Grade 4 Reading Curriculum

Family-facing version of the grade 4 Reading curriculum

Quarterly Overview of Grade 4 Reading

The objectives and outcomes for each unit are common across FCPS and based on the Virginia Standards of Learning. The pacing by quarter and by week provides an example of how the curriculum can be organized throughout the year. Teacher teams may adjust the pacing or order of units to best meet the needs of students.

Units and Details

Unit 1: Building a Community of Readers

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules.
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas.
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly.
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others.
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others.
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work.
    • Work respectfully with others, and show value for individual contributions.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Describe how the choice of language, setting, and characters contributes to the development of plot.
    • Identify the theme(s).
    • Summarize events in the plot.
    • Identify the conflict and resolution.
    • Draw conclusions/make inferences about text using the text as support.
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension.
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression.

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints in with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Evaluate the choices the author makes to construct power, position, and perspective.
    • Use a variety of strategies including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/text based on categories.
    • Monitor reading and know what to do when understanding is not occurring.

Unit 2: Characters

Students will be able to:

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules.
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas. 
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly. 
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words. 
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words. 
    • Develop and use general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Describe how the choice of language, setting, and characters contributes to the development of plot. 
    • Identify the theme(s). 
    • Summarize events in the plot. 
    • Identify genres. 
    • Identify the narrator of a story and the speaker of a poem. 
    • Identify the conflict and resolution. 
    • Draw conclusions/make inferences about text using the text as support. 
    • Identify cause and effect relationships. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension.

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.  
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Evaluate the choices the author makes to construct power, position, and perspective.
    • Use a variety of strategies including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/text based on categories.
    • Monitor reading and know what to do when understanding is not occurring. 
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills. 
    • Increase the number of known words.

Unit 3: Poetry

Students will be able to:

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules. 
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly. 
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas. 
    • Work respectfully with others, and show value for individual contributions. 
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Speak audibly with appropriate pacing. 
    • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
    • Make eye contact with the audience. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading: 
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words. 
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words. 
    • Use word-reference materials. 
    • Develop and use general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Describe how the choice of language, setting, and characters contributes to the development of plot. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. 
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression.

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Evaluate the choices the author makes to construct power, position, and perspective.
    • Monitor reading and know what to do when understanding is not occurring. 
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills. 
    • Increase number of known words. 

Unit 4: Nonfiction

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules.
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas.
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly.
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words. 
    • Use word-reference materials. 
    • Use vocabulary from other content areas. 
    • Develop and use general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Use text features such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and categorize information. 
    • Explain the author’s purpose. 
    • Identify the main idea. 
    • Summarize supporting details. 
    • Draw conclusions and make inferences using textual information as support. 
    • Distinguish between cause and effect. 
    • Distinguish between fact and opinion. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. 
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression.

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Use reference books to determine meaning, pronunciation and origin of words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Identify and use text features such as headings, formats, charts, and diagrams.
    • Use a variety of strategies, including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Provide a sequence of events, procedures, and/or activities that occur in the text. 
    • Understand classification of details to make generalizations within text. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/‌text based on categories and concepts.
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature.
    • