English Language Arts – Grade 4
Historic newspaper articles provide excellent material for use in lessons geared toward meeting Oregon Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (ELA). Below is a list of applicable Grade 4 ELA standards and lesson plans geared towards each – lessons are ideal for integrating reading, writing, and literacy with Oregon history topics covered in Grade 4.
ELA.RI
ELA.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.
ELA.RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
ELA.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.
ELA.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.
ELA.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 the understanding of the text in which it appears.
ELA.RI.4.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
ELA.RI.4.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
ELA.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.
ELA.RL
ELA.RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
ELA.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.)
ELA.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 literatures from different cultures.
ELA.L
ELA.L.4.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
ELA.L.4.5a Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.
ELA.W
ELA.W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
ELA.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
- Introduction to Speleology: Three Great Caves of Oregon
- Oregon’s First People: Native American Barter and Exchange
ELA.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
ELA.W.4.4 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.)
- Beaver Myth
- Douglas Fir Tree: Figurative Language
- Oregon’s First People: Native American Barter and Exchange
ELA.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 on page 29.)
- Beaver Myth
- Douglas Fir Tree: Figurative Language
- Oregon’s First People: Native American Barter and Exchange
ELA.W.4.6 With some guidance and support from adults, use technology—including the internet—to produce and publish writing, as well as interact and collaborate with others’ demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single setting.
ELA.W.4.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
ELA.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.
ELA.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.
ELA.SL
ELA.SL.4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
- Abigail Scott Duniway and Women’s Suffrage
- Introduction to Speleology: Three Great Caves of Oregon
- Oregon’s First Resource Industry: Fur Trade and Beaver Ecology
ELA.SL.4.1a 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.
ELA.SL.4.1b Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
ELA.SL.4.1c Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.
ELA.SL.4.4 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.
- Beaver Myth
- Bounty of the Sea: Salmon in Oregon
- Oregon’s First People: Native American Barter and Exchange
- Playing with Comics
ELA.SL.4.5 Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.