I Can Statements for ELA
The following document was developed by North Dakota educators to provide assistance to teachers implementing the North Dakota Common
Core Standards. Each standard has been broken up into specific “I Can” Statements, which detail the specific knowledge and skills that students
should master. The adjacent blank columns provide space for teachers to use in a variety of ways, including planning for each quarter of the
school year or tracking individual student mastery on each standard. Also included are notes on the content of the standards, example tasks that
address the standards, and related vocabulary terms.
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Ask and Answer Questions
Standard: 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.
I Can:
 Use the details and examples in
the text to explain or infer
meaning
Vocabulary:
Inferences
Draft – NDCT October 2011
-
A conclusion or opinion that draws on known facts, evidence,
or intuition to fill in missing information. *
Notes:
 Comprehension strategies
supported in this standard
include making inferences.
Tasks:
 Keep a chart of information
with what they learned about
seasons and weather, at home
and far away. As the chart is
filled in, use the information to
talk about what was learned
from nonfiction books and/or
weather channel/kids.com
either explicitly read or
inferred.
2
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Retell Stories
Standard: RL.4.2
Determine a theme of a story,
drama, or poem from details in the
text; summarize the text.
Vocabulary:
Theme
Drama
Main Idea
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Determine the main idea of what I
read and explain to my teacher or
a peer using details from the text.
 Create a summary of the
information without telling every
detail
-A topic of discussion or writing: a major, recurring or unifying idea
that may be stated or implied
- A text intended to portray life or a character to tell a story usually to
convey life or emotions.
- The primary topic of a passage whether explicitly expressed or
implied. Interchangeable with central message.
Notes:
 Comprehension strategies
supported in this standard
include synthesizing
Tasks:
 Students will independently or
in small groups complete
graphic organizers to show
how key details support the
main idea.
 Using this graphic organizer,
students can summarize the
text.
3
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Story Elements
Standard: 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).
I Can:
 Use specific events and ideas
from the informational reading
that I do to explain what
happened and why.
Vocabulary:
Character
A person represented in a story.
Drama
- A text intended to portray life or a character to tell a story usually to
convey life or emotions.
Draft – NDCT October 2011

Major character: A character who plays a major role in a story but
is not the protagonist.
Minor character: A character who appears in a story but does not play
a major role.*
Notes:
 Comprehension strategies
supported in this standard
include determining
importance and making
inferences.
Tasks:
 Students will participate in a
scientific experiment. Before
the investigation, each student
creates their personal
hypothesis.
 As a class, read a hypothesis
written by an outside source.
 After participation in the
investigation, students explain
what happened and why
incorporating information from
the shared hypothesis.
4
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Craft and Structure
Topic: Word Meaning within Text
Standard: 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).
Vocabulary:
Myth (Mythology)
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Make meaning of words and
phrases, when reading about
characters in a myth, by using
clues found within the story.
Notes:
Tasks:
 After reading a section of text
containing character
description, determine the
qualities of that character
based on the meaning of the
words or phrases used.
- A story in a mythology that is based on tradition or legend, which
were once believed to be true by a particular cultural group. These
served to explain (in terms of the intentions and actions of
supernatural beings) why the world is as it is and why things happen
as they do. Myths also established the rationale for social customs,
observances, rules, and sanctions.
5
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Craft and Structure
Topic: Text Structure
Standard: 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.
I Can:
 Tell my teacher or a friend about
the different parts of poems and
plays that I read.
Notes:
Tasks:
 After reading a poem, students
will complete graphic
organizers to assist in
comparing different structures
or details.
 After reading a play, students
will complete graphic
organizers to assist in
comparing different structures
or details.
Vocabulary:
Drama-
- A text intended to portray life or a character to tell a story usually to
convey life or emotions.
Prose
- Written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without the rhythmic
or structure of poetry
Draft – NDCT October 2011
6
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Craft and Structure
Topic: Point of View
Standard: RL.4.6
Compare and contrast the points of
view from which different stories are
narrated, including the difference
between first- and third-person
narrations.
Vocabulary:
First-person
Third-person
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Compare and contrast the point
of view of the stories I read.
 Tell the difference between first
and third-person.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Retell a story shared in class
from another point of view
(i.e., if it’s in first person, retell
it in third; if it’s in third person,
retell it in first).
The perspective or perspectives established by an author through which the
reader is presented with the characters, actions, setting, and events that
constitute the narrative in a work of fiction. There are multiple modes of point
of view, including:
 First-person narration: A narrative mode where a story is told by one
character at a time, speaking for and about himself or herself. The
narrator may be a minor character observing the action or the main
protagonist of the story. A first-person narrator may be reliable or
unreliable.
 First-person perspective: The perspective implicit in first-person
narration, intimate on the one hand and circumscribed on the other.
