2014-2015 Curriculum Blueprint
v
Grade:
4
District Unit 6
Lexile Band 740L-940L
Course: ELA
Flexible Time:
15 days
Unit Overview
In this unit students will read persuasive and procedural texts and describe the structural elements that make up the text. In addition, students will explain how the
author uses reasons and evidence to support an opinion in a text. Students will also be able to refer to structural elements when reading a poem, prose or drama. By the
end of this unit, students will create a published opinion piece which includes introduction, reasons and a concluding statement.
Structured Reading Protocol 90 Minutes
Structured Reading Protocol 120 Minutes
Learning Goal
Suggested Essential Questions to Choose From
Students will be able to explain major differences between poems, drama, and
prose referring to structural elements. RI.2.5 Scale
 How does the text structure help students understand the text?
Students will be able to describe the overall structure in a text or part of a text.
 What are the differences between text structures in different types of text?
RL2.5 Scale
 What are the major differences between poems, dramas, and prose?
Students will be able to explain how an author uses reasons, and evidence to
 How does the author use reason and evidence to support the text?
support particular points in a text. RI.3.8
Students will understand how to write opinion pieces on topics or texts,
supporting a point of view with reasons and information. W.1.1 Scale
Published Product
*The purpose of the Published Product is to allow for students to go through
the writing process with modeling. See Literary Tasks to scaffold learning and
prepare students for the Published Product.
After reading various texts on agriculture, students will write an opinion piece
stating whether they are for or against using chemicals on crops. Students will
use reasons to support points and cite evidence from the text to support their
position.
Writing Standard
4. W.1.1 (DOK 3) Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view
with reasons and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational
structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in
addition).
d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
Revised 1/5/2015
Recursive Standards to be Embedded in Instruction
Recursive standards are non-negotiable standards. They must be taught reoccurring throughout the entire school year. Evidence of the recursive standards must be
documented in your lesson plans as determined through your PLC process.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
ELD.K12.ELL.LA.1 English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.
ELD.K12.ELL.SI.1 English language learners communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting.
WRITING:
4.W.1.3 (DOK 3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
c. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
4.W.2.4 (DOK 3) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3
above.)
4.W.2.5 (DOK 3) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3
up to and including grade 4)
4.W.2.6 (DOK 2) With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
4.W.3.9 (DOK 3) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “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].”).
b. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text”).
4.W.4.10 (DOK 3) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
LANGUAGE:
4.L.3.4 (DOK 2) Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).
c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.
4.L.3.6 (DOK 1) Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases as found in grade level appropriate texts, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g.,
wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).
SPEAKING AND LISTENING:
4.SL.1.1 (DOK 3) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.
d. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
4.SL.1.2 (DOK 2) Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
4.SL.2.6 (DOK 1) Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.
READING:
4.RL/RI.1.1 (DOK 2) Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
4.RL.2.4 (DOK 2) 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).
•Recognize words and phrases.
•Recognize words and phrases that allude to mythical characters.
•Know significant Greek characters and defining characteristics.
•Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.
•Determine the meaning of words and phrases that allude to mythological characters.
3rd: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
Revised 1/5/2015
5th: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
4.RI.2.4 (DOK 2) Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
4.RL.3.7 (DOK 2) 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.
• Identify similarities and differences between a text and a visual or oral presentation
• Recall specific descriptions and directions in a text of a story or drama and its visual or oral presentation
• Compare specific descriptions and directions between written and oral or visual presentations of text
3rd: Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
5th: Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
4.RI.3.7 (DOK 3) Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to
an understanding of the text in which it appears.
• Define interpret.
• Recognize informational text features.
• Read graphs, charts, diagrams, timelines, etc.
• Recognize interactive Web elements.
• Analyze information from charts, diagrams, graphs, timelines, animations and interactive elements.
• Analyze information visually, orally, and quantitatively.
• Evaluate how information presented visually, orally, and quantitatively aids in understanding.
3rd: Use information gained from illustrations and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (where, when, why, and how key events occur)
5th: Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently
4.RL/RI.4.10 (DOK 2) By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
poetry, informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts in the grades 4–5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
RF.3.3 (DOK 1) Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.
RF.4.4 (DOK 2) Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Revised 1/5/2015
Reading Standards
4.RL.2.5 (DOK 3) 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.
• Differentiate between poems, drama, and prose
• Refer to the structural elements of poems when writing or speaking
• Refer to the structural elements of drama when writing or speaking
• Refer to the structural elements of prose when writing or speaking
3rd : Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive
part builds on earlier sections
5th: Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fit together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem
4.RI.2.5 (DOK 3) Describe the overall structure (e.g. chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or
part of a text
• Determine the overall text structure
• Describe the overall text structure
3rd : Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently
5th : Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g. chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more
texts
4.RI.3.8 (DOK 3) Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text
• Recognize the differences between fact and opinion
• Define evidence and reason
• Identify the author’s reasons and evidence
• Evaluate how to use reasons to support points
• Evaluate how to evidence to support points
3rd : Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g. comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence)
5th: Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which points
Speaking and Listening Standards
Language Standards
4.SL.2.4 (DOK 3) Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience
in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive
details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable
pace.
4.L.2.3 (DOK 3) Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,
speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.
b. Choose punctuation for effect.
c. Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas)
and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion).
