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Common Core Standards Bellringers
4th Grade – Language Arts
Teacher Edition
First Edition
Copyright 2012 by Great Educators
All rights reserved.
great educators
Great Educators
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Please send correspondence to:
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Authors: Herman Blau, Andrea Livingston, Emily Self
Creative Design: Andrea Livingston, Emily Self
Table of Contents:
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•
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Reading: Literature
Reading: Informational Text
Reading : Foundational Skills
Language
Writing
Copyright 2012 by Great Educators
All rights reserved
Common Core Standard – Reading: Literature
Teacher’s Edition
Introduction: RL
4TH Grade Bellringers
Key Ideas and Details
•
RL.4.1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
Addressed on Bellringer Day 2, 4, and 5
•
RL.4.2. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the
text.
Addressed on Bellringer Day 2, 3, and 8
•
RL.4.3. Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific
details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
Addressed on Bellringer Day 4, 7, and 9
Craft and Structure
•
RL.4.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those
that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
Addressed on Bellringer Day 2, 4, and 9
•
RL.4.5. Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural
elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings,
descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.
Addressed on Bellringer Day 3, 7, and 8
•
RL.4.6. Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated,
including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
Addressed on Bellringer Day 3, 5, and 8
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
•
RL.4.7. Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation
of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the
text.
Addressed on Bellringer Day 2, 7, and 9
•
RL.4.8. (Not applicable to literature)
Not addressed in bellringers
Common Core Standard – Reading: Literature
Teacher’s Edition
•
Introduction: RL
RL.4.9. Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of
good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature
from different cultures.
Not addressed in bellringers
Range of Reading and Complexity of Text
•
RL.4.10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and
poetry, in the grades 4–5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the
high end of the range.
Not addressed in bellringers
Common Core Standard – Reading: Literature
Teacher’s Edition
Introduction: RL
Reading: Literature – Explanation
For the following few weeks, your students will work through the common core standards for Reading:
Literature. Each week, your students will read a story on the first day and answer questions about the
story the remaining days. All of the common core standards were taken directly from the Common Core
Standard website at www.corestandards.org.
• Student’s Edition: Each day’s bellringer consists of several questions from several different
common core standards. Each day, though, has one specific “Standard of the Day”. For example,
Day 13’s bellringer may have 3 questions: one from standard 5, on from standard 8, and one
from standard 9. That day’s “Standard of the Day”, though, may be standard 5. We’ve included
an extra place for your students to write notes about the standard of the day. Please feel free to
use this space at your discretion – they could write how they found the answer, something
specific to remember about that type of question, or definitions to help in the future.
•
Teacher’s Edition: Each day’s bellringers will map the specific questions to their corresponding
standard. We’ve also included the full standard for the “Standard of the Day”; if you need to
reference the other standards addressed that day, please feel free to do so by looking at this
introduction.
Each story has been specifically designed for your grade level. We used the graph below to determine
the number of words per minute your grade level should comfortably read within 5 minutes.
Words per minute
Words per 5-minutes
rd
3 Grade
100-115
500-575
th
4 Grade
115-140
575-700
th
5 Grade
140-170
700-850
th
6 Grade
170-195
850-975
th
7 Grade
195-235
975-1175
th
8 Grade
235-240
1175-1200
Common Core Standard – Reading: Literature
Teacher’s Edition
Day 1
4TH Grade Bellringers
Story: Atalanta
Long ago, there lived a young princess named Atalanta. She loved to run, to swim, and to hunt.
A quiver full of arrows hung from her shoulder. In her left hand, she carried her bow. She was
one of the greatest hunters in the land.
When she was a teenager, Atalanta had had her fortune told. The oracle had said, "Atalanta, do
not marry! Harm will come if you do." The young princess decided to obey the oracle. She had
many admirers, but she answered them all in this way: "Let us try a race. If you win, I will be
your wife. If you lose, you must die."
These were hard conditions. However, there were some young men ready to try. They asked
their friend Hippomenes to be the judge of the race.
"How foolish you are!" cried he. "I would not risk my life for the most beautiful lady in all
Greece." But when Hippomenes saw Atalanta on the race course, he changed his mind. Her
beautiful golden hair floated behind her in a cloud as she ran. Her eyes shone as blue as the sky;
her cheeks were pink as the dawn. No one in all the world was so fleet of foot. "She is worth
the risk," said Hippomenes.
Atalanta ran far faster than the friends of Hippomenes, and so they all had to die. While
Atalanta was resting, Hippomenes stepped forward. "I will race with you and win," he cried.
"Be warned by the fate of your friends," said the maiden. "I do not wish your death." To herself
she added, "I could almost wish him to outrun me."