 Third-person narration: A narrative mode in which a story is told by a
narrator who relates all action in third person, using third-person
pronouns such as he or she.
Third-person omniscience: A method of storytelling in which the narrator
knows the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in the story, as
opposed to third person limited, which adheres closely to the thoughts and
feelings of a single character.*
7
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Topic: Visuals and Text
Standard: RL.4.7
I Can:
 Make connections between
different text types.
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
Vocabulary:
Drama
Draft – NDCT October 2011
- A text intended to portray life or a character to tell a story usually to
convey life or emotions.
Notes:
 For example, make
connections between the
same story through different
media formats (e.g., book,
movie, play, poetry, song).
Tasks:
 Students should have
opportunities to compare and
contrast various text types.
This should be explicitly
taught, practiced and
assessed on an on-going
basis through mini-lessons,
feedback from different
audiences and one-on-one
conferences.
8
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic:
Standard: RL.4.8
I Can:
Notes:
Not applicable to literature
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
Tasks:
9
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Topic: Compare and Contrast
Standard: 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.
I Can:
 Compare and contrast stories
and myths from different cultures.
 Discuss how themes and events
are similar from one story to
another.
Notes:
 Comprehension strategies
supported in this standard
include making connections.
Tasks:
 Compare and contrast how the
earth and sky are treated in
Native American stories.
Vocabulary:
Theme
Draft – NDCT October 2011
-
A topic of discussion or writing: a major, recurring or unifying
idea that may be stated or implied
10
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Literature
Cluster: Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
Topic: Text Complexity
Standard: 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.
I Can:
 Read and understand stories at
my grade level.
 Read a variety of informational
texts at many levels with and
without the support of my
teacher.
 Read a variety of informational
texts as needed at the high end
of my range.
Vocabulary:
Text complexity band
Draft – NDCT October 2011
A range of text difficulty corresponding to grade spans within the
Standards; specifically, the spans from grades 2–3, grades 4–5,
grades 6–8, grades 9–10, and grades 11–CCR (college and career
readiness). Text complexity includes Lexile scores. See Appendix A.**
Notes:
 See Appendix A pages 2-16
for additional information
about complexity band.
Tasks:
 The range of reading may
include: biographies and
autobiographies; books about
history, social studies, science
and the arts; technical text,
including directions, forms,
and information displayed in
graphs, charts, or maps; and
digital sources on a range of
topics. A wide range of
reading will build background
knowledge, vocabulary and
concepts.
 Students create journals with
key vocabulary words or
phrases.
 Students keep a reading log of
the variety of informational
text.
 Students will read a variety of
informational texts to build
background knowledge,
vocabulary and concepts
11
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
throughout the year. Students
will journal their log of
informational reading and key
vocabulary terms.
Draft – NDCT October 2011
12
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Ask and Answer Questions
to Build Inferences
Standard: RI.4.1
I Can:
 Use the details and examples in
the text to explain or infer
meaning
Refer to details and examples in a
text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
Vocabulary:
Inferences
Draft – NDCT October 2011
- A conclusion or opinion that draws on known facts, evidence, or
intuition to fill in missing information. *
Notes:
 RI.4.1: Comprehension
strategies supported in this
standard include making
inferences.
Tasks:
 Keep a chart of information
with the learned about
seasons and weather, at home
and far away. As the chart is
filled in, use the information to
talk about what was learned
from nonfiction books and/or
weather channel/kids.com
either explicitly read or
inferred.
13
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Main Topic/Idea and Key
Details
Standard: RI.4.2
Determine the main idea of a text
and explain how it is supported by
key details; summarize the text.
I Can:
 Determine the main idea of what I
read and explain to my teacher or
a peer using details from the text.
 Create a summary of the
information without telling every
detail.
Vocabulary:
Main Idea
Draft – NDCT October 2011
The primary topic of a passage whether explicitly expressed or
implied. Interchangeable with central message.
Notes:
 RI. 3–5.2: Comprehension
strategies supported in this
standard include synthesizing
information.
Tasks:
 Students will independently or
in small groups complete
graphic organizers to show
how key details support the
main idea.
 Using this graphic organizer,
students can summarize the
text.
14
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Connections and
Relationships in Informational Text
Standard: RI.4.3
Explain events, procedures, ideas,
or concepts in a historical, scientific,
or technical text, including what
happened and why, based on
specific information in the text.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Use specific events and ideas
from the informational reading
that I do to explain what
happened and why.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Students will participate in a
scientific experiment. Before
the investigation, each student
creates their personal
hypothesis.
 As a class, read a hypothesis
written by an outside source.
 After participation in the
investigation, students explain
what happened and why
incorporating information from
the shared hypothesis.
15
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Craft and Structure
Topic: Word Meaning
Standard: RI.4.4
Determine the meaning of general
academic and domain-specific
words or phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
I Can:
 Determine the meaning of words
when I read aloud science, social
studies or other non-fiction grade
level texts.
 Use many resources in my
classroom and at home to find
definitions.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Support student academic
vocabulary through word
walls, student created
dictionaries, dictionary skills,
use of picture vocabulary
cards, incorporating academic
vocabulary into writing, etc
Vocabulary:
Domain-specific words
Draft – NDCT October 2011
-Vocabulary specific to a particular field of study (domain), such as the
human body (CCSS, p. 32); in the Standards, domain-specific words
and phrases are analogous to Tier Three words (Language, p. 36)**
16
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Craft and Structure
Topic: Text Features and Structures
Standard: RI.4.5
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.
I Can:
 Describe the sequence of events,
cause and effect or problem and
solution in informational texts that
I read.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Students will complete a
graphic organizer focusing on
cause/effect while reading a
non-fiction text independently,
with a partner or in a small
group
Vocabulary:
Chronological
Draft – NDCT October 2011
-
Arranged in order of time of occurrence.
17
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Craft and Structure
Topic: Author’s/Illustrator’s Purpose
and Point of View
Standard: RI.4.6
Compare and contrast a firsthand
and secondhand account of the
same event or topic; describe the
differences in focus and the
information provided.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Compare and contrast a firsthand
account and I secondhand
account of the same historical
event or topic.
 Describe the differences of these
two accounts.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Have students read two
accounts of the Battle of Little
Big Horn. Through discussion,
compare and contrast the
different perspectives of which
each story is told (General
Custer versus Sitting Bull).
How do their perspectives
change your view of this
historical event?
 To compare and contrast
firsthand and secondhand
accounts, students can read
an informational account from
a participant of the battle and
compare this to a secondhand
account of the same battle
from their textbook.
18
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Topic: Visuals Support
Comprehension
Standard: RI.4.7
Interpret information presented
visually, orally, or quantitatively
(e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams,
timelines, animations, or interactive
elements on Web pages) and
explain how the information
contributes to an understanding of
the text in which it appears.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Interpret the nonfiction features
and explain how the information
helps my understanding of the
text.
Notes:
 4. RI.7: Comprehension
strategies supported in this
standard include determining
importance, synthesizing
information, and making
connections; quantitative
information includes tables,
charts, and graphs.
Tasks:
 Students will independently or
in pairs complete graphic
organizers to collect relevant
information from informational
texts. (eg. magazines,
biography, web pages,
diagrams etc.) Students will
use the information gathered
to create a summary.
19
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Topic: Author’s Supporting Points
Standard: RI.4.8
Explain how an author uses reasons
and evidence to support particular
points in a text.
I Can:
 Explain the sequence of events,
cause and effect or problem and
solution when comparing and
contrasting two or more
informational texts.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Students will complete a
graphic organizer focusing on
cause/effect while will reading
a non-fiction text
independently, with a partner
or in a small group.
Vocabulary:
Evidence
Draft – NDCT October 2011
Facts, figures, details, quotations, or other sources of data and
information that provide support for claims or an analysis and that can
be evaluated by others; should appear in a form and be derived from a
source widely accepted as appropriate to a particular discipline, as in
details or quotations from a text in the study of literature and
experimental results in the study of science**
20
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Topic: Compare and Contrast
Standard: RI.4.9
Integrate information from two texts
on the same topic in order to write or
speak about the subject
knowledgeably.
I Can:
 Compare and contrast multiple
accounts of the same historical
event or topic.
 Describe the important similarities
and differences in point of view.
Notes:
 3–4.RI.9: Comprehension
strategies supported in this
standard include making
connections, determining
importance, and synthesizing
information.
Tasks:
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
21
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Reading Informational Texts
Cluster: Range of Reading and Text Complexity
Topic: Text Complexity
Standard: RI.4.10
By the end of the year, read and
comprehend 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.
I Can:
 Read and understand
informational texts at my grade
level.
 Read a variety of informational
texts at many levels with and
without the support of my
teacher.
 Read a variety of informational
texts as needed at the high end
of my range.
Notes:
 3–5.RI.10: See Appendix A,
pages 2–16 for information
about complexity band.
Tasks:
Vocabulary:
Text complexity band
Draft – NDCT October 2011
A range of text difficulty corresponding to grade spans within the
Standards; specifically, the spans from grades 2–3, grades 4–5,
grades 6–8, grades 9–10, and grades 11–CCR (college and career
readiness). Text complexity includes Lexile scores. See Appendix A.**
22
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Foundational Skills
Cluster: Phonics and Word Recognition
Topic: Decoding Words/Phonics
Standard: RF.4.3
Know and apply grade-level phonics
and word analysis skills in decoding
words. 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.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Use word decoding strategies to
read unfamiliar words.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Students sort prefixes and
suffixes with common base
and root words.
