2016-2017 4th Grade Yearlong View
Quarter
Unit
Big Idea/ Essential Question
Focus Reading
Strategy and Skill
Texts
1
Unit 1
(Aug. – Nov.)
How do we grow as readers and
writers??
Follow Your Inner Conversation,
Notice When You Lose Your Way,
Read, Write, and Talk, Inferring,
Summarize, Character, Setting, and
Plot, Main Idea and Details,
Compare Print, Determine
Importance, Visual presentations of
texts, Inferencing, Background
Knowledge, Read, Write, and Talk,
Theme, Interpret Visual Information,
Integrate Multiple Texts
2
Unit 2
(Nov.- Jan.)
How are people and nature
connected?
Inferring, Main Idea and Details,
Compare Across Text, Questioning,
Determining Importance, Visual
presentations of texts, Inferencing,
Text Structure,
Firsthand/Secondhand Accounts,
Text Features
Reasons/Evidence
Integrate Information, Integrate
Multiple Texts, Integrating
Strategies, Words and Phrases,
Fact/Opinion,
Reasons/Evidence, Theme,
Story Structure, Cause/Effect
Because of Winn Dixie, Jefferson’s
Bargain, Lewis and Clark and Me,
Ellen Ochoa: Space Pioneer, On
the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura
Ingalls Wilder, Letters Home from
Yosemite, The Bison of Caprock
Canyons, The Fox and the Tiger,
On the Banks of Plum Creek
National Geographic Explorer
Magazines: Serious Survivors,
Lightning Strikes, The Man Who
Named the Clouds, My Weather
Journal, Minecraft Spawns
Classroom Lessons, SIRS article
Adelina’s Whale, How Night Came
from the Sea- Myth
The Ant and the Bear- Myth, Eye of
the Storm- Expository
Severe Weather Safety- Website
3
Unit 3 (Jan. – Mar.)
4
Unit 4 (Mar.- June.)
How do people make difficult
choices?
Inferring,
Theme, Author’s Use of Language,
Structure, Inferring, Characters,
Settings, Events, Point of View
What did the immigrants gain and
lose?
Questioning
Firsthand Accounts/Interview
Visual Information
Integrating Information from Multiple
Sources
Comparing and Contrasting
Themes, Author’s Style and
Language
Determining Importance Integrating
Information from Multiple Sources
Big Ideas and Themes in Poetry
Author’s Use of Language
Integrating Information from Multiple
Sources
Comparing and Contrasting
Themes
Various Inquiry Unit Texts:
Lotus Seed, Coolies,
Who Belongs in America, Going
Home
A Movie in My Pillow, Inquiry Unit
Texts
Home and Front Porch- Poetry, A
Gift From the Heart, Shiloh- Novel,
Optional Supplemental Texts:
Cliff Hanger- Realistic Fiction Rock
Climbing- Website (CD)
Antarctica Journal- Journal (CD)
Swimming Towards Ice- Biography
(CD)
My Brother Martin- Biography
2016-2017 4th Grade Yearlong View
Spelling
Short Vowels: Syllables VCCV,
Add –ed, -ing , contractions,
Homophones, Vowel Sound in shout,
Compound Words
Multisyllabic Words, Words and
Double Consonants, Greek Word
Parts, Latin Roots, Related Words
The Schwa Sound, Prefixes mis-,
non-, pre-, re-, Suffixes –less, ment, -ness, Silent Consonants,
Contractions
Concept Words
variety, courteous, distinct,
territories, experiences, fortune,
landscape, navigate, enormous,
eruptions, impressive, preserve,
instinct, effort, energetic
ideal, migration, zone, barren,
equinox, observe, flock, altitude,
ascent, impact, thrive, tolerate,
estimate, unpredictable, severe
repetition, comfort, relatives,
accomplish, distinguish, headway,
consequence, responsible,
abandoned, tense, suspicious,
envy, decency, integrity, valiant
migration, migration, culture,
resettlement, detained,
discrimination, acculturation,
assimilation, integration, native,
citizenship, naturalization,
advantage, adverse,
multiculturalism
Writing
WF: How Writer’s Work:
Students will:
 Learn the rituals, routines, and
resources for the writing
workshop
 Identify reasons why writers
write
 Think about the writer and his
her process and craft when
writing mentor texts
 Recognize how writing is a
process that takes hard work
and time to create pieces of
writing that are meaningful
WF: Nonfiction
Students will:
 Identify common nonfiction
features and their purposes
 Read nonfiction texts and
contemplate the author’s
process and type of research
that went into creating a
published piece
 Explore nonfiction writing
through reading, asking
questions, and having
collaborative discussions
WF: Cynthia Rylant:
Author Study
Students will:
 Write narratives about real
experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive
details, and clear event
sequence
 Introduce characters and
organize an event sequence
that unfolds naturally
 Use dialogue to enhance
readers’ understanding of the
characters
WF: Feature Article
Students will:
 Determine the purpose of
feature articles as well as their
prevalence and importance in
our world
 Read and analyze the
characteristics of feature
articles
 Identify and analyze the
strategies employed by feature
article writers and apply those
in their own writing
Long a and I, Long e and o, Long u,
Long e
2016-2017 4th Grade Yearlong View

Personalize and share their
Writer’s Notebooks to build
community


Develop a topic with facts,
definitions, and concrete details
Introduce a topic clearly and
group related information into
paragraphs or sections using
linking words and phrases.


Use concrete words and
sensory details to convey
experiences and events
precisely
Provide a conclusion that
follows from narrated
experiences or events