In the moment before the race, Hippomenes prayed to the Goddess Venus: "Come to my aid,
Venus. Upon you I depend." Venus came to Earth to help Hippomenes. Immediately Venus
slipped into his hand three golden apples. She whispered in his ear the way to use them. She
told him to throw them down with his Herculean strength to distract Atalanta and allow him to
gain the upper hand in the race. She warned him to use them sparingly as he only had three
apples.
The signal was given. The young man and maiden began to race. "Hurry, hurry, Hippomenes!"
cried the spectators. "You are gaining. You can do it!"
But Hippomenes grew weary; his breath began to fail him. He threw one of the golden apples
to the ground in an effort to slow Atalanta. Atalanta saw him and wondered what he was doing;
then she stopped to pick up the apple. Hippomenes raced ahead.
Common Core Standard – Reading: Literature
Teacher’s Edition
Day 1
The people shouted for joy. But a minute later Atalanta had passed him. Again, he threw an
apple and again he gained on Atalanta.
The goal was very near when Atalanta passed him the third time.
“Help, Venus!" he cried, and threw down the last apple. Venus used her powers to make it go
far to the right. Atalanta saw the golden gleam in the distance. She hesitated, and then rushed
after it. Thus, Hippomenes won the race and a beautiful wife.
You would suppose that they would seek Venus at once to thank her for her aid. But Atalanta
and Hippomenes were so happy that they forgot everyone and everything. Venus was very
upset that they would forget who helped them come together in the end and decided they
must be punished for their selfishness.
To punish them Venus changed Atalanta to a lioness and Hippomenes to a fierce lion with a
tawny mane and banished them to live the rest of their lives in the wild away from their friends
and family.
Common Core Standard – Reading: Literature
Teacher’s Edition
4TH Grade Bellringers
Question 1 – Standard RL.4.1
In your opinion, do you think Hippomenes thought
Atalanta was beautiful?
a. No, because he risked his life for her.
b. Yes, because he risked his life for her.
c. Yes, because his friends challenged to her to
the race.
d. No, because he out-ran her in the race.
Answer: b
Day 2
Standard of the Day: RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a
text when explaining what the
text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
Question 2 – Standard RL.4.2
Which statement correctly summarizes the text?
a. This is a story about how Atalanta fell in love with Hippomenes.
b. This is a story about how Venus helped Hippomenes win the race against Atalanta and gain her
hand in marriage.
c. This is a story about all mythology.
d. This is a story about running, love, and being mean.
Answer: b
Question 3 – Standard RL.4.7
How did the picture on the last page add to the story?
a.
b.
c.
d.
It illustrates Venus giving Hippomenes the golden apples.
It illustrates Atalanta winning the race against many others.
It illustrates Atalanta being distracted by a golden apple during her race against Hippomenes.
It illustrates the great characters of mythology.
Answer: c
Common Core Standard – Reading: Literature
Teacher’s Edition
4TH Grade Bellringers
Question 1 – Standard RL.4.2
What theme does Venus’ actions illustrate?
a. Don’t be selfish; always remember who
helped you along the way.
b. Don’t worry about others; do as you wish.
c. Don’t be proud as you will fall at times.
d. Be happy and find love in those around you.
Answer: a
Day 3
Standard of the Day: RL.4.2
Determine a theme of a story,
drama, or poem from details in
the text; summarize the text.
Question 2 – Standard RL.4.5
What is the main difference between Hippomenes and his friends who raced against Atalanta?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Hippomenes was foolish to race against Atalanta.
Hippomenes asked for help from Venus before the race because he knew he wouldn’t win.
Hippomenes was not as brave as his friends during the race.
Hippomenes asked for help from Venus because Atalanta was too slow to win.
Answer: b
Question 3 – Standard RL.4.6
What point of view does the narrator/author use in this story?
a.
b.
c.
d.
First person
Second person
Third person
First and Third person
Answer: c
Common Core Standard – Reading: Literature
Teacher’s Edition
4TH Grade Bellringers
Question 1 – Standard RL.4.3
According to the text, describe Hippoemenes’ feelings
during the race?
a. He was stressed and worried that he would
not win.
b. He was full of energy and easily won.
c. He struggled in the race but stayed focused
and continued with his plan.
d. He gave up and lost the race.
Answer: c
Day 4
Standard of the Day: RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character,
setting, or event in a story or
drama, drawing on specific
details in the text (e.g., a
character’s thoughts, words, or
actions).
Question 2 – Standard RL.4.4
What does the underlined word “quiver” mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.
To shake in fear.
A container.
To rapidly move.
A store.
Answer: b
Question 3 – Standard RL.4.1
In your opinion, why did Hippomenes asked Venus for help?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Because he wanted to win the race but he knew he couldn’t do it on his own.
Because he thought Atalanta was beautiful and wanted to fall in love with her.
Both of the above.
Neither of the above.
Answer: c