 Students create words based
on meaning (e.g., It was not
opened, it was unopened. It
was not zipped, it was
unzipped.)
 Students segment multisyllabic words into syllable
types.
 Students highlight prefixes,
inflectional and derivational
suffixes in a passage.
23
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Foundational Skills
Cluster: Fluency
Topic: Accuracy, Fluency and
Comprehension
Standard: RF.4.4
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 selfcorrect word recognition and
understanding, rereading as
necessary.
I Can:
 Read with purpose and
understanding.
 Read prose and poetry aloud with
accuracy, rate and expression.
 Use context to know if I am
reading accurately and can selfcorrect when necessary.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Provide students multiple
opportunities to practice fluent
reading through readers’
theater, poetry, re-reading
familiar texts.
 Practice with a peer, etc.
Vocabulary:
prose
Draft – NDCT October 2011
Written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without the rhythmic
or structure of poetry
24
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Text Types and Purposes
Topic: Opinion/Argument
Standard: W.4.1
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.
I Can:
 Include my opinion within the
introduction of the topic when
writing an argument.
 Organize my ideas when writing
an argument.
 Support my opinion with facts and
details when writing an argument.
 Link opinion and reasons when
writing an argument.
 Write a concluding statement or
paragraph to support my opinion
when writing an argument.
Notes:
 W.3-5.1: See Appendix A,
pages 23-25 for more
information about writing
arguments.
Tasks:
 Writing and argument should
be taught, practiced and
assessed on an on-going
basis through mini-lessons,
feedback from different
audiences and one-on-one
conferences.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
25
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Text Types and Purposes
Topic: Informative/Explanatory
Writing
Standard: W.4.2
Write informative/explanatory texts
to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic clearly and
group related information in
paragraphs and sections; include
formatting (e.g., headings),
illustrations, and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with facts,
definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and
examples related to the topic.
c. Link ideas within categories of
information using words and
phrases (e.g., another, for example,
also, because).
d. Use precise language and
domain-specific vocabulary to inform
about or explain the topic.
e. Provide a concluding statement or
section related to the information or
explanation presented.
Vocabulary:
Domain specific vocabulary
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Introduce an informational topic
clearly and organized information
in paragraphs and sections.
 Include informational text
features and multimedia to help
my reader to better understand
my message.
Example: Informational research
on ND Regions, students may
use a combination of multimedia
resources (e.g. audio files, video,
web sites, etc.) when sharing
their information.
 Use facts, definitions, details,
quotations and examples to
develop an informational topic.
 Link ideas when writing an
informational piece
 Use topic specific language and
vocabulary to better inform my
reader.
 Write a concluding statement or
paragraph to support my topic
when writing an informational
piece
Notes:
Tasks:
 Informative/explanatory writing
should be taught, practiced
and assessed on an on-going
basis through mini-lessons,
feedback from different
audiences and one-on-one
conferences
Vocabulary specific to a particular field of study (domain), such as the
human body (CCSS, p. 32); in the Standards, domain-specific words
and phrases are analogous to Tier Three words (Language, p. 36)**
26
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Text Types and Purposes
Topic: Narrative
Standard: W.4.3
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.
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Introduce my reader to the topic
by clearly identifying the
characters, setting, plot, narrator,
sensory details, and sequence of
events.
 Describe experiences and events
through character dialogue
helping my reader to better
understand.
 Use a variety of transitional
words and phrases to organize
the sequence of events.
 Use specific words or phrases
and sensory details to describe
experiences and events in
narrative writing.
 Write a clear conclusion when
writing a narrative piece.
Notes:
 3–5.W.3: See Appendix A,
page 23 for more information
about writing narratives.
Tasks:
 Narrative writing should be
taught, practiced and
assessed on an on-going
basis through mini-lessons,
feedback from different
audiences and one-on-one
conferences.
27
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
Vocabulary:
Narrator
Narrative
Draft – NDCT October 2011
The narrator is the person who relates an account or story dealing with
sequences of events and experiences. The narrator can be a
character in the story or a voice outside the action.*
A collection of events that tells a story, which may be true or not,
placed in a particular order and recounted through either telling or
writing. Most novels and short stories are placed into the categories of
first-person and third-person narratives, which imply a particular
narrator (a character in the story, or an outsider, known or unknown)
and his or her perspective. Related terms include “narrative poetry,”
which is poetry that tells a story, and “narrative technique,” which
means how one tells a story. *
28
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Production and Distribution of Writing
Topic: Production
Standard: W.4.4
Produce clear and coherent writing
in which the development and
organization are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (Gradespecific expectations for writing
types are defined in standards 1-3).
