Grade 4 – English and Language Arts
Sample Day :
1) Student would have read the Informational Text or Literary Text at Home and learnt the vocabulary words /
meanings etc
2) Play audio version of the Text
3) Teach various concepts of Vocabulary usage / Figurative Language / Main Idea / Cause Effect etc –
interleaved with associated worksheets
4) Use Video to teach Summarization Concept
5) Interactive Quiz / Games to keep the class interesting
Teaching Summarization Concept Via Video
Use of Vocabulary
1. “The flames of the fire had ravaged almost 20,000 buildings and left one-third of the people in
Chicago homeless.” What is the meaning of the word ravaged as it is used in the text?
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2. What is the meaning of the word metropolis as it is used in the text, “a great American
metropolis like Chicago”?
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3. “During the hour, the small fire had grown quickly out of control and devoured the barn.”
What is the meaning of the word devoured as it is used in the text?
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4. What is the meaning of the word culprit as it is used in the sentence, “One culprit was
natural.”?
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5. What words are used by the author throughout the text to describe the word “great” as used in
the title, “The Great Chicago Fire”?
Vocabulary Helpers
Singular and Concrete Definition
Multiple Meanings / Part of a word family
Words that can
be determined in
context
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metropolis (tier 3)
site (tier 2)
flammable (tier 3)
ruins (tier 2)
culprit (tier 2)
faulty (tier 2)
ravaged (tier 2)
destructive (tier 2)
fire resistant (tier 3)
inhabitants (tier 2)
massive (tier 2)
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devoured (tier 2)
inferno (tier 3)
drought (tier 2)
19th century (tier 3)
raging (tier 2)
engulfing (tier 2)
Words that
cannot be
determined in
context
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red hot embers (tier 3)
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smoke hung low over the city
rain spat from the sky
wind picked it up
fenced in
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Figurative Language Concepts
1. Explain how the picture on page 2 helps the reader understand the phrase, “smoke hung low
over the city of Chicago.”
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2. The caption for the picture on page 2 states, “... showing the Chicago Fire Department as it
desperately tried to save buildings from the hungry flames…” What does the author mean by
hungry flames?
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3. The author writes on page 2, “A light rain spat from the sky, holding back the blaze that had
raged since Sunday night.” How does the author use figurative language to help the reader gain
a better understanding of the fire?
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4. On page 2 the author writes, “As the wind picked up, it carried the fire with it, spreading it
from building to building.” Why does the author use figurative language to give the wind human
characteristics?
Main Idea Concepts
1. The title of the text is “The Great Chicago Fire”. In the first section of the article, what words
does Signal use to hint at the devastation the fire caused the city?”
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2. Chicago is nicknamed “The Windy City”. With this in mind, what details does the author
use to support the main idea of the section, “The Fire Rages”?
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3. What is the author's purpose for including the text box, "Did a Cow Start the Fire"? Give two
details from the article to support your answer.
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4. The author states that, “Chicago had expanded rapidly in the late 19th century. Homes and
other structures were being made quickly and cheaply.” What can the reader conclude about
how this detail could impact the cause of the Chicago Fire?
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Events Linking together and Cause/Effect :
1. The beginning of the article describes what the city of Chicago was like after it had been
burning for two days. Why did the author choose to start the article this way?
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2. How are the details organized in the section, “The Fire Rages”? How does the text structure
support the reader in determining details related to the causes of the Chicago Fire?
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3. How are the details organized in the section, "Bad Building Materials”? Explain how a lack of
detailed planning played a role in the devastating fire.
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4. In the section, "A New Chicago”, how are the details organized? Describe how a tragedy like
the Chicago fire could turn into an opportunity for the city.
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5. On page 2 of the article, the author includes the section, “Did a cow start the fire?” Why
would the author include this section in the article?
Focus question: According to the article, what caused the Great Chicago Fire to be so
destructive?