Illinois 4th Grade ELA Standards

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RI.4 Reading: Informational Text

• Key Ideas and Details
  • RI.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
  • 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.
• Craft and Structure
  • 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.
  • 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.
• Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
  • RI.4.7 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.
  • RI.4.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
  • RI.4.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

RL.4 Reading: Literature

• 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.
  • RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
  • 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).
• Craft and Structure
  • 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.
  • 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.
• 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.
  • 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.

V.4 Vocabulary Interpretation and Use

• 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.
• 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).
• 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.
  • L.4.4.a Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
  • L.4.4.b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).
  • L.4.4.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.
• L.4.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • L.4.5.a Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.
  • L.4.5.b Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
  • L.4.5.c Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).
• L.4.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate 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).

W.4 Written Expression and Conventions and Knowledge of Language

• Text Types and Purposes
  • W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
    • W.4.1.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.
    • W.4.1.b Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
    • W.4.1.c Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).
    • W.4.1.d Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
  • W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
    • W.4.2.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.
    • W.4.2.b Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
    • W.4.2.c Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).
    • W.4.2.d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
    • W.4.2.e Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.
  • W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
    • W.4.3.a Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
    • W.4.3.b Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
    • W.4.3.c Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
    • W.4.3.d Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
    • W.4.3.e Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
• Production and Distribution of Writing
  • W.4.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.4.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
  • 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.
• Research to Build and Present Knowledge
  • W.4.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
  • 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.
  • W.4.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
    • W.4.9.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].”).
    • W.4.9.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”).
• Range of Writing
  • 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.