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Produce clear, organized writing,
or many types, that includes task,
purpose and audience.
Notes:
Tasks:
 The modes (i.e. persuasive,
narrative and explanatory) of
writing essential for fourth
grade should be taught,
practiced and assessed on an
on-going basis through minilessons, feedback from
different audiences and oneon-one conferences.
29
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Production and Distribution of Writing
Topic: Plan/Revise/Edit
Standard: W.4.5
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).
I Can:
 With guidance and support from
peers and adults, develop and
strengthen my writing by
planning, revising and editing.
Tasks:
 Planning, Revising and Editing
of writing should be taught,
practiced and assessed on an
on-going basis through minilessons, feedback from
different audiences and oneon-one conferences.
Vocabulary:
Revise
To alter something already written or printed, in order to make
corrections, improve, or update. Revision may affect the structure and
ideas of a work as well as the details.
Edit
To improve the clarity, organization, concision, and correctness of a
piece of writing relative to task, purpose, and audience; compared to
revising, editing is a smaller-scale activity often associated with word
choice, grammar, punctuation, and syntax.
Draft – NDCT October 2011
Notes:
 W 3–5.5: Comprehension
strategies supported in this
standard include determining
importance.
30
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Text Types and Purposes
Topic: Technology Integration
Standard: W.4.6
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;
demonstrate sufficient command of
keyboarding skills to type a
minimum of one page in a single
sitting.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 With help from adults, use
technology to produce and
publish my writing..
 With help from adults, use
technology (e.g. email, blogs,
Skype, etc.) to communicate with
others.
 A minimum of one page in one
sitting.
Notes:
Tasks:
 The skills required for
technology integrations should
be taught, practiced and
assessed on an on-going
basis through mini-lessons,
one-on-one conferences, and
peer and/or small group
feedback.
 Teachers provide a rubric to
inform students of assignment
expectations.
 Teachers provide models of
published writings as
examples of expectations
 Possible topics can be
selected from the Social
Studies and Science
Standards.
31
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Topic: Research
Standard: W.4.7
Conduct short research projects that
build knowledge through
investigation of different aspects of a
topic.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Research and investigate a topic
to gain knowledge and
understanding.
Notes:
 3. W.7: Comprehension
strategies supported in this
standard include determining
importance.
Tasks:
 Research writing is a process
in which the writer identifies a
topic or question to be
answered.
 The writer locates and
evaluates information about
the topic or question, and then
organizes, summarizes, and
synthesizes the information
into a finished product.
 Students will paraphrase
information from source(s) and
organize it into a meaningful
sequence.
32
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Production and Distribution of Writing
Topic: Determine Importance and
Organize Information
Standard: W.4.8
Recall relevant information from
experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital
sources; take notes and categorize
information, and provide a list of
sources.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Recall and gather important
information from print and digital
sources.
 Take notes and organize
information and list the sources
that I have used.
Notes:
 3–5.W.8: Comprehension
strategies supported in this
standard include making
connections, determining
importance, and synthesizing
information.
Tasks:
 Writing and argument should
be taught, practiced and
assessed on an on-going
basis through mini-lessons,
feedback from different
audiences and one-on-one
conferences.
33
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Production and Distribution of Writing
Topic: Gathering Relevant
Information
Standard: W.4.9
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.").
Vocabulary:
Setting
I Can:
 Gather information from literary or
informational texts to support my
analysis, reflection and research
on my topic.
The time and place in which a narrative takes place; the physical and
psychological background against which the action of a story takes
place; the scenery and stage effects for a dramatic production.

Draft – NDCT October 2011
Environment: The surrounding things, conditions, and influences
in the narrative.
Notes:
 4–5.W.9: Comprehension
strategies supported in this
standard include synthesizing
information and making
connections
Tasks:
 The writer’s response is the
reaction to a literary or
informational selection and is
supported by evidence. Fiction
or non-fiction text response
includes the writer’s
interpretation, analysis,
opinion, and/ or feelings about
the text and selected elements
within it. The response will
demonstrate an understanding
of the selection and includes
evidence and details from the
text.
 Analysis: Students compare &
contrast, show cause & effect,
categorize, or sequence a
selected text. The response
demonstrates an
understanding of the selection
and includes evidence and
34
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements


Place: The physical location of the narrative.
Time: The period or era in which the narrative takes place.


Draft – NDCT October 2011
details from the text.
Reflection: Students use a
journal entry or book review to
provide their personal
emotional reaction to a
selected text.
Research: Students restate,
explain or define the facts from
the text.
35
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Writing
Cluster: Range of Writing
Topic: Active Writing
Standard: W.4.10
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.
I Can:
 Write for extended periods of time
for many tasks, purposes and
audiences.
Vocabulary:
Revision
Draft – NDCT October 2011
To alter something already written or printed, in order to make
corrections, improve, or update. Revision may affect the structure and
ideas of a work as well as the details.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Discipline-specific tasks may
be narratives, opinion pieces,
informative/explanatory,
journals, friendly and formal
letters, logs, diaries, functional
text, instructions, recipes,
procedures, posters, poetry,
etc.
Examples of time
management strategies:
 Teachers provide a framework to assist students in
using time management skills.
 Timer set for a specific amount
of time.
 Music playing in background
while writing occurs.
 Specific time-limited
assignment of completing the
outline, or 1st draft, or re-write.
36
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Speaking and Listening
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Ask and Answer Questions
Standard: SL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a
text when explaining what the text
says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text
I Can:
 Quote accurately from the text to
explain or infer meaning
 Use the details and examples in
the text to explain or infer
meaning
 Use the details and examples in
the text from what I read to
explain the meaning of the text
 Use details from the text to
explain what I read
Notes:
Tasks:
 Keep a chart of information
with the learned about
seasons and weather, at home
and far away. As the chart is
filled in, use the information to
talk about what was learned
from nonfiction books and/or
weather channel/kids.com
either explicitly read or inferred
Vocabulary:
Inferences
Draft – NDCT October 2011
A conclusion or opinion that draws on known facts, evidence, or
intuition to fill in missing information. *
37
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Speaking and Listening
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Main Topic/Idea and Key
details
Standard: SL.4.2
I Can:
 Listen and retell important
information
Determine the main idea of a text
and explain how it is supported by
key details; summarize the text
Vocabulary:
Main Idea
The primary topic of a passage whether explicitly expressed or
implied. Interchangeable with central message.
Key Details
Pieces of information that is essential to the plot of a story or to
informational text. *
Draft – NDCT October 2011
Notes:
Tasks:
 Students should be given
several opportunities to listen
to teachers, peers, etc. read
as well as listening to
multimedia presentations.
Paraphrasing be explicitly
taught, practiced on an ongoing basis through minilessons, feedback from
different audiences and oneon-one conferences.
38
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Speaking and Listening
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Topic: Listen and respond
Standard: SL.4.3
Identify the reasons and evidence a
speaker provides to support
particular points
I Can:
 Identify the reasons to support
particular points from a
presentation.
Vocabulary:
Evidence
Draft – NDCT October 2011
Facts, figures, details, quotations, or other sources of data and
information that provide support for claims or an analysis and that can
be evaluated by others; should appear in a form and be derived from a
source widely accepted as appropriate to a particular discipline, as in
details or quotations from a text in the study of literature and
experimental results in the study of science**
Notes:
Tasks:
 Students should be given
several opportunities identify
important information from oral
presentations. Determining
importance and finding details
should be explicitly taught,
practiced on an on-going basis
through mini-lessons,
feedback from others, and
one-on-one conferences.
39
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Speaking and Listening
Cluster: Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Topic: Oral Expression
Standard: SL.4.4
Report on a 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.
I Can:
 Present on a topic in an
organized manner, using details
to support my topic.
 Speak clearly at an
understandable pace while
presenting my information.
Vocabulary:
Main idea
Draft – NDCT October 2011
The primary topic of a passage whether explicitly expressed or
implied. Interchangeable with central message.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Provide students multiple
opportunities to prepare
organized presentations.
Students should explore ideas
such as graphic organizers,
story maps, flowcharts, etc. to
develop their ideas.
 Provide opportunities for
students to practice oral
presenting in front of various
audiences, receiving feedback
on clarity, rate and
presentation topic.
40
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Speaking and Listening
Cluster: Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Topic: Oral Expression
Standard: SL.4.5
Add audio recordings and visual
displays to presentations when
appropriate to enhance the
development of main idea or
themes.
I Can:
 Use multimedia and visuals in
presentations to help support my
topics.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Provide students multiple
opportunities to prepare
organized presentations that
include practice with
multimedia and visual support
of chosen topic.
Vocabulary:
Main Idea
Draft – NDCT October 2011
The primary topic of a passage whether explicitly expressed or
implied. Interchangeable with central message.
41
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Speaking and Listening
Cluster: Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Topic: Oral Expression
Standard: SL.4.6
Differentiate between contexts that
call for formal English (e.g.;
presenting ideas) and situations
where informal discourse is
appropriate (e.g.; small-group
discussion): use formal English
when appropriate to task and
situation.
I Can:
 Choose the appropriate way to
express my thoughts (formal or
informal register) during
presentations.