Revised 1/5/2015
Suggested Paired Texts
*Depending on readability of text, Interactive Read-Alouds may be utilized (refer to
Higher Order Questions to ensure deeper comprehension)
Week 1:
 World Up Close (860L)
Wonders: Unit 5, Week 4, Reading/Writing Workshop pages 352-357
 A Drop of Water (870L)
Unit 5, Week 4 Anthology page 428
 Climbing Blue Hill
Wonders: Unit 2, Week, Reading/Writing Workshop page 439
 My Name is Ivy
Wonders: Unit 2, Week, Reading/Writing Workshop page 440
 Collage
Wonders: Unit 2, Week, Reading/Writing Workshop pages 441
Week 2: (Agriculture)
 A New Kind of Corn (880L) (persuasive)
Wonders Unit 3 Week 5, Literature Anthology Pages 264-267
 The Pick of the Patch (920L) (procedural)
Wonders Unit 3 Week 5, Literature Anthology Pages 268-269
 Pro/Con: Should We label genetically modified foods?(L810)
NewsELA.com
 Mashed Potatoes, Corn or Rice (Ebsco)
 10 Year old Texas girl has growing Lemonade Business
NewsELA.com (L710)
Week 3: (Economics)
 Dollars and Sense (800L) (persuasive)
Wonders: Unit 1 Week 5, Reading/Writing Workshop pages 78-81
 Kids in Business (790L) (persuasive)
Wonders Unit 1 Week 5, Literature Anthology pages 84-87
or
 Starting a Successful Business (770L) (procedural)
Wonders Unit 1 Week 5, Literature Anthology Pages 88-89
 The Miller’s Good Luck (830L)
Wonders Unit 3 Week 5, Literature Anthology Pages 264-267
 Big Picture of Economics (970L)
Literary Tasks
*Choose at least 1 task per standard that will support and scaffold learning for the
published product. Can be used in whole group, small group, and journal responses.
(Use to create your own tasks - LDC 4-5 Template Tasks (beginning on pg. 12)
4.RL.2.5 (DOK 3) After reading a teacher selected poem, students will identify the
structural elements and create an open response to tell how these features help
them understand the text.
4.RL.2.5 (DOK 3) After reading The Gift of Wali Dad , or a a teacher selected reader’s
theater, students will re-read Scene 1. Students will describe the dramatic elements
(settings, descriptions, dialogue, etc.) that make this a drama. Then, select one
element (verse or line) and write an open response to tell how this element
impacted the story.
4.RI.2.5 (DOK 3) After reading a text, discuss with a partner how the author presents
the information. Does he use chronology to tell the story? Comparison? Cause and
Effect? Refer to the text when you have your discussion.
4.RI.2.5 (DOK 3) After reading a teacher selected text, write an open response that
explains how the author uses the structure of events or information in the text to
help understanding. Be sure to refer to details when writing.
4.RI.2.5 (DOK 3) After reading the article, 10 Year old Texas Girl has a Growing
Lemonade Business, determine the overall text structure by citing key words as your
evidence.
4.RI.3.8.(DOK 3) After reading a teacher selected text, explain how the author uses
reasons and evidence to support his/her key points.
4.RI.3.8 (DOK 3) After reading a teacher selected persuasive text, students will create
an open response to explain how the evidence that the author gives supports the main
idea of the text.
4.RI.3.8 (DOK 3) After reading a teacher selected text, evaluate how the author uses
reasons and evidence to support his/her point.
Revised 1/5/2015
Wonders Unit 6 Week 4, Literature Anthology Pages 520-529
The Gifts of Wali Dad: A tale of India and Pakistan www.aaronshep.com 4.RI.3.8/4.RI.1.3 (DOK 3) After reading a NewsELA article on genetically modified
foods, students will form an opinion on the given topic. Through a debate, students
will state their opinion citing facts, reasons, and evidence from the text.
Week 4:
Published Product
(This time can also be used for remediation of skills and completion of extended
resources and optional texts)

Tools and Resources for Finding Optional Texts
Common Core Appendix on Poetry
Science Texts: The Parts of a Science Project
Social Studies Texts: When applicable
Document-Based Questions (DBQs)
This link will direct you to login to Moodle to access all DBQ documents
login/password is your district login/password
NEWSELA
NEWSELA is an innovative way to build reading comprehension with nonfiction
that's always relevant: daily news. Lexile is adjustable within text.
*The tasks provided are a sampling therefore additional tasks would be required to
ebscohost
ensure adequate practice and deepening of knowledge to ensure mastery of the
Under this link, use “Searchasaurus”
focus standards.
Login/Password is lakecounty
lexile.com
Lexile.com serves as a tool to assist teachers with verifying reading sources for
curriculum support.
Tools to measure text complexity (Vetting a text)
*Students should interact with the selected texts multiple times to master the
three focus reading standards within this unit. PLC’s should collaborate to
determine the order of instruction and strategies that support the learning goal.
Higher Order Questions
Link to Webb’s DOK Guide
*Question stems should be utilized to create text dependent questions to encourage close reading, speaking, listening, and writing throughout the unit.
4.RL.2.5 (DOK 3)
4.RI.2.5 (DOK 3)
4.RI.3.8 (DOK 3)
*What text structure(s) does the author employ?
Revised 1/5/2015
*How can you tell the difference between a
drama, prose, and poem?
*How do those structural elements impact the
poem/drama/prose?
*What text structure(s) does the author employ?
*How would you describe the structural
elements of the text?
*How would you describe the text structure of the
text?
*How does the text structure impact your
interpretation of the text?
*Which of the following best describes the structure
of the article?
*Which phrases and components of the article best
show the structure?
*How does the author support the points __ using
reasons and evidence?
*How does the author use facts, reasons, and
evidence to craft their argument?
*How well does the author explain and support the
idea __?
*What evidence does the author use to support the
idea that _____?
Additional Resources & Links
Marzano Proficiency Scales Bank
Writing Rubric – Informative/Explanatory
Writing Rubric - Opinion
Student Writing Examples by Grade Level
FSA Test Item Specifications 3rd Grade ELA Test Item Specifications
4th Grade ELA Test Item Specifications
5th Grade ELA Test Item Specifications
Revised 1/5/2015