing a safe and caring
classroom:
•
asking for students’ opinions on relatively safe topics (at first)
during whole-class discussion, demonstrating confidence that
the student has something worthwhile to say on the topic;
•
guiding peers to field questions evenly around the group;
•
encouraging questioning and never assuming prior knowledge
on a given topic;
•
guiding students to use flexible grouping in various
collaborative activities;
•
helping students to establish a comfort zone, a small group in
which they will be willing to speak and take learning risks;
•
observing students within a group, getting to know their
strengths, and conferring with them about the roles for which
they feel most suited;
•
assisting students to move beyond their comfort zone and out
of one role into another;
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
19
INTRODUCTION
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conferring with students to provide mini-lessons or strategy
instruction on a one-on-one basis or with other students who
have similar learning needs.
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Preparing students means engaging them with texts and with people
from whom they can learn more about themselves and their world.
Prior knowledge and experience has a large impact on their ability to
make meaning, and what they will take away from the experience.
The learning environment must be structured in such a way that all
students can gain access to information and to the community, while
developing confidence and competence with using language for real
purposes. Through the English language arts curriculum, students
must be encouraged to question their assumptions and attitudes, and
to find their own voice.
Teachers should
S
allowing students to work alone if they choose, so long as they
still benefit from some group experience;
Students have many ways of learning, knowing, understanding, and
creating meaning. How students receive and process information and
the ways in which they interact with peers and their environment are
indicated by and contribute to their preferred learning styles. Most
learners have a preferred learning style, depending on the situation
and the type of information the student is dealing with, just as most
teachers have a preferred teaching style. Learning experiences and
resources that engage students’ multiple ways of understanding allow
them to focus on their learning processes and preferences.
Learning Preferences
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
The Inclusive Classroom
An inclusive classroom values the social and ethnocultural
backgrounds of all students while creating opportunities for
community building. Students can learn much from the diverse
backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of their classmates in a
community of learners where participants discuss and explore their
own and others’ customs, histories, traditions, values, beliefs and ways
of seeing and making sense of the world. In reading, viewing, and
discussing a variety of texts, students from different social and cultural
backgrounds can come to understand each other’s perspectives, to
realize that their ways of seeing and knowing are not the only ones
possible, and to probe the complexity of the ideas and issues they are
examining. Learning resources should include a range of texts that
allows students to hear diverse social and cultural voices, to broaden
their understanding of social and cultural diversity, and to examine the
ways language and literature preserve and enrich culture.
Valuing Equity and Diversity
Effective inclusive schools have the
following characteristics: supportive
environment, positive relationships,
feelings of competence and
opportunities to participate. (The
Centre for Inclusive Education,
2009)
English language arts activities can provide opportunities in a safe and
caring environment for students to express feelings, to think critically
about problem solving, or to simply reflect on current issues. All
students need to see their lives and experiences reflected in their school
community. The promotion of inclusive attitudes builds respect for
one another, creates positive interdependence and allows for varied
perspectives.

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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
21
INTRODUCTION
Co-Teaching Environments
Some English language arts (ELA) classrooms may have more than one
teacher at a time. The ELA teacher may partner with either another
subject teacher or an instructional resource teacher (IRT). Coteaching can occur between two classroom/subject teachers or between
a classroom/subject teacher and an IRT who are:
•
working collaboratively in the same physical space.
•
collaborating on the delivery, assessment and evaluation of
outcomes.
•
devoting common time for planning, reflection and/or problem
solving.
•
instructing a heterogeneous class.
When the co-teaching partnership involves two classroom/subject
teachers, both are focused on curriculum delivery. There are obvious
benefits such as a smaller teacher-to-pupil ratio, opportunities for
collaborative planning and increased diversity in classroom activities.
By contrast, classroom/subject teachers and IRTs have complementary
skill sets. The classroom/subject teacher has expertise in curriculum
while the instructional resource teacher brings expertise in addressing
the strengths and needs of students with exceptionalities. Each
brings their areas of expertise to the classroom and supports the
other, increasing the knowledge and capability in the classroom as a
whole. The collective effort of these two professionals ensures that the
outcomes of alternate programs, courses or curriculum are addressed
concurrently with the outcomes and activities of the prescribed
curriculum.
Students with Exceptionalities
Some students may need specialized equipment such as braillers,
magnification aids, word processors with spell checkers, and other
computer programs and peripherals such as voice synthesizers or large
print to help achieve outcomes. Speaking and listening outcomes
can be understood to include all forms of verbal and non-verbal
communication including sign language and communicators.
Teachers should adapt learning contexts to provide support and
challenge for all students, using the continuum of curriculum
outcomes statements in a flexible way to plan learning experiences
appropriate to students’ learning needs. When specific outcomes are
not attainable or appropriate for individual students, teachers can
use statements of general curriculum outcomes, key-stage curriculum
outcomes, and specific curriculum outcomes for previous and
subsequent grade levels as reference points in setting learning goals for
individual students.
22
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Students Learning English as an
Second Language (ESL)
Students from language backgrounds other than English add valuable
language resources and experiences to the classroom. The language,
prior knowledge, and culture of ESL students should be valued,
respected and, whenever possible, incorporated into the curriculum.
The different linguistic knowledge and experience of ESL students
can be used to extend the understanding of linguistic diversity of all
students in the class.
The learning environment and organization of the classroom
should affirm cultural values to support ESL students and provide
opportunities for individual and group learning. Teachers may need to
make explicit the ways in which different forms and styles of English
are used for many different purposes. Teachers need to consider the
specific needs of ESL students with regards to vocabulary and language
structure. This is best considered in the context of meaningful
literacy activities and with a mind to the students’ stage of language
development. For example, error corrections, vocabulary and language
focus should be limited to those the student is developmentally ready
to learn.
Students with Advanced
Abilities
Teachers should adapt learning contexts to stimulate and extend
the learning of advanced learners (gifted), using the continuum of
curriculum outcome statements to plan challenging experiences. In
designing learning tasks, teachers should consider ways that students
can extend their knowledge base, thinking processes, learning
strategies, self-awareness, and insights. Advanced learners also need
significant opportunities to use the general curriculum outcomes
framework to design their own learning experiences, which they may
undertake individually or with community partners. Project-based
learning is one example of this type of opportunity.
Advanced learners need experiences working in a variety of grouping
arrangements, including partnering, mixed-ability and similarability cooperative learning groups, and interest groups. Many of the
suggestions for teaching and learning in this curriculum guide provide
contexts for acceleration and enrichment (for example, the emphasis
on experiment, inquiry, and critical perspectives). The curriculum’s
flexibility with regard to the choice of texts also offers opportunity for
challenge and extension to advanced learners.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
23
INTRODUCTION
Differentiating
Instruction
Differentiated instruction is instruction that responds to students
of different abilities, interests or learning needs so they may acquire
appropriate ways to learn, use, develop and present concepts. It
involves actively planning for student differences in a learning
situation in terms of the core concepts and skills being taught, the
process by which the content is delivered, and the product that
students will create based on their readiness and interests.
Teachers continuously make decisions about how to select teaching
strategies and structure learning activities to meet the diverse learning
styles of their students. Given the changing nature of adolescents’
development, creating such a responsive environment will provide
all students with a safe place to grow and succeed in a dynamic and
personalized space.
Differentiating instruction is an essential tool for engaging students
and addressing their individual needs. Teachers can differentiate in
the content, process, product or environment of the classroom.
Differentiating the Content
Content can be described as the knowledge, skills and attitudes we
want students to learn. Differentiating content requires teachers
to pre-assess students to identify those who do not require direct
instruction. Students who demonstrate an understanding of the
concept may move past the instruction step and proceed to apply the
concepts to the task of solving a problem. Another way to differentiate
content is simply to permit the apt student to accelerate their rate of
progress. They can work ahead independently on some projects, i.e.
they cover the content faster than their peers.
Teachers should consider the following examples of differentiating by
content:
Differentiating the Process
24
•
Using reading materials at varying readability levels
•
Creating recordings of reading
•
Presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means
•
Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill or to extend
the thinking or skills when necessary
Differentiating the process means varying learning activities or
strategies to provide appropriate methods for students to explore the
concepts and make sense of what they are learning. The content and
product is kept consistent for all students, but activities that lead to
task completion will vary depending on the learner. A teacher might
assign all students the same product (writing a story, for example)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
but the process students use to create the story will differ, with some
students meeting in groups to peer critique while others meet with the
teacher to develop a storyboard. The same assessment criteria is used
for all students.
Teachers should consider flexible groupings of students which include
whole class, small group or individual instruction. Students can be
grouped according to their learning needs and the requirements of the
content or activity presented. It may be necessary to form short-term
groups of students for specific purposes.
Teachers should consider the following examples of differentiating by
process:
Differentiating the Product
•
Using activities through which all learners work with the same
important understandings and skills, but proceed with different
levels of support, challenge, or complexity
•
Providing activities and resources that encourage students to
further explore a topic of particular interest to them
•
Providing students with activities that contain both common work
for the whole class and work that addresses individual needs and
interests of learners
•
Offering manipulatives or other supports for students who need
them
•
Varying the length of time a student may take to complete a task
in order to provide additional support for a struggling learner or to
encourage an advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth
Differentiating the product means varying the complexity of the
product that students create to demonstrate learning outcomes.
Teachers provide several opportunities for students to demonstrate
and show evidence of what they have learned. When students have
a choice in what the end product can be, they will become more
engaged in the activity.
Teachers should consider the following examples of differentiating by
product:
•
Giving students options of how to express required learning (e.g.,
create an online presentation, write a letter, or develop a mural)
•
Using rubrics that match and extend students’ varied skills
levels
•
Allowing students to work alone or in small groups on their
products
•
Encouraging students to create their own assignments as long as
the final products contain required elements
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
25
INTRODUCTION
Opportunities for Student Choice
Offering students a choice in how they demonstrate their
understanding is a powerful way to engage students. It is important to
offer students learning activities that are appropriate to their learning
needs, readiness, and interests. When learning goals are clearly
defined, it is easier to determine whether students should have free
choice, a guided choice, or no choice at all.
Examples of free choice in learning activities include allowing students
to
•
choose whether or not to work with a partner, and with whom to
work;
•
choose a text they wish to read;
•
choose an assessment task they wish to complete;
•
choose topics for independent study projects.
Examples of guided choice in learning activities might include
allowing students to
•
choose from teacher selected options (for example, the teacher
identifies three articles on a topic, and students choose which one
to read based on what their interests are);
•
demonstrate their understanding of new concepts by using
previously developed skills (for example, a teacher may allow
students who have already developed videography or Power Point
presentation skills to demonstrate their understanding of new
concepts using one of these mediums).
At times it is appropriate for teachers to provide no choice of learning
activities for students. Students will understand and accept not having
a choice about a learning activity when the teacher feels it is not in the
best interest of the student to do so and if the teacher offers choice on
a regular basis.
Differentiating the Learning
Environment
The learning environment of a classroom is the way a classroom works
and feels. It embodies the physical and affective tone or atmosphere
in which teaching and learning take place, and includes the noise level
in the room, whether student activities are static or mobile, and how
the room is furnished and arranged. A classroom may include tables
of different shapes and sizes, spots for quiet individual work, and areas
for collaboration.
Teachers can divide the classroom into sections, create learning
centers, or have students work both independently and in groups. The
structure should allow students to move from whole group, to small
group, pairs, and individual learning experiences and support a variety
26
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
of ways to engage in learning. Teachers should be sensitive and alert
to ways in which the classroom environment supports their ability to
interact with students individually, in small groups, and as a whole
class.
Teachers should consider the following examples of differentiating the
learning environment:
•
Making sure there are places in the room for students to work
quietly and without distraction, as well as places that invite
student collaboration
•
Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home
settings
•
Setting out clear guidelines for independent work that matches
individual needs
•
Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers
are busy with other students and cannot help them immediately
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
27
INTRODUCTION
Assessment and Evaluation
Understanding
Assessment and
Evaluation
What learning is assessed and evaluated, how it is assessed and
evaluated, and how results are communicated send clear messages
to students and others about what is valued — what is worth
learning, how it should be learned and what elements or qualities are
considered important.
Assessment techniques are used to gather information for evaluation.
Information gathered through assessment helps teachers determine
students’ strengths and needs in their achievement of English
language arts and guides future instructional approaches. Practices
must meet the needs of diverse learners in classrooms and should
accept and appreciate learners’ linguistic and cultural diversity.
Teachers are encouraged to be flexible in assessing the learning success
of all students and to seek diverse ways in which students might
demonstrate what they know and are able to do. Assessment criteria
and the methods of demonstrating achievement may vary from
student to student depending on strengths, interests and learning
styles.
Evaluation involves the weighing of the assessment information
against a standard in order to make an evaluation or judgment about
student achievement. Assessment can be a preliminary phase in the
evaluation process.
Assessment
Assessment should provide students over time with a variety of
ways to demonstrate what they know and are able to do with many
different types of text. It is the journey of their learning. Teachers
collect, interpret and synthesize information from a variety of student
learning activities to gather information about student progress in
relation to achieving learning outcomes.
Students must recognize each learning activity as worthwhile and
relevant, and understand the expectations for each. Information
provided through assessment activities allows teachers to give
descriptive feedback to students to support and monitor future
learning, and allows for necessary adjustments to instruction
(formative assessment).
Evaluation
28
Inherent in the idea of evaluating is “value”. Evaluation should be
based on the range of learning outcomes which should be clearly
understood by learners before teaching and evaluation takes place
The quality of student work is judged on the basis of defined criteria
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
of quality, in this case, the curriculum outcomes and related criteria
identified in provincial rubrics.
Evaluation, closely related to the concept of assessment, is defined
as a continuous cycle of collecting data to analyze, reflect upon and
summarize the information in order to make decisions regarding
future instruction of students. It is an integral part of the teaching
and learning process that provides feedback to students, parents/
guardians, and other educators who share responsibility for a student’s
learning.
Evaluation occurs in the context of comparisons between the
intended learning, progress, or behaviour, and what was obtained.
Interpretation, judgments and decisions about student learning are
brought about, based on the information collected. Evaluation is a
snapshot (summative assessment) of student learning as it relates to
curriculum outcomes.
During evaluation, the teacher
•
interprets the assessment information and makes judgment about
student progress;
•
makes decisions about student learning programs based on the
judgments or evaluations;
•
reports on progress to students, parents/guardians and
appropriate school personnel.
Upon completion of evaluation, the teacher reflects on the
appropriateness of the assessment techniques used to evaluate
student achievement of the learning outcomes. Such reflection
assists the teacher in making decisions concerning improvements or
modifications to subsequent teaching, assessment and evaluation.
Designing Effective
Assessment
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Effective assessment improves the quality of learning and teaching.
It can help teachers to monitor and focus their instruction and help
students to become more self-reflective and feel in control of their
own learning. When students are given opportunities to demonstrate
what they know and what they can do with what they know, optimal
performance can be realized.
¨
Teachers must collect evidence of student learning through a variety
of assessment tools. Valuable information about students can be
gained through conversations, observations and products. A balance
among these three sources ensures reliable and valid assessment of
student learning.
¬
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
29
INTRODUCTION
•
Conversations may either be informal or structured in the form
of a conference, and can provide insight into student learning
that might not be apparent through observation or from
products. Student journals and reflections provide a written
form of conversation with the teacher.
•
Observing a student while they are engaged in a learning activity
allows a teacher insight into this process at various points
throughout the activity. Observation is effective in assessing
achievement of many of the speaking and listening outcomes.
•
Products are work samples completed by a student. Samples can
be in the form of written texts, visual, or oral products.
Effective assessment strategies
• are explicit and communicated to students and parents at
the beginning of the course or the school term (and at other
appropriate points throughout the school year) so that students
know expectations and criteria to be used to determine the
quality of the achievement;
30
•
are valid in that they measure what they intend to measure and
are appropriate for the learning activities used;
•
involve students in the co-construction, interpretation, and
reporting of assessment by incorporating their interests (students
select texts or investigate issues of personal interest);
•
reflect where the students are in terms of learning a process
or strategy and help to determine what kind of support or
instruction will follow;
•
allow for relevant, descriptive and supportive feedback that gives
students clear directions for improvement;
•
are fair and varied in terms of the students’ interests, needs and
experiences and provide all students with the opportunity to
demonstrate the extent and depth of their learning in a range of
contexts in everyday instruction;
•
accommodate the diverse needs of students with exceptionalities
including those with strategies outlined in their Record of
Accommodations or their Individual Education Plan;
•
assist teachers in selecting appropriate instruction and
intervention strategies to promote the gradual release of
responsibility;
•
are transparent, pre-planned and integrated with instruction as a
component of the curriculum;
•
include the use of samples of students’ work that provide
evidence of their achievement.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Student Self-Assessment
Self-assessment is an essential part of the learning process. Engaging
students in self-assessment and goal setting can increase their success
as learners. Challenge students to consider two key questions when it
comes to their learning:
•
What can I say now that I couldn’t say before?
•
What can I do now that I couldn’t do before?
Self-assessments may be very open-ended, or designed so that
students focus on a particular aspect of their learning (e.g., writing,
listening, reading). In either case, structure and support will have to
be provided for students. Helping students narrow their reflection
to something manageable is essential. You can provide students with
prompts or questions for reflection (see Appendix I), a checklist, a
rating scale on which to focus their self-assessment or create rubrics
with students to be used as part of a self-assessment.
Rubrics
A rubric is a set of categories identifying various degrees of
achievement with descriptive criteria. This helps to ensure that the
students truly understand what a task is and what the expectations
are. Rubrics are helpful tools because they provide students and
teachers with a written description of various degrees of success
prior to engaging in an assigned task. Feedback from rubric use also
provide students and teachers with information and direction for
next steps. The challenge when creating rubrics is to ensure that the
criteria reflect what is truly important and that the descriptors are
specific enough that when looking at the work, the correct criteria
can be easily identified. Consider the following suggestions for
creating rubrics:
•
Involve the students in the process.
•
Avoid or limit the use of quantitative words and phrases such as
“very”, “often”, “sometimes”, and “to a great extent”.
•
Limit the number of criteria being focused on at one time;
individual students may require individualized criteria.
•
Consider the range of descriptors provided – three as a
minimum, six a maximum.
•
Decide if certain criteria require only two descriptors (this may
be necessary if a criterion is simply met or not, with no range in
between).
•
Decide if some criteria are more important than others; weight
these criteria more heavily, especially if grades are being assigned
as a result of the rubric.
•
Use student work samples of a variety of strengths to generate
criteria and descriptors; students can examine them and build a
rubric with these in mind.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
31
INTRODUCTION
Purposes of Assessment
According to research, assessment has three interrelated purposes:
•
assessment for learning to guide and inform instruction;
•
assessment as learning to involve students in self-assessment and
setting goals for their own learning;
•
assessment of learning to make judgments about student
performance in relation to curriculum outcomes.
Other research indicates that assessment as learning should be viewed
as part of assessment for learning, because both processes enhance
future student learning. In all circumstances, teachers must clarify
the purpose of assessment and then select the tools that best serve the
purpose in the particular context (see page 178-179).
The interpretation and use of information gathered for its intended
purpose is the most important part of assessment. Even though each
of the three purposes of assessment (for, as, of) requires a different
role for teachers and different planning, the information gathered
through any assessment tool is beneficial and contributes to an
overall picture of an individual student’s achievement.
Assessment for Learning
Assessment for Learning contributes
“to learning by identifying aspects
of learning as it develops ... this
focuses directly on the learner’s
capabilities as they are developing.”
Lorna Earl, Louis Volante, and
Steven Katz (2011) “Unleashing
the Promise of Assessment for
Learning”, Education Canada Vol.
51, No. 3
Assessment for learning involves frequent, interactive assessments
designed to make student understanding visible to enable teachers to
identify learning needs and adjust teaching accordingly. It is teacherdriven and an on-going process of teaching and learning.
Assessment for learning
•
•
•
•
•
•
32
integrates learning strategies with instructional planning;
requires the collection of data from a range of assessments as
investigative tools to determine as much as possible about what
students know;
uses curriculum outcomes as reference points along with
exemplars and achievement standards that differentiate quality;
provides descriptive, specific and instructive feedback to students
and parents regarding next steps in learning;
informs judgments made about student progress;
provides information on student performance that can be shared
with parents/guardians, school and district staff and other
educational professionals.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
INTRODUCTION
Assessment as Learning
Assessment as learning actively involves students’ reflection on their
learning and monitoring of their own progress. Student-driven and
supported with teacher guidance, it focuses on the role of the student
as the critical connector between assessment and learning, thereby
developing and supporting metacognition in students.
Assessment as learning is on-going and varied in the classroom and
•
enables students to monitor what they are learning, and use the
information they discover to make adjustments, adaptations or
changes in their thinking to develop new understandings;
•
supports students in critically analyzing their learning related to
learning outcomes;
•
engages students in their own learning as they assess themselves
and understand how to improve learning;
•
prompts students to consider how to integrate strategies to
improve their learning.
Assessment for learning and assessment as learning, both formative,
provide ways to engage and encourage students to acquire the
skills to promote their own achievement. Feedback on students’
achievement is based on established criteria rather than comparisons
to the performance of other students. The goal is for students
to become aware of their increasing independence as they take
responsibility for their own learning and construct meaning for
themselves with support and teacher guidance. Through selfassessment, students think about what they have learned and what
they have not yet learned.
Assessment of Learning
Assessment of learning involves strategies designed to confirm
what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met
curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized learning
plans, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’
future learning needs. Assessment of learning occurs at the end of a
learning experience that contributes directly to reported results.
Traditionally, teachers relied primarily on this type of assessment to
make judgments about student performance by measuring learning
after the fact and then reporting it to others. However, when
teachers use a wide range of assessment tools before, during and after
learning, then reporting on student achievement is more accurate
and comprehensive.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
33
INTRODUCTION
Assessment of learning
•
provides opportunities to report to parents/guardians, school and
district staff and other educational professionals, evidence to date
of student achievement in relation to learning outcomes;
•
confirms what students know and can do;
•
occurs at the end of a learning experience using a variety of tools;
•
uses either criterion-referenced (based on specific curriculum
outcomes) or norm-referenced (comparing student achievement
to that of others);
•
provides the foundation for discussions on student placement or
promotion.
Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often farreaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility
of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence
obtained from a variety of contexts and applications.
Providing Feedback to Students
Students learn from assessment when the teacher provides specific,
detailed feedback and direction to guide learning. Feedback for
learning is part of the teaching process. It is the vital link between
the teacher’s assessment of a student’s learning and the action
following that assessment.
To be successful, feedback needs to be immediate and identify the
way forward. Descriptive feedback makes explicit connections
between student thinking and the learning that is expected,
providing the student with manageable next steps and exemplars of
student work. It gives recognition for achievement and growth and
it includes clear direction for improvement.
Learning is enhanced when students see the effects of what they
have tried, and can envision alternative strategies to understand the
material. Students need feedback to help them develop autonomy
and competence. Feedback as learning challenges ideas, introduces
additional information, offers alternative interpretations, and creates
conditions for self-reflection and review of ideas.
34
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Curriculum
Outcomes
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
35
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
36
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Curriculum Outcomes
Framework
Essential Graduation
Learnings
Essential graduation learnings are statements describing the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes expected of all students who graduate
from high school, which are
•
•
•
General Curriculum
Outcomes
General curriculum outcomes are statements identifying what
students are expected to know and be able to do upon completion of
study in English language arts, which
•
•
•
Key-Stage Curriculum
Outcomes
c ross-curricular;
the foundation for all curriculum development;
found on pages 6–9 of the Foundation for the Atlantic Canada
English Language Arts Curriculum and page 38 of this curriculum
guide.
c ontribute to the attainment of the essential graduation
learnings;
are connected to key-stage curriculum outcomes;
are found on page 14 of the Foundation for the Atlantic Canada
English Language Arts Curriculum and page 39 of this curriculum
guide.
Key-stage curriculum outcomes are statements identifying what
students are expected to know and be able to do by the end of grades
3, 6, 9, and 12. They reflect a cumulative continuum of learning in
English language arts, which
•
The complete list of key-stage
curriculum outcomes for the end of
grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 are found on
pages 16-35 of Foundation for the
Atlantic Canada English Language Arts
Curriculum.
c ontributes to the achievement of the general curriculum
outcomes;
• connects to essential graduation learnings (pages 40-41);
• can be found on pages 15-35 of the Foundation for the Atlantic
Canada English Language Arts Curriculum and in the flow charts
at the beginning of each 2-strand grouping in this guide.
While there may appear to be similarities in outcomes across the key
stages, teachers will support the increase in expectations for students
through a gradual release of responsibility as it pertains to
•
•
•
•
•
•
t he nature of learning language processes;
students’ maturity of thinking and interests;
students’ increasing independence as learners;
the complexity and sophistication of ideas, texts, and tasks;
the level or depth of students’ engagement with ideas, texts, and
tasks;
the range of language experiences and the repertoire of strategies
and skills students apply to those experiences.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
37
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Specific Curriculum
Outcomes
Specific curriculum outcomes are statements identifying what
students are expected to know and be able to do at a particular grade
level, which
•
•
Essential Graduation
Learnings
Aesthetic Expression
Citizenship
Communication
Personal Development
Problem Solving
c ontribute to the achievement of the key-stage curriculum
outcomes ;
are found throughout the guide in column one.
Graduates from the public schools of Atlantic Canada will be able to
demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the following essential
graduation learnings:
Graduates will be able to respond with critical awareness to various
forms of the arts and be able to express themselves through the arts.
Graduates will be able to assess social, cultural, economic, and
environmental interdependence in a local and global context.
Graduates will be able to use the listening, viewing, speaking,
reading, and writing modes of language(s) as well as mathematical
and scientific concepts and symbols to think, learn, and communicate
effectively.
Graduates will be able to continue to learn and to pursue an active,
healthy lifestyle.
Graduates will be able to use the strategies and processes needed to
solve a wide variety of problems, including those requiring language,
mathematical, and scientific concepts.
Technological Competence
Graduates will be able to use a variety of technologies, demonstrate
an understanding of technological applications, and apply
appropriate technologies for solving problems.
Spiritual and Moral
Development
Graduates will demonstrate understanding and appreciation for the
place of belief systems in shaping the development of moral values
and ethical conduct.
38
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
General Curriculum
Outcomes
The statements of general learning outcomes are organized in six
strands in three groups: Speaking and Listening, Reading and
Viewing and Writing and Representing. However, it is important to
recognize that these language processes are interrelated and can be
developed most effectively as interdependent processes.
Speaking and Listening
Students will be expected to
GCO 1 •
GCO 2 •
GCO 3 •
Reading and Viewing
s peak and listen to explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their
thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences
communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and
to respond personally and critically
interact with sensitivity and respect, considering the situation,
audience, and purpose
Students will be expected to
GCO 4 •
GCO 5 •
GCO 6 •
GCO 7 •
Writing and Representing
s elect, read, and view with understanding a range of literature,
information, media, and visual texts
interpret, select, and combine information using a variety of
strategies, resources, and technologies
respond personally to a range of texts
respond critically to a range of texts, applying their
understanding of language, form, and genre
Students will be expected to
GCO 8 •
GCO 9 •
GCO 10 •
se writing and other ways of representation to explore, clarify,
u
and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and learnings;
and to use their imaginations
create texts collaboratively and independently, using a variety of
forms for a range of audiences and purposes
use a range of strategies to develop effective writing and
representing and to enhance their clarity, precision, and
effectiveness
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
39
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Connections
Essential Graduation
Learnings
The following English language arts Grade 6 key-stage curriculum
outcomes are examples of outcomes that enable students to achieve
the essential graduation learnings.
Key-stage Curriculum Outcomes
Aesthetic Expression
Graduates will be able to respond
with critical awareness to various
forms of the arts and be able to
express themselves through the arts.
By the end of Grade 6, students will be expected to
•
•
•
Citizenship
Graduates will be able to assess
social, cultural, economic, and
environmental interdependence in a
local and global context.
make language choices to enhance meaning and achieve
interesting effects in imaginative writing and other ways of
representing
demonstrate an understanding that particular forms of writing
and other ways of representing require the use of specific features,
structures, and patterns
read widely and experience a variety of children’s literature with
an emphasis in genre and authors
By the end of Grade 6, students will be expected to
•
•
•
listen attentively and demonstrate an awareness of the needs,
rights, and feelings of others
compare their own thoughts and beliefs to those of others
consider information from alternative perspectives
Communication
Graduates will be able to use the
listening, viewing, speaking, reading,
representing and writing modes of
language(s) as well as mathematical
and scientific concepts and symbols
to think, learn, and communicate
effectively.
By the end of Grade 6, students will be expected to
•
•
•
Personal Development
Graduates will be able to continue to
learn and to pursue an active, healthy
lifestyle.
40
contribute to and respond constructively in conversation, smallgroup and whole-group discussion
select from a range of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing,
proofreading, and presentation strategies to develop effective
pieces of writing and other representations
use a wider range of pictorial, typographical, and organizational
features of written texts to obtain, verify, and reinforce their
understanding of information
By the end of Grade 6, students will be expected to
•
•
•
ask and respond to questions to seek clarification or explanation
of ideas and concepts
formulate goals for learning
select independently, texts appropriate to their range of interests
and learning needs
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Essential Graduation
Learnings
Key-stage Curriculum Outcomes
Problem Solving
Graduates will be able to use the
strategies and processes needed to
solve a wide variety of problems,
including those requiring language,
mathematical, and scientific concepts.
By the end of Grade 6, students will be expected to
•
•
•
listen critically to others’ ideas or opinions or points of view
frame questions and design investigations to answer their
questions
use and integrate the various cueing systems and a variety of
strategies with increasing independence to construct meaning
Technological Competence
Graduates will be able to use a
variety of technologies, demonstrate
an understanding of technological
applications, and apply appropriate
technologies for solving problems.
By the end of Grade 6, students will be expected to
•
•
•
engage in, respond to, and evaluate a variety of oral presentations
and other texts
use technology with increasing proficiency to create, revise, edit,
and publish texts
use a range of reference texts and a data base or an electronic
search to facilitate the selection process
Spiritual and Moral Development
Graduates will demonstrate
understanding and appreciation for
the place of belief systems in shaping
the development of moral values and
ethical conduct.
By the end of Grade 6, stduents will be expected to
•
•
•
contribute thought, ideas, and questions to discussion and
compare their own ideas with those of peers and others
use writing and other ways of representing to compare their own
thoughts and beliefs to those of others
with increasing independence, answer their own questions and
those of others by selecting relevant information from a variety of
texts
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
41
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
How to Use the Four Column Curriculum Layout
Header: refers to time of the school year
Column 1: contains Specific
Curriculum Outcomes.
Strands are indicated in
brackets.
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
1.1 (cont’d) use oral language
to clearly describe and discuss
personal experiences with
supporting detail (SL)
Early in the year students may require more support with oral
language skills. As they progress, the goal is that students will become
more independent in their elaborations as they share their personal
experiences. By restating/paraphrasing what the student has said, the
teacher provides opportunity for the student to clarify ideas and provide
further details. E.g.,
s “What you are saying is…”
s “Here’s what I think you are saying…”
Teachers may need to give verbal prompts to encourage students to
begin and maintain talk. Teacher-generated or student co-constructed
sentence starters can be posted as a visual to support students during
discussions. E.g.,
Column 2, Focus for
Learning, provides context
and elaboration for the ideas
and concepts identified in the
SCOs. This may include:
s “Something I noticed …”
s “To add to what you said…”
s “I think differently. I think that…”
1.2 use active listening strategies
for a variety of purposes (SL)
• References to students’
prior knowledge
• The depth of treatment of
particular concept
• What teachers need to
know to scaffold and
challenge students’
learning
• Common misconceptions
• Cautionary notes as
applicable
The purpose of this content
is to assist teachers with
instructional planning.
it up tall
ean forward
ctivate your schema
ote key ideas
rack the talker
It is important for the teacher to draw attention to examples of effective
listening in the classroom throughout the year (e.g., Andrea, I noticed
that you were nodding your head and looking at Mark while he was
speaking. Great listening!).
60
42
1.2 It is important to explain to students that hearing and listening
are not synonymous. Hearing is only one part of listening. Hearing
involves the physical act of receiving sound, whereas listening also
involves attending and making meaning. Discuss, with the class, how
listening involves their ears, eyes, brains and mouths. They need to hear,
watch, think, and respond (at an appropriate time). At the beginning of
the year, it may be beneficial for teachers to discuss listening cues, with
students, which will signal when it is time for them to actively listen.
These will vary from teacher to teacher (e.g., raising a hand, ringing a
bell, clapping, etc.). The class may co-construct an anchor chart as a
visual reminder of how they listen. E.g.,
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Column 4: This feature references
additional information and resources.
Header: contains General Curriculum
Outcome
Column 3: Provides
teachers with ideas
for instruction and
assessment. Instructional
activities are recognized
as possible sources of
data for assessment
purposes on an ongoing
basis (assessment for
and as learning). This
column contains specific
sample tasks, activities
and strategies that enable
students to meet the
goals of the SCOs.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
s Make a bulletin board display entitled, ‘Great Quotes’ or ‘I Like the
Sound of This’. Prior to class, ask students to collect sentences, quotes,
paragraphs, etc. that convey the author’s message in an effective manner.
The teacher begins by modelling his/her thoughts on a favorite text.
Ask students to present their text and share why they would like to add
it to the wall of great quotes. Ask other students if they agree that it
should be added it to the display.
Authorized Resources:
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support
Guide Scholastic (2008), Oral
Language Strategies: pp. 37- 46
At the end of the activity, students may self assess their own listening,
using a checklist such as:
Did I:
listen to others?
show respect for the ideas of
others?
agree/disagree politely?
contribute ideas?
ask questions?
explain my point of view?
Yes
No

Language Arts Outcomes
in different strands are
interconnected. Each
task in Column 3 may
be used as suggestions
for teaching and
assessment for multiple
outcomes, as indicated.
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify, extend and reflect on their
thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
(1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1)
s Using the graphic organizer below have students listen to a
description and fill in each section of the chart.
(1.2, 4.6)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
61
43
English Language Arts
Beginning Grade 4
Beginning Grade 4: Planning for Literacy
It is recognized that early grade 4 students start the school year at a particular developmental stage, and that they
have a variety of learning experiences which will impact on what they are ready and able to learn. In establishing an
inclusive classroom where each student is valued and considered a contributing member of the classroom community,
it is important to get to know the students with the view to providing the most suitable learning opportunities for all.
The Beginning Grade 4 section is intended to set up many of the classroom structures and routines which will enable
a productive and engaging learning environment for the entire year. It is also designed to access the knowledge and
skills students have acquired throughout their primary years and to continually build on to this, providing increasing
opportunity for greater independence in student learning over time.
An effective English Language Arts program incorporates a variety of activities which support student learning. There
is a focus on all modes of communication - speaking and listening, reading and viewing and writing and representing.
In order to optimize literacy learning it is recommended that teachers, with the help of administrators, schedule a
block of time (approximately 70-90 minutes a day), referred to as a Literacy Block, where interruptions are minimal.
Although all aspects of literacy are integrated, this approach allows times for explicit instruction in reading and
writing, time for students to apply these skills, support to all students, and appropriate assessment and feedback.
The Literacy Block should include a ‘status-of-the-class’ check to determine where students are in their work and set
direction for the remainder of the block. The Literacy Block includes routines, established early in the year, which
clearly indicate to students procedures to follow for independent work, group work, conferences with other students
and the teacher, etc. These routines will allow for students to engage in purposeful work in English Language
Arts, while the teacher works with a small group or an individual. It is important that a variety of texts, including
electronic texts, that are interesting to students as well as at appropriate reading levels, are available in the classroom.
As routines become established, teachers regularly conference with students to offer meaningful feedback on both the
successes they are experiencing, as well as, to provide specific direction on how to improve in a particular area. This
learning structure encourages students to work at their own pace while taking a greater responsibility for their own
learning. A sample of a Literacy Block is shown in the chart:
Literacy Block (Reader’s Workshop/ Writer’s Workshop)
Organization and Time
Whole Group
(10-20 minutes)
Small Group and
Individual
(50-60 minutes)
Whole Group
Teaching and Learning Context
Read Aloud/Mini-lesson - students are gathered together for explicit teaching.
Modelled Writing/Mini-lesson
Shared Reading/Writing
Status of the Class - quick overview of upcoming student activity for next 5060 minutes
Teacher
Students
Guided Reading/ Independent Reading or Independent Writing - students
Guided Writing work independently and teacher offers support only as
necessary
Conferencing
Follow-up
Responding to Personal Reading/
Activities
Text
Writing
Group Sharing Time
(10-20 minutes)
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
The table below contains specific outcomes for Beginning Grade 4. While all outcomes are integrated, aspects
of different outcomes are given focus at different times in the year. After an outcome, strategy or concept has
been selected as a focus and is introduced it becomes part of regular classroom activity for the remainder of
the year, being revisited many times. Page numbers, in brackets, show all references to each outcome in this
curriculcum guide.
CURRICULUM OUTCOME OVERVIEW (BEGINNING GRADE 4)
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify,
extend and reflect on their thoughts, ideas, feelings and
experiences. (SL - Speaking and Listening)
Students will be expected to:
1.1 discuss personal experiences with supporting detail
(pp. 48-51)
1.2 use active listening strategies for a variety of purposes
(pp. 50-53, 128-129, 190-191)
1.3 ask and respond to questions that explore and clarify
ideas (pp. 52-53, 128-129)
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information
and ideas effectively and clearly, and to respond personally
and critically. (SL)
2.1 contribute effectively to conversation during wholeand small-group discussion (pp. 54-55, 130-131)
2.2 use effective presentation skills (pp. 56-57, 132-135,
192-193)
GCO 3: Students will be able to interact with sensitivity
and respect, considering the situation, audience and
purpose. (SL)
Students will be expected to:
GCO 6: Students will be expected to respond
personally to a range of texts. (RV)
Students will be expected to:
6.1 express, with support, opinions on texts (pp.
82-83)
6.2 respond to texts to refine the process of making
meaning (pp. 82-83, 162-163)
GCO 7: Students will be expected to respond critically
to a range of texts, applying their knowledge of
language, form and genre. (RV)
Students will be expected to:
7.1 analyze ideas, information and perspectives in text
(pp. 84-87, 164-165)
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing and
representation to explore, clarify and reflect on their
thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings; and to use
their imaginations. (WR - Writing and Reprsenting)
3.1 explain how oral language can affect others (pp.58-59, Students will be expected to:
138-139)
8.1 develop proficient proficient writing and
representing skills (pp.92-93, 206-207)
8.2 create texts that are imaginative and used for selfexpression and enjoyment (pp. 94-95, 168-169,
208-213)
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts
with understanding a range of literature, information, media collaboratively and independently, using a wide variety
and visual text. (RV - Reading and Viewing)
of forms for a range of audiences and purposes. (WR)
Students will be expected to:
4.1 use cueing systems to construct meaning (pp. 60-61)
4.2 identify and select appropriate texts (pp. 62-63, 140141)
4.3 develop proficient reading and viewing skills (pp. 6469, 142-143)
4.4 use text structures to construct meaning (pp.70-71,
144-145, 194-195)
4.5 use text features to construct meaning (p. 72-75, 146147, 196-197)
4.6 use a variety of comprehension strategies (pp. 74-81,
148-153, 198-203)
GCO 5: Students will be expected to interpret, select and
combine information using a variety of strategies, resources
and technology. (RV)
Students will be expected to:
9.1 demonstrate an awareness of audience and
purpose (pp. 96-99, 170-171)
9.2 create a variety of texts using text structures and
features (pp. 100-109, 170-177, 208-213)
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of
strategies to develop effective writing and representing
and to enhance their clarity, precision and effectiveness.
(WR)
Students will be expected to:
10.1 create texts using the processes of writing and
representing (pp. 110-123, 178-185, 214-217)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
47
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
1.1 discuss personal experiences
with supporting detail (SL Speaking and Listening)
Oral language development is an essential component in
communication. Much of what students learn is learned through
talking, listening, observing and interacting with others, therefore it is
important that teachers are purposeful in providing opportunities for
students to develop their oral language skills.
Most oral language experiences can be thought of as:
• informal (e.g., brainstorming, asking questions, sharing, etc)
• discussion (e.g., classroom or community issues, concepts in
subjects areas, etc.)
• formal (storytelling, role plays, book talks, oral reports, etc.).
Modelled Talk (teacher talk) is an effective instructional strategy which
provides an opportunity for teachers to demonstrate their own thinking
processes. Teachers should provide daily opportunities for students to
share and clarify their feelings, thoughts, opinions and ideas. Through
demonstrations where teachers talk about how they think about text,
students gain insight into their own thought processes and learn how to
respond to texts. To encourage student independence, teachers should
model various kinds of talk (e.g., show and tell, book talk, etc.).
When students use think alouds it can help them express their opinions
and extend their own understanding. Begin ‘think aloud’ statements
with starters such as:
• “I wonder why…?”
• “When you mentioned that, I was thinking…”
• “That reminds me of…”
• “I would like to know more about..”
Provide opportunities for students to engage in discussions with a
partner, in small groups and large groups.
Using effective questioning techniques in a safe environment can also
help students extend their thinking. Ask questions such as:
•
•
•
•
•
48
“Can you tell me more about…?”
“Is there anything else you would like to add?”
“What did you notice when…?”
“Is there anything else you enjoyed?”
“What happened when…?”
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify, extend and reflect on their
thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Thinking aloud is a very powerful form of instruction because
students can see that adults also wonder about things they read. Choose
a text to read aloud. Read aloud the opening paragraphs, stopping at
appropriate times to share your thinking about the text. After reading,
provide opportunity for discussion about what was read. Ensure that
students go beyond the literal meaning of the text by suggesting they
use conversation starters, such as the following, to guide the discussion.
These starters can also be displayed in the classroom.
Conversation Starters
This makes me think of...
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Classroom Set-Up
and Organization, pp. 18-28
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Oral Language
Development, pp. 33-38
I wonder if...
I don’t understand how...
I think....because....
(The character) is really (sad/happy/angry/etc.)
because...
The author used .... to ...
I predict that...
I just discovered that ....
I agree/disagree with ... because ...
I am puzzled about...
This reminds me of...
(1.1, 2.1, 3.1)
• Ask students to listen as you read aloud a text and ask them to
remember information that they find especially interesting. Stop
reading periodically and ask students to share the points they remember
with a partner.
(1.1, 1.2, 2.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
49
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
1.1 (cont’d) discuss personal
experiences with supporting
detail (SL)
Early in the year students may require more support with oral
language skills. As they progress, the goal is that students will become
more independent in their elaborations as they share their personal
experiences. By restating/paraphrasing what the student has said, the
teacher provides opportunity for the student to clarify ideas and provide
further details. E.g.,
• “What you are saying is…”
• “Here’s what I think you are saying…”
Teachers may need to give verbal prompts to encourage students to
begin and maintain talk. Teacher-generated or student co-constructed
sentence starters can be posted as a visual to support students during
discussions. E.g.,
• “Something I noticed …”
• “To add to what you said…”
• “I think differently. I think that…”
1.2 use active listening strategies
for a variety of purposes (SL)
It is important to explain to students that hearing and listening are
not synonymous. Hearing involves the physical act of receiving sound,
whereas listening also involves attending and making meaning. Discuss,
with the class, how listening involves their ears, eyes, brains and mouths.
They need to hear, watch, think, and respond (at an appropriate time).
At the beginning of the year, it may be beneficial for teachers to discuss
listening cues, with students, which will signal when it is time for them
to actively listen. These will vary from teacher to teacher (e.g., raising
a hand, ringing a bell, clapping, etc.). The class may co-construct an
anchor chart as a visual reminder of how they listen. E.g.,
Sit up tall
Lean forward
Activate your prior knowledge
Note key ideas
Track the talker
It is important for the teacher to draw attention to examples of effective
listening in the classroom throughout the year (e.g., Andrea, I noticed
that you were nodding your head and looking at Mark while he was
speaking. Great listening!).
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify, extend and reflect on their
thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Create a bulletin board display entitled, Great Quotes or I Like the
Sound of This. Ask students to collect sentences, quotes, paragraphs,
etc. that convey an author’s message in an effective manner. The teacher
begins by modelling his/her thoughts on a favorite text. Ask students to
present their text and share why they would like to add it to the wall of
great quotes. Ask other students if they agree that it should be added it
to the display.
Authorized Resources:
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008), Oral Language
Strategies pp. 37- 46
At the end of the activity, students may self assess their own listening,
using a checklist such as:
Did I:
listen to others?
show respect for the ideas of
others?
agree/disagree politely?
contribute ideas?
ask questions?
explain my point of view?
Yes
No
(1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1)
• Using the graphic organizer below ask students to listen to a
description and complete each section of the chart to recall details.
Item
Looks
Sounds
Taste
Smell
Feels
(1.2, 4.6)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
51
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
1.2 (cont’d) use active listening
strategies for a variety of purposes
(SL)
Students need to be able to identify distractions that may interfere
with their own listening. Ask students, “What distracts you when you
are trying to listen?” Each distraction can be placed in one of three
categories:
• speaker distractions - things that the speaker does (e.g., coughing,
rocking back and forth, fidgeting, speaking softly, etc)
• listener distractions - things that the listener does (e.g., chatting,
daydreaming, playing with an object, etc)
• environmental distractions (e.g., background noise, room
temperature, intercom announcements, ads/pop-ups, etc.)
Students should reflect on which distractions most affect their listening
and provide suggestions for reducing these distractions. By becoming
aware of personal distractions to listening, students may adopt new
strategies to improve active listening skills. E.g., if a student finds the
view through the window distracting, they may decide that asking
to close the curtains or move to another area of the room may help
improve their listening skills.
When students are explicitly taught how to identify and talk about
effective listening they are more able to reflect on their own listening
behaviours and those of others.
1.3 ask and respond to questions
that explore and clarify ideas (SL)
Students ask questions for a variety of purposes; to gather information,
to solve problems, to check understanding, to clarify instructions and
to satisfy curiosity. The questions students ask can inform the teacher
about their level of understanding and language development. Students
need to understand the difference between closed and open questions.
Closed questions require a one or two-word response, can be found
directly in the text (e.g., What were the names of the characters in the
story?). Open questions require students to think beyond the text. E.g.,
•
•
•
•
•
What does that remind you of...?
What happened when you...?
How did you...?
Why do you think ...?
Have you ever…?
Both types of questions have a purpose and a place in discussions;
however, students may be more comfortable using closed questions
and need to be encouraged to use open questions in their discussions.
Asking open questions is more effective in helping students activate their
prior knowledge, expand their ideas and give more detailed responses;
therefore, open questions should be modelled regularly.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify, extend and reflect on their
thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Conferencing with a small group or an individual allows the teacher
to assess how well students are able to describe and discuss a personal
experience. Ask students to tell about a personal experience that was
significant to them (e.g., a funny experience, something that made
them happy, etc.) Questioning can be an can be an integral part of
conferencing as it enables teachers and students to bring clarity to what
is being discussed. This is a time when a time when the teacher and the
student can identify strengths and discuss areas for improvement.
(1.1,1.3)
• Students may practice asking a variety of questions with their
Reading Buddies, Book Clubs (Literature Circles), etc. A question
matrix provides sample question starters and is one resource that can be
used by both students and teachers when generating questions.
Event
Situation
Choice
Person
Reason
Means
What is?
Where/
When is?
Which is?
Who is?
Why is?
How is?
What did?
When/
Which did?
Where did?
Who did?
Why did?
How did?
What can?
Where/
Which can?
When can?
Who can?
Why can?
How can?
What
would?
Where/
When
would?
Which
would?
What will?
Where/
When will?
Which will?
What might?
Where/
When
might?
Which
might?
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008), Reading Buddies
p. 48
Supplementary Resources
First Steps: Oral Language
Resource Book (1994) Social
Convention, Teaching Strategies
pp. 42-48
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001)
Questioning p. 43
Who would? Why would? How would?
Who will?
Why will?
How will?
Who might? Why might? How might?
(1.3, 2.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
53
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
2.1 contribute effectively to
conversation during whole- and
small-group discussion (SL)
A Think-Pair-Share is a cooperative discussion strategy in which the
teacher encourages students’ thinking by providing a question or
prompt. Students are asked to take a few minutes just to THINK about
the question. Next students PAIR up to discus their answers and decide
which one they think is best. Finally students SHARE their thinking
with the rest of the class. Ask students to work with a partner to
participate in a Think-Pair-Share activity using the following questions:
• What is a discussion?
• What makes a discussion effective or ineffective?
Teachers should spend time teaching the kinds of listening and speaking
activities that result in constructive discussions. Create an Anchor Chart
such as the one shown below. Anchor Charts are posters that may be
teacher-constructed or co-constructed between teacher and student and
can be displayed throughout the year for student reference. E.g.,
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Effective Discussion Strategies
Listen with an open mind
Reconsider your point of view after that of others
Offer new ideas
Don’t make it personal when you challenge a comment or disagree
Stay on topic
Try to include everyone
Take turns
Expand on each other’s ideas
Interrupt appropriately
Ask appropriate questions
Respect others
Provide thoughtful responses
Brainstorming is an opportunity for students to generate ideas on
particular topic without fear of criticism. Engage students in a
brainstorming activity to generate possible topics for debate (e.g., We
need to work harder to save the environment). All debate topics are
recorded. Observe how the students contribute ideas and listen to each
other during the brainstorming. Students must try not to interrupt
others when they are talking and they can continue to contribute
until the ideas stop or until a reasonable times has passed. Discuss the
conventions of respectful speaking before and after this task.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and to respond personally and critically.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Divide the class into small groups. Distribute a photocopy of a front
and back cover of a book and ask students to discuss the following
questions:
• What does the title make you think about?
• What mood is conveyed by the covers (font, colors, etc.)
• Does the book remind you of other books you have read?
• What are you wondering about the book?
Circulate among the groups, noting the use of good discussion
strategies they listed earlier on the anchor chart. As a whole class,
discuss how they think they did with the good discussion strategies
and add any new ones that are suggested, to the chart.
(1.3, 2.1, 4.5, 4.6, 6.1, 6.2)
Resources
Authorized Resources:
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008), Think-PairShare p. 45
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008), Brainstorming
p. 47
• Students are invited to discuss a text and to make personal
connections using their own experiences and knowledge. This type of
informal talk allows students to share their ideas and learn from the
ideas of others. Ask questions such as:
• Do you agree or disagree with the author? Why or why not?
• What is the author’s intention here?
(1.3, 2.1, 6.1, 6.2)
• In groups of 4-6, students select a topic for a discussion from a list
generated in a brainstorming session (e.g., Should more moose licenses
be issued each year in Newfoundland and Labrador?).
(2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 5.1, 5.3, 5.4)
• Using a Fishbowl strategy, sit with a small group of students sit in an
inner circle while the remaining students form an outer circle around
them. The teacher and students in the inner circle participate in a
discussion on a chosen topic (e.g., a book, summer vacation, etc.) while
the outer circle of students observe. Once the discussion has ended, the
students can brainstorm the behaviours which helped contribute to a
good discussion.
(1.2, 1.3, 2.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
55
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
2.2 use effective presentation
skills (SL)
Formal presentations can be overwhelming and cause anxiety in many
students and adults. Students need to learn how to present information,
have opportunities to practice and receive help refining the process.
Oral presentations can go from being spontaneous and unrehearsed
at the beginning of the year to becoming more refined and having
more preparation time. Instruction on oral language is planned using
a gradual release of responsibility model. Starting early in the year
students need to be given many opportunities to do informal oral
presentations.
Teachers may decide, depending on the students, to introduce some
of the following forms of presentations in Beginning Grade 4 (grey
column) and as the year progresses, build on them. Below are activity
suggestions, showing development throughout the year. It is not
necessary to work on all forms. Once a form has been introduced it can
become part of regular classroom activity for the remainder of the year,
being revisited many times in different situations and contexts.
Beginning
Mid
Discussion about text Impromptu book
talks
Storytelling (teacher Storytelling (teacher
teaches storytelling)
guides storytelling)
Response to
Response to
literature:
literature:
conversations,
conversations,
discussions
discussions
Character
Role play in content
conversations/
areas/ Reader’s
Reader’s Theatre
Theatre
Inquiry activities/
Interviews/informal
Discussions
debates
Topic talks/ informal Mini-presentation
oral presentations
Late
Oral book reports
Retelling
Oral Presentation
Oral Summaries
Storytelling (students
practise storytelling)
Response to
literature:
conversations,
discussions
Drama
Debates
Oral Presentation
Adapted from A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Volume Four, Oral
Language, Ontario (2008)
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and to respond personally and critically.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Invite a storyteller into the class or used recorded stories to help
students learn storytelling techniques. Create a chart with students. E.g.,
An Effective Storyteller:
An Audience Member:
• speaks clearly
• encourages
• doesn’t ramble
• participates
• stops for laughter
• supports
• considers the audience
• watches
• listens
• shows appreciation
• is a coach
(1.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1)
• Character Conversation - Ask students to select a text to read and
explore. Next they form groups (the number of students in the group
should match the number of characters in the text). As students read,
instruct them to examine the personalities, actions and problem
solving abilities of the characters so they can assume one of roles.
Using jot notes, students take on the roles of the characters and have a
conversation.
(1.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to Share
What you Have Read: Book Buzzes
pp. 173
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to Share
What you Have Read: Book
Conversations p. 174
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to Share
What you Have Read: Book
Recommendations pp. 77-78, 175
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
(Scholastic 2008) Fluency Activities
pp. 349-360
57
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
3.1 explain how oral language can
affect others (SL)
Use a variety of texts, discussion, role-play, as well as anti-bullying
activities within the school. Issues can be addressed as teachers create
a safe and respectful classroom environment at the beginning of the
year. Teachers should take advantage of opportunities to readdress this
outcome throughout the year.
Attitude may be reflected in tone of voice. Sometimes it is not the
words people choose that are insensitive but rather how they say them.
For example, if Max does not do well on a project and a classmate
sarcastically says, “You did really well on that test, didn’t you?” Even
though the words themselves are not inappropriate the manner in which
they are spoken is insensitive and hurtful.
When people choose to say something can also be insensitive and
hurtful. We need to be aware of the situation and the audience before
deciding on what to say. For example, if Sarah, a member of the
swim team, was unable to attend the weekend swim meet, it may be
insensitive for the team members to discuss how much fun they had and
how well they performed as a team, in Sarah’s presence.
Word choice refers to what people say. Certain words or phrases chosen
may be stereotypical, derogatory, racist, or culturally insensitive, e.g.,
“You run like a girl”.
Students need to be aware that what people say, how they say it and
when they say it can be hurtful to individuals such as a classmate or to a
group such a seniors/teachers/boys/girls.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 3: Students will be able to interact with sensitivity and respect, considering the
situation, audience and purpose.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Read Catching the Moon by Crystal Hubbard (Moving Up Strategy
Read-Aloud). Discuss examples of stereotypical oral language. For
example, “You’ve got a good arm, little miss, and you run fast,”
he said. ”But I don’t take girls in my camp.” This can also lead
to a discussion about what was acceptable in the past and what is
acceptable now.
(3.1, 4.3, 6.2, 7.1)
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008)
Hubbard, Crystal, Catching the
Moon. Moving Up With Literacy
Place, ( Scholastic 2005)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
59
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.1 use cueing systems to
construct meaning (RV Reading and Viewing)
It is important to continue reading instruction in the elementary grades.
Students learn by reading in the primary grades and they continue
learning to read as they move through school. It is important, therefore
to provide opportunities for Grade 4 students to continue to ‘learn to
read’ in order to ‘read to learn’. Reading and viewing are the processes of
constructing meaning from a range of representations including print,
film, television, and technology, etc. This complex process requires the
integration and coordination of the four cueing systems:
• Semantics focuses on meaning through interaction within, beyond
and about the text. If text containing new information is connected to
students’ prior knowledge, then they can more easily integrate this new
information and understand it.
• Syntactics (Syntax) is the knowledge of the language structure
(grammar). It is how the order of the
words assist in making meaning. It
Pragmatics
forms the understanding of the order
of nouns, verbs, adjectives and other
Syntactics
Semantics
types of words in the sentence. Students
move from an intuitive understanding
of these forms in their oral language to
Graphophonics
reading them in texts and using them in
their writing.
• Graphophonics is the knowledge
of the relationship between the
written letters and the sounds of the language (decoding). The reader
continuously develops a vocabulary that allows access into a variety of
texts.
• Pragmatics refers to the structure of texts and to the particular
context in which the texts occur. For example, a fluent reader is able to
use headings and subheadings of expository texts to find main ideas,
or glossaries to aids in constructing meaning. More information can
be constructed from a text if the reader understands the structure of
a particular text. For example, understanding the basic structure of a
narrative, as well as the features of a particular narrative genre can help
the reader to activate prior knowledge and predict meaning.
These cueing systems interact for comprehension to occur. Students
need to learn to utilize all the cueing systems in order to become
proficient readers.
60
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Observation is one of the main assessment tools that teachers use to
analyze how well students utilize the cueing systems to help them read
and understand text. Teachers can:
• listen to a student read orally
• initiate reading conferences in which students read from and talk
about self-selected text and personal approaches to reading
• read responses to text (student reading journals or learning logs)
• discuss a student’s response to text with the student
• observe students selecting texts and sharing reading choices with
peers
• note instances when a student uses reading strategies
independently (e.g., setting purposes, self-monitoring, sampling
text, surveying organizational features of a text, etc.)
• listen to a group of students discussing a text (book talk, book
clubs, etc.)
(4.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to Figure
Out Unknown Words and How
to use Context Clues to Work Out
Word Meanings, pp. 165-166
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Reading
Assessment, pp. 181-217
61
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.2 identify and select
appropriate texts (RV)
Students read more and are likely to continue reading when they have
the opportunity to choose what they read. Therefore, at some point
during every day, students should be able to choose what they want to
read. There are times, however, that students require guidance in text
selection. Students need to learn how to make appropriate text choices
depending on purpose and how to find texts by their favourite authors,
genre or interest. They also need to learn to recognize when to abandon
a text.
Boushey and Moser (2006) suggests teacher and students discuss how
to choose ‘good fit’ books by comparing book selection to footwear
selection. Use a bag of assorted footwear (e.g., dress shoes, sneaker,
winter boot, sandal, slipper, golf shoe, soccer cleat, etc). Begin by taking
out the winter boot asking why you would wear a winter boot. Then
ask, would you wear this if you were playing soccer? Repeat this with the
dress shoe and the sneaker to model that some shoes have a particular
purpose. Next, show them a golf shoe. Ask them what the purpose is
and then ask if a person would have a golf shoe if they had no interest
in playing golf. Finally, show students a shoe that is much too large or
much too small ( a man’s size 12 dress shoe). Try on the shoe and ask
students if this shoe is a good choice for you. Students will conclude
that a person chooses shoes based on the purpose they want to use it for,
the interests you have and if it fits. All of the footwear can be good for
a particular person or a particular activity but there is not one that will
always fit every person at all times.
Show students some of your books and discuss why they are a ‘good fit’
for you at this time. You may have:
• a real estate magazine because you are looking to buy a new house
(purpose)
• a recipe book because you enjoy baking (interest)
• a novel by your favorite author because you are able to read it
fluently and understand it (interest )
Then, show books that would not be a good fit for you at this time:
• ‘How to Care for Your Cat’ book - I have dog, not a cat, so the
book serves no purpose for me at this time.
• a nursing textbook - Say, “I am curious and started to read this
a few times but found that the words are too challenging and I
could not make any connections to the information. Explain that
through our lives, we continue to learn to read. Even as adults, we
sometimes find a book that is challenging for us. Help students
conclude that, just like the footwear, some books fit better than
others depending on the purpose and interest at the time.
62
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Instruct students to create a readers’s notebook and provide
opportunities for them to write in it frequently. Reader’s notebook can
be used to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
record books they’ve read
keep track of the genres they are reading
list books they would like to read in the future
respond to their reading
prepare for book talks
keep track of Partner Reading discussions and meeting times
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008), Mini-lessons:
How to Find Appropriate Books pp.
150-153
(4.2)
• Provide several books and ask students to select one ‘good fit’ book
and one book that is not a ‘good fit’ for them, at this time. Students
may be asked to explain their choices in a conference with the teacher or
to their classmates.
(4.2)
• Ask students to choose books from the classroom library, the school
library and home library to compile a personal ‘book bin’. Ask students
to explain their choices. Their explanations may include purpose,
interest, appropriate reading level, etc.
(4.2)
• Give students a challenging text and ask them to begin to read and
think about their own thinking as they begin to struggle. Ask students
to turn and talk to a partner about when their understanding broke
down and about their feelings when it did. Ask some students to share
with the class.
(4.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
63
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.3 develop proficient reading
and viewing skills (RV)
To help students become more proficient readers and viewers it
is important that the following instructional approaches are used
throughout the year:
•
•
•
•
Modeled Reading
Shared Reading
Guided Reading
Independent Reading
These are best delivered in a Reader’s Work Shop Approach. At the
beginning of the school year, prior to beginning guided reading,
students should be introduced to read-alouds, shared reading and
independent reading. These approaches to reading should continue
throughout the year.
Modelled Reading (Read Aloud) - There are many advantages to
reading aloud to students, daily. Carefully selected texts expose students
to a variety of rich texts in different genres. Reading aloud to students
motivates them to read. Additionally, they encounter new vocabulary
which assists with expanding their oral language development. Modelled
reading can take two forms:
• Read Aloud - the teacher reads and the students listen. This
provides opportunities for students to experience fluent and
expressive reading. Teachers pause briefly (not long enough to
disrupt the flow) to share how they think as they read text.
• Interactive Read Aloud - the teacher reads aloud and pauses at
strategic points, to ask insightful questions and invite comments
and brief discussion. Teachers share their own thinking to model
how experienced readers think as they read.
Shared Reading is a non-threatening way to invite students into the
reading process. Students follow along while the teacher reads the text
aloud, inviting them to join in or to take over from time to time. It
is necessary that the text be visible or multiple copies be available for
students, to allow for participation. This is an effective way for the
whole class to study the same text, with teacher support.
Shared reading should occur daily throughout the school year. The
purpose of the lesson will determine the text chosen. It can include
various text forms such as poetry, charts, blogs, web sites, short
text, pamphlets, books, etc. It is also an appropriate time to make
connections to other subject areas. For example, a Social Studies text can
be used in a shared reading session. The first reading of the shared text
focuses on comprehension. Multiple readings of the text helps to extend
students’ comprehension, oral language and word knowledge. Meaning
making is focused on, through the explicit teaching of comprehension
strategies.
64
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Set up a Reader’s Workshop. This is a block of time in which the
teacher teaches a mini-lesson. Following the mini-lesson, students may
read independently, be involved in a Guided Reading lesson or in a
Book Club. Students are learning to read by reading rather than by doing
activities about reading. Students may increase length of time reading
independently, without losing their attention, by choosing the right
books. At the end of the Reading Workshop, students meet together for
a group meeting (10-15 minutes) to share something about their reading
or to evaluate their work.
(4.3)
• To observe the act of reading, select a wide variety of texts for shared
reading instruction. Choose two or three students to pay close attention
to in each shared reading session. Record students’ strengths and needs
using anecdotal notes and checklists.
During pre-reading discussion of the text:
• Does the student share background knowledge and personal experiences?
During the reading of the text:
• Does the student join in?
• Does the student make accurate predictions?
• Does the student ask questions about or beyond the text?
• Does the student demonstrate knowledge of word solving
and comprehension strategies
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up Professional Learning
DVD: Read Aloud. (Scholastic
2008)
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Read Aloud, pp.
60-74
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Shared Reading,
pp. 74-91
Moving Up Professional Learning
DVD (Scholastic 2008): Shared
Reading.
Video: Department of Education
Newfoundland Labrador, Reader’s
Workshop: http://www.k12pl.nl.ca/
During and after the reading of the text:
• Does the student make connections (text-to-self, text-to-text,
text-to-world)?
• Does the student form opinions about the text and support
their opinions with evidence?
After the reading of the text:
• Does the student demonstrate thoughtful responses to the
text?
• Does the student use ideas from the text in personal writing?
(4.3)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
65
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.3 (cont’d) develop proficient
reading and viewing skills (RV)
To improve reading fluency, the graphophonemic cueing system must
be modeled during shared reading. This means that teachers should
show students how to solve words (decode) efficiently. Teachers provide
brief mini-lessons on an aspect of phonics or Word Study, as necessary.
The goal is to help students learn strategies that they can use to solve
words, independently, in reading. Efficient decoding allows students
to focus their attention on the meaning of text. Developing readers
are supported by both their peers and the teacher in a shared reading
arrangement.
Guided Reading - Guided reading is a context in which teachers
give explicit instruction to a small group of students who are similar
enough in their reading development that they can be taught together.
The teacher selects and introduces texts, sometimes provides supports
while reading the text, engages the students in a discussion and makes
purposeful comments about the text. Guided reading is designed to
help individual students learn how to process a variety of increasingly
challenging texts with understanding and fluency. Students are
supported as they read, think, talk, and question. The small group
allows for interactions between and among readers that benefit all in
the group. The groups are not static and students move in and out of
groups based on teacher observations. During guided reading time, the
remainder of the students are engaged in other literacy tasks such as
peer reading, independent reading, writing, etc.
• Creating classroom structures and routines - Before beginning
Guided Reading instruction, structures should be in place so that
students can work independent of the teacher, while the teacher works
with the guided reading group. Structures suggested to ensure smooth
procedures as guided reading is implemented are:
• Reading to Self – students are taught how to choose books
within their independent reading level and build up stamina
for independent reading. The length of time that students will
engage in independent reading will increase as the year progresses.
• Reading to a Partner – students read to a partner using an
appropriate book for independent reading. Through modelling
and practice, students build up their stamina for partner reading.
• Word Study – Although the goal of reading is to construct
meaning, instructional goals should also include working with
words. Word study addresses word recognition, vocabulary,
spelling, grammatical concepts and word choice. These work
together to help learners develop into effective readers and
writers.
66
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Steps in a Guided Reading Lesson - A guided reading lesson
generally follows a pattern. Below are suggestions for before, during
and after the reading which will give direction for each lesson.
Before Reading:
• Introduce the selection with a focus on motivating the students
to want to read the text and to make predictions about the text.
• Set a purpose for reading
• Provide opportunities for students to make connections to the
text with their prior knowledge
• Teach the features of the text, such as title, author, illustrations,
charts, diagrams, layouts.
• Note and clarify any challenges that the students may experience
while reading the text (e.g., unfamiliar vocabulary or new text
structures) and provide supports
• Present a new skill or strategy or reinforce one previously taught
in shared reading
• Remind students what early finishers should do while waiting for
everyone to complete the assigned reading task, such as reread,
generate questions about what was just read, create a simple
sketch of a detail, etc.
During Guided Reading:
• Ask students to read silently a selection of the text. Some may
need to read aloud which is acceptable as long as it is done in a
‘soft’ voice so as not to interrupt others.
• Listen to one student read a section of the text aloud and assist
with word-solving, vocabulary and comprehension.
• Provide comprehension prompts that are specific to the lesson or
to the student’s needs.
• Observe and record students’ reading behaviours, strategies
and understanding of the text. These observations will inform
instruction.
• Listen to other students read, or take time to observe the group
in their silent reading.
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up Professional Learning
DVD (Scholastic 2008): Guided
Reading.
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008), Guided Reading
Planning Chart: pp. 37- 46
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Guided Reading,
pp. 92-109
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) What are the
Other Students Doing During
Guided Reading, pp. 92-109
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Working with
Words pp. 307-330
After Reading:
• Discuss what they have read with reference to the purpose for the
reading.
• Ask a range of questions to determine depth of comprehension.
Metacognitive analysis is encouraged where students explain
what they did to understand the selection, what they found
difficult, and how they used strategies to manoeuvre the text.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
67
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.3 (cont’d) develop proficient
reading and viewing skills (RV)
• Writing – students work on peer or independent writing activities.
Students can choose from writing tools (technology, pencil/
paper, etc.) and writing forms that have been modelled in
previous writing lessons (e.g. a persuasive writing, letter, journal,
procedural writing, etc.)
• Forming Groups - All students should participate in the Guided
Reading instruction. For effective Guided Reading instruction, it is
necessary to establish students’ reading levels and create appropriate
groups. It is important that students in a group are reading at
approximately the same level and require focus teaching on similar
reading strategies. While they will be placed in groups, these groups will
be flexible, meaning that students should be able to move in and out of
them based on criteria such as:
• ability to read and interact with text - student reading ability can
be determined through individual student reading assessments
such as reading records, comprehension checks, anecdotal notes
(documented observation), reading behaviour checklists, etc.
• interests - student interests are paramount in learning to read.
Interest inventories are an effective way for students to tell what
they like to read about.
• progression in learning to read - continual monitoring of student
progression is an essential component of Guided Reading
instruction in that it provides information to the teacher about
group composition.
• Scheduling - Guided Reading instruction can begin after the groups
has been determined. Students need to be familiar with the classroom
routines so that they will know what they should be doing while their
teacher is working with a guided reading group. The frequency of
times to meet with the different groups will vary depending on class
size, student needs and other variables. Students who demonstrate
challenges in reading should participate in guided reading instruction
on a daily basis. Fluent readers may require less time, however will need
instruction on a regular basis to ensure they maintain the strategies they
have in place, as well as, learn new strategies to gain fluency in texts.
Independent Reading - A key purpose of independent reading is to
promote enjoyment of reading and to provide opportunities to practice
strategies that have been modelled, which will lead to improved
understanding. In beginning Grade 4, students need to be encouraged
to continually extend the amount of time that they are independently
engaged with texts. When students are given opportunities to select their
own texts for reading and tool for understanding, they sustain interest in
reading for longer periods of time.
68
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Prompt the group to revisit the text for one or two specific reasons
such as, finding evidence to support an opinion, confirming
predictions, discussing author’s word choice, etc.
• Engage in follow-up activities, such as reading response journal,
visual art response, rereading text, etc. to further develop
comprehension
• Assess, through observation, and record students’ understanding of
the text. Reflect on the assessment and the implications it has for
future guided reading instruction.
(4.3)
• In order to effectively form groups for guided reading, it is necessary
to establish students’ reading levels. Knowing the level at which each
student is reading early in the year allows teachers to create a benchmark
to use in assessing and evaluating both the students’ learning in reading,
as well as inform future reading instruction. There are a variety of
methods to determine ‘just right’ texts and to assess reading behaviors
and strategies:
• Previous Reading Record-Teachers can access reading records from
the previous year which indicate the level of text that students
were reading at the end of the school year.
• Informal Reading Inventory- Using the graded passages in
an informal reading inventory to check comprehension and
contextual word recognition can assist in determining the
students’ instructional level of reading. This information can be
used to select appropriate Guided Reading texts, and in forming
Guided Reading groups.
• Reading Record- these can be used to help determine student’s
word-recognition fluency and comprehension instructional levels
(e.g. Benchmark Assessment System). It is important to note
that while it is necessary to determine the students’ reading level,
the Reading Record can provide much more rich information
on how students are reading. For example, it can tell you which
comprehension strategies are working for students and which ones
seem to present problems.
(4.3)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
(Scholastic 2008) Word Resource
Wall Practice Activities pp. 331348
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to
Organize and Independently Run
an Independent Book Club: p.
169-172
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Independent
Literacy Activities, pp. 92-109
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Independent
Reading, p133-140 and Book
Clubs, pp. 117-130
Supplementary Resources
Fountas, Irene and Pinnell, Gay
Su, Benchmark Assessment System
2 (2011), Heinemann
69
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.4 use text structures to
construct meaning (RV)
Text structure refers to how a text is organized. Teaching students
to recognize the structure of the text familiarizes them with various
ways authors organize texts. This recognition of structure facilitates
understanding.
It is important students understand that narrative texts and nonfiction
texts have very different purposes. Narrative text basically has one
structure and its main purpose is to tell a story. Nonfiction texts are
written for the purpose of informing, describing or reporting and
are written using a variety of text structures. These structures include
Sequential, Enumerative, Compare and Contrast, Cause and Effect,
Problem and Solution, Question and Answer, and Description.
It is suggested that the text structures be introduced separately and that
ample time be given for students to explore and identify each structure
before moving on to another one.
While elementary students may be exposed to all of these structures, the
focus for Grade 4 students will be on Narrative (Beginning), Compare
and Contrast (Mid), and Sequential (Late). In Beginning Grade 4 the
focus will be on reviewing the narrative structure:
Narrative - Many students are familiar with narrative text because they
have many experiences hearing and reading stories in narrative form
from a young age.
Story Maps help create an awareness of narrative structure and they
assist students in learning the vocabulary used to discuss a narrative. It is
also an excellent way to prepare to write their own narratives making the
link between reading and writing. The vocabulary includes:
Ri
sin
gA
ct
70
ax
Introduction
im
Cl
io
n
• Setting - when and where the story takes place
• Character(s) - the people /animals that are important in the story
• Problem - the challenges experienced by the main character in the
story
• Goal - what the main character hopes to achieve (sometimes may
include solving the problem)
• Events (plot) - what takes place in the story
• Resolution - how the problem is/or is not resolved
Discussions about narrative texts include setting, characters, conflict,
plot, climax and resolution.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Read aloud a narrative and model how to complete a Story Map
(examples shown below). Ask students to read another narrative and
complete a Story Map independently.
Authorized Resources
Story Map
Title:
Author:
Characters:
Setting:
Somebody (The Main Character(s)):
Problem of the story
Wanted (What the Main Character is trying to do)
A story event
But (The Problem the Main Character runs into):
A story event
So (How the Main Character solves the problem):
How the problem is solved
Main characters
Main characters
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Author’s Craft:
Text Organization and Features:
p.166
The ending
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
(4.4, 9.3)
71
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.5 use text features to construct
meaning (RV)
Meaning in texts is not communicated by the body of the text
alone. Texts also include features that provide access points into, and
information about, the text. Text features can help readers:
• identify the most important ideas in a text,
• anticipate what’s to come,
• understand challenging ideas, and
• find the information they are looking for.
Understanding text features can enhance reading comprehension,
particularly comprehension of expository text. The use of text features is
useful in other curriculum areas such as science, since science texts use
many text features to explain, organize, emphasize, reinforce, and extend
important information. By late Grade 4, students will have be exposed
to many text features and will have begun to identify them. Many will
use the features in their own writing. Features of text help students
determine the type of text they are reading. Text features may look
different for non-fiction and fiction.
Nonfiction - Students experience a variety of non-fiction texts in the
multi-media world in which they live. Being able to identify features
of a non-fiction text as well as purposes for reading non-fiction texts
(e.g., to provide information, explain, inform, persuade, explain how to
do something) will help students become proficient readers of this text
type. They will be able to select specific comprehension strategies that
fit a particular text based on their knowledge of how the information
is presented and organized. Knowledge of text features help students
prepare to process and understand text more effectively.
Below is a suggested list of text features that may be the focus in early
grade 4. These features will be ongoing and other features added in
mid and late Grade 4. This list is not all inclusive and teachers are
encouraged to add to this list as opportunities arise.
Nonfiction Text Feature
Organizational Features Visual Features Print Features
Layout
Photos
Bold
Title
Illustrations
Italics
Table of Contents
Maps
Glossary
Charts
Index
Labelled
Headings and
Diagrams
Subheadings
Graphs
Afterword
Speech Balloons
Author Information
Environmental
Illustrator Information
Print
72
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Collaboratively, create an anchor T-chart entitled Features of
Nonfiction Text. The headings could be: Text Feature and Purpose.
At this point, include the more common features from the chart (e.g.,
titles, headings, graphs, table of contents). Keep this chart posted in the
classroom and continue to add to it as students encounter other features
of text.
(4.5)
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to Use
Nonfiction Text Features to Find
Information. pp. 161-162
• Working in pairs, or independently, using a teacher-selected
nonfiction text, ask students to identify print features and to make notes
about how they helped them understand the meaning of the text. Refer
students to the T-chart created earlier. Ask students to share some of
their findings. (4.5)
• Use a selection that has both written text and a visual text feature
(e.g., a graph), display the written text for students and read it to discuss
the meaning. Display the accompanying visual text feature and discuss
the information contained in it. Ask the students to tell how the visual
affected their understanding of the information. They may do this in a
small group or independently. (4.5)
• Use an nonfiction text (which has several text features) to discuss,
with students, the title of the text and its content. Guide a discussion
about the relationship between the content and the text features. E.g.,
• A table of contents provides an efficient way to find information
on a broad topic
• An index provides a quick way to find information on specific
pages of the text
• A glossary defines terms used in the text
Next, give students another nonfiction text and ask them to describe
the text features in it and how they help them develop a deeper
understanding of the content. (4.5)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
73
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.5 (cont’d) use text features to
construct meaning (RV)
Fiction -Text features of fiction help students understand and guide
them to focus on particular aspects of the text. These may include:
• identifying the main character(s)
• showing ways in which the descriptions of the characters helped
them infer what the characters were thinking
• looking for what characters say or think, their physical
appearance, what they do, or what others say about them
• discovering how the author presents the setting of the story
• determining the problem in the story
The goal, as students progress through Grade 4, is that they will
become competent at using text structures and text features to
distinguish between fiction and nonfiction, enhance meaning and
understanding, locate information and make and verify predictions
about the text.
4.6 use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
There are a variety of effective strategies to improve reading
comprehension, and they are often referred to by different names,
depending on the author and context. They can be divided into two
categories - strategies that make it possible to sustain reading of a
text and strategies that expand understanding of concepts in a text.
Following is a list of suggested reading strategies to use in developing
proficient readers:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
self monitoring (includes questioning)
analyzing (determining importance)
sequencing
making connections
predicting
inferring (includes visualization)
evaluating
synthesizing (includes summarizing)
Students will encounter a large amount and variety of text which
they will be required to manage and understand. Metacognition is the
process of thinking about your thinking when you read and being
aware of when you understand and when you do not. The more
students think, strategically, about their understanding of text, the
better they become at making decisions about what they already know
and about what they still need to know. The goal is to teach students
this repertoire of strategies that they can use independently when
reading text so that they will be able to recognize when comprehension
74
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to reflect on what they think this means: “A picture is
worth a thousand words” and discuss the meaning of this adage. Record,
anecdotally, students’ understanding of this statement. Next, using an
informational text, show a photo with no or very little print. Brainstorm
ideas, with the class, about information found in the photo and create
a list that can be obtained from viewing it. Next, share both the photo
and the list that was created and point out that photos contain detailed
information which improves understanding. Refer students back to
the adage to see if they have a better understanding of it. Ask students
to write a brief rationale for how photos can help them have a better
understanding of information.
(4.6)
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to Use
Nonfiction Text Features to Find
Information. pp. 161-162
Video: Department of Education
Newfoundland Labrador,
Teaching Comprehension Strategies http://www.k12pl.nl.ca
• Create a checklist such as the one shown below to use after observing
or conferencing with the students to determine their understanding of
text features.
Student uses:
Organizational Features
(insert student`s name)
identifies and use organizational features in informational texts
explains how organizational features help readers gain information
Visual Features
identifies and uses several visual features in informational text
explains how visual features help readers gain information
Print Features
identifies and uses several print features in informational text
explains how print features help readers gain information
s
Ye No
m
So
es
im
et
Comments:
(4.5, 4.6)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
75
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 (cont’d) use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
breaks down and take steps to restore it. The following suggestions can
help with the teaching of the comprehension strategies:
• State explicitly the strategy to be learned.
• Inform students about the strategy by discussing:
•
•
•
•
what the strategy is
how it works
when it should be used
when it is not effective
• Model the use of the strategy. When introducing a new strategy, one
of the most effective instructional approaches, is the ‘think aloud’. This
is when teachers read a text, talk aloud about their thinking, and share
how they constructed meaning of the text. When teachers share their
thinking, it provides direct access to their mind, enabling the student to
observe how understanding comes about. ‘Think Alouds’ help students
see what other proficient readers do.
• Provide varied opportunities for students to practise the strategy on
relevant reading material during guided and independent reading times.
• Encourage students to apply a strategy purposefully and
independently.
Although the comprehension strategies are introduced one at a time,
they are interrelated and students will learn to use them flexibly to help
them understand what they have read. At times, students will need
to purposefully choose one or two strategies to use, depending on the
demands of the text.
There is no one sequence for teaching comprehension strategies.
Students should be explicitly introduced to all strategies and guided to
recognize which strategy to use to construct meaning. Teacher cannot
directly observe the comprehension strategies but must infer them from
student’s behaviour when reading.
Self Monitoring - emphasizes the importance of readers paying
attention to their thinking. Proficient readers know when the text they
are reading, makes sense and when it does not. They know the purpose
for reading and they are aware of the strategies they can use to make
meaning from the text. Readers must learn how to consider meaning
in the text, reflect on their understanding and use different strategies to
enhance their understanding. This process is best learned by watching
the teacher think aloud and by gradually taking responsibility for
monitoring their own comprehension, as they read independently.
76
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• To teach students to self monitor provide sticky notes and ask them
to label the top of the sticky note with “Huh?”. Ask them to select a
short text and place the “Huh?” sticky notes at places in the story where
something confused them. If they find information in the story as they
read on or if the confusing part becomes clear, they can go back to
the sticky note and draw a light bulb. After reading the short text, any
“Huh?” that has not been clarified should be given further attention by
the student. Ask them to go back to their ‘fix-up’ strategies and select a
strategy to help clarify meaning of the text. Support may be given by a
reading partner or teacher.
(4.6)
Authorized Resources
• Ask students to read, write and talk to show their understanding of
a text. Select several different texts (on an independent reading level
for students). The readings should be thought provoking (e.g., could
we survive without junk food). Ask them to read it independently and
stop periodically to react, in the margin, to what they are reading. Next
students find the other students with the same reading and share their
reactions. Listen to students as they share in small groups.
(4.6)
Moving Up With Literacy Place
4: Strategy Guide (Scholastic
2008) Self-Monitoring
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Comprehension
Strategies, pp. 58-59
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Thinking About
My Reading Bookmarks: p. 147
• Ask students, individually, to read a text aloud to the teacher. Ask
them to ‘think aloud’. Ask students to stop at points in their reading
and talk about what they are doing and understanding as readers.
Observe and record which ‘fix - up’ strategies the student uses.
(4.6)
• Ask students to reflect on their reading by answering the following
questions on a index card or in their reader’s notebook :
•
•
•
•
•
What type of text did you read?
What is the title?
Who is the author?
Was the text difficult, easy or just right?
What strategies did you use to help you read and understand this
text?
(4.6)
• Select a passage of text that is at an appropriate reading level for
the student. Replace very fifth word with an underline (of consistent
length). Ask the student to read the passage, orally and fill in the blank
with a word that makes sense. The teacher writes the guess in the blank.
Observe which strategies the student uses to find the word and make
meaning of the text.
(4.6)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
77
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 (cont’d) use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
When reading aloud, model to the students that:
• you have made it a habit to consistently stop and check to make
sure the text is making sense (e.g., This makes sense because...)
• if there is something you
don’t understand, you
identify it (e.g., I didn’t
understand...)
• you choose ‘fix-up’ strategies
to solve the problem
(e.g., I need to reread this
because...). Create a list of
fix-up strategies that they
know and can add to as new
strategies are introduced.
Self-monitoring includes asking questions before, during and after
reading to:
• activate prior knowledge
• clarify meaning
• make predictions
• locate an answer in a text
• determine the author’s intent, style, content, or format
• take a critical stance
Proficient readers know that the types of questions they ask are based on
the reader’s purpose and the type of text (genre) being read.
There are four question-answer relationships that should be modelled
for students and threaded throughout the teaching of all comprehension
strategies:
In The Book
•

The answer is within one sentence of
the text.
•
The answer is hidden in more than one
sentence.

78
In My Head
•
The answer comes from the author
and me.
•
The answer is not in the text but I know
the answer.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Begin to read a story to students and model some of the thoughts
that come to mind (e.g., I didn’t get that or Oh! Now I get it). After
modelling this several times, ask the students to continue to read the
story independently. Provide sticky notes for students to write their
thoughts on, while they are reading and then ask them to share their
thoughts with a partner. These sticky notes give students a way to
monitor their own comprehension and gives teachers access to student’s
understanding. Move around the room and listen as students share.
Some students may share their thoughts with the class.
(4.6)
• Provide students with a bookmark (made of blank paper) and a text
they can read independently. Ask them to preview the text. Before
reading, ask students to write a question they have about the text on
the top of the bookmark. Students read independently, recording on
the bottom of the bookmark, evidence in the text that answers their
question. During the reading, on the flip side of the bookmark, students
write other questions that occur to them. After reading, students share
their questions, discussing whether or not they were answered in the
text. (4.6)
• Provide a selection of text for students to read. This could be a
fictional text or an information text from another subject area, such
as Social Studies or Science. Ask students to read the text and in small
groups, write questions that represent each of the four question-answer
relationships discussed in column 2 (Right There, Think and Search,
Author and Me, On My Own). Each group presents their questions to
the other groups in the class. To play this as a game, groups score points
if they can identify the type of question asked, and give an acceptable
answer.
(4.6)
• Display a painting or a poster such as the large reproductions from
the Grade 4 Art program: Explorations in Art: Karita Coffey’s Plains
Indian Women’s Leggings (Image 4.12) or Claes Oldenburg’s Two Giant
Cheeseburgers with Everything (Image 4.18). In small groups, ask
students to generate questions they have about the painting and record
them. Next, provide biographical information about the artist (e.g.,
artist’s life, type of art, common theme, etc.) and ask students to use this
information to help answer their previous questions or to generate new
questions about the visual.
(4.6)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
79
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 (cont’d) use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
Analyzing - requires the readers to explore a text and its visuals to locate
information provided by the author. When analyzing texts, students
check for key ideas, skim texts to locate details, determine importance
and find evidence to support their thinking.
When reading any genre or text from any subject area, it is important
for students to be able to analyze and determine importance as it is
impossible to remember every word read. They need to distinguish
between important ideas that need to be remembered and the
information that may be interesting but not critical to understanding.
Teach this strategy first using fiction and later using non-fiction.
Support readers in learning how to analyze the whole text to see how
illustration, text and structure communicate meaning in an integrated
way. When analyzing texts, readers:
• look for plot development
• notice text characteristics related to genre
• identify underlying structure as related to its genre
• notice author’s use of language to communicate meaning
• notice illustrations and graphic features
• recognize literary features of texts
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to read a page or two from a text at their independent
or instructional reading level. After reading, students stop and write
“Who” was the most important character in the section read and
“What” was the most important event or action.
(4.6)
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place
4: Strategy Guide (Scholastic
2008) Analyzing
• Ask students to read a text that has few illustrations. Ask students to
illustrate or sketch what they think was most important in the selection
read.
(4.6)
• Ask students to select a text and read or view their selection. Ask
them if they can think of other appropriate titles for the text. In small
groups, students share their created titles and explain the reason for their
choices with supporting details or events from the story.
(4.6)
• Provide students with a non-fiction text and two different coloured
flags or sticky notes. Ask students to use one flag to mark an important
sentence in the text. The other flag is used to mark a sentence that is
not important. Ask students to discuss why they chose each sentence.
(4.6)
• Provide students with small sticky notes or flags and ask them to read
from a fictional book at their instructional reading level and “flag” the
most important sentence. Students discuss why they chose that sentence
to be the most important.
(4.6)
• Choose books with headings and ask students to complete the
chart below. Students will read a heading and turn the heading into a
question. E.g., Using Sounds Good (Science text), the heading is Sound
Waves. Students change this heading to, “What are Sound Waves?”.
Students read the first sentence under this heading and ask themselves,
“Did I learn information that helps me answer that question?” If the
answer is yes, they write the detail under the right side of the chart.
They continue on, in the text stopping after each sentence to ask if they
have learned anything. In small groups, students use the details they
recorded on the chart to retell the important information found in the
selection of text.
Main-Idea Question
What are sound waves?
Details
• Sound moves in waves
• Sound waves move out in all
directions...
(4.6)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
81
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
6.1 express, with support,
opinions on texts (RV)
After students read they need time for both personal and critical
response to text. They need opportunity to reflect on and talk about
what they have read. Talking about a book in either a formal or
informal conversation, with the teacher or peers, or both, provides a
forum for making connections (personal and other), questioning their
understanding, extending on concepts, and exploring text meaning.
It also provides time to reflect on and talk about the pre-reading and
during reading strategies they used.
Responses to text encourage discussion, writing, and other ways of
representing their understanding of text, to reflect on their learning and
ultimately extend their reading to other texts.
There are three main types of reader’s responses.
• Oral/Dramatic Responses – Students respond to a text when they
answer questions, ask for clarification, engage in partner talk and
class discussions, role play and produce dramatic versions of all,
or part, of a text. Throughout this process they use oral language
to explore ideas from the text and exchange ideas with others.
• Artistic Responses – Students can sketch, design a map or poster,
draw a cartoon sequence, or paint a picture. Students share their
thinking about their reading in their visual representations.
• Written Responses – There are numerous ways that a student
can do a written response to text. They may jot questions and
quick thoughts on sticky notes, complete a journal entry, make
book recommendations and comparisons, reflect on a passage
or quote from text, create a reader’s theatre script, etc. Through
this process they focus on the text, reconstruct meaning and have
opportunities to gain new insights.
Reader responses are rarely all oral, artistic or written, but rather a blend
of modes.
6.2 respond to texts to refine the
process of making meaning (RV)
82
As students interact with text they need opportunities to make
connections to the text. These connections usually start with text
to self, where students make a personal connection to the text. This
often happens when students read something which reminds them of
a similar thing that happened to them. This is the simplest form of
connection to text.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 6: Students will be expected to respond personally to a range of texts.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to select text at an appropriate level to read
independently. After reading, students use the organizer below to show
their connections with the text.
(4.2, 4.6, 6.1, 6.2)
• Present a text to students and ask them to use a Venn diagram to
compare and contrast this text to another one they have read.
(4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 6.1, 6.2)
• Provide blank paper and ask students to trace their hands. Next,
read a text aloud and ask them to make as many connections to the
text as they can. Ask students to use the organizer below to record each
connection they make on a finger. Ask them use the key provided to
indicate the type of connection being made. This organizer can also be
used for text that students read independently.
Stead, Tony (2006) Reality Checks
(4.2, 4.6, 6.1, 6,2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
83
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
7.1 analyze ideas, information
and perspectives in text (RV)
Teaching critical literacy educates students in ways that help them
grow into independent, caring and engaged citizens. “Critical” in
this context means reflective or analytical and not negative, attacking
or undermining. “Being a ‘critical’ citizen means questioning what
one hears and reads and evaluating those texts for accuracy. It means
evaluating political decisions for the impact on people and the
environment.” (Fountas and Pinnell, 2001, p.368)
Through dialogue, Grade 4 students continue to develop their thinking
about issues that matter in their lives and in the world at large. Teachers
can help students create and recreate ways they think about the
world and help them learn to recognize that the way things are, isn’t
necessarily the way they should be. Students should feel empowered to
question and analyze the purposes of texts. In other words, they need to
be taught to think for themselves.
To determine students’ ability to ‘read between the words’, and to
recognize that texts are not neutral, ask students to critique a text.
Emphasize for students that:
•
•
•
•
all texts are ‘constructed’
different people interpret the same message differently
texts have embedded values and points of view
some messages in texts are constructed to gain profit and/or
power.
Below are sample questions to use to guide their evaluation of the text.
Fiction or non-fiction texts and texts created by the media may be used.
Suggested questions may include:
Questions for Fiction Texts:
• Do the characters and their actions seem real?
• Is the plot believable? Is it engaging?
• How does the writer’s word choice influence your feelings about
certain characters in the text? Provide an example.
• Whose voice is heard most?
• Which voice is more silent?
• Does the story and characters fit with your beliefs about the
world?
• How would you change the story to make it more just or fair?
Questions for Non-Fiction Texts:
• What references are given to support the information in the text?
• Does the writer have biases? What are they? Are they justified?
• What are other perspectives on this topic?
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 7: Students will be expected to respond critically to a range of texts, applying
their knowledge of language, form and genre.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Engage students in conversations about texts through literature
circles and/or book clubs. Eventually, students select their own
materials, form their own groups, and initiate their own conversations
about texts read. However, in order to get students to this level of
responsibility, teachers will have to provide support for students
by grouping them, through common interests or common ability,
provide texts for students to select from, and help students generate
conversations by providing focused questions, etc. As students make
their way through their texts, gather them in small groups to discuss the
text, to engage in healthy debates on issues pertaining to the text and
listen to the opinions of others. This will allow for students to reflect
on their own thinking and justify or modify existing thoughts based on
their conversations in the literature circles and/or book club. Teachers
should record and date observations of students as they participate in
these discussions on texts. Note the critical stance and insightfulness
of their contributions. An Exit Card may help students focus their
discussions:
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to Respond
to a Nonfiction Text: p. 172
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Reader Responses,
pp. 131-133
EXIT CARD
Today I learned...
I don’t understand...
I wonder..
(1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 4.6, 6.2, 7.1)
• Response Journals - Ask students to write about their reading in a
response journal. Take time to reflect on how they feel about what they
have read as well as the strategies they used when reading. Students may
also comment on how they related to the text and analyze how authors
attempted to influence their thinking.
(4.6, 6.2, 7.1)
• Ask students to read a biography revealing details of someone’s
life. Instruct them to write or represent things that the author has said
about the person. Next, ask students to check the facts they learned,
against facts from another text written about the same person. Finally,
the teacher should present information about the author and how
that particular author does research for his/her books. Ask students to
conclude if they think the information about the person seemed real
and if they believe it or not. Observe the conclusions of students and
note if they are able to support their beliefs.
(5.3, 5.4, 7.1,7.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
85
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
7.1 (cont’d) analyze ideas,
information and perspectives in
text (RV)
Questions for Texts Created by the Media (news items, pop culture
topics, advertising):
• Which medium appeals to you most? Which medium do you most
dislike? Why? (Students may suggest newspapers, web sites, radio,
television, or magazines.)
• Has any information you received from the media ever made you
angry? Made you feel happy?
• Do you think the media influenced you in your feelings about
school, family, clothing, what you eat and drink? If so, how?
• Do you feel represented in the media (e.g., through references to
race, religion, gender, abilities, etc.)
• Are certain issues or groups of people represented more often than
others in the media? Why do you think this is?
• How are women shown in the media? How are men represented in
the media?
• How do the media portray smoking, violence, personal
relationships?
Students need to be encouraged to be ‘text participants’ – to use their
own prior knowledge and experience when reading to interpret what the
author is saying and to anticipate where he or she might be going next.
They need to learn how to ‘deconstruct’ text, to:
• determine an author’s purpose and intent
• form interpretations in light of their own knowledge and point of
view
• examine and then find the most effective ways to convey their
thinking (Four Resource Model – Luke and Freebody)
One strategy which may promote a critical perspective when reading is
juxtaposing. This happens when two texts on a similar topic are placed
side-by-side so that students can compare the creator’s bias, intent and
perspective.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 7: Students will be expected to respond critically to a range of texts, applying
their knowledge of language, form and genre.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Ask students to read two versions of the same story, such as The
Three Little Pigs and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Ask
students to:
• write their opinion about the wolf ’s guilt based on their reading
• create a poster depicting their opinion about the wolf ’s guilt
or innocence. Ask them to use specific words from the text to
support their opinion.
• write a letter to the wolf or to the pigs offering them comfort and
advice.
(4.6, 7.1, 7.2, 8.2, 9.2, 10.1)
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Introduction to
Media, pp. 179-183
• View posters such as Action NL, MMSB, MADD, Unicef, etc. and
ask students to discuss the meaning of the text and tell what features
were used.
(4.5, 7.1)
• Give students specific messages and have them create a poster, web
page, or Glog© to convey the message. A glog is blog with graphics. In
a glog you can post pictures, and draw. (A blog is writing or expressing
thoughts through words.)
(7.1)
• Access various websites that send messages, sell products or persuade
the reader to think in a certain way. Discuss how and why the author
chose the features used.
(4.5, 7.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
87
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
8.1 develop proficient proficient
writing and representing skills
(WR - Writing and Representing)
In the elementary years, writing begins to play an increasingly important
role in all areas of student learning. At the beginning of the school year,
Grade 4 students will bring a variety of different writing experiences
to the classroom and a wide variance of writing skills and knowledge.
Effective writing instruction includes opportunities to read, speak
and write and in other subject areas such as social studies, science,
mathematics, health and physical education.
Students’ writing improves with more opportunities to make readingwriting-talking connections in a variety of forms and contexts. It is
important that writing and representing be taught and continued
throughout the year, by using the following instructional approaches:
•
•
•
•
Modelled Writing
Shared Writing
Guided Writing
Independent Writing
All of these approaches should be used as part of a Writer’s Workshop
approach in the literacy block. “The purpose of the writing workshop is
to give students opportunities to write within the school day and to provide
appropriate, intensive, targeted instruction to the whole group, small groups
and individuals.” (Fountas and Pinnell, 2001, p. 50.). Writers of all ages
benefit from opportunities to examine excellent models for writing. Use
thought provoking text, with students in read alouds or shared reading
to create conversations that result in students wanting to take action to
make things better (e.g., bullying, poverty, environmental issue, etc.).
Involving students in meaningful writing activities, challenges them to
think creatively about topics and concerns of interest and will lead to a
greater understanding of essential writing skills.
88
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing and representation to explore, clarify
and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings; and to use
their imaginations.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Set up Writer’s Workshop as a practical structure for writing
activities. The structure usually includes:
Authorized Resources
• a mini lesson - students are gathered together for explicit
teaching or for demonstration of a selected topic, by the teacher.
This might include teaching of routines, conventions of writing,
writer’s craft, etc. (10 - 20 minutes)
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Classroom SetUp and Organization: pp. 18-28
• status of the class - teacher checks with students to determine
and record the status of the writing. It informs the teacher of what
each student will be working on that day and who might need
assistance. (3 minutes)
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Instructional
Approaches to Writing, pp. 150-163
• writing time - students are working at various stages of the
writing process and participate in peer and teacher conferences.
Students write about what interests them and write for real
audiences. This time may include writing with a partner, writing
response, guided writing, independent writing, etc. (50 - 60
minutes)
Video: Department of Education
Newfoundland Labrador, Writer’s
Workshop: http://www.k12pl.nl.ca/
• status of the class - again, the teacher checks in with students to
determine the status of the writing (3 minutes)
• sharing time - students gather together to share and celebrate
their writings and ideas (5- 15 minutes). Questions to ask during a
sharing session include:
•
•
•
•
Who rewrote something that didn’t work?
Who tried something new?
Who wrote their ‘best piece ever’?
Who is experiencing ‘writer’s block’ and needs some ideas
to help you?
(8.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
89
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
Shared Writing provides support for all writers in a safe, comfortable
learning community. It is when the teacher works with the students
to create a piece of writing. The teacher and students first discuss, and
then write a text, collaboratively. The shared writing approach provides
an authentic writing experience as the teacher and students write
together. It can be used for explicit teaching in large groups or for small
group instruction tailored to meet student needs. Shared Writing is an
opportunity for teachers to focus on strategies for planning, drafting,
revising, editing and publishing their writing. It provides deliberate and
purposeful opportunities for writing instruction.
Guided Writing is an opportunity for a small group of students with
common writing needs to come together temporarily for a specific
instructional focus from the teacher before they can write text
independently. It can be used with students at any level and helps them
to hone specific writing strategies and to practice writing a variety of
forms.
Independent Writing is a focused block of writing time with minimal
teacher support in which students practise writing strategies on their
own. Students compose and construct with minimum teacher support,
drawing on the knowledge they have acquired from modelled, shared
and guided lessons. It is important that students be given frequent
opportunities to write independently.
Greatest Support
Modelled
Gradual Release of Teacher Responsibility
Modelled Writing is a time when teachers compose, construct or share
text as students observe. This explicit teaching is the highest level of
support to students and it is important that it be done frequently to help
students understand how and why we write. It makes the writing process
more visible. Teachers should share their own thinking about writing
with their students (e.g., a get well message, thank you cards, journal
entries, letters of complaint, narrative etc.). Teachers should always
model enthusiasm for writing. Teachers need to think-aloud during
modelled writing to demonstrate how they use writing to represent their
own thoughts, feelings, and understandings. Think aloud prompts may
include, “I am asking myself...” and “Why did I think that?”
Least Support
8.1 (cont’d) develop proficient
proficient writing and
representing skills (WR)
Independent
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing and representation to explore, clarify
and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings; and to use
their imaginations.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Students need a place to store their writing throughout the various
stages of development. Folders, for example, offer a simple way for
students to organize their work and keep track of several pieces of work.
As part of the support framework for writing, teachers and students
need to establish a location in the room for storing writing folders and
decide how they will be organized and distributed. Folders can be kept
on a shelf, in a filing cabinet, or in a file box. Selected pieces from the
writing folder can be transferred or copied to the larger student portfolio
(see page 111). Folders, commercially produced or student made, can
contain:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
first drafts, writing in the process of being revised, and some
completed pieces (such pieces can be stamped draft, in revision,
or final draft and can also be date-stamped)
guidelines and checklists that help students focus on specific
tasks at different stages of the writing process
computer disks
illustrations
a record of writing completed
materials that are a potential source of ideas for future writing
lists of words that cause students difficulty in spelling
notes from writing conferences for future reference
(8.1)
• Below is a suggestion of steps to use when modeling writing of text
forms (these steps can occur over a period of weeks):
• Enjoy reading text together
• Think and talk together about the text
• Show other examples of writing in the form and make them
available for reference
• Analyze the characteristics for the text form
• Create a text in the genre/form that you modeled
• Students try writing in the genre/form with a partner and/or on
their own
• Students share their writing and reflections on the process.
Encourage students to write in the genre/form several times to develop
fluency and ease, enabling them to select it as a possibility for their
writing in the future.
(1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 4.4, 4.5, 8.1, 9.1, 9.2)
• Students can write descriptors of an object or event and then read the
description to a classmate to see if they can identify the object or event.
(1.2, 2.2, 8.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
91
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
8.1 (cont’d) develop proficient
proficient writing and
representing skills (WR)
Representing means communicating ideas in a way that can be seen.
The various forms of representing often stand alone, but are sometimes
used in conjunction with each other. Both writing and other ways of
representing are means of communication with various forms, purposes,
functions, and processes. At times, for example, it is more effective to
use drawing to communicate a message. Therefore, students should be
given opportunities to represent information in a variety of ways, such
as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
drawing
painting
photography
collage
poster/signs
cartoons
book jackets
dramatizations
writing
This variety includes, in addition to written language, the visual arts,
drama, music, movement, technological/media production and other
forms of representation. There are countless ways that learners can
express themselves creatively and demonstrate that material has been
read, heard or viewed, the principal concepts understood, or the critical
information researched. Motivate students to explore their topic by
suggesting interesting options such as:
• a videotaped “interview with the author” where the student
takes on the role of news reporter or author. In so doing, all
the important aspects of any well-written book report could be
covered in an entertaining format that would be fun to create
and, at the same time, demonstrate the student’s knowledge
of the material: author’s biography, information on the main
character, inspiration for the story, etc.
• a diorama depicting the conflict or climax of the story
• a mini-movie of the key events
• a storyboard or cartoon book
• a piece of music based on the book
• costumed paper dolls to recreate the scene (if the book was a
period piece)
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing and representation to explore, clarify
and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings; and to use
their imaginations.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to create a chalk/pastel/crayon picture of a nature/other
scene by listening carefully to a description of the given scene. Provide
time between each descriptor for students to internalize and create.
(1.2, 8.1)
• Read a descriptive story to the students. Look at the illustrations and
discuss other ways the author could have represented the text.
(8.1)
• Read a short story or descriptive paragraph to the students. Ask them
to write or draw their response to one of the following question:
• What did you feel when you listened to the reading?
(8.2)
• Read out a descriptive passage, short story, poem or paragraph. Ask
students to draw an illustration about the reading. Encourage them to
include in their illustration details that will help the observer understand
their thoughts, feelings and understandings.
(8.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
93
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
8.2 create texts that are
imaginative and used for selfexpression and enjoyment (WR)
Writing experiences enhance expression. Help students realize that
writing can be creative, experimental, challenging, exciting and fun.
Model writing as a means of personal expression. It might reflect our
backgrounds or be influenced by our personal experiences.
Encourage students to use their imaginations without fear of criticism.
While students should feel their ideas are valued, there may be times
when teachers guide their imaginations within parameters, depending
on the type of writing or representing and its intended audience.
Effective readers are able to generate images for themselves as they read.
Guided Imagery (Gambrell, Kapinus, & Wilson, 1987) is a strategy
that helps trigger visualization for students as they read and learn.
Helping students visualize what they are reading brings the material to
life and makes it more meaningful. Guided Imagery can be used either
to prepare students for a writing or to deepen their understanding after
they have read.
Teachers may also say a word which suggests an image such as
lightening, a parrot, a sundae, etc. Ask students to close their eyes and
let their imaginations run, using all their senses. Students will be asked
to describe what they have been seeing in their minds eyes. Continue
to question to get the students to talk about all details they have
envisioned.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing and representation to explore, clarify
and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings; and to use
their imaginations.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Brainstorm ways the students enjoy expressing themselves. (8.1, 8.2)
• Compare and contrast a written biography to an interview. (8.1, 8.2)
• Tell students you are going to suggest things for them to imagine.
Suggest an image and give them a few moments to form the image in
their minds. Ask each student work with a partner to describe what they
imagine. Suggested images might include a storm, building, animal,
food, relative, or sporting event.
(1.2, 8.1, 8.2)
• Provide wordless picture books or a series of connected visuals (story
board). Ask students to write a descriptor for the pictures. Encourage
them to include in their writing details that will help the observer
understand their thoughts, feelings and understandings.
(8.1, 8.2)
• Ask the class to sit in a circle. Introduce a text and read aloud a
portion of it. Choose one or two sentences from the text and ask
students to do a ‘quick write’ about it. After writing for 3-5 minutes,
students then pass their writing to another student on their right. That
student reads the initial writing and adds their own writing to it. This
continues three times and the writing goes back to the original writer
see how his/her thought has developed into a piece of writing.
(8.2, 9.1, 9.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
95
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.1 demonstrate an awareness of
audience and purpose (WR)
Students write best when they have a desire to express themselves for a
real purpose. Therefore, teachers should engage students in meaningful
writing tasks with a genuine purpose and audience. “It is important
that students view themselves as writers. The more writing that students do
and the more success they have in their writing, the more they will want
to write and the better writers they will become.” (A Guide to Effective
Literacy Instruction, Vol. 6, Writing, Resource from Ontario Ministry of
Education, 2008). Students need to adapt their writing to meet differing
composing purposes, needs, audiences, and styles. Determining purpose
is important because it helps the writers maintain a focus. Before and
during the writing process the writer should ask:
• What do I want my audience to know when I have finished?
• What do I want my audience to believe or agree with?
• Is there an action that I want my audience to take?
Discuss, with students, that writing and representing has many
purposes:
• to clarify their own thoughts, feelings and experiences and reflect
on their own learning - students gain a deeper understanding
and raise their level of awareness when they write to comment
on, compare, contrast and evaluate texts. Facilitate new learning
experiences for students to write about, consequently gaining
greater insight and clarity of thought.
• write and represent to communicate with others for a variety of
purposes
• to record and retain information
• to respond to text - Writing and representing, in response to text,
requires students to:
• reflect on the text in a focused way
• reconstruct the meaning and present it in new ways
• compose language or images to express thought, feelings, and
understandings
• search the text for evidence to support their thinking
• explore new thinking or reflect on understanding
• to identify and solve problems - it is important that students be
given opportunities to write about interesting and original ideas
that reflect their capacity for independent, critical thought. For
example, they may use writing to launch petitions in support
of others which is empowering for them as it allows them to
assume the role of responsible and socially just citizens. They are
motivated to write to bring about change for the betterment and
protection of people, animals and the environment.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• After hearing a text read aloud or viewed together, ask students to
create a similar text but alter it to fit a different audience.
(9.1)
• Provide a collection of textss to groups of students. Each group
will read the text and summarize it, stating the audience and purpose.
Groups should record their summaries. The collections are rotated so
that each group gets a new text. Repeat the summary activity. After
several rounds, the students would be gathered to discuss the recorded
information. A focus on their findings would help them see that a text
may have more than one audience and purpose.
(4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 9.1)
• Brainstorm with students to create an anchor chart listing reasons
why people write. E.g.,
Why do people write?
• for enjoyment
• for self-expression
• to explore issues
• to synthesize information
• to inform
• to persuade
• to initiate social change
Help students realize that the ability to write for a variety of purposes is
an important life skill.
(9.1)
• During modeled writing, provide the following text. One is an email
to a friend, the other a letter to a newspaper regarding the same topic. A
proficient writer will handle each one differently.
To Whom it may concern,
I would like you please reconsider
the cutting down of our town’s oldest
tree. It is a habitat for many insects
and animals and provides oxygen too.
It is also visually appealing to our
town’s visitors.
Sincerely,
Jessie (Age 9)
Sarah!
Can you believe the news? Our
favorite ‘hang out’ is about to be cut
down! I am very sad. There must be
SOMETHING we can do about this!
Jes
Discuss texts with students and note differences in vocabulary, sentence
structure, context/facts, level of formality, use of slang/jargon, etc. With
students, generate a topic and ask different students to write on the
same topic but for several different audiences. Students share the writing
and note differences.
(4.4, 4.5, 9.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
97
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.1 (cont’d) demonstrate an
awareness of audience and
purpose (WR)
Calkins (1994) confirms the importance of students being aware of
their audience and purpose for writing. “When engaged in writing tasks
for real purposes related to authentic personal experiences, students learn
the power and importance of written language. They gain a writer’s voice.
Students learn that ‘Writing begins no as desk work but as lifework’.”
(Calkins, 1994, p. 24)
Determining audience helps the writer to know how formal or informal
the writing should be along with the level of detail and information the
finished piece should contain. About audience, the writer might ask:
• Who will be reading this piece of writing?
• Is a formal or informal style more appropriate for this audience?
• What information on this subject does this audience need?
• How much information might this audience already know?
Writing and reading work together to people achieve things in their
everyday lives. For example, while reading an email from a friend
(who was telling a story about something that happened), the reader
envisions the setting and the characters and think about how the friend
must have felt. After reading the email, another email is usually written
in response. Regularly, show students examples of various types of
writing for authentic purposes. Use writing forms that have real-world
applications such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
lists
invitations
notes
websites
news stories
interviews
New Year’s resolutions
journals
letters
blogging
reports
When students are encouraged to write for authentic purposes, they
will be more engaged in the writing processes and in representing their
thoughts.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• After reading the story “A New Journey” (Grade 4 Religion), ask
students to create writing pieces for an authentic reason. Some examples
are:
Authorized Resources
• Brochure depicting their community
• Interview an elder or a new member of their community
• Persuasive writing to the town webmaster about adding to or
changing the web site.
(9.1, 9.2)
• In Social Studies, in chapter 7 there is a discussion about how we
impact the earth. As a way to write to authentically students could:
• Create a blog about how to save the earth
• Create a Glog about recycling
• Create a newspaper front page outlining how we affect earth
(9.1, 9.2)
• After completing the Science unit Rocks, Minerals and Erosion, ask
students to:
• write an invitation to a person who has knowledge about geology.
• follow up with a thank you note after the visit.
• create a learning log to keep a tally of rocks found around their
school, home or community. The learning log could have
categories like illustration, description, name and location (9.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) How to Takes
Notes When Reading: pp. 155-156
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Program and Planning
Guide (Scholastic 2008) What
are Fiction, Nonfiction and Infofiction?: pp. 16-17
Supplementary Resources
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001)
Interviewing pp. 29-30
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001)
Newspaper pp. 35-36
99
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 create a variety of texts, using
text structures and features (WR)
Provide students with opportunities to choose their own topics and
styles for writing, balanced with choices within an assigned topic and
genre/form (descriptive, narrative, persuasive, procedural, retell, poetry,
personal communication, etc.). Knowledge of a genre, form, structures
and features will help students become proficient writers.
Genre - refers to different types of text. It is a category used to classify
literary works, usually by form, technique or content. The two major
categories are fiction and non-fiction. Within these categories are
subcategories of different genres. Another genre is info-fiction or hybrids
meaning they contain more than one genre. E.g., historical fiction
usually contains both fiction and non-fiction. Each genre places different
demands on the writer, serves a different purpose, takes a specific
form, and is directed to a specific audience. Many genres and forms
are used by students, year after year, with increasing sophistication. It
is important to note that texts may include components of more than
one genre or form. Before the formal introduction of any text form, ask
students what they already know about it.
Form - the way in which the writing is organized. Text forms should
be explicitly taught. While the form may be fairly easy, understanding
the kind of thinking and characteristics required to produce it, is
more complex. A new form should be first, demonstrated in a minilesson, using a mentor text. A mentor text is a text that is selected to
demonstrate the intended learning and helps students understand what
is expected of them. “The key to success is teaching these genres/forms are
to use interactive read-aloud frequently to engage all students in hearing
high quality text.” (Fountas and Pinnell, 2006 pp.495-497). Choosing
texts to show how other authors use specific text features helps students
identify the text form. Seeing how authors use various forms effectively
in text sometimes motivates students, encouraging them to experiment
with text form in their own writing. After explicitly teaching about
the structures and features of a text form in a mini-lesson, reinforce
it during Modelled Writing and Shared Writing several times before
students are expected to produce writing in that form, collaboratively or
independently.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Ask learners to sit in a circle and tell a story. Start the story with “If
I won a million dollars…..” or “Once when I went out on the land….”
Ask everyone to contribute something in writing to the story. Next give
each student a story starter. Ask them to start the story and then pass it
to the next person until everyone has had a chance to contribute to each
story. Read back the stories to the class.
(9.1, 9.2)
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Types of Writing,
pp. 163-178
• We all have memories connected to our experiences. Think about
an experience you feel you’ll always remember. Try to picture the time,
the place, and the people involved. Try to remember everything you
can about this experience. Write about the experience you remember.
Be sure to include enough details so that your reader can share your
experience. Show why this memory stands out for you. (9.1, 9.2, 10.1)
• Give students the following prompts and choose one to write about:
• You and your family went on a camping trip during the weekend.
A friend of yours, who has never been camping, wants to know
what it was like. Write a letter to your friend telling about one
evening of your weekend camping trip.
• Pretend your favorite book character or comic book character
came to life for a day. Write a story for your classmates about the
character that came to life for a day.
• Ask students to pretend they were selected to receive a special
award. Ask them to write an article that would be in the
newspaper to announce the award.
• Ask students to think about their best holiday celebration ever.
Ask them to write about this celebration and why it was their
favorite.
• Ask students to pretend they won a school contest that allowed
them to be teacher-for-a-day. Ask them to write about their
experience as teacher-for-a-day.
• Ask students to write about an April Fool’s day that you played a
safe but terrific joke on your best friend.
(9.1, 9.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
101
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts, using text structures and
features (WR)
Throughout the elementary years, students can become strong, effective
writers if they have practice reading and writing a wide variety of the
text genres and forms, learning to adjust their writing style depending
on the purpose and intended audience. Some forms students will be
exposed to in Grade 4 are:
Text Forms
advertisement
article
advice column
autobiography
biography
brochure
ballad
cartoon
comic strip
letter of complaint
letter of request
letter of inquiry
campaign speech
character viewpoint
diary
fable/fairy tale
song
anecdote
personal experience
story
sports column
short story
survey
research
report
riddles
readers theatre
role play
monologue
book review
report/essay
journal
game rules
instructions
horoscope
interview
obituary/eulogy
newspaper article
editorial
menu
pourquoi tale
map
poetry
postcard
persuasive note
memoir
my opinion
greeting card
Sometimes, students use a set genre and are expected to follow a set
structure in their writing (e.g., a narrative text). Many times, however,
students must decide what form will best accomplish the purpose of
their writing and their particular audience. The writer might ask:
• Is there a model or form that I am supposed to follow?
• Would formal or informal writing be more appropriate for my
audience and purpose?
• How can I best organize my information to have the greatest
impact on my audience?
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Brainstorm with students types of information that appear in
newspaper articles. Display a news report to demonstrate the elements
of a news report: headline, dateline, byline and body of the report.
Students identify the order of the contents of a news report: the lead,
details arranged from most to least important and the ending. As a
whole group, model the technique by writing a news report of a familiar
text. Students work in pairs to create a literary news report based on a
read-aloud, shared or guided reading text. Students share their reports.
Supplementary Resources
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) Writing
pp. 56-58
(Write a Name for their Newspaper)
Headline: _______________________________________
Byline: _________________________________________
Dateline: ________________________________________
Lead:
Main event:
Next event:
Other event:
Ending:
(4..1, 4.5 ,4.6, 9.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
103
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts, using text structures and
features (WR)
Students are continuously immersed in a text-rich environment and as a
result, they often informally encounter a wide variety of genres. After a
genre has been selected as a focus and is introduced, it becomes part of
regular classroom activity for the remainder of the year, being revisited
many times. Certain genres have been selected as a focus in Grade 4,
however this does not mean that other writing forms should not be
discussed as opportunities arise or needs dictate. In Beginning Grade 4
these genres include narrative, recount and poetry.
Narratives - have unique elements of structure that distinguish them
from other forms of writing. Often the structure is complex, as authors
manipulate characters, plot, setting, and other elements to produce
interesting stories. Beginning writers usually find specific assignments
easier than open-ended ones. Always give new narrative writers specific
instructions. Once they are more proficient, give them more open-ended
projects.
Create an anchor chart with students to remind them of the
characteristics, features and examples of a narrative, such as in the
sample below:
GENRE: NARRATIVE
Purpose - to tell a story or account of a series of events; to entertain
and engage the reader in an imaginative experience.
Structure
Features
Form (examples)
Usually contains:
• defined characters
• short story
• beginning, middle
and end
• may be fictitious or
true
• fable
• setting
• contains descriptive
language or dialogue
• pourquoi tale
• problem
• resolution
(sometimes)
• usually past tense
• linking words to do
with time
• can be first person or
third person
• progresses in sequence
• cartoon
• myth
• legend
• fairy tale
• poem
• play
• historical
fiction
• realistic fiction
• autobiography
• etc.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• “What if ” questions can spark great narratives. Ask students to write
about one of the following:“What if you made the rules for a day?”
“What if you went home and found a different family living in your
house?” “What if you were Principal for a day?” “What if you could fly
anywhere in the world right now?”
(9.1, 9.2, 10.1)
• Ask students to choose an historical event as a topic for a narrative
(e.g., the first Trans-Atlantic Airline Flight, First World War, The
Sinking of the Titanic. etc.) An historical narrative tells a story about a
specific event so it narrows the topic enough to bring focus to the piece.
Next students will develop the setting, using descriptive writing, to put
the reader in the time period of the historical narrative. Students will
attempt to make the reader feel as though he/she is living in the event.
They should describe what the surroundings looked like, what people
were wearing, etc. Remind students that proficient writing often goes
through several drafts and each time they proofread, they should pay
attention to verb tense. Chronological words such as first, second and
third can help them manage the order of the narrative, but be sure the
tense is consistent throughout. Ask them to use an active voice as it adds
conviction and confidence to your historical narrative. The active voice
is usually more direct and vigorous than the passive.
(9.1, 9.2, 10.1)
• Ask students to write a memoir, a type of personal narrative. Students
will write about a particular time in their lives. Before students can write
their own memoirs, they need to be exposed to interesting memoirs
written by other people. The memoir can be about a fun, exciting,
humorous, scary or difficult time in the student’s life, or an object that
has special meaning. Although a memoir is written in full paragraphs
and has a beginning, middle and end, it typically does not include
illustrations. Model the process of writing an introduction paragraph,
three middle paragraphs and a closing paragraph. The introduction
paragraph should include a “hook”, something that draws the reader in
and convinces him/her to read the rest of the memoir. The hook can be
a shocking statement, a question or teaser about the main topic of the
memoir. When a student has a finished piece, he/she can select a form
for publication. Create classroom web site and publish the students’
work in a blog style or encourage students to read their memoirs aloud
to family and friends at parent-teacher night. Students may, write or
type a clean, final draft for display in the classroom.
(9.1, 9.2, 10.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
105
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts, using text structures and
features (WR)
Focus for Learning
Recount - texts which list and describe past experiences by retelling
events in the order in which they happened (chronological order).
The purpose of a recount is to retell events with the purpose of either
informing or entertaining their audience (or both). The basic recount
consists of three parts:
• the setting or orientation - background information answering
Who? When? Where? Why?
• events are identified and described in chronological order.
• concluding comments express a personal opinion regarding the
events described
The language features of the recount text are:
• the language is written in simple past tense
• frequent use is made of words which link events in time, such as
next, later, when, then, after, before, first,
Recount text can be occur in the form of personal recount (such as
biography), factual recount, or imaginative recount.
Create an anchor chart with students to remind them of the structure of
a Recount. E.g.,
GENRE: RECOUNT (personal, factual and imaginative)
Purpose - to retell an event or past event, whether real or imagined.
Structure
Features
Form (examples)
Usually contains:
• written in past tense • biography
• setting (details about • includes action verbs
(e.g., went, saw)
who, when, where ,
why)
• progresses
sequentially
• events arranged in
chronological order • uses linking words
to indicate time
• evaluative comment
(e.g., before, after,
or concluding
during)
statement
(comment that
• told from first
sums up the author’s
person (e.g., I or
opinion about the
We)
events)
106
• autobiography
• report
• historical
• etc.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• During Shared Reading, display the following letter:
Dear Sophie,
Hi! How are you? I trust everything is good at home. I’ll tell you my
holiday. Last week I went to the Florida for holiday. I stayed at my
uncle’s house. It has a big garden with lots of colorful flowers and a
fish pond. On the first day I went to Disney World! The next day,
my aunt and I went parasailing and then we went on scenic ride in
a helicopter. It was scary! Then we went to get a closer look at the
mountain. We took a picture of beautiful scenery there. On the last
day we went to the zoo. We even saw cockatoos having shower! In the
afternoon we went home. It was fun. I had a great time.
Love, Tara
Together with students, study the generic structure of the recount
text and fill in the chart below, as shown. Repeat for other
Recounts.
Structure
Setting (Who, When,
Where)
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Concluding Statement
Resources
Authorized Resources:
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Grade 4 Strategy Guide:
Synthesizing (Scholastic 2008)
Text-Type Writing Study: Poetry Concrete Poems, pp.59-68
Sentences
Last week I went to the Florida for
holiday. I stayed at my uncle’s house. It
has a big garden with lots of colorful
flowers and a fish pond.
On the first day I went to Disney World!
The next day, my aunt and I went
parasailing and then we went on scenic
ride in a helicopter. Then we went to
get a closer look at the mountain. We
took a picture of beautiful scenery there.
On the last day we went to the zoo. We
even saw cockatoos having shower! In
the afternoon we went home.
It was fun. I had a great time.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
107
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts, using text structures and
features (WR)
Focus for Learning
Poetry - different forms of poetry may be introduced throughout the
year. Teach various forms to students so that they may choose a form
that works best for different writing purposes. Once a form of poetry
is introduced, it will be revisited throughout the year. Create an anchor
chart with students to remind them of the structures, features and forms
of narrative, free verse and concrete poetry. (Haiku, Cinquain, Limericks
and Formula Poems will be the focus in Mid and Late Grade 4.)
GENRE: POETRY (non-rhyming, rhyming, pattern, variety of others)
Purpose: to convey ideas, feelings and sensory images
Structure
Features
Form (examples)
Focus on:
•
•
•
•
•
word choice
rhythm
patterns
shape
expresses thought
and feelings of the
writer
• capitalization and
punctuation may
be standard
• may rhyme
• may be informal
or formal verse
• is expressive
• may include
personification
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
narrative poetry (beg.)
free verse (beg.)
concrete (beg.)
haiku (mid)
cinquain (mid)
limericks (late)
formula poem (late)
• Narrative Poetry - Tells stories and they are typically longer than
other types of poems. Narrative poems often rhyme and feature
exciting plot lines and unusual characters (names, likes/dislikes,
physical descriptions and defining characteristics). It includes
a chosen rhyme scheme--the pattern of rhyming lines--for the
poem. (e.g., rhyming couplets, or every other line can rhyme,
abba, in which the first and fourth lines and the second and
third lines rhyme, and abcb, in which the second and fourth lines
rhyme etc.) Whichever scheme students choose they should be
consistent from start to finish.
• Free Verse - Free verse is a form of poetry that does not follow a
regular pattern. The lines can be of different lengths and there
is no definite rhyme or rhythm. One way to get students started
in free verse writing is to choose an idea and express it in prose,
using two to four sentences. Next students compress the thought
by crossing out unnecessary words. Then rewrite the idea in a
simple stanza form and continue to cut, polish, and perfect. Each
poem generates its own rules of form.
• Concrete Poem - Concrete (or Shape) poems are arranged in the
shape of the topic. They make a picture that is as much a part
of the poem’s message as the words. The words used must relate
to the title. Shape poems can be a collection of words about a
subject, or they can be written in free verse in the shape of the
object.
108
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Use several narrative poems as Read Alouds to familiarize students
with the genre. Ask students to think of ideas and create a narrative
poem of their own.
(9.2)
• Ask students to write shape poetry in other subject areas. This
activity may help students remember content (e.g., parts of plants, cells,
electric circuits, rocks, etc.).
(9.2)
• Brainstorm with students all the words that come to mind when they
think of a certain topic (e.g., sunshine). Ask them to create a free verse
poem. They may use a structure of their choice. E.g., The Five Line
structure:
1. [looks like]
2. [sounds like]
3. [feels like]
4. [smells like]
5. [tastes like]
Revisit the descriptive words on the list created. Encourage students
to find synonyms that might be more interesting and concise (e.g.,
quiet: calm, serene, silent, still). Encourage students to use additional
resources, such as a dictionary, thesaurus, or the Internet to help them
extend the list of words. Next, ask students create a free verse poem on
their own topic. Encourage them to think carefully about where they
choose to break their lines. Explain that conventional punctuation and
capitalization rules don’t always apply in free verse poetry. The key issue
is comprehension; the poet should use punctuation to convey meaning
in order to help the reader understand the poem. Encourage students to
revise their work in order to improve understanding and flow by adding,
deleting, consolidating, and rearranging text as necessary.
(9.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
(Scholastic 2008) Craft Lessons for
Drafting pp. 245-264
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Introduction to
Writing, pp. 141-149
109
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 create texts using the
processes of writing and
representing (WR)
As with reading, students in Grade 4 are moving through a flexible
cycle toward fluent writing. Some students may linger at one point
for a longer period of time, refining their thinking and their texts,
while others may move more rapidly. Although the writing process is
articulated in stages in a particular order, in the actual writing the stages
is seldom or never linear.
PRE-WRITING
Before writing, effective
writers immerse themselves in
the topic and text form. They
reflect on the reasons for
writing, establish the purpose
or goal, determine the
audience, select an appropriate
text form to communicate their
message, collect information,
and brainstorm ideas.
PUBLISHING (or
SHARING)
Not all writing needs to be
published and shared with an
audience. Some writing may be
shared informally or used only
by the writer. For texts that are
to be published or shared,
writers choose an appropriate
method or process for their
purpose (e.g., word processing
or handwriting; electronic or
hand-drawn illustrations).
STAGES OF THE WRITING PROCESS
Some instructional approaches
that provide opportunities
for mini-lessons include
the following:
 Read-alouds
 Shared reading

Modelled writing

Shared writing
EDITING (PROOFREADING)
During the copy-editing stage, writers
improve the clarity, accuracy, and
presentation of their message by
correcting spelling, punctuation, and
grammar. They strive to reduce or
eliminate distractions caused by
errors and inconsistencies, and to
apply the polish that will help the
ideas shine for their readers.
DRAFTING
Writers organize their ideas to
express meaning in a logical
way, using frameworks,
graphic organizers, and other
tools as appropriate. They are
always aware of the purpose
for their writing, the audience,
and their chosen text form.
During the drafting stage, they
begin to attend sentence
structure, word choice, and
author's voice to ensure that
their message is clear.
REVISING (RETHINKING)
Once writers have a draft of the
text, they read it for clarity and
flow and revise the
organization of ideas, sentence
structure, word choice, and
other elements as necessary.
They get feedback from a
variety of sources and use this
information to change and
improve the initial draft.
Adapted from A Guide to Effective Literacry Instruction, Ontario, 2006
These stages overlap and students move into and out of them as they
rethink their writing. Writers work through the stages in various ways
often returning to an earlier stage to make changes, or to combine
actions from more than one stage. Help students to understand the
writing process and coach them, giving many opportunities for them to
practise strategies in the various writing stages. Students should see each
stage of the writing process modelled, shared and guided extensively
by the teacher before they are expected to use them independently.
Thompson and York (2000) stated, “when teachers share both their
writing processes and writing products with their students, they do the one
thing non-writers need most. They demystify writing.”
It is important to note that not all stages need to be applied to all
writing pieces. Students create work that can be revisited throughout the
year or simply set aside. As writers become more independent, the stages
may merge and the process may become more automatic.
Encourage students to use the terms pre-writing, drafting, revising,
editing and publishing when they talk about creating texts. When they
are familiar with these terms, they will recognize the different stages
of the writing process and will be able to talk about the different skills
required for each.
110
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to create a portfolio. Portfolios are a purposeful
selection of student work that tell the story of their efforts, progress,
and achievement. Portfolios are most effective when they encourage
students to become more reflective about and involved in their own
learning. Students should participate in decision making regarding the
contents of their portfolios and in developing the criteria by which their
portfolios will be evaluated. Portfolios should include:
• the guidelines for selection of contents
• the criteria for judging merit
• a selection of work samples that show development across a variety
of formats for a variety of purposes
• a record of engagement in the English language arts processes
(speaking/listening, reading/viewing, writing, and other ways of
representing)
• evidence of student reflection E.g.,
Portfolio Reflection
Name:
Date:
Type of sample:
This writing sample is included in my portfolio because _______
__________________________________________________
_________________________________________________.
Teachers can place notes and work samples from informal assessments
in the student’s portfolio and conference with the student about his/
her individual starting points, strengths, and needs. Students, in
consultation with the teacher, set goals and then select pieces that
reflect progress toward their goals. The portfolio offers the teacher a
comprehensive look at a student’s progress over time. It should offer
the student an opportunity to reflect on their progress and periodically
self-evaluate their performance. Multiple revisions of assignments saved
altogether in the students’ portfolios allow them to examine how they
have progressed to more complex levels of thought. When students selfassess, they become self-reflective. Their feelings about their own writing
is important. The whole purpose of self-assessment is to help students
recognize what they have done well and how they can improve their
writing. Ask students to complete as self assessment with questions such
as:
• My favorite piece if writing is....because....
• My writing is really improving because....
• My favorite genre for writing is ....because...
• Something I have learned about my writing is....
• An area I need to work on is.....
(10.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
111
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
Pre-writing - An essential part of the writing process includes the
thinking work writers do before they start to write, taking time to plan
and organize. Teachers model the thinking process involved in planning
a piece of writing and demonstrate a variety of ways to organize writing.
Through this modelling, students become aware that thinking and
organizing is essential prior to any type of writing.
The amount of time needed to plan and think about writing varies
with each student and is a valid part of the writing process. As needed,
provide them with opportunities to brainstorm, do research, reference
read alouds, refer to anchor charts, use visual organizers, use ideas from
writer’s notebook, etc. Oral language is also a vital part of the writing
process. As students talk with partners, small groups, and the class to
generate ideas and plan, they receive feedback and suggestions from
others. Effective writers write about what they know. Students need
to know that authors get their ideas from their own life experiences.
E.g., Patricia Polacco’s books usually tell about people who influenced
her. Access authors’ web sites to show students authentic writing ideas
from real life authors. See Authors Say Hello referenced in the Resources
column.
Wherever possible, the reading-writing connection needs emphasis—
read mysteries, if one is going to write mysteries; read poetry if one is
going to write poetry.
Drafting - Students write first drafts from the ideas and plans they
have developed from the pre-writing experiences. Ensure that students
have a sufficient time to put words on paper and follow a plan. Since
writing is a social process, it is not intended that students only work
in isolation for this part of the process. The drafting stage is intended
to be interactive and collaborative where students learn about the
traits of writing through participating in frequent mini-lessons. The
topics for the mini lessons are carefully selected by the teacher, based
on observations as they conference with students. It is important that
in mini-lessons and authentic read aloud texts are used to model the
writing traits. Revising a piece of writing is about improving meaning,
refining ideas, rather than correcting spelling errors, conventions or
sentence structure. If the students understand that help with spelling
and punctuation will be available after they have finished their first
draft, they will be more likely to write freely.
Momentum is important as students focus attention on the
development of meaning and flow of thought. Although conventions
are considered a writing trait they will be a focus later. Students will
check spelling, grammar usage, and mechanics during the editing stage.
112
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Instruct students to create a writer’s notebook and provide
opportunities for them to write in it frequently. Model how a recorded
idea can be a ‘seed’ that can grow and develop into a published piece
of writing. Fletcher (1996) refers to a writer’s notebook as “a container
to keep together all the seeds you gather until you are ready to plant them”.
Students can put many different things in their writer’s notebook. These
might include:
• a list of interesting things (e.g., favorite/ least favorite foods,
books, trips and walks, memories, dreams, family stories, movies)
• questions or things you wonder about
• observations of things going on around them
• interviews
• favorite quotes
• plans for something in the future
• quick writes - the teacher and students writes for 3 - 5 minutes
about an idea or a line borrowed from a text. The writers respond
to something in the text that catches their attention. This
encourages hesitant writers to be less intimidated and write more
freely becoming more confident writers.
(10.1)
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
Scholastic (2008) Craft Lessons for
Drafting pp. 245-264
Authors Say Hello (author
interviews):
http://www.scholastic.com/kids/
stacks/videos/index.htm?pid=
1847329167&lnkid=stacks/nav/
videos/authors
• Students may talk with peers and the teacher as they clarify ideas and
develop their first drafts. Ask the following question to guide students as
they create a first draft:
•
•
•
•
What is the main topic?
Does the lead sentence capture your audience’s attention?
Are their effective links between paragraphs?
Does the ending make sense?
For some pieces of writing, the writing process may end at the drafting
stage. At a later date, some students may choose to return to draft pieces
of writing.
(10.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
113
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
A common misconception is that students do not need to be concerned
at all with neatness, spelling or conventions in a ‘first draft’. Although
the main focus of the first draft is to get ideas on paper, it needs to be
legible and contain previously learned conventions. Encourage students
to spell as many words correctly as possible. Avoid referring to the
first draft as a ‘rough draft’ as it may lead students to create a first draft
without concern for legibility, spelling and punctuation. To the other
extreme, if students are expected to create a first draft with few or no
mistakes it may stifle creativity and also cause student frustration. As
students create drafts, help them to focus on five (of the six) writing
traits:
• Content - clear ideas are the foundations in any text. It is the
heart of the message or the main idea. It is the ideas that paint
pictures in a reader’s mind
• Organization - the logical and effective presentation of ideas. The
purpose for the writing affects the organization. In a business
letter, good organization might involve coming to the point
quickly. As for a mystery story, however, good organization might
call for the writer to keep some ideas hidden for a time.
• Sentence Structure - the rhythm and flow of language that
enhances clarity. Noticeable variety in sentence fluency, length
and structure without problems such as choppiness and run-ons.
Fluent writing is a pleasure to read aloud.
• Voice - how you say what you are saying. It is often referred to
as the writer’s conviction. Voice has sometimes been called the
fingerprint of the writer on the page. Voices are highly individual
and also change with purpose. The voice of a business letter is
different than the voice of a friendly letter.
• Word Choice - refers to the language the writer uses to express
his/her ideas. Effective words are clear, precise and descriptive.
Strong word choice lets the reader experience the world of the
writer.
• Conventions - see page 118
Revising - a creative aspect of writing. Once a draft is created, students
read and rethink the text to improve their writing. Revising can take
place after a mini-lesson has been taught, highlighting a particular
concept. Revising can occur during peer, small-group, individual or
teacher conferences. Revising means:
• adding - descriptive details, dialogue, information or examples
• subtracting - unnecessary repetition or inaccurate details
114
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Peers can be an excellent source of support for each other during the
revising and editing stages. Teach students how peers can conference
with each other to help with writing. Teachers should model the kinds
of questions they can ask, ways to comment on strengths in a piece of
writing, ways to makes suggestions and offer suggestions of strategies
that have worked for them to improve their own drafts and subsequent
writing attempts.
The writer listens to
the peer and may make note of the suggestions. Through sharing their
work with one another, students will learn:
Video: Department of Education
Newfoundland Labrador, Teaching
Voice in Writing: http://www.
k12pl.nl.ca/
•
•
•
•
that writing is not just for teachers
how writing influences others of their own age group
to cooperate and share
to seek advice (encouragement, motivation) from others in
making decisions about their work
• to internalize the kinds of questions that can help determine the
worth of a piece of writing
• to appreciate the value of an immediate response to their efforts
• to evaluate the comments of other students according to their own
standards
Students should respond (both orally and in writing) to one another’s
writing. Responses need to be positive, and constructive. Student writers
need positive feedback on what they have achieved as writers and how
they have connected with their readers. In responding orally, students
may be asked to:
• identify the best part of a piece of writing and say what makes it
effective
• to suggest one thing that the writer could do to improve his/her
next piece of writing
Discuss with students characteristics of effective peer writing
conferences. These may be displayed as an anchor chart in the
classroom. They may include:
Peer Conferences are:
• encouraging (I like the way you ...)
• honest (I find it hard to understand ...)
• constructive (Have you thought about...)
• positive (I really like how...)
(1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 10.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
115
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
•
•
•
•
rearranging - moving ideas and details around to increase clarity
changing - title, opening sentence, ending, etc.
replacing - words with more descriptive words
enhancing character development
In the final part of revision, the writer polishes or strengthens his/her
writing to give it style, voice and effectiveness. Use mentor texts to teach
students about writer’s craft. Choose an author or a few well-written
texts to use with your class to demonstrate various skills and strategies.
As students explore these texts, help them to notice the little ‘tricks’
writers add to their work to engage the reader. Some examples of how
writer’s craft their writing include:
Simile
compares two unlike things, “She was as busy as a bee”
using ‘like’ or ‘as’
Ellipse
three little dots at the end
“Three days later...”
of a sentence that help build
tension and pass time
Taffy Sentence an idea that is stretched with “In the night, in the
more and more detail
quiet night, in the quiet,
moonlight night.”
Short, Short,
a set of three sentences where “ It was cold. It was frosty.
Long
the first two sentences are
It was both of those put
short and the last one is long. together.”
Alliteration
repeating the initial
“Of course, you may
consonant sound
not like painting purple
pictures.”
Personification giving animals and objects,
“The ill-tempered wind
human qualities
ripped the box open.”
Stylistic effects (fun with font) should be encouraged during modelled,
shared and guided writing. Draw attention to special print used by
authors in materials read aloud. Stylistic effects may include:
• using all capital letters
D
• exaggeration of punctuation
O
• change in font size
W
• arrangement of letters/words e.g., N
This provides a discussion point for the students and they may copy the
idea in their own writing.
116
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to choose a book they are reading and look for examples
of figurative language in it. This can include ellipse, personification,
similes, metaphors and rich examples of alliteration.
(10.1)
• Ask students to choose a book they are reading and look for examples
of strong leads. Write each example on a sticky note and place on a chart
for whole class sharing.
(10.1)
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
(Scholastic 2008) Craft Lessons for
Revising pp. 265-280
• Conduct mini-lessons that allow students to look at all the various
crafts an author may be using in their writing. On any given page this
could be very many things. Next ask students to choose another book
and look for various crafts the author used and record their findings in a
table. E.g.,
Name of Text:
Author:
What is it that the Whys is the author
author is saying?
doing it?
e.g., uses lots of
dashes
e.g., used lots of
shortened words
such as dancin’,
thinkin’
Have you or will you
try this in your own
writing?
yes
He wants to show the
sentences have extra
information
To represent the way an I tried this craft in a
author speaks
recount.
(10.1)
• Present a ‘show-not-tell’ with students. Describe something without
saying what it is. E.g.,
Neigh. Clippety-clop. Clippety-clop. Rosie went into the barn and
ate hay and drank water.
Ask students to guess what it is that the author is describing. Ask each
student to select a word and describe it without saying what it is. Ask
them to apply this technique in their own writing.
(10.1)
• Ask students to write sentences that contain alliterations using their
study words (e.g., Sam and Sue saw someone selling socks).
(10.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
117
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
Editing - editing a piece of writing is about paying close attention to
the surface features of the writing - checking for conventions. When
proofreading pieces of writing, students should review line by line, to
make sure that each word, each mark of punctuation, and each space
between words contributes to the effectiveness of the writing. At this
stage of writing, students must draw upon all their knowledge of:
•
•
•
•
grammar (sentence structure, parts of speech, tense, paragraphing,
capitalization and punctuation
spelling / word study
handwriting/ word processing
Rather than simply correcting errors, for students, use mini-lessons to
teach the conventions. Through use of mentor texts and shared class
expose students to a wide range of conventions. In deciding what to
teach and when to teach it, teachers should be guided by the needs of
the students. It is not necessary that they master all of the conventions
listed but may be exposed to them. Careful editing and proofreading is
especially important when students decide to publish pieces of writing.
As you look through the students’ writing, note those who need help
developing their editing skills and write anecdotal notes to help form
small guided writing groups or in planning for the next mini-lesson.
When conferencing with students to edit their writing, it is important
to use the term “editing” rather than “correcting”.
There is a need for explicit teaching of the conventions at various time
throughout the year. Once students have had focused teaching these can
be viewed as tools in their writing toolboxes.
• Spelling - an important part of the writing process as it
facilitates understanding of written communication. Spelling is not
a separate subject, rather instruction in spelling is embedded within
all writing experiences. Spelling is developmental and students
go through the various stages, from the pre-phonetic to standard
spelling, at their own rate. Spelling should be seen as a problemsolving activity in which students are active participants.
Spelling instruction should be an extension of authentic and
meaningful writing and be integrated at appropriate times. Spelling
instruction is essential and must focus on words students need to
learn for self expression, creativity and writing experiences. Research
suggests that spelling instruction should not focus on memory work
and that students benefit far more from ‘solving’ words, applying
rules and various patterns in context.
118
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Revising and editing can be done through teacher-student
conferencing, self-assessment and/or peer-assessment. Students are
encouraged to discuss revision of their work with classmates and the
teacher. Discuss with students and create check lists. These can be used
as anchor charts or as individual sheets for a writers notebook. Model
processes of reflective thinking during modelled writing. For example,
the teacher may say “I think that sounds right now. I had to read it
twice to get it right”. As a whole group, help students develop checklists
or other criteria to assess their own development as writers. E.g.,
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
(Scholastic 2008) Craft Lessons for
Editing pp. 281-295
Editing Checklist
Name: ____________________________________________
Title of my story: _____________________________________
1. All my sentences begin with capital letters.
2. All my sentences end with the correct punctuation. (. ? !)
3. My sentences do not all begin the same way.
4. I highlighted all my interesting words.
5. I highlighted all my connecting words.
6. I checked the spelling of any words from the wall
that I used in my writing.
(10.1)
• Decide on a format for a personal dictionary and ask students to
create one. One way to do this is to use t-charts that attach to a file
folder (as shown below). As more words are studied new pages ares
stapled on top of the old ones. Frequently, students take 15 minutes of
writer’s workshop time to study the words and their features. The words
come from the teacher’s anecdotal records of words that are commonly
misspelled and/or students provide words in their daily encounter
with text that makes them think ‘this word is special’. Over time, not
all students will be studying the same word list. Their lists become
individual spelling lists relating the word study to their own needs and
interests. Five words at one time may be enough for Grade 4 students.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
119
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
Encourage students to underline or circle uncertain spellings when
rereading the draft. Ask them to check various sources for the
standard spelling of words. The use of dictionaries and reference tools
in editing should be demonstrated and encouraged by the teacher.
Spelling may also be checked using spell check on the computer.
Beginning
first and third person
pronouns
linking word
constant, tense
possessive past tense
periods
question mark
exclamation mark
capital letters
small words in big
words
Word Study/
Spelling
• develop a bank of words for use when
writing. Students understand that there
can be some negotiation of words that
are to be included. It is important that
students can add words that they want
to learn not just words that the teacher
indicated they need to learn.
• words not spelled correctly in their
writing
• content specific words
• interest words
Conventions
Grammar
Use a personal dictionary to help students
with spelling words on the basis of students
individual needs. A personal dictionary is
linked to the writing program and is less
threatening to students because they can
set personal goals and their self esteem is
enhanced as they become better spellers.
The purpose of a personal dictionary to:
Capitalization and
Punctuation
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
infer meaning
comparative adjectives
homonyms
homographs
contractions
Publishing - is the presentation of a final draft of a product to an
audience. Students should be encouraged to publish several pieces
throughout the year. Most pieces of writing should be revised but
not all pieces need to be brought through to the publication stage. A
published piece should include a cover, illustrations, dedication and
author’s name. A published piece of writing should be neat/polished and
legible, revised and edited.
120
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Set aside a short time each day for students to study five words from
their personal dictionary and then to participate in partner testing.
When students are confident they know their words, they select a
partner to test the words. Completed tests are placed in the teachers IN
tray. The teacher review the tests and returns them to the student. Any
words that have been correct for three time can be crossed off the list
and a new word added. If a student struggles with a word and does not
get it after several attempts, it can be coded with T and added to the
end of the list for study at a later time. At the end of the week students
should review their personal word list. It may be discussed during a
conference time with the teacher.
(10.1)
• Provide time for students to learn their five selected words. Teach the
following strategies:
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Introduction to
Working with Words, pp. 184-195
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
(Scholastic 2008) Craft Lessons for
Publishing and Sharing pp. 295305
Look - focus on the part of the word you don’t know
Cover - cover the word
Write - write it from memory
Check - check the spelling
• Demonstrate how to use memory tricks (Mnemonics) to help
students remember the correct spelling of words. E.g.,
•
•
an island is land
never believe a lie
(10.1)
• Interactive spelling word wall - Throughout the year ask students to
jot words on sticky notes that they feel are ‘special’ (or ‘hard-to-spell’).
These words may be discussed in a mini-lesson during Word Study. Set
aside a small wall space in the classroom for students to contribute their
words.
(10.1)
• Students may use a ‘Have-a-Go’ pad. Students make three attempts
to spell the words. The teacher check marks the word if it is correct
within three tries. If it is not correct, the teacher writes the word, spelled
correctly.
Student
berthday
Teacher
bethday
birthday
becase
√
becorse
becorse
because
Adapted from: Education Department of Western Australia (1997) First
Steps: Spelling Resource Book. ON: Irwin Publishing
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
(10.1)
121
Beginning Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
122
• Handwriting/Word Processing - In today’s world there are
many ways to communicate in writing, including keyboarding or
handwriting (manuscript printing or cursive writing). Students may
use all methods at various times but the use of word processing
has become increasingly more common, as a form of written
communication. Today’s learner uses word processing more
frequently in all stages in the writing process and in life (e.g., texting,
msn, etc). For students it’s often faster and neater to take notes on
a laptop or similar device. Technology is readily available and offers
an alternative method for individual expression. Comfort with a
keyboard is encouraged and efficiency made possible by digital
word processors is valuable. While most communication is done
electronically/digitally through word processing, there are times
when students will be using handwriting (cursive or manuscript)
and legibility is important in order for others to read their work. In
Grade 4, the expectation is that students’ communication in writing
is legible. The choice of cursive writing, manuscript printing or
keyboarding is individual to each student; therefore, the emphasis
is on legibility and fluency rather than on uniformity of letter
formation. Find opportunities to present handwriting during minilessons or guided writing lessons, based on individual or group needs.
Students who express an interest in developing their penmanship
through cursive writing are encouraged to practice in their everyday
reading and writing activities rather than isolated cursive writing
practice activities. Handwriting can be a skill used for times when
technologies are not available or appropriate for certain forms of
communication such as filling out forms and documents which
require signatures. Create a risk-free environment and encourage
students to write for genuine purposes and audiences. Once students
have an authentic purpose to write, they realize the importance of
legibility. Providing students with choice is encouraged in many
facets of the curriculum as teachers and students teach and learn in
inclusive classrooms which require differentiated instruction. How
students represent is one of the choices students make but they need
to realize the necessity for legibility in any method they choose to
use. For some students who experience difficulties with manual
dexterity, assistive technology devices may offer the most suitable
method.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to publish some writing pieces. Others may be shared
informally or used only by the writer. A published piece should be
represented in a form appropriate to the intended audience. Some forms
may include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
posting it on a bulletin board
submitting it to a local or school newspaper
submitting it to a class anthology
creating a poster or wall hanging
distributing copies of their work to classmates
entering contests
recording the writing for others to hear
taking texts home to share
forwarding texts to authentic readers external to class
electronic publishing
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
(Scholastic 2008) Word Resource
Wall Practice Activities pp. 331-348
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide,
(Scholastic 2008) Resource List of
Speaking Strategies pp. 361-384
(10.1)
123
English Language Arts
Mid Grade 4
Mid Grade 4: Cross Curricular Approach to Teaching
Much research supports the notion that teachers need to include more
non-fiction texts in the reading and writing opportunities offered to
students.
Most texts read by adults today are informational (newspapers,
magazines, menus, recipes, etc.). Add non-fiction texts to guided
reading lessons. Ask students to write about science experiments or
mathematical experiences. Incorporate the teaching of reading strategies
into other subject area such as science, social studies, etc. This infusing
of non-fiction texts into Language Arts can help to teach curriculum
outcomes in other subject areas. For example, science can be the focus
of the read aloud or shared reading portion of the literacy block.
Likewise, during the teaching of other subject areas, reading strategies
can be taught. Teachers can challenge themselves to take stock of texts
available in the classroom library to see how well non-fiction texts
are represented. Ensure there is a wide range of non-fiction texts and
is the classroom. In an attempt to see if fiction and non-fiction get
equal attention, try recording read alouds, guided reading and shared
reading texts to determine if students are spending at least 50% of their
time with non-fiction books. Record selections in a table such as the
following:
Reading
%
%
Fiction
Nonfiction
Writing
Read Aloud
Modeled Writing
Shared Reading
Shared Writing
Guided Reading
Guided Writing
Independent Reading
Independent Writing
%
%
Fiction
Nonfiction
Adapted from Make It Real by Linda Hoyt (2002)
126
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
The table below contains specific outcomes for Mid Grade 4. While all outcomes are integrated, aspects of
different outcomes are given focus at different times in the year. After an outcome, strategy or concept has been
selected as a focus and is introduced it becomes part of regular classroom activity for the remainder of the year,
being revisited many times. Page numbers, in brackets, show all references to each outcome in this curriculcum
guide.
CURRICULUM OUTCOME OVERVIEW (MID GRADE 4)
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify, extend
and reflect on their thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences. (SL Speaking and Listening)
Students will be expected to:
1.2 use active listening strategies for a variety of purposes (pp. 5053, 128-129, 190-191)
1.3 ask and respond to questions that explore and clarify ideas (pp.
52-53, 128-129)
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas
effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically. (SL)
Students will be expected to:
2.1 contribute effectively to conversation during whole- and smallgroup discussion (pp. 54-55, 130-131, 190-191)
2.2 use effective presentation skills (pp. 56-57, 132-135, 192-193)
2.3 evaluate a speaker’s message (pp.136-137)
GCO 3: Students will be able to interact with sensitivity and respect,
considering the situation, audience and purpose. (SL)
3.1 Explain how oral language can affect others (pp.58-59, 138139)
GCO 6: Students will be expected to respond
personally to a range of texts. (RV)
Students will be expected to:
6.2 respond to texts to refine the process of
making meaning (pp. 82-83, 162-163)
GCO 7: Students will be expected to respond
critically to a range of texts, applying their
knowledge of language, form and genre. (RV)
Students will be expected to:
7.1 analyze ideas, information and perspectives in
text (pp. 84-87, 164-165)
7.2 engage in critical literacy and inquiry (pp.
166-167, 204-205)
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing
and representation to explore, clarify and reflect on
their thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings;
and to use their imaginations.(WR - Writing and
Representing)
Students will be expected to:
8.2 create texts that are imaginative and used for
self-expression and enjoyment (pp. 94-95,
168-169)
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with
understanding a range of literature, information, media and visual
text. (RV - Reading and Viewing)
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts
collaboratively and independently, using a wide
variety of forms for a range of audiences and
purposes. (WR)
Students will be expected to:
4.2 identify and select appropriate texts (pp. 62-62, 140-141) Students will be expected to:
9.1 demonstrate an awareness of audience and
4.3 develop proficient reading and viewing skills (pp. 64-69,
purpose (pp. 96-99, 170-171)
142-143)
9.2 create a variety of texts using text structures
4.4 use text structures to construct meaning (pp. 70-71, 144-145)
and features (pp. 100-109, 170-177, 2084.5 use text features to construct meaning (pp. 72-75, 146-147)
213)
4.6 use a variety of comprehension strategies (pp. 74-81, 148-153,
198-203)
GCO 5: Students will be expected to interpret, select and combine
information using a variety of strategies, resources and technology.
(RV)
Students will be expected to:
5.1 demonstrate an understanding that information can be
organized for a specific purpose (pp. 154-155)
5.2 select sources of information based on inquiry questions (pp.
156-159)
5.3 interpret relevant information from selected sources (pp. 158159)
5.4 organize relevant information from selected sources (pp.160161)
5.5 share relevant information from selected sources (pp. 160-161)
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a
range of strategies to develop effective writing and
representing and to enhance their clarity, precision
and effectiveness. (WR)
Students will be expected to:
10.1 create texts using the processes of writing
and representing (pp. 110-123, 178-185, 214217)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
127
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
1.2 use active listening strategies
for a variety of purposes (SL Speaking and Listening)
Create an environment which promotes active listening as well as
productive talking. Students need to be aware that there are many
different reasons why we listen. Teachers may brainstorm with students
the importance of listening. Some purposes for listening are to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
be entertained (story, song)
gather information and ideas (directions, new topic)
respond with a comment or question
make a personal connection
give an opinion
evaluate a message (critical listening)
Before starting an activity, it is essential that teachers inform students of
the purpose for listening or help students set their own purpose. E.g.,
during a science lesson on light, in which students watch a Bill Nye
video, the teacher may establish the purpose by saying, “As you watch
this video on light, I want you to find out how light travels.” In this case
the purpose of listening is to gather information.
In another example, before watching a video about explorers, Julie
and Colin Angus (Explorers unit of Social Studies), the students may
establish the purpose for watching the video. Possible student suggested
purposes might include: to be entertained, to find out more about their
challenges, to make a personal connection, etc.
A student can demonstrate listening by following the directions given
by the speaker, making comments that show an understanding of steps
involved in completing a task or asks questions to clarify information.
1.3 ask and respond to questions
that explore and clarify ideas (SL)
When students interact with an audience they need to be prepared to
respond to a variety of questions. Students need to be made aware of the
following tips when responding to questions:
•Answer the question that is being asked – stay on topic
•Accept constructive criticism
•Keep in mind situation and audience when responding (responses
in a debate may have different language and tone than responses
to questions during a show and tell)
•Listen carefully to the question and make eye contact with the
person asking the question
•Make sure they understand what is being asked and seek
clarification if necessary
•Realize it is okay to not know an answer
•Take time to organize thoughts before answering
•Use supporting details in their answers (from text, own thoughts
and ideas)
128
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify, extend and reflect on their
thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Organize a Show and Tell periodically. Ask students to prepare what
they wish to present in advance. Students may use the following visual
to help them prepare:
SHOW and TELL - The Five W’s of Adding Detail
- What is it?
- What does it do?
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Program and Planning Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Oral Language
Development, pp. 33-38
Supplementary Resources
- What does it look (sound/taste/feel) like?
- Who gave it to me?
- Who do I use it with?
First Steps: Oral Language
Resource Book (1994) Informal
Debate pp. 34-35
- When did I get it?
- When do I use it?
- Where did I get it?
- Where do I keep it?
- Where do I use it?
- Why did I bring it?
- Why is it special?
As students present, observe if classmates are actively listening.
(1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 9.1, 10.1)
• Think aloud to demonstrate to students how to visualize while
listening. Ask a student to describe an event (e.g., a birthday party).
Say “As I was listening to you speak, I was making pictures in my mind
to go along with what you were saying. I could picture all of you
sitting at the table eating a delicious chocolate cake, playing musical
chairs, opening presents …”. Next, ask the students if they make
pictures in their minds as they listen and how they do it. ( e.g., closing
their eyes, picturing a scene or character in their minds, adding details
to their mental pictures as they listen).
(1.2)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
129
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
2.1 contribute effectively to
conversation during whole- and
small-group discussion (SL)
Initiate a conversation about ‘good discussion behaviour’ and what it
looks like in action. E.g.,
• Interrupt appropriately – how do students interrupt appropriately?
First, they need to decide whether or not it is appropriate to interrupt
a speaker based on the situation and the speaker. If they have an
unrelated comment or something that can wait it is probably best not
to interrupt. If they have an emergency they should interrupt. Next,
if they have to interrupt they must decide when is the best time (e.g.,
right away, during a pause in the talk, once the speaker is finished).
As well, they have to find a good way to interrupt (e.g., raising hand,
saying “excuse me”, clear throat, or other approved signal).
• Provide thoughtful responses – too often when students are asked or
expected to orally respond during a discussion they are very limited in
their ideas (e.g., me too, I agree, I like that too, etc). Model to provide
students with examples of deeper and richer responses (e.g., I agree/
disagree with you because…, What made you feel that way?, Do you
think …?, I didn’t understand…, Can you tell me more about…?,
How do you know…? That reminds me of ..., etc.)
The role of the teacher in classroom discussions should move from
actively modelling and facilitating to more passively observing. Please
note the time frame for this gradual release of responsibility will vary
from class to class and some students may always need high levels of
support during discussions.
130
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and to respond personally and critically.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
Authorized Resources
• Provide opportunities for students to practice ‘formal’ versus
‘informal’ talking. Discuss who the audience might be and help
students develop a realization of appropriate language for different
situations by modelling. Provide real purposes for talking and ask
students who are comfortable to role play the situations. E.g.,
• answering a question from your teacher
• welcoming a special guest to our classroom
• making an announcement in an assembly
• greeting a child you know from another class
• greeting your principal
• apologizing
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008), Oral Language
Strategies: pp. 37- 46
Supplementary Resources
First Steps: Oral Language
Resource Book (1994) pp. 42-49
(2.1)
• With students, create anchor charts about speaking and listening that
they can use as they self assess:
How well do I Communicate?
Can I be heard?
Do I listen to others?
Can I be understood?
Have I put my ideas in order?
Can I expand my idea?
How do I sound?
How do I look?
Am I a Good Listener?
Do I listen to my friends
when they talk to me?
Do I try to understand what
people are saying?
Do I give the teacher my full
attention?
Do I ask questions to have
speakers explain their ideas
more fully?
(2.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
131
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
2.2 use effective presentation
skills (SL)
There are many activities, both formal and informal, that provide
opportunities for students to speak/present in front of an audience.
‘Audience’ may refer to a partner, small group or large group. Students
need to be reminded that they have responsibilities as speakers. As a
class, discuss effective speaking skills. These may include:
•Be prepared to answer questions
•Keep papers away from your face
•Know your content
•Make eye contact
•Speak at a good pace
•Speak clearly
•Speak with expression
•Stand with good posture and keep still
•Use an appropriate volume
•Use facial expressions and gestures appropriately
Provide various speaking and listening opportunities throughout the
year for students to identify and begin to use effective presentation
skills. Other activities that lend themselves to discussions about effective
presentation skills include:
• Show and tell (or ‘In The Spotlight’) - the process of showing an
audience something and telling them about it, used as a technique for
teaching students the skills of public speaking. A student will bring
an item from home and will explain to the class why they chose that
particular item, where they got it, and other relevant information.
• Reader’s Theatre - is often defined by what it is not—no memorizing,
no props, no costumes, no sets. All this makes reader’s theater
wonderfully convenient while beneficial. Students become motivated
and excited about reading when they are given opportunities to
participate in Readers Theatre. Students develop a script, perform in
groups, and practice using their voices to depict characters from the
text. During Reader’s Theatre, students have the opportunity to develop
fluency and further enhance comprehension of what they are reading.
Any script can be adapted into a Reader’s Theatre. In a mini lesson,
explicitly model for students how Reader’s Theatre works:
•Create teams of four or five readers. Provide each team member
with a copy of the script.
•Ask them to read the story silently.
•Students identify the roles in the story and divide them among the
group.
132
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and to respond personally and critically.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Introduce Reader’s Theatre and explicitly teach student about how
it can work in the classroom. Place students in groups with selected
scripts and assign students the role they will read. Students may
highlight the roles they will read. Provide time for students to practice
their scripts and give assistance where needed. Groups take turns
‘performing’ their script. Later, rather than simply assign pre-made
scripts, discuss with students how to create their own script. Script
roles include: narrator(s), character(s), silent character(s) and sound
effects person. Ask students to use the following points to assess each
group’s performance: Rank student performance 1-4 on each of the
following (1 - Excellent, 2 - Good, 3 - Fair, 4 - Needs Improvement):
•Delivery (includes confidence, good expression, made gestures,
good eye contact)
•Cooperation with group (includes worked cooperatively with the
group in all aspects of the project, shared all responsibilities and
ideas well)
(2.2, 4.1, 9.2)
• In mid-Grade 4 students may not be expected to engage in a formal
debating procedure but students can become familiar with some
of the processes that are involved in a formal debate. In groups of
4-6, students select a topic for a discussion from a list generated in a
brainstorming session (e.g., computers and cell phones are making life
better, summer is the best season, etc.). Students decide which position
they wish to support and prepare an informal debate. Students may
be asked to summarize both sides of the argument in a shared writing
session. E.g.,
Summer is the Best Season
Yes because _________________ No because _________________
__________________________ ___________________________
__________________________ ___________________________
(1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1, 8.1, 9.1)
• Ask students to work with a partner to research a story in which
someone did something heroic. Choose one story that you both like
and decide how to present it to the class.
(2.2)
• Reader’s Theatre - Ask students to select a text to explore, in depth
and write a script. Next they form groups depending number of
characters). Students portrays character’s feelings, moods, actions and
theme by using voice (pitch, tone or volume). Students write and read a
short script.
(1.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
133
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
2.2 (cont’d) use effective
presentation skills (SL)
•Review the story and decide together which words each student
will read and what words will be omitted. On your own sheet, in
pencil, cross out the cuts and underline your own speeches. ]
•Practice your script by reading together. Go back and edit it as
needed.
•Read/Present to other groups.
• Below is one way oral instruction can be taught in beginning, mid
(grey section) and late Grade 4. See below for suggestions of forms of
presenting in Grade 4. Once a form has been introduced it become
part of regular classroom activity for the following terms, being
revisited many times in different situations and contexts. For example,
while oral book reports may be formally introduced in late Grade 4,
teachers provide students with frequent opportunities to hear and talk
about books from the first week of school.
Beginning
Mid
Discussion about
Impromptu book
talks
books
Storytelling (teacher Storytelling (teacher
teaches storytelling)
guides storytelling)
Response to
Response to
literature:
literature:
conversations,
conversations,
discussions
discussions
Character
Role play in content
conversations/
areas/ Reader’s
Reader’s Theatre
Theatre
Inquiry activities/
Interviews/informal
Discussions
debates
‘Topic talks/ informal Mini-presentation
oral presentations
Retelling
Oral Summaries
Late
Oral book reports
Storytelling (students
practise storytelling)
Response to
literature:
conversations,
discussions
Drama
Debates
Oral Presentation
Oral Presentation
Adapted from A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Volume Four, Oral
Language, Ontario (2008)
134
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and to respond personally and critically.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Teach the class impromptu speaking in which students choose a topic
from a hat and speak on it for a few minutes.
(2.2)
• As a group, ask the first student to start a story. Ask each person to
say what was said before and add a new sentence. The last person will
orally present the whole story.
(1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1)
Resources
Supplementary Resources
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) RolePlaying pp.47-48
• Ask students to interview a person who influenced them. Present the
interview to the class.
(1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1, 8.1, 9.1)
• Brainstorm with the class some ways they would like to see their
school change. As a group, create a presentation for the administration.
Ask the administrator to attend and listen to student concerns and
possible solutions.
(1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.1, 8.1, 9.1)
• Invite students to do Book Talks. They are short “teasers” given
enthusiastically to entice others to read a particular book. Classroom
teachers and teacher-librarians introduce books as a regular part
of a classroom reading program. Students, too, can have regular
opportunities to share books or information on authors they enjoy.
At the same time, students have increased opportunities to practise
oral reading and speaking skills, and to share their opinions and make
recommendations. Two elements are central to this activity: a short
reading from a book, and an indication of the student’s personal
response to that reading material. Other details would include
information about the author, the setting of the book, the plot, and any
other interesting elements such as genre, other titles in the series, and/
or similar books. The students may choose to make posters, bookmarks,
advertisements, book jackets, etc., to display after a book talk.
(1.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.3, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1 )
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
135
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
2.3 evaluate a speaker’s message
(SL)
Messages may come from various places - a speaker, song, read-aloud,
advertisement, movie, announcement, etc.
To evaluate the message students may consider the following:
• Point of View:
What do you agree/disagree with? Why?
From whose point of view is it fair or unfair?
What are the attitudes expressed?
How does it compare to your own experiences?
Whose point of view is presented/left out?
• Purpose/Motive:
Is the speaker attempting to positively or negatively influence
me? How?
Who is the intended audience?
Is the speaker trying to inform, persuade, or entertain?
Did the speaker achieve their goal?
Did they do it well?
• Credibility:
Is the speaker an expert on the subject?
Is the message fact or opinion?
Is the speaker telling the truth?
Does this represent the world today?
Teachers need to keep in mind that evaluating a speaker’s message
should be taught through rich class discussions and the use of a wide
variety of oral texts. This can be revisited often throughout the year as
the students encounter new oral texts (news reports, announcements,
guest speakers, advertisements, read alouds, commercials, etc.).
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and to respond personally and critically.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• During shared reading, read the position statement of an argument
that deals with familiar subject matter without showing the students
the arguments used by the author. Encourage students to predict and
list possible arguments that the author might have used to support his/
her point. Read the text and compare their predictions.
(2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.3, 7.2)
• While listening to the story of Sir Edmund Hillary in the Social
Studies text, students are made aware of a guide who led Sir Edmund
Hillary to the top of Mount Everest. Ask the class why the guide is
not credited with being the first person to climb Mount Everest even
though he was present. This can lead to discussions about point of view
in other texts.
(2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 3.1, 4.6)
• Students see an advertisement on television for a toy that claims to
have certain properties. Based on previous experiences some students
may realize that the toy does not live up to the claims. Ask students to
respond by:
• composing an email to the company
• convincing others not to buy the toy
(2.3, 3.1, 7.2)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
137
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
3.1 Explain how oral language
can affect others (SL).
Oral language can be persuasive. What we say and how we say it can
potentially change ways of thinking, alter beliefs or influence others to
take action, whether positively or negatively. The most obvious examples
of using oral language to influence are peer pressure and media.
Examples of positive and negative peer pressure can be examined
through class discussion, role play, reader’s theatre, literature, videos, etc.
Show students a variety of oral media texts such as commercials, radio
ads, videos, etc that demonstrate persuasive techniques.
Advertisers use many techniques to influence consumers. Some
techniques are:
•humor
•price appeal (Buy-One, Get-One)
•product comparisons
•jingles
•celebrity spokespeople
•statistics
•repetition
Discuss the purpose of persuasive language, how it can be used to
influence people and brainstorm a list of examples where students
have seen in the everyday world. Ask students to share some examples
of when people tried to persuade them or times when they tried to
persuade someone else. Some example might include:
•Commercials and advertisements use oral language to try to
persuade people to buy things.
•People running for an official position use oral language to try to
persuade others to vote for them by convincing them that they are
the best person to meet community needs.
•Your teacher and parents use oral language to encourage students
to do their best work in school.
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and to respond personally and critically.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Use a context that is local or familiar to students. Ask them to solve
a school or social problem/issue. As a whole group, discuss strategies
to solve the problem. Use the ideas discussed in modelled, shared or
independent writing (e.g., letter to the principal).
(3.1, 7.1, 8.1, 9.1, 9.2)
• Provide texts that express various opinions on different issues. In
shared reading, deconstruct the text and discuss aspects presented
by the writers (e.g. introduction of opinion, reasoning, conclusion,
vocabulary used to connect ideas and strengthen opinion, etc.).
Encourage students to reflect on the issues raised and structure their
thoughts with a statement of position (opinion) and given reasons to
support opinion (arguments).
(3.1, 7.1, 8.1, 9.1, 9.2)
• Organize informal debates. Pick a topic for debate. Give reasons for
and against the topic. Ask students move to a side of the classroom
they agree on and as a group formulate reasons and ideas to sway other
members of the class. Students move from one side to the other as
points of reason are given and agreed upon.
(2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 7.1)
• Discuss techniques that are used in persuasive writing to convince
the reader. Talk about techniques that are unacceptable (distortion of
truth, abusive language).
(2.3, 3.1, 7.1)
• Look at language used in advertisements and list all the persuasive
words and devices that are used to sway the reader’s/ listener’s
judgement.
(2.3, 3.1, 7.1, 9.2)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
139
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.2 identify and select
appropriate texts (RV)
Emphasize selecting ‘just right’ texts which includes using strategies
to ensure the text is not too challenging (where the student is solely
occupied with decoding) and not too easy (so that the student is
unlikely to learn anything new). Although reading success often is
related to the amount of reading a student does, it is not the only
contributing factor. A more accurate statement would be that it is
not just the amount of time a student spends reading, but rather
the amount of time a student spends reading with high-success that
determines reading progress. When students read accurately they
solidify word recognition, they understand what they read more slowly
and as a result they enjoy reading and read more. Unfortunately,
students who are reading a text that is not of interest to them or
one that is too difficult, they read slower because they encounter
many words that they do not recognize readily. They are less likely
to understand what they have read and then become frustrated with
reading. A just right book challenges readers to think but doesn’t
frustrate them.
Therefore, having a text in the hands of all students for 15 minutes
for independent reading time may have two very different outcomes.
There are various ways to help students learn to choose appropriate
books. One model is the ‘Five Finger Rule’, a simple but effective
strategy for students to use. This guideline states that if there are five
or more challenging words on one page, the text is likely too difficult.
‘Challenging words’ are words that are a challenge to decode or a
challenge to understand.
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Earlier in Grade 4, students learned how to pick ‘good fit’ books.
They can apply this knowledge as they are involved in ‘Book Clubs’ in
groups of no more than 5 or 6. To begin a Book Club:
• Provide books around a variety of common genres or themes. If all
the books have a common theme or genre, discussions can relate to
a common element (e.g.,historical setting or adventure theme).
• Allow students to select a book which interests them. They will be
more interested in the text if they selected it.
• Observe students as they select a book that interests them and
encourage them to apply their knowledge of a ‘good fit’ book.
• Students meet to set a reading schedule. Give each student a
copy of the book so that they can look at the number of pages
and chapter breaks. Ask the groups to divide the book into a
reasonable number of sections and plan to meet after each section
for discussion.
• Set aside in-class reading time. Provide students with time to read
on a consistent basis. While some students may read at home
others may read during independent reading time in the literacy
block or other points in the day. At this time in the year, some
students, who are still developing the skills necessary to engage
in critical discussions, need assistance in engaging in literary
conversations.
• Provide students reading questions to guide group discussions.
These questions can be established by asking students to write
discussion questions, prior to the group discussion meeting.
Collect the questions and select ones that are most effective. Create
copies of the questions to distribute to students either the day of
the discussion or one day prior to allow them to think about their
responses.
• Facilitate student meetings. As students reach their reading
checkpoints, facilitate or observe their meetings. In Mid Grade
4, teachers may need to facilitate the meetings so groups may
need to meet at different times. Allow the book group meetings
to be as student-led as possible following the gradual release of
responsibility model. The most effective way to accomplish this
goal is to assign one group member as the discussion director.
Allow this person to ask the discussion questions and guide the
course of conversation.
• Monitor the discussions as closely as possible to ensure that
students are hitting on all of the vital literary elements in the book
and getting as much enrichment from the reading material as
possible.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
141
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.3 develop proficient reading
and viewing skills (RV)
It is important that students experience texts in a variety of genres.
Genre refers to different types of texts. It is a category used to
classify literary works, usually by form, technique or content. The
two major categories are fiction and nonfiction and within these
categories are subcategories of different genres/text types. As teachers
prepare classroom libraries and sort books according to genre,
flexibility is important. Many texts share characteristics, that is they
are hybrids of genre, meaning they contain more than one type.
E.g., Charlotte’s Web is an example of a book that is fictional but it
does contain scientific information for readers. Historical fiction also
contains both fiction and nonfiction.
It is important for the teacher to be familiar with appealing and age
appropriate texts in order to build a library that students will enjoy.
A rich text environment, should include a variety of texts, fiction,
non-fiction and poetry. Poetry is compact writing and can be either
fiction or non-fiction. It communicates meaning by evoking sensory
feelings. Poetry may involves rhythm and rhyme but not everything
that rhymes is considered poetry. Poetry is unique because it has a
lot of meaning in a few lines. By exposing students to poetry they
are learning a rich, concise and skillfully created language.
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Make Poetry Workshop a part of the literacy block. It can take the
place of the Reading or Writing Workshop regularly on an ongoing
basis. Making poetry a part of a weekly routine, helps students learn to
value poetry and learn to better understand it, over time.
•
Begin the Poetry Workshop with a ‘poet talk’. Model
this by taking 2 or 3 minutes to tell the students about a
particular poet, his life, his style and interests. After students
see several ‘poet talks’ modelled, ask them to give poet talks.
They can give them on each other as they create their own
poetry.
•
The most important part of the Poetry Workshop is
helping students to experience and enjoy various types of
poetry. It is important not to over-analyze a poem before
reading it. Teacher should read the poem once without
introduction, then read it again asking for comments to the
whole group or inviting pairs to discuss the poetry with each
other.
•
Students can:
• read and respond to poetry (student answers
questions such as What does the poem say to you?
What did the poem make you think about? Who is
talking in the poem? Were there any words that you
particularly liked?
• write poem ideas in their writer’s notebooks
• draft, revise and edit their poetry
• create illustrations to compliment their poetry
• illustrate works of other poets
• conference with the teacher
•
The teacher may work with a small group discussing
forms of poetry or can conduct conference with students
helping them to think about their poem and learn to revise it.
•
At the end of the Poetry Workshop, gather students
together to share their completed poems or to share a section
of their writing to ask for ideas from the rest of the class.
(4.3. 6.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3)
• Ask students to create anthologies by collating their own poems in
a folder throughout the year. Student may illustrate the poems, read
them in independent reading time, write other poems using these as a
model and share their anthologies with others. (4.3. 6.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
143
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.4 use text structures to
construct meaning (RV)
In Beginning Grade 4, students learned that text structure refers to
how a text is organized and they focused on the structure of a fictional
text (narrative). Students should continue to be regularly exposed to
and asked to identify the narrative text structure as opportunities arise.
Through this examination of structure, students gain familiarity in how
to organized their own narratives. The greater the awareness of the text
structures, the better students can understand the author’s message.
In Mid Grade 4, teachers need to ensure students are exposed to
nonfiction texts on a regular basis. Few students seem to have a previous
experience with non-fiction text structures. This may be due to little
exposure to this kind of text, the fact that non-fiction text contains new
and unfamiliar content, or fact that it is difficult for students to see the
basic structure of the text.
In Mid Grade 4, the suggested focus is on nonfiction text structure
(Compare and Contrast). If opportunities arise for discussion on
structures other than those being focused on, teachers are encouraged to
take advantage of those teachable moments.
Compare and Contrast - this structure shows the similarities and/or
differences between two or more items such as objects, events, people or
ideas. This type of text should contain:
•a topic sentence that tells the reader what is being compared
•a clincher sentence which sums up the paragraph, restating the
similarities or differences
•signal words e.g.,
Signal Words for Compare and Contrast Structure
Similar
Different
also
although
but
144
too
contrast
difference
in common
even though
however
likewise
instead of
more (than, like, etc.)
resembles
on one hand
rather
similar
unless
unlike
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Ask students to look in nonfiction books (e.g., textbooks) for
paragraphs that contain the Compare and Contrast structure. Ask
volunteers to share their examples.
(4.4)
• In an Shared Reading
context, using the paragraph,
Frogs and Toads, circle the
signal words which indicate
it is a Compare and Contrast
structure. Also, ask students
to locate the topic sentence
and the clincher sentence.
Together with the students,
complete a Venn Diagram,
displaying the similarities and
differences (in point form)
between Frogs and Toads.
Resources
Supplementary Resources
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001)
Comparison p.11
Frogs and Toads
Even though they are similar in appearance, frogs and toads do
have notable differences. On one hand, the frog is slim, agile and
has smooth skin. On the other hand, the toad is fat, slow moving
and has warty skin. Another difference is how each defends itself.
When threatened, the frog relies on its large, powerful back legs
to leap to safety whereas the toad puffs itself up with so much
air it is impossible for a snake to swallow it. However, the frog
and toad do have a lot in common. They are both amphibians,
which means that they live in the water and on land. Each has
lungs and can breathe by absorbing oxygen through its skin. The
sounds they make are also similar. Male frogs and toads croak to
attract females in the breeding season. Both of these amphibians
eat almost anything, with their usual diet being insects. Knowing
these characteristics should help you the next time you are trying
to decide if the amphibian you are looking at is a frog or a toad.
Dillabough (2008) Text Structures Teaching Patterns in Reading and
Writing (4.4)
Dillabough, Dianne (2008) Text
Structures: Teaching Patterns in
Reading and Writing. ON: Nelson
• Students may work in pairs to decide on a topic and to write a
Compare and Contrast paragraph. Topics may include:
• compare and contrast two provinces in Canada
• compare and contrast two explorers
• compare and contrast the habitats of two different animals
• compare and contrast two 3-D figures
• compare and contrast two newspaper articles on the same story (4.4, 9.3)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
145
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.5 use text features to construct
meaning (RV)
Review with students that text features are features that help a reader
navigate through text to locate specific information. As they learn more
about text features they will become more proficient readers and writers.
The goal, as students progress through Grade 4, is that they will become
competent at using text structures and text features to distinguish
between fiction and nonfiction, enhance meaning and understanding,
locate information and make/verify predictions about the text.
In early Grade 4, students were introduced to some text features and
these should be reviewed on an ongoing basis, as indicated in the table
below. Also, included in the table, is a suggested list of additional
text features that may be the focus in mid Grade 4. This list is not all
inclusive and teachers are encouraged to add to this list as opportunities
arise.
Ongoing Text Features
Organizational Features
Visual Features
Layout
Photographs
Title
Illustrations
Table of Contents
Maps
Glossary
Charts
Index
Labelled Diagrams
Headings and Subheadings Graphs
Afterword
Speech Balloons
Author Information
Environmental Print
Illustrator Information
Focus Text Features
Timeline
Labels
Author Website
Captions
Columns
Speech Boxes
Appendix
Color
Numbered Steps
Verses
Information Boxes
Internet/ World Wide Web
Print Features
Bold
Italics
Dash
Hyphen
Ellipses
Incorporate the teaching of text features from texts on the World
Wide Web and the Internet. These contains print that is continually
changing. It contains new or modified features and the reader can
navigate through information differently than non-digital information.
For example, graphics on the Web or Internet appear more lifelike than
in conventional texts as they are multiple-media images. Students may
encounter features such as animated symbols, cartoons, advertisements,
audio and visual video clips, and virtual reality environments.
As previously stated, although the comprehension strategies are
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
Making
the Game
14 6
Table of Contents
Glossary
Bold Print
Text Boxes
Heading
• Provide each student with a copy of the Text Features Chart so
they can independently track the features they find in the books they
read. Ask students to write the name of the book in the first column.
Students look through the book to find different text features. Ask
them to write at least one page number in the column to show where
they found that feature in the book. E.g.,
10 20 2
(4.5)
• Encourage students to include text features in their own nonfiction
writing. For example, students can add an index and a glossary of
important words to a class book, or they can organize a report with
headings and a table of contents.
(4.5, 5.1, 5.4)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
147
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
introduced one at a time, they are interrelated and students will learn
to use them flexibly to help them understand what they have read. In
Beginning Grade 4 students focused on the comprehension strategies
of Self-Monitoring and Analyzing. As they continue to use these
strategies, Sequencing, Making Connections and Predicting may be the
focus.
Sequencing - This strategy is used by readers to organize information
they get from text in a logical sequence or present the general idea
in a brief form. This is important when reading text such as, recipes,
biographies, scheduling, narratives, etc. Teachers sequence text often by
using thinking stems such as:
• The first thing that happened...
• The first thing you need to do is...
• The next step is...
Making Connections (Schema) - Readers constantly search for
connections things they read and what they already know. Schema
refers to feelings, experiences, thoughts and opinions and it’s likely that
no two people interpret text the same way because their experiences
are different. In essence, one’s schema is the prior knowledge used in
making connections to text. It assists with developing an understanding
of new information. This comprehension strategy helps connect text
to self, to other texts or the world at large. Three ways to connect with
text:
•Text to self connections - when the text makes us think of our
own life.
•Text to text connections - when the text make us think of another
text.
•Text to world connections - when the text makes us think of the
world around us.
Students need to understand the difference between a connection that
is important to the reader, something they have in common with the
text (e.g., his name is Justin and so is mine) and a connection that is
important to the understanding of the text (e.g., that character has a
grandfather and so do I). It is the connections they make about the
relationships of the character and the grandfather that will help with the
understanding of the text.
The primary reason for making connections is to enhance
understanding. If students have difficulty making connections to a text,
it may be because they have not had a similar experiences in their own
life. Teachers may help provide various experiences for students via the
internet, etc. Connections help students visualize text (e.g., if the text is
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Use a graphic organizer to record events in a text that conveys
information in a sequence. There may be more than one sequence of
information happening in the text. Example of a graphic organizer:
(4.6)
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place
4: Strategy Guide (Scholastic
2008) Sequencing
Moving Up With Literacy Place
4: Strategy Guide (Scholastic
2008) Making Connections
• Students read a text at their independent reading level, marking
the places they make connections using a flag or post it note. After
completing a selection of text, students go back and record the
connections using a three column recording sheet similar to the
one shown below. In a guided reading session or other small group
discussion, students evaluate how the connection helped them
understand the story.
Page #
My Connection
Type of Connection
• That reminds me
of...
• Text-to-Text (TD)
• I remember seeing...
• Text-to-World (TW)
• Text-to-Self (TS)
• I have a connection
to...
(4.6, 6.1)
• Draw a connection organizer on a white board or chart paper.
Students listen to a song, such as Rachel Delevoryas by Randy Stonehill
(1991). In partners, students any connections made to the song and
write their connections. As a whole group, students may volunteer to
share their connections. (4.6, 6.1)
• Choose a story to read to students to that might remind them
of something in their own lives or something they can relate to. Give
students a popsicle stick with the letter R in it. As you are reading
ask them to put up the R when something you read reminds them of
something. At appropriate times in the story, stop and ask students
with the R popsicle stick raised, to share their connection. Teachers
may list their students’ connections on a chart and this past experience
may be used, later, as a topic for writing a narrative. Make notes and
repeat this task throughout the year noticing if students become more
aware of making connections with the texts.
(4.6)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
149
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 (cont’d) use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
about going to a theme park, and the student has been to a theme park,
they can visualize the setting and connect the senses to this visualization
– the sounds, the smells, the tastes. etc.).
Connections also help students understand how characters feel (e.g., if a
character has just lost their pet and a student has experienced the same
loss, they can understand and connect with the character’s feelings).
Connections enhance comprehension through prediction. (e.g., If
a student has read other mystery novels, they may be able to make
accurate predictions of the ending of the new mystery novel they are
reading because of the connection they have to similar novels).
Students need to make connections to the nature of the text and the
literary features. Once they are familiar with what to expect when
reading or viewing different text forms, they will be able to make
connections and better comprehend what they read.
Predicting - the comprehension strategy where the reader tries to
anticipate and determine future events using the information from
the text, along with their prior knowledge (schema). Predicting is one
aspect of inferring but it has an outcome that is confirmed. As they
read, they form connections between their prior knowledge and the new
information from the text to make, confirm or change their predictions.
We can’t actually ‘see’ a reader directly predicting, but evidence of
predicting can be heard when they talk about a text. Teachers may hear
students say:
• I think the next chapter will be about..
• I am predicting that...
• Now I am changing my mind, I think...
The prediction cycle begins when readers predict what they will read
in the text using their prior knowledge.
They monitor their comprehension,
and gather information to confirm their
predictions.
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Choose a text that students can read independently or read it
aloud to them. Students are asked to record their connections on
the recording sheet. After reading or listening to the text, students
decide if the connection was important to the reader, or important to
understanding the text. E.g., Heroes of Isle aux Morts recording sheet:
Connection
Character has
same name as me
Important to Me
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place
4: Strategy Guide (Scholastic
2008) Predicting
Important to Understanding
Text
I like that we
share the same
name
Character has a
dog and so do I
I can feel the anxiety and
that Anna feels when she
puts her dog in the raging sea
to rescue the passengers on
the sinking ship
(4.6, 6.1)
• Before a guided reading lesson, select a point where you want
students to stop in the text and make a prediction. Teachers may ask
all students to stop in the same place, or students may stop in different
places. Students complete column one and two of the three column
table shown below. After students complete column one and two, they
read on to confirm or change their prediction. They complete column
three as they read.
Prediction
Support
Confirm/Changed
(4.6, 6.1)
• Choose an informational text for a shared reading session. Ask
students to preview the text using text features (e.g., headings, sub
headings, captions, bold text words, etc.). After previewing, students
complete the response journal form below. Read the selection with the
students and discuss, as a whole group, which questions were answered.
Response Journal Form For Predicting
Name: Date:
After previewing the text, I noticed these key words and ideas:
I think the following questions may be answered as I read:
1.
2.
3.
(4.5, 4.6, 6.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
151
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 (cont’d) use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
Students should become aware when they must abandon earlier
predictions and make new ones. Predictions do not need to be accurate
but they should be logical and supported in the text. Create an anchor
chart for students to refer to during reading:
Predicting
Before reading, I:
•read the title
•look at the illustrations
•read the author’s biography
•read the book’s cover
I ask myself:
•What do I know about the book already?
•What do you think this book is about?
•Are my ideas correct, so far?
•Has new information made me change my first ideas?
Explain to students that previewing a text means setting a purpose for
reading. Choose a book to share with the students (e.g., Social Studies
textbook - What Does Exploring Earth Teach Us?). Provide students
with an Anticipation Guide (shown below) containing statements about
the text that they must agree or disagree with, before reading/viewing
the text. Students discuss their choices with a partner or in a small
group. Read the selection of text together to find out if their predictions
were correct. As students become familiar with the anticipation guide,
they may use them in other reading.
Name ______________________________ Date ________________
Title _____________________________________________________
Author _________________________
Before reading, mark whether you agree or disagree with each statement.
After reading, fill in the page number where you found the answer to each
statement and tell whether or not you were right. (e.g.)
Statement
1.
There are three major climate
regions in the world.
2.
Mountains and ocean influence
our climates
Page #
agree/
disagree?
Were you
right?
3.
4.
152
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Select a text to read to students. Carefully choose a place
to stop in the text where students are introduced to a situation or
problem. Ask students, in small groups, to do a role play of the scene,
predicting what will happen next or how the problem will be solved.
Continue reading the text to determine if the prediction was accurate.
Revise and correct predictions as you gain information from the text.
Some thinking prompts may include:
•I’m guessing that...
•I wonder if...
•I think this book will be about...
•I imagine the author believes...
(1.2, 2.2, 4.6)
• Before reading a text, do the following activity: Prepare for
this activity by copying quotes from a book onto index cards. Sort
the quotes by characters. In small groups, students will each receive a
different quote about the same character. E.g., Before students read the
novel, Charlotte’s Web one group of students will be given quotes about
Wilbur, another group will receive quotes about Fern, another group
quotes about Charlotte. Each student shares a quotation and the
group records predictions about the character based on the quotes.
(4.6)
• Read a text of an author that writes in a very visual way. E.B.
White’s, Charlotte’s Web is a good example. Read a portion such as
chapter 3 in which the barn is described. Ask the students to close
their eyes and visualize the barn as you are reading. Discuss what the
barn might have looked like. Ask them to sketch what they think the
barn looked like. Discuss how visualizing is a strategy that helps the
reader understand the story.
(4.6)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
153
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
5.1 demonstrate an
understanding that information
can be organized for a specific
purpose (RV)
Students will learn that people often search for information for a specific
purpose and organize their finding in a specific way. In other words,
they are doing research. Sometimes, it is formal research but many times
their research is informal, for example, reading several recipes to find
one that appeals to them or before buying a new cell phone, talking to
people to hear their opinions before making a decision. Some adults do
research when they check prices in weekly flyers to find the best value
for their money before making a purchase. It is important to see that
research is not just the research project done once a year in school. Help
students see that research is a part of daily living. Make the word research
a part of daily vocabulary with students.
Teaching students valuable research skills in elementary years is
beneficial. Students who learn to conduct research using both online
and print sources will improve their ability to analyze, synthesize, and
independently problem-solve. These are valuable skills all elementary
school students need to develop as they prepare for high school and life
beyond.
Teachers may guide students in a critical, efficient, effectively, safe and
ethical way as they navigate through the sea of information available.
Like the processes of writing, the inquiry process involves many different
skills and strategies. Sometimes, each part of the inquiry process builds
on a previous part, laying the groundwork for the next part. Teachers
help students to:
•plan research
•locate information
•interpret information
•organize information
•use information
The key to a successful inquiry is student interest. It is essential that
students be provided opportunity to select their topic/question for
inquiry. This can be done in collaboration with their teacher. Through
inquiry, students learn how to learn. They use skills like careful
observation, reasoning, critical thinking, to justify or refute existing
knowledge. They also learn that information and be organized in specific
ways depending on purpose.
During this introductory stage of the process, students should plan their
research and identify topics for inquiry. These often arise from classroom
conversations on units of study or shared reading. While teachers may
guide a student’s inquiry, it is important the student self- select their
topic/question. Teachers may provide support to students in shaping
their question for inquiry.
154
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 5: Students will be expected to interpret, select and combine information using a
variety of strategies, resources and technology.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Design a classroom bulletin board entitles ‘We Search”.
Periodically display student work demonstrating research they have
done. (5.1)
• Conduct interviews by posting a ‘Research Question of the
Day’. Teacher posts a research question for students to respond to as
they enter the classroom each morning (e.g., Did you watch the news
last night? Did you remember your sneakers for Physical Education
class?). Students write an answer and sign their name. The results can
be investigated further and considered part of research.
(5.1)
Resources
Supplementary Resources
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) A
Research Model pp. 44-46
• Ask students to jot down their thoughts about environmental
topics they might consider for research. Some options include green
living, organic food, endangered animals, air or water pollution, causes
or effects of global warming, alternative energy, hybrid cars, ecovillages, eco-friendly design and green building techniques. Students
should not limit themselves to the obvious choices; instead, they
should try to find one that captivates them. Once they have identified
several topics, they should look through magazines or search the
Internet to find out more about these topics and make a list in their
notebooks identifying specific topics which pique their interest. Once
students identify one topic to research further, they should research
this topic from a variety of perspectives. While they should conduct
extensive online research about their topic, students should also read
pertinent magazine articles and also scan the newspaper for current
issues related to their topics. Students should take ample notes in
their notebooks, always citing the sources from which the information
originates. Teachers should help students realize that research as
an ongoing process and they may find new information or new
information may be become available in the future. Investigation will
naturally cause students to formulate new questions, which in turn can
be answered through further research. It may be necessary to set time
parameters so that students know when it is reasonable to conclude
their research and move on to the next stage of research.
(5.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
155
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
5.2 select sources of information
based on inquiry questions (RV)
Model how to search for information in texts to answer questions. As
students attempt to gather information, they might need help accessing
appropriate sources (print, non-print, information technology, human,
community) to use in their inquiry. Ensure that students come to an
understanding that it is important to cite sources. Research projects
include a list of resources used. This list is called a bibliography.
Brainstorm with students some of the places to find information related
to their research question, such as:
•almanacs - a reference book made up if facts and records
•dictionaries - book of words and meanings
•databases and Statistics - store huge amounts of data (i.e.
information in the form of words numbers, sounds, music or
images). Statistics Canada can be accessed at www.statscan.ca/
english/edu/students.htm
•encyclopedias (book and digital form) - reference with short
articles
•government Departments Websites - good resources as they keep
track of a lot of information
•interviews - a tools that can be used to gather information from a
person
•Internet - a network of computers located around the world
•library - place where many texts, both fiction and non-fiction are
kept
•magazines - usually focus on one theme
•newspapers - gives updates and current events surveys - a way of
gathering information to find out how many people feel about a
topic
The Internet can be a tremendous resource for gathering information
about a topic, however, students will need to learnt to discern useful
information from worthless data. As Alan Luke (1994) states, “ The
coming of the Internet has exposed students who are just old enough to
click a mouse to whatever arguments anyone with access to a computer
wishes to aim at them.” For example, a student researching the
Holocaust online will find nearly as many articles claiming nothing of
the sort ever happened as those describing what did happen (Allington,
2000). Model to students that adults and children should not accept
what they read online, at face value, without checking the source or
verifying the facts.
156
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 5: Students will be expected to interpret, select and combine information using a
variety of strategies, resources and technology.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• In a shared reading lesson, decide on a topic on which to
conduct research (e.g., butterflies). Display five internet sites. Include
two sites that have signs of being unreliable. Ask students to think,
critically about each and discuss if they think it would be a good choice
for them to use in the research process.
(5.2, 7.3)
• Using a search engine, search a name (e.g., Cleopatra). Show
students the long list of web site that talk about Cleopatra. Click on
the first website in search engine list. With the students think aloud
to decide if this website site seems reliable, or not. Use the following
form:
How does it look? As you look at the questions below, YES NO
put an X in the “yes”or “no” column for each.
Is the spelling correct on the page? Are the words
correctly capitalized and punctuated? (If the person
who created the web site didn’t use correct spelling
and punctuation, there’s a good chance that the actual
information is incorrect).
Is the author’s name and e-mail address on the page?
(Usually this information will be at the top of the page
with the title, or at the very bottom of the page).
Is there a date that tells you when the page was made?
(Not always,but sometimes, it definitely preferable to
use more recently created material)
If there are photographs, do they look real?
Is there an introduction on the page telling you what is
included?
Are the facts on the page what you were looking for?
Does the author of the page say some things you
disagree with?
Does the page lead you to some other good
information (links)?
Does the page include information you know is
wrong?
Resources
Authorized Resource
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Craft Lessons for
Planning and Research pp. 222244
Supplementary Resources
Tools for Learning for Kids,
Book 2: Gathering Information
(2006), pp. 2-78
After looking at this web site and filling out the form with students,
discuss if they think you should use the form. Next, ask students to
think of a research topic or famous person to research. Ask them to
assess the web site using the form above. In conclusion, ask them to
revisit 2-3 of the best web sites they found and print information from
these web sites for later use.
(5.2, 7.3)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
157
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
5.2 (cont’d) select sources of
information based on inquiry
questions (RV)
Teachers must help students realize that just because it can be ‘searched’
does not mean it is worthwhile. Discuss with students that:
•not everything you find online is true
•people are responsible to verify information with other available
sources of information
•they should use common sense when they find information that
sounds “too good/ too outrageous/ too odd to be true”
Teachers may begin by suggesting student-friendly sites for students
while discussing internet safety. Tell students they must think like
detectives. Information is only as good as it’s source therefore they
should always verify critical information with several other sources.
Students should be reminded to look at the date of the publication as
well as the name of the author to see if it is current and to see if the
author has a well-established reputation. Search the author’s name to see
if he/she is credible. If the research does not contain a name, students
should assume it is not reliable, even if it looks good.
Expose students to decoding URL (URL stands for “Uniform Resource
Locator”). Learning to “decode” a URL is helpful for students in their
analysis of a source because who “sponsors” a document can tell you
something about it. Some common domain name endings are .com,
.edu, .gov, .org, .net, .ca For example http://www.canadiangeographic.
ca/kids/animal-facts/animals.asp can be broken up into parts:
Protocol
Server Name
Domain
Path Name(s)
File Name
http:// www.canadiangeographic .ca
/kids/animal-facts/ animals.asp
5.3 interpret relevant information
from selected sources (RV)
Students, with teacher support, should begin to interpret the
information they find, to determine if it will be useful in answering their
questions. If it is, students learn to record the relevant information that
answers their research question. Recordings can take the form of:
•point-form notes - facts, key words or main ideas aer recorded
using a dash or bullet to begin rather than full sentences, phrases)
should be written
•symbolic recording - pictures, a web, matrix sheet, chart, computer
database or spreadsheet, or concept map.
•outline notes - outline of headings and subheadings with only
brief notes under each
•T notes - students draw a large T on the page. Above the top the
main idea is written, on the right side write supporting ideas
in point-form. On the left side draw pictures or webs showing
relevant information.
158
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 5: Students will be expected to interpret, select and combine information using a
variety of strategies, resources and technology.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Provide articles and questions. The articles should be of interest
to the student. Ask them to highlight the information that would
help answer the questions. They only need to locate information and
highlight it.
(5.3)
• Give students two sources of information on a given topic (e.g.,
whales). Ask students to complete the chart:
Topic
Source 1 _________________
Relevant Information
Question: ___________________
Source 2 _________________
Relevant Information
Supplementary Resources
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) Graphic
Organizers pp. 26-27
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) Internet
Research pp. 28-29
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) Note
Making p. 37
(5.3)
• Provide several graphic organizers such as those found in Tools
for Learning for Kids and help students to choose the one that best fits
their topic question and sources.
(5.4)
• Demonstrate to students an attempt to use a graphic organizer
that does not fit a topic and discuss why it is not suitable.
(5.4)
• Ask students to do research. They may consider:
•researching a person, place or idea relating to Social Studies and
present it to the class. Students should be given a choice in how
to present to match their learning style.
•research a musical instrument of their choice and present their
research findings to the class.
•choose a religious festival, complete the research and present their
findings to the class.
(5.5)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
159
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
5.4 organize relevant information
from selected sources (RV)
After students have interpreted the research and recorded the parts they
wish to use, they will need to organize their notes and put it in order
so that it may be shared and used by others. Students should read their
research question again and read the gathered information, highlighting
the parts that helps to answer their question. Remind them that they
will likely have more information than they need and they will need
to sort out this extra information. Some students may like to use large
sheets of paper to cut and past their information while others like to use
small index cards to organize their research notes Graphic organizers
are good ways to organize research notes because they combine words
and visuals and make it easier for students to see how the information
is linked together. Students can be shown various examples of graphic
organizers and they may need support to select the one that best fits
their purpose. They place this information into a graphic organizer.
Examples of graphic organizers can be found in Tools For Learning for
Kids Looking At and Organizing Information (2006) include:
•Tree Diagrams - Top to bottom, From center out, Steps, Fishbone diagram
•Mind Maps - combination of words and drawings
•Webs - diagram showing the links between ideas
•Retrieval Charts - ideas organized into chart form
•Charts - Sequence charts, Cause and Effect charts, Comparison
charts, Venn diagrams, Timelines, etc.
5.5 share relevant information
from selected sources (RV)
160
The researcher’s last step in the process is to share what was learned
so others can learn from it as well. Ask students to think about what
message they want to pass on to others and plan a form for presenting.
Provide students opportunities to share what they have learned,
discovered and created with a variety of audiences. The world today
provides students with many options to consider when deciding how to
present research. This might involve a variety of genre and/or a variety
of media.
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 5: Students will be expected to interpret, select and combine information using a
variety of strategies, resources and technology.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• After students have completed research, ask them to choose a form
for sharing the information they have learned. They may choose to
create a:
•written report - often done in a booklet form
•speech - a talk prepared ahead of time for an audience, also called
an oral report
•newspaper - provide information about people, places or events
•pamphlet, brochure or advertisement - often used to persuade
people to do, attend or buy something
•graph - one way to present research involving numbers
•drawing, painting or mural - creative ways to share what was
learned
•poster, chart or bulletin board
•scrapbook - one way of showing a collection of materials on a
topic, in booklet form
•collage - a picture collection made by affixing many images,
objects or wards onto a large sheet
•comic strip - a way to show events happening in sequence
•diorama - a scene with three-dimensional figures set against a
background
•mobile - a group of objects hung to move freely in the air
•mosaic - consists of many small pieces arranged to make a picture
of design
•3-D map - a map with width, depth and height which can be
made from paper mâché
•models - 3-D representation
•television or radio play
•drama - story acted out before a live audience
•puppet - used as props or visual aids in a presentation
•music - song or dance may be a good way to share research
findings
•game - involve an audience in a research topic
•web page - required special software
•multimedia production - video, powerpoint, etc.
Adapted from Tools for Learning for Kids, Book 4, Passing on
Information
Resources
Supplementary Resources
Tools for Learning for Kids (Book
3): Looking At and Organizing
Information (2006), pp. 2-62
Tools for Learning for Kids
(Book 4): Passing on Information
(2006), pp. 2-121
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001)
Presentations p. 39
(1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 8.1, 8.2, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
161
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
6.2 respond to texts to refine the
process of making meaning (RV)
Responding to texts requires students to have a discussion with
themselves and to answer questions such as:
•What does the text say?
•What does the text mean? What does the text mean to me, the
reader?
•How does the text say what it means?
•How well does the text say what it says?
Teacher should help students make sense of text by designing specific
reading and responding activities for students to engage in at various
stages of the reading process. Lesson plans are often organized in three
stages, before, during and after. Before reading a text generate prereading activities that prepare students for their reading of the text. Such
activities help create a receptive context for the student in which to
construct meaning.
During reading, students should be encouraged to pay attention to the
ideas, feelings, attitudes and associations that the words and images
evoke. After reading, requests for summaries and deeper analysis of the
experienced text are more appropriate.
Students must experience a variety of texts, including poetry, before
they can begin to respond to and create it. Poetry can arouse emotions
with just a few words. Use poetry at least once a week as a read aloud
to encourage students to create their own poetry. Although figurative
is used in many genres, it is often found in poetry. Figurative language
links two things together and helps the reader experience and compare
them. Poets often use:
•metaphor - word or phrase denoting one kind of object used in
place of another
•simile - comparison of two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’
•personification - giving human characteristic to inanimate object
or animal
•rhythm - emphasis is placed on certain syllables. The rhythm may
be fast or slow. It is like the beat in music
•rhyme and sound - a repetition of sounds
•shape - use white space, lines, stanza and are sometimes written in
the shape of the subject of the poem.
162
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 6: Students will be expected to respond personally to a range of texts.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to create a simile comparing two things they like or do
not like. From the simile create a text.
(6.2)
• Provide pictures of various animals or objects. Ask students to create
a text using personification.
(6.2)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
163
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Students will be expected to
7.1 analyze ideas, information
and perspectives in text (RV)
Focus for Learning
Teachers recognize that 21st century learners live in an ‘information
age’ and that they are bombarded with vast amounts of information,
in a variety of forms. Critical literacy allows students to be active and
challenging participants as they respond to all types of texts, including
texts which use technology.
Many students have or will have access to personal communication
devices. As a result they frequently communicate with each other by
talking, texting, video chats, etc. While this is generally positive, it
also has negative possibilities (e.g., on-line bullying, advertisement
pressures, inaccurate information, stereotyping, etc.) which students
need to be aware of.. In order to respond critically students need to
examine, interpret and make informed opinions about all texts. In
Grade 4, students learn to:
•question information presented in texts.
•identify conventions and characteristics of different texts and help
them understand what they have read
•discuss texts from their own perspective (book clubs)
•identify instances where language is used to manipulate, persuade
and control them
•identify instances of prejudice and stereotyping
164
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 7: Students will be expected to respond critically to a range of texts, applying
their knowledge of language, form and genre.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Suggest to students that they can think of the following triangle
when interpreting or analyzing media text:
Analyzing text:
What techniques are
used to attract my
attention?
How closely does this
message represent reality?
Meaning
e
ienc
Aud
How well did
techniques succeed
in conveying the
message?
Tex
t
What media form
or text type is this?
Analyzing Audience:
What is the purpose of
the message? Who is the
audience?
Production
Analyzing Production:
Who created this message? Why?
What does the message
mean to me?
How might other people
understand this message?
What lifestyles, values and
points of view are
represented or omitted?
What are the component parts of this message?
Why have they been used?
How has this message been distributed? Why?
Who benefits from this message?
Who may be disadvantaged?
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
(7.1)
165
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
7.2 engage in critical literacy and
inquiry(RV)
As students continue to develop critical literacy skills in mid-Grade 4,
they will need to filter what they understand and believe from texts.
Texts may present alternative perspectives from other texts they have
experienced; these perspectives may challenge their own assumptions
and ideas about the world.
Critical literacy teaches that no text is neutral, that students need to
ask “What is this text trying to convince me of and why?” and “Whose
interest does it serve?” Students need to be encouraged to analyze the
author’s motive/intent, to consider fairness, accuracy, and reliability and
to recognize their own power as readers. They need to be encouraged to
evaluate what is said and how it is said in order to uncover and challenge
assumptions and ideas about the world, to respond when they disagree
and to take social action, even in small ways when they encounter texts
that disadvantage certain groups. They need to understand that text
can be changed to recognize or include missing voices and alternative
perspectives.
Critical literacy should be taught explicitly. It involves questioning the
‘taken for granted’ assumptions. It looks at the fairness of situations and
events. To do this, students need to know how to analyze or deconstruct
text. It is important for teachers to know that critical literacy permeates
reading of all texts. It is an approach for learning that is an integral part
of classroom practice.
166
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 7: Students will be expected to respond critically to a range of texts, applying
their knowledge of language, form and genre.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• In addition to questions outlined in early Grade 4, the following
suggestions may provide opportunities for teachers and students analyze
specific aspects of texts which present alternative perspectives (adapted
from McLaughlin and DeVoogd, 2004).
1. Who or what is in the text? Who or what is missing?
•What gender is the focus or is viewed as more important in the
story? What point of view is presented by the characters in the
text?
•Is the winner or loser telling the story?
•What ethnic group or race is most common?
•What type of family seems normal in the text?
2. What is marginalized?
•What viewpoint is ridiculed?
•Who are perceived to be odd because of their beliefs?
•Are people with different, creative ideas thought of as strange, or
are they admired in this text?
•Are people with particular body types, hairstyles, cars, clothes, or
attitudes admired in this text?
3. What does the author want you to think?
•What are the values we might learn to use in our lives after reading
this book?
4. How can information from the text be used to promote justice?
•How will my attitude or actions change about this topic?
•How will I treat others differently as a result of having critically
analyzed this topic?
•What could I do to change a rule, a procedure, or an attitude that
is unjust? What could I do to learn more about it? For example,
could I write a letter or have a conversation?
•How can I support those who are treated unfairly?
(7.1, 7.2)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
167
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
8.2 create texts that are
imaginative and used for selfexpression and enjoyment (WR)
In order for students to enjoy writing and to develop as writers, they
need an appropriate environment in which they experience success.
Students should have significant choice in the types of writing and
representing they undertake. They write best about what they know
best. Students may write frequently about the same topic, e.g., dolphins.
They should have opportunities to collaborate with the teacher and their
peers throughout the process.
The more students write and experience success with writing, the more
they view themselves as writers; the more frequently students write, the
better writers they will become. Create a supportive writing community
where student’s ideas and risk-taking are valued, teacher should:
•involve students in activities (e.g., Think-Pair-Share) to help
generate and validate ideas
•provide uninterrupted blocks of time on a regular basis for
students to explore and create at their own pace and toward their
own ability.
•provide opportunities to share their in process work and their
completed pieces with peers, as well as with adults.
•give immediate and suitable feedback
•provide frequent demonstrations
•display student work
•create a physical space for writers that is comfortable and
stimulates creativity
•provide a print-rich environment
•allow a student to use a computer or other technology to write
•respond positively to the message in your students writing rather
than the letter formations or spelling.
Encourage students to use their imagination. While it is important to
use imagery that is familiar to students, it is also important to introduce
new images. By doing this students will be encouraged to use their
‘word’ knowledge and conventions of language to develop the new
image.
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing and representation to explore, clarify
and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings; and to use
their imaginations.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to close their eyes, relax and listen as the teacher
reads an example of a guided imagery in which they would probably
have prior knowledge. Read one sentence at a time with pauses so
they can process and visualize. Ask the students to write or draw to
represent what they saw in their imaginations and then share their
representations with a partner or in small groups. Remind them
to imagine sounds, sights, emotions, smells, and sensations in the
following passage:
You are awakened and it is still dark. You listen and the only thing
you hear is the silence. In the next moment there is a burr and
the fridge motor has started. The street light illuminates a small
section of your bedroom and you are able to see the poster on
your wall. Suddenly, there is a howl and you sit up straight. The
smack, smack of something on the window makes your head turn.
You jump out of bed and run to the window. A snow storm has
started.
(8.2)
• Present a situation that is likely unfamiliar to students or that they
have limited prior knowledge about (e.g., a tornado). Allow students
to preview texts and visuals on the topic. After this, ask the students to
close their eyes, relax and imagine sounds, sights, emotions, smells, and
sensations when imagining themselves in the following situation. Ask
students to represent what they saw in their imaginations. Ask them to
discuss what other images came to mind that they might be important.
You are outside playing on a Saturday afternoon. Suddenly you
notice that everything is still. The birds have stopped singing
and the buzz of insects is no longer heard. No wind is rustling
in the leaves. As you glanced around, you see no children in the
playground next to your yard. There are no people any where.
There are no vehicles driving by. You look up and you see a dark
sky. You sense something is wrong, something is about to happen.
The hair on the back of your neck begins to rise as if there was
electricity in the air. Like a bolt of lightening, the stillness is
broken with the pound of thundering footsteps and shout of “A
TORNADO IS COMING!”
(8.2)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
169
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.1 demonstrate an awareness of
audience and purpose (WR)
When students are provided with authentic purposes for writing and
representing, they think of themselves as writers. When students see
themselves as writers they feel a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment
from writing and representing, choosing to write often. Students will be
willing to experiment and become risk takers in writing and representing
if they are given opportunities to choose what they create in a positive
environment. Sometimes they will choose to set-aside their creations
and start something new.
Students learn to write for many audiences. They move from:
•known audiences (self, friends, relatives, teachers, peers)
•to wider known audiences (letter to MHA, school newspaper)
•and to the wider unknown audience including the public that he/
she can only imagine
In developing the idea of writing for a specific audience and purpose,
expose students to various pieces of literature that allows them to
experience the many purposes to write. Students need to understand
that writing and representing is a means of communicating a message.
Students should be encouraged to view writing as more than simply
completing a task assigned by the teacher. If writing is incorporated
across the curriculum and throughout the day, students will understand
and appreciate the real purposes of writing.
9.2 create a variety of texts using
text structures and features (WR)
Effective writers do not write in a genre or form just to practice it.
When writers write, they have a purpose in mind and they select the
genre or form accordingly. They choose the genre that will best convey
the meaning they intend. Some writers begin to develop a genre or form
that is their favorite and write series of texts in that form.
Explicitly teaching characteristics of a variety of genres, allows students
to identify them in their own reading and use them in their own
writing. Encourage students to read texts in the genre being taught to
reinforce it. As a teacher, throughout the year, reflect on the following
questions:
•Have students written in a variety of genres?
•Have students written in a range of forms in each genre?
•Have students had instruction and balanced opportunities to
develop a variety of writing forms?
Naturally, many writing genres will be repeated, during the year and
in the following years. In such cases, the operative words/concepts are
movement toward increasing complexity of thought, precision and
refinement of expression, and depth of imagination. Signs of language
growth and development should be evident.
170
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Discuss why understanding the purpose before you write helps set
goals for writing.
(9.1)
• Choose various texts and distribute them to students. Ask them to
read it and decide the author’s purpose for writing the text. Since it is
not likely they will all decide on the same purposes, discuss why people
arrived at different answers.
(9.1)
Resources
Supplementary Resources
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) Writing
pp.56-58
• Ask students to look in the classroom or school library to make a list
of various genres they can find.
(9.2)
• Self assessment is a way that allows students the opportunity to think
about their writing. Students recognize what they have done well and
how they can improve their writing. They, in collaboration with the
teacher can then determine where to go next. Include time in the day
to model the self-assessing process so that students are familiar with
its benefits. When students understand what makes their writing
better before they begin the writing, they are more likely to meet those
criteria and enjoy writing. Use the following prompts to help guide
these periods of self-reflection and reinforce the idea that collecting and
evaluating work are important steps in self-assessment.
• What sort of writing do you usually choose to do?
•Are you in the habit of writing several drafts, or do you attempt to
write perfectly, right from the start?
•How much time do you spend much time thinking about your
purpose and audience?
•Do you plan what you are going to say and how to organize it?
•Have you ever suffered from “writer’s block,” and if so how do you
overcome it?
•What are your strengths and weaknesses as a writer?
•Describe your attitude toward writing. Is writing something that
you usually enjoy doing?
•Are you interested in improving your writing?
(8.2, 9.1, 9.2)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
171
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts using text structures and
features (WR)
There are many genres and students should be introduced to several, as a
means to building a repertoire of genres to choose from in their writing
and representing.
It is important to establish the desire to write in a genre by making
it interesting and enjoyable. In beginning Grade 4, students were
introduced to Narrative, Recount and Poetry. All genres are revisited
once taught and during Mid Grade 4 teachers may add Procedural,
Descriptive and some other forms of Poetry.
Procedural writing should:
•clearly state a goal or objective.
•provide an overview or list of materials or resources needed.
•address any safety procedures that need to be followed.
•include all the steps for the procedure.
•state instruction that are completely sequential in a step by step
fashion, leaving nothing out. Use words like, first, next, then,
finally….
•allow the reader to be able to follow the procedural writing fully
without having to make any assumptions.
Display an Anchor chart for students to use for reference. E.g.,
GENRE: PROCEDURAL
Purpose - to tell the reader how to do or make something
Structure
Features
Form (examples)
Usually contains:
• contains headings,
• recipes
subheadings, numbered
• logical sequence
• rules for games,
steps, diagrams,
of events, which is
• science
photographs
broken up into small
experiments
sequenced steps.
• is written in the simple
• road safety rules
present tense (do this, do
• detailed
that)
• ‘how to’
information on how
manuals.
(carefully, with the
• focuses on generalized
scissors); where (from people rather than
the top); when (after
individuals (first you take,
it has set)
rather than first I take)
• detailed factual
description (shape,
size, colour, amount)
172
• action verbs (cut, fold,
twist, hold etc)
• linking words to do with
time (first, when, then)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Students may work in pairs to take digital photos which will be
used to explain how to do something (e.g., a game). Ask them to
put the photos in order and explain each step, in writing. Encourage
conversation as students talk through the order of the steps and photos
as they write.
(1.1, 2.1, 9.2)
• Ask students to work in pairs to design an obstacle course. After
planning the course, ask students to write the procedure to explain it
to classmates. Students should then participate in courses designed by
classmates, following the written procedures. A follow-up discussion
helps student see the importance of this type of writing.
(2.2, 9.2)
• Ask students to pretend that you are out of school for the day and
they have a substitute teacher. The substitute teacher has just asked
each one of them to be his/her helper. Ask them to think about all the
routines that happen in a day and write the detailed procedures for the
day.
(9.2)
Intro.
• Develop a Procedural Writing Rubric to be used when assessing
a procedural text. A sample rubric is shown below with 1 - Needs
Improvement, 2 - Good, 3 - Excellent.
Procedural Writing Title
The goal of the procedure is very clearly established.
1
2
3
Prior knowledge required is stated
Who would need this information is stated.
Information is detailed and accurate.
Body
The resources/items required are clearly identified.
All steps which are written sequentially and include
accurate information to ensure that no assumptions
need to be made.
The methods and or instructions are written explicitly
and clearly.
Linking words are used to provide clarification (first,
then, second, finally etc.)
Strong use of action verbs are used (slowly, carefully…)
Conclusion
Safety issues are identified where needed.
Is the reader able to fully follow and understand the
procedure?
Is it effective and complete with correct use of
conventions?
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
173
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts using text structures and
features (WR)
Descriptive writing is an important writing genre to introduce to
students. It is observational writing that includes details. It provides the
reader with a clear, vivid picture of something or someone. Descriptive
writing evokes sensory images. By thinking about what details make a
description come alive, students will improve their writing.
GENRE: DESCRIPTION
Purpose - Provides information about a topic; describes a person, place
or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in the reader’s mind.
Structure
Features
Form (examples)
Usually contains:
May contain:
• compare and
contrast reports
• a title
• headings
• many vivid sensory
details
• illustrations
• figurative language such
as similes and metaphors
• photographs
• is organized and has
logical chunking
• subject-specific
vocabulary words
• specific adjectives and
nouns and strong action
verbs to give life to the
picture
• labels
• captions
• charts
• cause and
effect reports
• problemsolving reports
• magazine
articles
• explanations
• newspaper
articles
• speeches
• letters
• precise information
Set aside a place in the room entitled Sparkling Sentences where
students can post descriptive sentences from the books they read during
independent reading time or from their own writing.
Ask students to close their eyes and visualize themselves standing in a
particular landscape (e.g. a jungle). Ask them to look around and notice
what’s above them, at their feet, behind them, on all sides. What is
moving? What is in the background? What colors do they see? What
small things and large things do they see? What do they hear, smell, feel,
taste? What mood are they in? After the details of the visualization are
solidified in their minds, ask them to open their eyes and describe what
they saw. Record their responses. Coach the students to add interesting
words to their descriptions. Read the descriptions back to the class and
analyze what makes this writing effective. Circle the ‘magic’ words that
were chosen. Each time, before they write, lead them in visualizing the
scene of the story which helps them add details to their sentences.
174
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Display a sample sentence (shown below) that is not appealing to
readers because it lacks descriptive word choice and then a revised
sentence, after the writer applied techniques to make his/her text
more descriptive. Explain to your students that the point of writing
is to make your reader see the same exact picture that you had
in your head when you wrote the words. Ask students to rewrite
sentences into descriptive sentences that are more vivid. Suggest
they think of interesting word choice and use senses (e.g., smell,
touch, sight, taste, sound) to show the scene.
E.g., The old man stood in the E.g., The grass caressed his feet
grass and relaxed as the sun
and a smile softened his eyes. A
went down.
hot puff of air brushed against his
wrinkled cheek as the sky paled
yellow, then crimson, and within
a breath, electric indigo.
E.g., The boy walked down the E.g., Greg strolled down the
street.
street, the wind ruffling his
shaggy brown hair.
The woman had a terrible
headache.
(9.2)
• Ask students bring in an object from home. Ask them to bring in
the strangest and most unusual objects they can find. Then put all the
objects on a table. Have each student chose her favorite object and
write a description that provides at least five details about it.
(9.2)
• Ask students to write a character description of someone. This can
include:
•the name of the character
•a description of the character’s physical appearance (describe hair,
eyes, skin, clothes, unusual features, and anything else that makes
the character unique),
•the character’s personality (does he/she have a sense of humor? Is
she serious?
•the way the character speaks (does he/she speak in an unusual
way? Does h/she speak at a fast or slow pace? Listen to others?)
•how the character thinks (is there any change in the way the
character thinks? Does she analyze events or think about them as
little as possible?)
•List the different roles the character plays in the lives of the people
around him (Is the character a son, daughter, husband, wife, best
friend, policeman, teacher, etc.?)
(9.2, 10.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
175
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts using text structures and
features (WR)
GENRE: POETRY
There are many types of Poetry and the various types can be introduced
throughout the year. Some forms of Poetry were introduced in
Beginning Grade 4: Narrative, Free Verse and Concrete. In mid-Grade 4
consider introducing students to:
•Haiku - has three short lines of five, seven, and five syllables
respectively. The words of a haiku speak of a mood, a strong
feeling, or an atmosphere. Although the poem is usually about
nature, a person’s thoughts and emotions are included. The first
line contains the setting, the second line conveys an action, the
third line completes the thought. Haiku poems focus on one
element and are always written in the present tense. The magic
of good haiku lies in the power of suggestion and evokes a visual
image. Tension is usually produced by presenting contrast, forcing
the reader to make connections between seemingly disjointed
parts of the image.
•Cinquain - A cinquain (pronounced sing-kane) is a poem of five
lines. The name comes from the French word cinq, which means
five. Cinquains do not rhyme and they follow a specific pattern.
The pattern can be based on words or syllables. Words follow a 1,
2, 3, 4, 1 pattern:
Line 1 - one word for the title
Line 2 - two words to describe the topic
Line 3 - three words that express actions (often -ing word)
Line 4 - four words that express feelings
Line 5 - another word or synonym is given for the topic
Daniel
Funny, athletic
Runs, eats, sleeps
Likes to play baseball
Boy
Syllables follow a 2, 4, 6, 8, 2 pattern:
Line 1 - two syllables for the title
Line 2 - four syllables to describe the topic
Line 3 - six syllables that express actions (often -ing words)
Line 4 - eight syllables that express feelings
Line 5 - another two syllable word or synonym is given for the topic
Raindrops
Clear, watery.
Falling in a rhythm,
Leaving a freshness in the air.
Dew-like
176
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Display pictures of nature and ask students to write a haiku based
on one of these. Ask them to use details related to the senses - sight,
hearing, touch, smell, or taste.
(8.2, 9.2)
• Ask students to look out the window, and describe what they see in a
haiku form. Try to “zoom in” on a small detail that contains the feeling
of the larger scene.
(8.2, 9.2)
• Ask students to write a haiku with a surprise ending.
(8.2, 9.2)
• Take the students out for a nature hike. They can take photos,
sketch, draw or make notes on what they see, hear or touch. Use these
details to write a haiku.
(8.2, 9.2)
• Using one of the cinquain patterns, ask students to write a cinquain
to share with their classmates. After sharing, ask them to reflect on
their writing. After students have shared their cinquain with the class,
students could reflect on their own and their classmates’s poems.
Students could discuss their reactions aloud or write their cinquain
reflections to record their thoughts. Ask:
•What do you like most about your poem?
•If you could change something about the poem, what would you
change?
•Of the poems that you heard when we shared cinquains, which
poems did you like best and why?
•What will you do differently the next time you write a poem?
(8.2, 9.2)
• Ask students to create a bulletin board or school website anthology
of students’ poems. (2.2, 8.2 9.2)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
177
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
During the writing block, it would not be typical to have all students
working on the same step of the writing process, at the same time.
Several students may be gathering ideas while others may be editing or
revising. Students progress at their own pace with close monitoring by
the teacher.
Students at the Grade 4 level will bring a wide range of writing skills and
knowledge. Some will need focussed direction and explanation while
others will need to be challenged in topics, forms, text features, etc.
As students are exposed to various writing experiences, they gain
confidence in some areas of the process and in other areas they need to
continue to receive guidance. Students refine their thinking as they are
guided through the processes; however, the ultimate goal is for students
to work through the processes independently.
Pre-writing - Continue modeling pre-writing for all students for short
periods of time but the focus should now be moving toward students
becoming more independent with this stage. Small group instructions
with those who have not moved beyond the guided stage should
continue to occur. Also, as students move toward independence in
their pre-writing stage they need to actively engage with their peers for
ideas, clarifications, and suggestions that will help in their writing and
representing.
As students are moving toward independence, writing in their writer’s
notebook should also gain independence. Teachers should encourage
students to write in their notebooks when an idea surfaces rather than
when the teacher asks them to write in the book.
Drafting - when students are drafting texts, the intent is for the
students to be interactive and collaborative, seeking help with ideas, or
organization from peers. As they are engaged is this process there should
be frequent mini lessons which focus on clarifying meaning, refining
ideas rather than on the conventions, spelling and sentence structure. As
students learn from the explicit teaching that is occurring in the mini
lessons, some should gradually take on more responsibility for drafting
their own texts, becoming less dependent on the teacher.
178
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Support students by engaging them in writing conferences. Writing
conferences are conversations between the teacher and the student
writer or between students. When engaging in writing conferences:
•remember that not all aspects of writing need to be covered during
every conference.
•be aware of the student’s writing strengths and challenges and be
selective based on the needs of your students. Focus on no more
than two challenges at a time.
•keep conferences brief and focussed - an average conference may
last anywhere from three to five minutes.
•allow time for the student to ask (and respond to) questions,
clarify ideas, and think about the writing.
•help the student know what to do when the conference is over
•sit beside the student, rather than face-to-face to ensure the
atmosphere is non-threatening
•develop an effective record-keeping system.
Conferences can occur at any point in the writing task and fulfil a
number of functions:
•Content Conference - The purpose of a content conference
is to help the student develop ideas. When the conference is
completed, the student will be able to return to their text with
many ideas to use. The teacher can listen to the student talk about
and read his/her work. The teacher may question the student in
order to help him or her elaborate on the topic and to develop the
details. Teachers may find it helpful to use questions such as the
following during a content conference:
• What is the most important thing you are trying
to say? How can you build on it?
• I do not quite understand. Please tell me more
about it.
• Do you have enough information to answer your
own questions?
• How did you feel when this happened?
• What can you do to show how these people
spoke, so you can really hear their voices?
• What do you think you will do next?
(10.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
179
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
Through modeling students have been exposed to the type of questions
to ask to guide when creating a first draft. As they move through
various texts these questions should move from being asked by the
teacher to being asked by the students. The asking of these questions
leads students being able to take on the responsibility of writing their
own drafts independently. Those who are still working toward this
independence should be grouped and explicit teaching around this
concept be taught.
Revising - When students are revising they are adding, subtracting,
rearranging, changing, replacing, enhancing, and strengthening their
drafts. This process should be positive and creative. As students work on
various tasks they can be asked to revise some pieces in a collaborative
manner. Much of the collaboration in beginning Grade 4 is more
teacher lead with the teacher being the guide in the revisions. As
students gain experience in the process, the collaboration should move
toward accessing the people around them. For example, if they know
that a student in their class is a strong wordsmith then asking them
to help with better use of descriptive words would be a move toward
more independence with revising. This type of critical thinking is a 21
century skill and should be encouraged after modeling of revision skills
has occurred.
Writing and representing are fluid events and students often go in and
out of parts of the process with different levels of confidence. Students
should be encouraged to work at their confidence level; however, they
should also be encouraged to work independently in their revisions.
This independence will have them learn the skills that will help them in
writing and representing across the curriculum.
180
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
•Process Conference - A process conference can occur after a
student has completed a draft piece of work. The purpose is
to help the student become aware of how he or she functions
as a text creator. This discussion is not about process in the
abstract: it is about the student’s own experiences in creating
text. Such conversation helps the student to become aware of
the writing processes, to gain greater control of those processes,
and eventually to use them independently. Teachers may find it
helpful to use questions such as the following during a process
conference:
• How did you go about writing this?
• Why did you stop writing at this
point?
• What problems did you have?
• How did you find your topic?
• Why did you add information here?
• What might you do next?
•Revision Conference - Revision literally means seeing again. The
student is helped to rethink the writing. Revision develops slowly
over an extended period of time. Revision strategies are somewhat
incremental in their effect and are therefore best introduced a few
at a time. In a revision conference, the teacher helps the student
to achieve a greater correlation between what he or she wants
to say and the words written on the page. A revision conference
can focus on adding information, taking out redundant material,
paragraph structure and the impact of words. Teachers may find
it useful to use questions such as the following during a teacherstudent revision conference:
• Can you write another opening sentence and compare it with the
original?
• What is the mood of your writing? What words produce this
mood? Can you change other words to help add to this mood?
• Why did you use this word? What impression are you conveying?
• What are some other ways you might end your story?
• Can you choose two of the shorter sentences in the paragraph
and combine them using any one of the following words:
because, as, since, while, if, before, after?
• How can you make your meaning more clear?
(10.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
181
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
Editing - As students move into mid-Grade 4 they have a set of
conventions that are now part of their tool boxes and students should
take on the responsibility of using these conventions. In mid-Grade 4
the tool box will be expanded to include:
Conventions
Capitalization
& Punctuation
Grammar
On-going
Focus
first and third person
pronouns
commas
linking word
quotation marks
constant, tense
possessive past tense
capitals for characters and
places
periods
present tense
question mark
imperative voice
exclamation mark
adverbs and verbs
precisely
capital letters
abbreviations
subject specific vocals
1st and 3rd person
pronoun
Word Study/
Spelling
possessive
small words in big words powerful verbs
infer meaning
compound words
comparative adjectives
dictionary
homonyms
idiomatic expressions
homographs
technology language
contractions
rhyming words
As the writing process is often a collaborative one where the student’s
writing is supported and influenced by their peers and the teacher,
the teacher can assume the role of facilitator. This means that the
teacher does not simply edit/revise for the students. Rather the teacher
asks guiding questions that allow the student to come to their own
conclusion/revisions.
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Editing Conference - can occur after the student has written and
revised a piece of writing and wishes to present it for others to read.
The following suggestions may help guide an editing and proofreading
conference:
• build upon the strengths of the writer. Help the student to
become aware of what is accomplished. Build confidence.
• use editing/proofreading checklists to guide discussion. (10.1)
• Evaluation conference - can begin with the teacher and the student
discussing the contents of the student’s writing folder in order to
determine what progress is being made. For some conferences, the
student will choose the pieces of writing to submit for evaluation. It
may be helpful to ask students questions such as the following during
an evaluation conference:
•How do you feel about this writing?
•What did you learn about writing?
•What was the hardest part of writing this piece?
•What changes will you make in your next piece of
writing?
(10.1)
• Observations of student writing can provide teachers with
information about what students know, what they need to learn and
how well they are mastering individual spelling concepts. It is in the
editing stage that there is a focus on assessing spelling strategies and on
providing appropriate mini-lessons. Spelling is taught and learned in
the context of meaningful language experiences; therefore, assessment
must follow this same process.
Students’ spelling can be assessed in a variety of ways. Knowledge of
the developmental nature of spelling is crucial for analyzing a student’s
strengths and needs and for teaching those needs.
(10.1)
• Word Sort - Provide students with a set of word cards. Individually
or in pairs, students examine the word cards to identify common
patterns and to categorize them. The categories can be given by the
teacher or students can be asked to determine the categories. (E.g.,
categories may include words that start or end the same, feature silent
letters, contain prefixes or suffixes, have the same root word, same
number of syllables).
(10.1)
• Word Hunt - Provide students with a word feature and sticky notes.
Ask students to hunt for samples of this feature and post it on a chart
for whole class sharing. Students can record them in their personal
dictionaries.
(10.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
183
Mid Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
• Spelling - “A good speller is not a person who has successfully memorized
the word, but rather someone who knows ways to figure out the logic of
words and can construct them as needed. Spelling is problem-solving with
letter, sounds, patterns and meanings.” Phenix and Scott-Dunne (1991)
It is important for teachers to examine spelling attempts or
approximations to assess each student’s level of word knowledge, to
identify what word-solving strategies the student has adopted and to
determine appropriate instruction. Equally important, is ensuring that
the words chosen to teach through word study are meaningful for the
individual student and not theme based or random.
Discuss with students that, as writers, they want their writing to be
understood by others. Spelling should be viewed as a courtesy to the
reader; therefore, it is important that students use standard spelling.
Writing for others gives students an intrinsic motivation to spell words
correctly.
Research suggests that spelling instruction should not focus on
memory work and weekly tests. Generally, students ability to spell
correctly improves when they:
•are immersed in a print-rich environment
•read daily - the more students read, generally, the better they spell
•write daily with daily opportunities reflect on their writing
•receive direct instruction on the rules of conventional spelling
during the processes of writing
Publishing - need not take up an inordinate amount of time. Most
of the time allocated for writing should be dedicated to students
actually creating. Students neither need to publish in all the formats in
which they write, nor publish all of their pieces of writing in any one
format. Students may select just a few pieces for their portfolio and
for presenting. All students, however, should have an opportunity to
publish. The important aspect of publishing is to encourage students
and make them feel good about their writing.
184
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to create a code for the alphabet and rewrite their words
in the code. Students may switch their puzzles for students to complete.
E.g.,
a=*
j=○
s=
b=∆
k=
t= %
c=
l=
u=
d=÷
m=
v=+
e=□
n=→
w=#
f=
o=•
x=
g=
p=
y=$
h=
q=
z=Ø
I=¢
r=
(10.1)
• Ask students to create an acrostic poem with at least one of their
study words.
(10.1)
• Students work in pairs. Each student writes the letters of their word
study words on separate cards and gives them to his/her partner. The
partner scrambles the words on the table and each player unscrambles
their own study words.
(10.1)
• Ask students to draw a picture containing their own study words
hidden. Students can share their drawing with others to find the hidden
words. Pictures should be relevant to the words.
(10.1)
• Play ‘Quiz-Quiz-Trade’. Print familiar but commonly misspelled
words on index cards. Students move about the room and find a partner
who has his/her hand raised (signalling they are available). students then
quiz each other with the word on their card, trade index cards and look
for a new partner to quiz.
(10.1)
• Ask students to use grid paper and their study words to create a
crossword puzzle or a word search. Students may switch their puzzles for
students to complete.
(10.1)
• Ask students to write spelling in a sailboats style. E.g.,
(10.1)
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
185
English Language Arts
Late Grade 4
Late Grade 4: Gradual Release of Responsibility
The skills of the teacher, and how the teacher uses valuable instructional time is important.
There is much research on effective literacy teaching, which includes small group
instruction, differentiation, and a response to intervention, which can be challenging for
teachers. Research shows that whole-class instruction, on its own, will not work to improve
the literacy achievement of students. To be effective, teachers should engage students in
purposeful instruction designed to meet the needs of individuals and smaller groups of
students.
A common way that teachers can do this is to use a gradual release of responsibility model
(Pearson & Gallagher, 1983). Effective instruction often follows a progression in which teachers
gradually do less of the work and students gradually assume increased responsibility for their
learning. It is through this process of gradually assuming more and more responsibility for their
learning that students become competent, independent learners. (Grays & Fitzgerald, 2003, pg.
98). Stated another way, the gradual release of responsibility “… emphasizes instruction
that mentors students into becoming capable thinkers and learners when handling the tasks
with which they have not yet developed expertise” (Buehl, 2005). This gradual release may
occur over a day, a week, a month, or a year. Early Grade 4 focused on setting up structures
and laying foundations for literacy instruction. This will continue into mid and late Grade 4
with the teacher being aware of gradually releasing more responsibility to students.
Role of the Student
Role of the Teacher
Gradual Release of Responsibility
Modelled
The teacher
demonstrates
while thinking
aloud the
processes used.
Students
participate by
actively
attending to the
demonstration.
Shared
The teacher
provides the
direction and
invites the
students to
participate.
Students
contribute ideas
and information.
Decision making
is negotiated
between teacher
and student.
Guided
The teacher
scaffolds help
and provides
support and
corrective
feedback.
Students do the
work with help
from the teacher
or other
resources at predetermined
point.
Independent
The teacher
offers support
and
encouragement
as necessary.
Students work
independently.
They are in
control of the
ideas and the
information.
Adapted from: The Gradual Release of Responsibility Model (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983)
188
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
The table below contains specific outcomes for Late- Grade 4. While all outcomes are integrated, aspects of
different outcomes are given focus at different times in the year. After an outcome, strategy or concept has been
selected as a focus and is introduced it becomes part of regular classroom activity for the remainder of the year,
being revisited many times. Page numbers, in brackets, show all references to each outcome in this curriculcum
guide.
CURRICULUM OUTCOME OVERVIEW (LATE GRADE 4)
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify,
extend and reflect on their thoughts, ideas, feelings and
experiences. (SL - Speaking and Listening)
GCO 6: Students will be expected to respond personally
to a range of texts. (RV)
Students will be expected to:
1.2 use active listening strategies for a variety of
purposes (pp. 50-53, 128-129, 190-191)
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate
information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to
respond personally and critically. (SL)
GCO 7: Students will be expected to respond critically
to a range of texts, applying their knowledge of language,
form and genre. (RV)
Students will be expected to:
Students will be expected to:
2.2 use effective presentation skills (pp. 56-57, 132-135,
7.2 engage in critical literacy and inquiry ( pp.166-167,
192-193)
204-205)
GCO 3: Students will be able to interact with sensitivity
and respect, considering the situation, audience and
purpose. (SL)
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing and
representation to explore, clarify and reflect on their
thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings; and to use
their imaginations. (WR - Writing and Representing)
Students will be expected to:
8.1 develop proficient writing and representing skills
(pp. 92-93, 206-207)
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view
with understanding a range of literature, information,
media and visual text. (RV - Reading and Viewing)
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts
collaboratively and independently, using a wide variety of
forms for a range of audiences and purposes. (WR)
Students will be expected to:
Students will be expected to:
4.4 use text structures to construct meaning (pp. 70-71,
9.2 create a variety of texts using text structures and
144-145, 194-195)
features (100-109, 170-177, 208-213)
4.5 use text features to construct meaning (pp. 72-75,
146-147, 198-203)
4.6 use a variety of comprehension strategies (pp. 74-81,
148-153, 198-203)
GCO 5: Students will be expected to interpret, select
and combine information using a variety of strategies,
resources and technology. (RV)
GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of
strategies to develop effective writing and representing and
to enhance their clarity, precision and effectiveness. (WR)
Students will be expected to:
10.1 create texts using the processes of writing and
representing (pp. 110-123, 178-185, 214-217)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
189
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
1.2 use active listening strategies
for a variety of purposes (SL)
190
As students have moved through Grade 4 they have been actively
using strategies to listen. Body language often expresses more than the
words spoken. While listening, students need to be aware that their
body language can send non-verbal messages about how well they are
listening. As well, they also need to “listen” to the non-verbal part of
the speaker’s message. Students may role play various situations using
body language and discuss its message. For example, if a student’s
message is “I am impatient” they may tap their fingers on the desk. This
body language may be sending the message that they are not actively
listening. Whereas, if a student’s message is “I am surprised” they may
open their eyes widely and gasp. This body language may be sending
the message that they are actively listening. It is important to discuss
with students that body language sometimes can be misinterpreted by
others. A puzzled look may mean that a student is actively listening but
is uncertain about something but it may also convey the message that I
do not value what you are saying and I am not listening anymore.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 1: Students will speak and listen to explore, clarify, extend and reflect on their
thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Chose a poem such as The Flimsy Fleek by Jack Prelutsky (1984)
from The New Kid on the Block (P. 106). Read the first stanza aloud to
students at least two times. After hearing the description of The Flimsy
Fleek, ask students to draw what they think it looks like. After students
finish, continue to read the second stanza. Students may add to their
picture or choose to begin a new picture. As students share their visuals,
discuss how hearing the new information in the second stanza changed
the image they had previously created.
Prelutsky, Jack (1984) The New
Kid on the Block, The Flimsy Fleek
ON: Harper Collins Canada
The Flimsy Fleek is mild and meek,
Its teeth are dull, its jaws are weak,
It has a fragile, frail physique,
Its limbs are lean and little.
Its neck is short, its face is pale,
Its lips are thin, its breath is stale,
It has a twist of tufted tail,
Its bones are bent and brittle.
It lives beneath a bumbershoot,
It nibbles twigs and bits of fruit,
It only wears its birthday suit,
Its skin is thick with wrinkles.
Its ears resemble dinner rolls,
Its nose is but two buttonholes,
Its eyes are large as salad bowls,
They teem with tiny twinkles.
(1.2)
• Ask students to watch a short video clip and identify all the body
language gestures that help define the character’s personality. How does
he/she demonstrate feelings? (1.2)
• Provide a video clip first without sound and have students identify
what they think is being communicated through the dialogue.
Afterwards, ask them to watch the video clip, with sound, and analyze
their predictions. Were the gestures and words what they thought? (1.2)
• Ask students to pretend they just received an email from someone
they haven’t heard form in a very long time. Provide the reader with two
sentences indicating what the letter says. Ask the student to show how
he/she would react to that news, using body language only.
(1.2)
• Provide situational cards and ask students to find ways to
communicate the words on the card without speaking. The cards may
includes emotions such as suspicion, fear, surprise, confusion, irritation,
amusement and disgust.
(1.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
191
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
2.2 use effective presentation
skills (SL)
Below is one way oral instruction can be taught in early, middle and late
Grade 4. Once a form has been introduced it become part of regular
classroom activity for the following terms, being revisited many times
in different situations and contexts. For example, while oral book
reports may be formally introduced in late Grade 4, teachers provide
students with frequent opportunities to hear and talk about books from
the first week of school.
Beginning Grade 4
Discussion about
books
Storytelling (teacher
teaches storytelling)
Response to
literature:
conversations,
discussions
Character
conversations/
Reader’s Theatre
Inquiry activities/
Discussions
‘Topic talks/ informal
oral presentations
Mid-Grade 4
Impromptu book
talks
Storytelling (teacher
guides storytelling)
Response to
literature:
conversations,
discussions
Role play in content
areas/ Reader’s
Theatre
Interviews/informal
debates
Mini-presentation
Late Grade 4
Oral book reports
Retelling
Oral Summaries
Oral Presentation
Storytelling (students
practise storytelling)
Response to
literature:
conversations,
discussions
Drama
Debates
Oral Presentation
Adapted from A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Volume Four, Oral
Language, Ontario (2008)
Discuss characteristics of a good debate with students with a focus
on respectful speaking and listening. Draw student’s attention to the
speaker’s ability to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
effectively communicate their positions
support their position with facts
see both sides but still provide a counter argument
remain calm
appeal to the audience
effectively use body language
Show students a video clip of a debate and ask them to take jot notes on
the ideas above. In pairs ask them to select three things that worked well
and suggest a way to make the debate more effective.
192
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 2: Students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and to respond personally and critically.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Use the following questions in an interview with students after an
oral presentation:
• What steps did you go through to prepare for the presentation?
What was the most helpful to you?
Supplementary Resources
• What is your goal for next time? What kind of practice would
help you and others to become better speakers?
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) pp.1516
• In what ways did you encourage the speaker? How did you go
about asking for clarification where you needed it?
• How did the discussion help with this topic?
• Who is your audience? How have you taken your audience
into account? How would you change your presentation if the
audience were...?
• How successful do you feel you were in concluding your
presentation? Explain.
(2.2)
• Consider using the following contexts for debates, asking students to
choose one side to represent:
• Your older sister has decided to quit school and work. She says
she will come back to school later to graduate. Compose a
logical argument convincing your sister to stay in school, with
reasons why it is to her benefit or in support of her leaving
school.
• Your parent is considering a job in Toronto. If your parent takes
the job, it would mean that your family would relocate during
Thanksgiving break. This would mean adapting to a new town,
a new school, and new friends. Your parent has asked for your
help in making this decision. Compose a logical argument to
either support moving or support staying where you are.
• Many schools have changed their school calendar so that
they are now year-round schools. They still have time off
in the summer, but they don’t have the traditional 3 month
break. Your school is considering following this model as well.
Compose an argument either in support of the year-round
school calendar or in support of continuing the traditional
school calendar.
(2.2)
• After an oral presentation, ask students to self-assess. They should
reflect on their presentations and complete some statements such as:
•
•
•
•
•
It was clear that I was adequately prepared because...
The strategy I used most often was...
I could see that I had connected with my audience because...
I think my presentation was .... because...
Next time I make a presentation, I would like to try ...
(2.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
193
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.4 use text structures to
construct meaning (RV)
In Grade 4 and beyond, students’ academic achievement in a wide range
of subjects largely depends on their ability to read and write texts. At
this point in the year, students are reading and writing for longer periods
of time. They are exposed to more complex texts, therefore it becomes
increasingly important that they recognize commonalities and are able
to identify text structures. This does not mean that readers must say
to themselves, every time they read, “ This is compare and contrast,
so I need to think about that structure”. While teachers are providing
opportunities for Grade 4 students to experience text structure and
identify them, the ultimate goal is to help students use this learning in
an automatic way, without giving it a great deal of conscious attention.
When students understand the structure of a text, both their fluency
and their ability to comprehend improves.
Students have learned about the text structure of fiction (Narrative) and
one nonfiction text structure (Compare and Contrast). In Late- Grade
4, continue to highlight previously learned structures as opportunities
arise, and introduce a new text structure (Sequence Structures).
Sequence Structures - This structure is used for information that needs
to be presented in a sequence. This sequence may be a chronological
telling of events, it may be a step-by-step telling of how to do
something, or it may be a text that is place in alphabetical or numerical
order.
A paragraph with a Sequential Structure contains:
• topic sentence that tells the reader that something is going to be
described sequentially
• a clincher sentence which sums up the ideas in the paragraph
• signal words e.g.,
first
third
meanwhile
not long after
Signal Words for Sequencing
before
second
after
while
next
then
later
on (date)
now
finally
today
soon
tomorrow
once
E.g., A butterfly has four stages in its life cycle (topic sentence). First, the
adult female butterfly lays her eggs on a plant. Next, the larva hatches
from the egg and is known as a caterpillar. After, the caterpillar makes
a case, or a chrysalis, around itself for protection as it changes into a
butterfly. This stage is called the pupa. Finally, the adult butterfly comes
out of the chrysalis and waits for its wings to dry so it can fly away, and
the cycle begins again. The metamorphosis, or change from a caterpillar
to a butterfly, is one of nature’s miracles (clincher sentence).
194
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to view nonfiction text, in print or online, to find
examples of text with a sequential structure (e.g.,, recipe or ‘How To’
text). Ask students to design their own or choose an appropriate graphic
organizer to display the events (in point form). Students should be able
to identify the topic sentence, the clincher sentence and some signal
words to support their text choice. E.g.,
_______________
_______________
____________
_______________
_______________
____________
_______________
_______________
____________
_______________
_______________
____________
_______________
_______________
____________
(1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 4.4, 5.1, 5.4, 9.2)
• Ask students to read the following two paragraphs about the cacao
bean and after reading, identify the text structure. Ask the student to
support their opinion with evidence from the text (e.g., topic sentences,
clincher sentences and signal words). Ask students to write or orally
present their opinions to the class.