Notes:
 See grade 4 Language
standards 1 and 3 for specific
expectations.
Tasks:
 Provide students multiple
opportunities to practice fluent
reading through readers’
theater, poetry, re-reading
familiar texts. Practice with a
peer, etc.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
42
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Language
Cluster: Conventions of Standard English
Topic: Grammar Usage
Standard: 4.L.1
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
a. Use relative pronouns (who,
whose, whom, which, that) and
relative adverbs (where, when, why).
b. Form and use the progressive
(e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I
will be walking) verb tenses.
c. Use modal auxiliaries (e.g., can,
may, must) to convey various
conditions.
d. Order adjectives within sentences
according to conventional patterns
(e.g., “a small red bag” rather than
“a red small bag”).
e. Form and use prepositional
phrases.
f. Produce complete sentences,
recognizing and correcting
inappropriate fragments and runons.
g. Correctly use frequently confused
words (e.g., to, too, two; there,
their).
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Use relative pronouns to join
clauses together.
Example: This is the house that
Jack built. (versus “This is a
house. Jack built this house.” )
 Use relative pronouns when
referring to something or
someone that has been
mentioned.
Example: The girl whose mother
lives next door to us works at the
hospital.
 Use correct verb tense when
speaking and writing (there are
six tenses).
Example: I am studying Math.
I will be studying Math.
I was studying Math.
I have been studying Math.
I had been studying Math.
I will have been studying Math
 Use verb phrases correctly to
express a need or for something
to be considered.Example: We
must go to the grocery store. We
might go to the zoo.
 Correctly use lists of adjectives
when describing a noun when I
Notes:
Tasks:
 Teachers provide sentences,
phrases or passages for
students to identify and correct
errors.
 Teachers provide sentencestems for students to practice
correct Standard English
grammar orally and in writing.
 Teachers create word
walls/resource walls of
common conventions for easy
resource
43
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements



speak or in my writing.
Examples: I need to buy a dozen,
large, brown eggs at the store.
The delicious, ripe, Washington
apples were ready for picking.
Use prepositional phrases to add
details and clarity when I speak
or in my writing.
Example: She is on the computer.
David walked down the ramp.
Sherri ate in the kitchen.
Create complete sentences and
fix sentences that may be
incomplete or run-on.
Correctly use homophones when
I speak and in my writing.
Definitions
Relative pronoun
Simple and Perfect verb tense
Modal Auxiliaries
Order Adjectives
Prepositional phrases
Complete sentences
Homophones
Draft – NDCT October 2011
Relative pronouns refer to a noun mentioned before and of which we are adding more information. They are
used to join two or more sentences and forming in that way what we call “relative sentences”.
Both simple and perfect verb tenses can also be made into progressive verb forms. Sometimes they are
also called continuous. That just means that they show an action that is in progress or that is continuing.
Modal Auxiliaries or Helping Verbs such as will, shall, may, might, can, could, must, etc. are used with main
verbs to express a possibility or necessity.
When using adjectives to describe a noun there is a specific order in which the orders are to be used
(Adjective Order: 1. Quantity or Number 2. Quality or Opinion 3. Size 4. Age 5. Shape 6. Color 7. Proper
Adjective 8. Purpose or Qualifier).
Prepositional phrases give more information about nouns and verbs.
A complete sentence consists of a subject and a predicate.
A word with a different origin, meaning, but having the same pronunciation as another word, whether or not
it is spelled alike, for instance, wood and would, or to, two, and too.
44
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Language
Cluster: Conventions of Standard English
Topic: Capitalization, Punctuation
and Spelling
Standard: L.4.2
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
a. Use correct capitalization.
b. Use commas and quotation marks
to mark direct speech and
quotations from a text.
c. Use a comma before a
coordinating conjunction in a
compound sentence.
d. Spell grade-appropriate words
correctly, consulting references as
needed.
I Can:
 Correctly use capitalization rules
when writing
 Correctly use commas and
quotation marks to show when
someone is talking.
 Correctly use a comma before
conjunctions to correctly bring
two related thoughts together.
 Spell grade level words correctly
and use a spelling reference
when needed.
Notes:
Tasks:
 These skills should be taught,
practiced and assessed on an
on-going basis through minilessons, author studies,
feedback from different
audiences and one-on-one
conferences.
Definitions:
Coordinating conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions connect phrases to one another.
Standard English
In the Standards, the most widely accepted and understood form of
expression in English in the United States; used in the Standards to
refer to formal English writing and speaking; the particular focus of
Draft – NDCT October 2011
45
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
Language standards 1 and 2**
Draft – NDCT October 2011
46
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Language
Cluster: Knowledge of Language
Topic: Conventions of Language
Standard: L.4.3
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).