Cacao beans go through many steps before they even enter the
chocolate factory. First, workers cut the fruit from the cacao tree.
Then they scoop out the beans inside. The beans are fermented
and dried. Finally, the beans are put into burlap bags. Large ships
take them across the ocean to the chocolate factory.
--------------------------------------------The cacao tree is different from apple trees. The flowers don’t grow
on the highest branches. Instead, they grow on the low branches,
and even on the trunk! The cacao tree can have flowers and ripe
pods at the same time. On an apple tree, all of the flowers bloom
in spring, and then ripen into fruit in the fall. Apple trees never
have ripe fruit and flowers at the same time. But apple trees and
cacao trees both have an important similarity—they depend on
insects for pollination.
(1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 4.4, 5.1, 5.4, 9.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
195
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.5 use text features to construct
meaning (RV)
Students have learned about text features and how they help reading
comprehension, particularly comprehension of non-fiction text, for
example science texts use many text features to explain, organize,
emphasize, reinforce, and extend important information.
In Beginning- and Mid- Grade 4, students were introduced to some text
features as shown in the table below and these should be reviewed on an
ongoing basis. Below is a suggested list of text features that may be the
focus in late Grade 4. As stated previously, this list is not all inclusive
and teachers are encouraged to add features depending on the needs of
the class.
Ongoing Text Features
Organizational Features
Visual Features
Layout
Photos
Title
Illustrations
Table of Contents
Maps
Glossary
Charts
Index
Labelled Diagrams
Headings and Subheadings Graphs
Afterword
Speech Balloons
Author Information
Environmental Print
Illustrator Information
Labels
Timeline
Captions
Author Website
Speech boxes
Columns
Appendix
Focus Text Features
Chapters
Black and White
Authors note
Illustrations
Sub Headings
Logos
Lines to indicate changes
in time or place
Verses
196
Print Features
Bold
Italics
Dash
Hyphen
Ellipses
Use of capital
letters for
emphasis
Font Style
Font Size
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Tell students that captions are short descriptions of pictures, for
example in a newspaper. Captions in newspapers help readers connect a
picture to a news story. Provide students with pictures and stories from
newspapers and ask them to create one or more captions that might go
with the photo and link to the story.
(4.5, 9.2)
• Create a chart to track the text features students find in different
texts (including media text). Ask students to browse through a variety of
texts to identify different text features they can use to construct a class
chart. Ask students to record the text features they find before, during,
or after reading.
(4.5, 9.2)
• When introducing a content-rich book, select one or two text
features to highlight. Choose features that are helpful for determining
the important ideas in the text or understanding its organization. Ask
questions that help students recognize the functions of these features,
such as the following:
• What does our preview of this feature tell us about the kind of
information we will encounter?
• What does this feature tell us about how the book is organized?
• What does this feature tell us about the author’s intentions?
• How does this feature help us find the information we are
looking for?
• How does this feature help us understand the information in
the book?
(4.5, 9.2)
• Provide students with photocopies of pages from content-rich books
that contain illustrations with the sun headings removed. Ask students
to writing sun-headings that are brief and clear and that help the reader
predict the content of the sections.
(4.5, 9.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
197
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
Students are building a repertoire of comprehension strategies. In
Beginning Grade 4, they focused on Self-Monitoring and Analyzing.
In Mid-Grade 4 they added Sequencing, Making Connections and
Predicting. During Late Grade 4, Inferring, Evaluating and Synthesizing
may be the focus.
Inferring - readers use the evidence provided in the text, along with
their prior knowledge, to gain deeper understanding of the author’s
implied meaning. Students can think of it as ‘reading between the lines’.
Reading of all texts requires continual inference-making because much
of what a text creator communicates is not directly stated. It is filling
in the gaps the author has left, visualizing text information, interpreting
pictures, etc. Visualizing and inferring do not happen in isolation;
visualizing is inferring with mental images. Students who are inferring
may say:
• My guess is...
• Maybe ...
• Perhaps ...
• It could be that ...
• This could mean ...
• I can imagine ...
Inferring requires students to think about what they know, to consider
the author’s purpose and style and to participate in discussions with
others when responding to the text. Providing questions that encourage
students to think deeply about text is important. These prompts can
be used during read alouds, shared reading and during guided reading
instruction. E.g.,
• What do you think the text creator is trying to tell us?
• What do you think the author really means by this?
• What evidence did you use to make that inference?
• What is the character thinking, feeling when she said that?
In fictional text, students learn to make inferences from the character’s
physical description, dialogue, inner thoughts, and actions. In
informational text, students infer facts. Students may also learn to infer
facts from background information, visual information, such as charts
or maps by comparing or combining visual information.
background knowledge + text clues = inference.
Sometimes students confuse predicting and inferring because the two
are related. Outcomes, actions or events can be predicted, confirmed or
contradicted at some point in the text. Inferences are not confirmed or
contradicted but they are supported by the text.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Collect different forms of text that people might normally discard,
(e.g., receipts, an old magazine, movie stubs, food wrappers or
containers, empty bottle of water, flyers, a parking ticket, etc. ) Tell
students someone keeps littering in your driveway. Because this is
not good for the environment, students are going to look at clues to
help you determine who it could be. Show one item at a time and ask
students to discuss with a partner what that items tells about the owners
of the discarded text. Make a list of suggestions on a chart. Allow time
for discussion as a whole group. Repeat using several items from the
bag. Read back through the list and discuss how one’s own schema, as
well as the clues in the garbage work together to help make inferences
about the owners of the discarded material. Discuss how inferencing,
when reading or viewing, happens by using the clues in the story and
background knowledge to infer what is not stated by the author. This
activity can be done with a kit bag of items. Students can work in small
groups to make inferences about the owner of the kit bag.
(1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 4.3, 4.6)
Authorized Resources:
Moving Up With Literacy Place
4: Strategy Guide (Scholastic
2008) Inferring
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Literacy Support Guide
(Scholastic 2008) What’s the
Author Really Telling Us? p. 168
• Provide pairs of students with a magazine advertisement. Cover
the featured item with a paper flag or large post it note. Students can
examine the advertisement looking for clues to help them infer what the
covered item could be. They can list their inferences on the sticky note
and check their thinking by looking under the flap.
(1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 4.3, 4.6)
• Ask students to use a small sticky note to mark where one of the
main characters says something important in the text. On a separate
sheet, ask students to draw a face to
represent the character (e.g., a happy
face, a sad face, etc.). Students draw a
speech bubble and a thought bubble. In
the speech bubble, they write what the
character actually said and in the thought
bubble they can write what the character
might be thinking.
(4.6)
• Poetry often contains implied meanings that must be inferred by the
reader. Ask students to flag a line in a poem that triggers an inference
for them. Students record the exact line of the poem in column one of a
two column recording sheet as shown below. In the second column they
record their inference. Provide time for students to share their thoughts
in whole or small group discussion.
In the Poem
In My Head
(4.6)
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199
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 (cont’d) use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
Evaluating - Students are evaluating, daily, as they form opinions about
their friends, food they are eating, games, etc. Evaluating a text requires
students to recognize and consider a text creator’s bias, assumptions,
persuasions, facts, and opinion to help them make a personal
judgement about the text. When people evaluate texts, they combine
information in their heads with information from the text to assess and
make judgments on it.
Use a mentor text to demonstrate to students how you evaluate as you
are reading. Read the text and think aloud. E.g., During the reading of
a book about wolves, allow the students to hear your thoughts. E.g.,
• As you view the inside cover say, “I think this red page with the
dark black letters is very appealing because it gets me starting to
make predictions about the text. The red colour makes me think
of danger because it reminds me of the flashing red lights on
emergency vehicles. I’m wondering how danger might come into
play in this story.”
• After viewing another page say, “I don’t think it is fair to portray
the wolf in such a negative way because by dressing the wolf in
a bulky jacket and hooded sweatshirt, it really makes him look
menacing. He reminds me of a robber or a gang member that
you might see on TV. But is this fair? I know lots of people who
wear hooded sweatshirts and they are not menacing. And besides,
the wolf has been following the rabbit throughout the pages of
the book up to this point, and he hasn’t harmed the rabbit in any
way. Maybe he’s not so bad after all.”
Teachers cannot directly observe a student evaluating but can take note
of student responses to texts, which indicates if they are evaluating the
text. Teachers should observe students and can conclude that a students
is understanding and evaluating the text if he/she:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
200
recognizes if a text fiction or non-fiction or an hybrid
recognizes that the text creator is being biased
looks for authenticity and accuracy of information;
provides opinions about something in the text and support
changes his/her opinion as new information is learned
recognizes validity of the perspectives of other people
critiques the writer’s craft
learns something that can be applied to the student’s writing
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Students read a text or listen to a text being read aloud. Working
in pairs or small groups, students select a task card with one of the
following prompts:
• I think that ... (Express an opinion)
• Why do you think that...? (Ask an evaluating question)
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place
4: Strategy Guide (Scholastic
2008) Evaluating
• I don’t believe... is right. (Challenge the text or the author)
• The author didn’t convince me of... because... (Challenging a
viewpoint).
The student reads the task card and finishes the sentence relating
it to the text that has been read or heard. The partner or other
members of the small group discuss and challenge the student’s
response to the task card.
(4.6)
• Choose a text that will stimulate discussion. Students work in groups
to challenge each other’s evaluations of a text. E.g., students might view
a commercial, read a flyer, read a review of a text previously read, view a
web site. Students may challenge or justify:
• the inclusion of an item, or piece of information in the text.
• a recommendation of the text for other audiences.
• the effectiveness of the text (e.g. Did the commercial do a good
job convincing you that their product is worth having?)
• the purpose of the text.
• the most important/least important piece of information
provided in the text.
(4.6)
• Ask students to read a persuasive essay, a fictional text or view a
commercial. Students prepare to talk back to the author of the text, or
to a specific character (in fictional text) by writing their ideas in their
writer’s notebook. In their talk back, students may take the same stand
or opinion as the author or they may take an opposing view. Students
may role play the opposing views (adapted from Wilhelm, 2001).
Students discuss one of the opposing views and then reflect on how the
activity helped their group evaluate the text.
(4.6)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
201
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
4.6 (cont’d) use a variety of
comprehension strategies (RV)
Summarizing and Synthesizing - Summarizing is more difficult than
retelling a story or facts from a text. Most students find it difficult
to summarize as they write too much or do not capture the most
important ideas. Proficient readers ask questions, make inferences and
determine importance when summarizing a text. Therefore, it is best
to have modelled these strategies before introducing summarizing and
synthesizing.
Provide students with a step by step approach to summarizing.
• Step 1: Delete unnecessary or repeated information.
• Step 2: Replace lists of words or events with a main heading or
one word.
• Step 3: Find or create a topic sentence.
When readers summarize they use the information stated in the text.
Synthesizing is when readers add their thoughts to this important
information. Proficient readers summarize the story and add what
the story means to them. As students synthesize they learn to put
together information from the text and from the world to create new
understandings.
Most often new information only adds to or slightly changes our
existing knowledge, however there may times when new information
creates a major change in our own knowledge. As we synthesize, we
deepen our understanding of our own lives and those of others. Students
may say:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What’s important here...
What matters to me ...
One thing that we should notice ...
I want to remember ...
It’s interesting that ...
Now I understand why ...
I am changing my mind about ...
I used to think _____________ but now I think ...
The proficient reader will make text to world connections. This occurs
when students read text and connects it to a similar world event or
issue. The insightful reader will sometimes go beyond text to world
connections to elaborate or ‘extend on text’. This process involves a
student interacting with text and then taking the idea of the text to
make generalizations about the world at large. One example of text to
world connection is when a student reads a text about conflict between
characters and how that conflict gets resolved. The student then takes
this ‘big idea’ and makes the comment that if leaders in powerful
positions would have done what the characters in the text did, then we
would have a better, more peaceful world because there would not be
any wars.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 4: Students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range
of literature, information, media and visual text.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Planning a book talk requires students to summarize the main points
of the text. Model book talks using a read-aloud or shared reading text.
Provide students with a planner for a One Minute Book Talk. Students
complete the planner and then present their book talk to the whole class
or a small group.
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place
4: Strategy Guide (Scholastic
2008) Synthesizing
Planner for One Minute Book Talk
Title:
Author:
Time Passed (in
seconds)
0 – 10 sec
Information
11 – 20 sec
Title, author, genre:
21 – 45 sec
What the text is about:
46 - 60 sec
Who should read this book and why:
Catchy introduction:
(2.2, 4.6)
• Students read from a fictional text and summarize the main conflict
using the Who-Wants-But-So (Then) strategy. Students first identify
the character or characters involved in the conflict. They identify what
the character wants, what is preventing the character from achieving this
(problem) and how the problem is solved. For example:
Story Title: Jack and the Beanstalk
Who
Wants
But
Jack’s mom Jack to sell the
Jack trades the
cow for money cow for magic
beans
So
Jacks mom
is angry and
throws the
beans out the
window
(4.6)
• During a read aloud or shared reading ask students to complete
a response chart for synthesizing information. As students become
familiar with this activity, use the response chart for guided reading or
independent texts.
Chapter (or page) What was the most
important thing that
happened?
What does this
chapter mean to you?
(personal thoughts)
(4.6)
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203
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
7.3 engage in critical literacy and
inquiry (RV)
By late Grade 4, students need to become aware that text can be,
not only unclear, but often deliberately persuasive, deceptive or
manipulative. Propaganda is an important part of persuasion. It is an
attempt to persuade people to buy something, do something or believe
something. Used ethically, for good causes, propaganda is an important
tool. Many people are fooled by the language of propaganda because
they don’t recognize it and it appeals to their senses rather than to
reason; it may distort, hide or exaggerate information:
• words that make the ordinary seem extraordinary (e.g., ‘pre-owned’
instead of ‘used’)
• misleading words (e.g., “50% better”, consumers need to ask 50%
better than what?)
Some types of propaganda students may be introduced to include:
• glittering generality – advertisers use words like honesty, peace,
scientific, love, justice to create positive feelings about a product.
These words are so attractive that consumers do not think about
challenging its true meaning.
• testimonial – advertisers sometimes associate products with a
celebrity. The advertiser wants to the consumers to believe that
they can be like the celebrity by using the product.
• transfer – advertisers sometimes try to transfer the success of
an object or person to another object or person. Someone with
beautiful hair is using a special shampoo and implies that the
consumer can have hair like this too, by using this shampoo!
• name-calling – advertisers create negative feelings about a
competitive product by saying negative things with little or no
reason or evidence.
• card stacking – advertisers use only pieces of information that
make their products look good and ignore the unfavorable facts.
Consumers must look elsewhere to find all the information.
e.g., an editorial page of a newspaper where a writer takes a
controversial issue and presents all the good or all the bad points
about the issue (depending on their stance).
• bandwagon – advertisers claim that ‘everybody’ is doing it and the
consumer should too. e.g., 9 out of 10 people use this shampoo.
• snob appeal – advertisers make consumers they are part of an
exclusive group. They think that high class inspires people to spend
more or that some brand names are better than others. e.g., why
buy a chevy when you can have a Lexus?
• rewards – advertisers offer coupons, free gifts and samples are
offered for buying a product. e.g., 2 for 1 sales
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 7: Students will be expected to respond critically to a range of texts, applying
their knowledge of language, form and genre.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
• Provide examples of persuasive texts both in print and non-print. Ask
students to decide what types of propaganda is used to try to persuade
the reader. Some examples may include:
• make claims – e.g., Chocolate is healthy
• use influential names – e.g., 90% of dieticians sat that people
are more likely to maintain a balanced lifestyle when they don’t
deprive themselves of treats
Resources
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Evaluating Strategy Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Breaking Down
Breakfast, pp.37-42
Supplementary Resources
• use logos – e.g., a [brand name] bar is just ___ calories
• make people feel happy or sad to try to help their argument
- this chocolate fundraiser helps pay for neighbourhood
playground equipment for underprivileged children
• make themselves seem trustworthy and believable – e.g.,
“Believe me! I have been there before!”
• build a sense of urgency for your cause – e.g., “ This is a onetime offer”
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001) Critical
Thinking pp.13-14
Arnold, Phyllis A. Tools For
Learning (Nelson 2001)
Propaganda p. 42
• use research studies and information to make your argument
seem more convincing - e.g., studies show that higher levels of
chocolate consumption was associated with 37% reduction in
cardiovascular disease.
(7.3)
• Ask students to select a cereal box or juice box and in small groups
find examples of language that distorts hides or exaggerates information
on the cereal boxes (as many as possible). Students may present their
findings in small groups or to the whole class.
(7.3)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
205
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
8.1 develop proficient writing
and representing skills (WR)
By Late Grade 4, students will be familiar with and participating
in modelled, shared, guided and independent writing regularly and
consequently becoming more proficient writers.
“Writing...provides students with powerful opportunities to learn
about themselves and their connections to the world. Through writing,
students organize their thoughts, remember important information,
solve problems, reflect on a widening range of perspectives, and learn
how to communicate effectively for specific purposes and audiences.
They find their voice and have opportunities to explore other voices. By
putting their thoughts into words and supporting the words with visual
images in a range of media, students acquire knowledge and deepen
their understanding of the content in all school subjects. Writing also
helps students to better understand their own thoughts and feelings and
the events in their lives.” Literacy for Learning: The Report of the Expert
Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 - 6 in Ontario, 2004, p.79.
As we continue to work with students to teach writing, it is important
to continuously remind them that writing is a very important process
and that being a writer can open up many opportunities for them.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 8: Students will be expected to use writing and representation to explore, clarify
and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences and learnings; and to use
their imaginations.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Students write more if they are interested in their topic. At
times students may need encouragement and writing prompts may be
suggested. The purpose of a writing prompt is to motivate students to
explore their imaginations and develop writing. Students may be given:
Narrative Writing Prompts:
• It was your birthday yesterday. Narrate how you spent the day.
• Imagine you wake up one morning and realize you have
become invisible. Describe what happens and how you come
back to your normal self.
• Describe a time when you had a fight with your best friend.
• Write about a time when you went out of your way to help
someone in need.
• Have you lost something that was dear to you? If yes, then
tell us about what happened. If no, tell how someone else lost
something important.
Persuasive Writing Prompts:
• Convince your teacher to give you a longer recess.
• Convince your dad to take you to the ______.
• Convince your mom to let you watch TV before bed.
• Convince your older sibling to take you along to the mall.
• Should smoking be allowed in public places?
• Convince your parents to raise your weekly allowance.
• Is it important to be honest?
Descriptive Writing Prompts:
• Describe how you play your favorite game.
• Describe your mother’s smile (laugh, voice, etc.)
• How do you feel when you visit your grandparents?
• Decsribe how you feel when someone picks on you or your
friends.
• Describe how you can be a role-model for your younger siblings
or your peers.
(8.1)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
207
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 create a variety of texts using
text structures and features (WR)
By Late Grade 4, students have had many to write in various forms.
Students were introduced to Narrative, Recount, Poetry, Procedural and
Descriptive. Students may now be more comfortable writing in these
genres, depending on the purpose of their writing. All genres should
be revisited once taught and during Late Grade 4, teachers may add
Personal Communication and Persuasive Writing and some other forms
of Poetry.
GENRE: PERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Purpose: Something that you write everyday. Your personal thoughts
and ideas.
Structure
Features
Form (example)
Name, title and address
Friendly language
Post Cards
of person
Diary/ Journal
Abbreviations
Salutation
Invitations
Contractions
Reason for writing
E-mails
Date and your address
Friendly Letters
Closing
Greeting Cards
Signature
Instant Messaging
Factors that determine the efficiency of communication include:
• Clarity of Message - The way in which the sender presents
a message is important in the success or failure of the
communication process. A message should be formulated taking
into account the receiver’s frame of mind and the purpose for
the communication.
• Form of Personal Communication - Students learn to choose
the most appropriate form of personal communication
depending on the receiver and the situation.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to write a journal or diary entry in which they selfevaluate their spelling. They may set goals for the upcoming weeks or
month.
(9.2)
• Ask students to write a letter (either business or friendly). Display
a business letter to discuss the correct format. Students may choose
handwriting or word processing. For a business letter, students will need
to be supplied with the correct addresses of the business or organization.
Students should include the date, name and address of recipient,
greeting, body of letter, and salutation. Once students have typed or
written all of their information, they should proofread, spell-checked
their final copy. Also discuss with students how to properly address an
envelope.
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Evaluating Strategy
Guide (Scholastic 2008) TextType Writing Study: Personal
Communication - Postcards, pp.
68-76
• The community has announced that they will be closing the
local playground because of vandalism. Students may feel
that this message is unfair because they were not involved
in vandalizing the playground and now they are also being
punished. Ask students to write a letter to the council to express
their views.
• Ask students to write a letter to the MHA of their area seeking
answers to questions brainstormed by the class.
• Team up with another teacher in some other state or country
and arrange pen pals (email or regular mail) for your students.
• Ask students to write letters of appreciation to a loved one. (1.1, 1.3, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1)
• Students have been keeping a Writer’s Notebook. (See page 113
of this curriculum guide for information on setting up a Writer’s
Notebook).This is a form of a journal. Discuss with students what can
be written in a journal. It is personal. Entries may be observations,
memories, dreams, questions, lists, poems, stories, conversations, ideas,
silly stories, etc. Most of all it is a place to practice and experiment with
writing topics. Suggest some of the following topics to students as ideas
for their journal writing:
• What are some things that make you unique?
• Describe yourself as your best friend would describe you.
• What are three of the nicest things others have said about you?
• Write about your childhood secret places.
• Assume your journal will be read 250 years from now. Write
an entry that communicates to future readers something
interesting about you and the time in which you live.
• Write a letter to a relative that is no longer living.
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
(9.2, 10.1))
209
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts using text structures and
features (WR)
Persuasive Writing - helps students formulate specific reasons for their
opinions and can provide an opportunity to do research related to
their topics. As students develop an understanding of how writing can
influence or change another’s thoughts or actions, they can begin to
understand the persuasive nature of the advertising they are exposed to
through television, the Internet, and other media.
Use the following anchor chart to remind students of the structures,
features and forms of persuasive texts:
GENRE: PERSUASIVE
Purpose - to convince or persuade someone to do, think or
believe something and to support the argument
Structure
Features
Forms (examples)
Opening Statement Usually use present
Advertisements
Position Statement
tense
Letters
Arguments
E-mails
Logical connectives
Summary
Posters
Emotional language
Brochures
Conditional sentences Comic strips
Poems
Rhetorical questions
Editorials
Read examples of persuasive text together, looking for words, phrases
and techniques that helped the writer persuade the listener. Together
identify the opening statement, position statement, arguments (and
support) and summary. E.g.,
Is TV Bad for Children? TV watching for children is a popular topic.
While some people believe TV is a bad influence encouraging bad
habits, others believe TV provides educational material and models
good behaviour. On the one hand, TV can provide information
that kids need. Some programs provide up to date news that helps
children understand the world around them. Additionally, TV
promotes good habits such as participating in sport and healthy
eating. On the other hand, TV advertisements encourage children to
be greedy and thoughtless consumers. Also supporting this view is
the idea that children should learn about sport and health issues by
actively engaging in these pursuits rather than simply watching them.
In conclusion, while TV can be educational and promote healthy
choices, it can also encourage bad habits.
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GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to find a persuasive text to bring to class for sharing. It
can be an article in the newspaper, a letter to the editor, a movie or book
review, a commercial, or an advertisement in a magazine or newspaper.
Ask them to answer the following questions orally or in writing:
Authorized Resources
•
•
•
•
Where did you find your persuasive example?
Who is trying to persuade you?
What are they trying to persuade you to do?
Do you think their argument is convincing? Why or why not?
(7.3, 9.2)
Moving Up With Literacy
Place: Evaluating Strategy
Guide (Scholastic 2008) Text
Type Writing Study: Persuasive
Text, pp.49-60
• Tell students there is a reward for the most persuasive argument (e.g.
extra recess time). With students, choose topics and ask them to divide
themselves into teams, giving them 15 minutes to write their argument,
using the persuasive structure, to support their claim. Students present
their arguments. Students can either present as a group or choose one
person to be their speaker. The remainder of the class can vote for a
group other than themselves that had a convincing argument.
(9.2)
• As opportunities arise, provide time for students to work together
to write at least three good reasons to support their argument. (e.g.,
During a read aloud, they want one more chapter read aloud. The
potential closing of a library, etc.). The more authentic the issue, the
more passionately your students will write. “Just because,” and “because
I like it” would not be considered valid reasons.
(9.2)
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
211
Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
9.2 (cont’d) create a variety of
texts using text structures and
features (WR)
GENRE: POETRY
In Beginning and Mid Grade 4 students have learned about various
forms of poetry (Narrative, Free Verse, Concrete, Haiku and Cinquain).
In Late Grade 4, teachers may introduce focus on Limericks and various
formula poems. Continue to encourage all forms throughout the year.
• “If I were ... “ Poems - Students can write about how they would
feel and what they would do if they were something else (e.g., a
Tyrannosaurus Rex, a hamburger, or sunshine). Students often use
personification in composing “If I were ... ” poems, exploring ideas
and feelings, and considering the world from a different vantage
point.
• Acrostic Poems - In an acrostic poem, a word is written vertically
down the left hand margin of the paper. Each line then starts with
a word beginning with the designated letter. The lines can be either
single words or complete sentences. Acrostic poems using names can
become self-portraits. Topics may include sports, seasons, buildings,
clubs, slogans, teams—practically anything. Acrostic poems can
be composed for names of novels and/or characters. Such acrostic
poems can really be character sketches based on what students have
learned from the novel. Acrostic poems can become greeting cards
by using the person’s name. E.g.,
Winter
Wishing on a winter star!
In the dark cold sky.
Nobody knows what your wishing for.
Tiny snowflakes falling in your hair.
Everywhere a blanket of snow.
Really really cold.
• Limericks - A limerick is a humorous verse that is five lines long.
Many limericks begin with the words “There once was a ... ” or
“There was a ... ” The last line is usually funny or surprising and
acts as punch line for the poem. Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme with one
another and have three strong beats. Lines 3 and 4 rhyme and have
two strong beats. The ideas in a limerick often progress from the
possible to the impossible, drawing attention to real or imaginary
situations, people, or places. The main purpose of a limerick is to
entertain. E.g.,
Sunny
There once was a dog named Sunny,
She really was quite funny.
She bought a new hat,
Just think of that,
Because she had some money.
212
GRADE 4 LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
GCO 9: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students go on a virtual poetic scavenger hunt. They work
cooperatively with a partner or small group to search for the answers to
questions. Record the answers and the URL where the answers could be
found. Sample questions include:
• Find a Haiku poem. Describe the pattern for a traditional Haiku
poem.
• Find a limerick. How many lines are in a limerick?
• Compare two acrostic poems. Tell how they are alike and
different.
• Explain the poetic device, alliteration. Fine one poem containing
alliteration.
• Write one poetry scavenger hunt question. Exchange your
question with a classmate.
(9.2)
Authorized Resources
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Evaluating Strategy Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Poems to Set You
Free, pp.34-51
Moving Up With Literacy Place:
Synthesizing Strategy Guide
(Scholastic 2008) Text Type Writing
Study: Poetry pp. 59-68
• Ask students to write two or three different poems about the same
subject. They should use a different point of view or a different form for
each.
(9.2)
• Ask students to write their biography in poetry format.
I, (your first name)
Four Adjectives that describe you
Sibling of....(or son/daughter of...)
Lover of....(three things, people or ideas)
Who feels...(up to three items)
Who needs...(up to three items)
Who fears...(up to three items)
Who would like to see...(up to three people, ideas or places)
Am a resident of...(city, province)
Welcome to my poem.
(9.2)
• Ask students to write an “I wish ... ” poem. Students are great makers
of wishes and they like to write about them. It gives them a new and
interesting subject matter. Wishes can engage their imaginations quickly.
Students may choose any of their wishes and expand on the ideas in
several lines of poetry.
(9.2)
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Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 create texts using the
processes of writing and
representing (WR)
Pre-Writing - In late Grade 4, students may be moving toward engaging
in the pre-writing process with greater independence, however, students
will be at various levels. Those who have reached a level at which they
are able to work independently at pre-writing may be working with little
direct instruction and using this skill across the curriculum. Teachers can
have small group instruction for those who are still learning the process
of pre-writing.
The writer’s notebook should be part of students’ daily writing
experiences and they should independently add ideas, thoughts,
questions, interesting words, or strong images. Those who are still
working toward independence may need direct instruction to write in
their writer’s notebook.
Drafting - In late Grade 4, the process of drafting may include more
natural and independent collaboration with little intervention from the
teacher. This will help the students to become more independent in this
process and gain confidence in writing and representing.
Guiding questions are an important part of the drafting process. These
questions are often teacher-driven as students begin to create drafts. As
they move through the experience of writing it is important that these
questions become more student-led as they work collaboratively; they
can ask each other the questions to help each other develop their ideas.
Revising - Students have been working at various writing pieces through
the year. Some will be very confident in the revising process and in
fact will revise as they write their first draft. They will in fact be the
students who keep revising because they want the piece to be perfect.
Some students will be more engaged in the revision process because they
interested in the topic and want their audience to truly understand what
they are saying.
Some students find revising difficult and will require teacher guidance
during this part of the process. By late Grade 4, some of the students in
the class will be able to engage in revision independently. Small group
mini lessons with teacher modeling should help those who are less
confident.
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GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Write a class story in which the students collaborate to follow the
writing process from initial ideas to sharing final copy. Use an anchor
chart to remind them of the writing process. E.g.,
The Writing Process
1. Pre-writing
• read mentor texts
• decide on form to be written
• gather information
• plan writing (web, etc)
• discuss ideas
2. Draft
• express ideas in writing
3. Revise
• Content
• Organization
• Sentence Structure
• Voice
• Word Choice
4. Edit
• proofread with a partner
• check grammar
• check capitalization and punctuation
• check spelling
5. Publish
• decide on format
• make a “WOW” copy
• reflect on its effectiveness
(10.1)
• Distribute comic strips with the last frame cut out. Ask students to
write a paragraph showing how they might imagine the story might end.
(10.1)
• Ask students return to their writer’s notebook and review any pieces
that went no further than pre-writing to see if they want to finish
(10.1)
• Ask students to write about the changes they have seen in their
writing.
(10.1)
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Late Grade 4
Outcomes
Focus for Learning
Students will be expected to
10.1 (cont’d) create texts using
the processes of writing and
representing (WR)
Editing - During late Grade 4 the focus will be on increasing
independence in the writing process. Students will now have a number
of conventions to use as they create text. Teachers may provide
instruction on:
Conventions
Word Study
Spelling
Capitalization
& Punctuation
Grammar
Ongoing
Ongoing
Focus
first and third person
pronouns
linking word
constant, tense
possessive past tense
commas
colon
abbreviations
contraction
quotation marks
commas in poem
capitals for characters
and places
periods
question mark
exclamation mark
capital letters
present tense
imperative voice
adverbs and verbs
precisely
subject specific vocals
1st and 3rd person
pronoun
possessive
action verbs ending
with -ing
similes
locate and
understand nouns,
verbs, adjectives
and adverbs
small words in big
words
infer meaning
comparative
adjectives
homonyms
homographs
contractions
powerful verbs
compound words
dictionary
idiomatic expressions
technology language
rhyming words
persuasive words
captions
abbreviations
root-words and
suffixes
word origins
Publishing - In late Grade 4, students are familiar with the writing
process, how purpose and audience affect their choice of text form.
They are also familiar with the structures and features of specific
forms. As students continue to create texts they begin to feel a sense
of accomplishment as they publish pieces, more independently. At
this point in the year, many pieces of writing should be revised and
students will publish more frequently (still not all pieces need to be
brought through to the publishing stage). Some writing may be shared
informally or used only by the writer.
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GCO 10: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and
effectiveness.
Suggestions for Teaching and Assessment
Resources
• Ask students to make the own decisions about the form of
publishing. Some ways may include:
• posting it on a bulletin board
• uploading on a school site
• submitting it to a local or school newspaper or other
publication
• submitting it to a class anthology
• creating a poster or wall hanging
• distributing copies of their work to classmates
• reading/sharing work with others
• entering contests
• recording the writing for others to hear
• taking texts home to share
• forwarding texts to authentic, intended readers external to the
school
• electronic publishing
(10.1)
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APPENDICES
Appendices
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
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APPENDICES
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GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Resources
Authorized
Moving Up With Literacy Place 4 (Scholastic 2008)
• Grade 4 Literacy Support Guide (teacher resource)
• Program and Planning Guide (teacher resource)
• Moving Up Professional Development DVD (teacher resource)
• 8 Strategy Units (teacher print and audio resources):
– Self-Monitoring
– Predicting
– Analyzing
– Evaluating
– Sequencing
– Inferring
– Making Connections
– Synthesizing
• 30 Guided Reading student print resources:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Our Class Podcast
Raps x 3
Clever Manka
Kahukura and the Net
The Game of Mancala
Serf ’s Up
Puppy in Training
Science Fair
A Dusty Life
Spell It and Mean It
A Pocketful of Fur
The Zarg Rule
The Arctic Tundra
Trickster Tales
Making the Game
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Picture It
Geocaching
Little Li and the Golden Kites
What Happens After You Flush?
Catch That Stomach!
The Penguin Book
Rocks on the Move
You Do What for a Living?
Maple Syrup – With Bells On!
Glaciers, Rivers of Ice
Get Up and Go!
Kids in Canada
Canadian Owl Guide
Discover Mongolia
The Dragon Lords
GRADE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INTERIM CURRICULUM GUIDE - 2012
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APPENDICES
• 4 Book Club Kits:
Ready, Set, Adventure!
• The Heroes of Isle aux Morts
• Alone Across the Arctic
• Surviving in the Wilderness
• Roundup at the Palace
• The Night Walker
• Under a Prairie Sky
• In Like a Lion
• Audio CD
• Comprehension Spinners
• Teaching Guide
Sounds Like Music
• Music For the End of Time
• Go Make a Song
• The Fox Went Out
• Your Song
• Music Forever
• The Beat
• Music Everywhere
• Audio CDs (4)
• Comprehension Spinners
• Teaching Guide
Kids Can Do It!
• City of Ember
• What Kind of Volunteer Are You?
• Ryan’s Well
• Chocolate River Rescue
• Jackson Jones and Mission Greentop
• A Friend for Mr. Granville
• The Right Whale
• Audio CD
• Teaching guide
Earth Rescue
• Owen and Mzee
• Interrupted Journey
• The Tree Woman
• Make Some New Friends
• Conservation
• Recycling
• Endangered Sea Animals
• Endangered Animals
• Audio CD
• Teaching Guide
• Boldprint Graphic Readers/Novels (2009-2010 Oxford)
– A Dangerous Move
– Dog Disaster
– The Environmenteers
– Home Plate Heroes
– Jungle Adventure
– Lost!
– Nature’s Story
– Nian’s Mountain
– Pet Vet
– Saving Cash
Supplementary
• Fountas, Irene and Pinnell, Gay Su, Benchmark System Assessment System 2 (2011), Heinemann
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REFERENCES
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