I Can:
 Choose appropriate words and
phrases to express my ideas
clearly.
 Choose punctuation to help me to
effectively express my ideas.
 Decide when I need to
communicate in a more formal
manner and when more casual
communication with friends or in
a small group is appropriate.
Notes:
Tasks:
 These speaking and
presentation type skills should
be taught, practiced and
assessed on an on-going basis
through mini-lessons, feedback
from different audiences and
one-on-one conferences.
Vocabulary:
Draft – NDCT October 2011
47
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Language
Cluster: Knowledge of Language
Topic: Word Meanings
Standard: L.4.4
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.
Vocabulary:
Affix
Homophones
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Use word strategies to
understand the meaning of words
or phrases when I read.
 Use Greek and Latin affixes and
roots to help me create meaning
when I read.
 Use reference materials to find
the pronunciation and meaning of
key words and phrases.
Notes:
Tasks:
 Through modeled and shared
reading, teachers model
multiple ways of discovering
the meaning of words or
phrases that may be unknown
to the reader.
 Students need explicit teaching
on using reference materials,
word attack skills (including
Greek and Latin Roots) and
practice with this in Small
Group and Independent
Reading.
A morpheme that changes the meaning or function of a root or stem to
which it is attached, such as the prefix ad- and the suffix -ing in
adjoining.*
A word with a different origin, meaning, but having the same
48
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
pronunciation as another word, whether or not it is spelled alike, for
instance, wood and would, or to, two, and too.
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Language
Cluster: Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage
Topic: Word Relationships and
Nuances
Standard: L.4.5
Demonstrate understanding of
figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
a. Explain the meaning of simple
similes and metaphors (e.g., as
pretty as a picture) in context.
b. Recognize and explain the
meaning of common idioms,
adages, and proverbs.
c. Demonstrate understanding of
words by relating them to their
opposites (antonyms) and to words
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Explain the meaning of similes
and metaphors.
 Recognize and explain the
meaning of idioms, adages and
proverbs.
 Explain the meaning of words by
relating them to their synonyms
and antonyms
Notes:
Tasks:
 Through read-aloud stories,
teacher modeling, and active
engagement, students will
further develop their
understanding of figurative
language. Students will
interpret words in many
contexts.
 Students highlight and discuss
figurative language as it is
encountered in text.

Students research the origins
49
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
with similar but not identical
meanings (synonyms).
Definitions:
Adage
of selected idioms to reinforce
their meanings.
An adage is a short but memorable or traditional saying that is
accepted by many as true or partially true.
Examples: The grass is greener on the other side of the fence. An
apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Proverb
A proverb is a short popular saying that expresses a wise thought.
Examples: A stitch in nine saves time. A friend in need is a friend
indeed.
Idiom
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the
individual word meanings but must be inferred as a whole expression.
Similes
A figure of speech or other direct comparison of two things that are
dissimilar, using the words like or as (or other words of comparison).*
Metaphors
A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between
two unlike things that actually have something in common.
Synonym
A word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another word
or other words.*
Antonym
A word opposite in meaning to another word.*
Draft – NDCT October 2011
50
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
North Dakota Grade 4 Common Core …The Next Generation
Strand: Language
Cluster: Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage
Topic: Vocabulary Development
Standard: L.4.6
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases,
including those that signal precise
actions, emotions, or states of being
(e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered)
and that are basic to a particular
topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation,
and endangered when discussing
animal preservation).
Vocabulary:
Domain-specific
General Academic
Draft – NDCT October 2011
I Can:
 Build my vocabulary of gradelevel, and subject words.
 Use these words to communicate
descriptively about particular
topics.
Vocabulary specific to a particular field of study (domain), such as the
human body (CCSS, p. 32); in the Standards, domain-specific words
and phrases are analogous to Tier Three words (Language, p. 36)**
Notes:
Tasks:
 Students highlight specific
academic or Strand words
and phrases in selected
text.
 Teachers explicitly teach
signal words (e.g., in
conclusion, however, in
addition) academic words
(e.g., identify, illustrate,
retrieve) and strand-specific
words (e.g., hypothesis,
photosynthesis, volcano).
 Teachers create focus walls
to emphasize different
categories of words (signal,
academic, strand-specific).
Vocabulary common to written texts but not commonly a part of
speech; in the Standards, general academic words and phrases are
analogous to Tier Two words and phrases (Appendix A, Language, p.
36)**
51
ELA Grade 4 I Can Statements
References
Arizona Department of Education. (2011). Arizona English language arts standards. Retrieved from
http://www.ade.az.gov/standards/contentstandards.asp
Common Core Curriculum Mapping Project. (2011). Common core curriculum maps: English language arts. Retrieved from
http://www.commoncore.org
Draft – NDCT October 2011
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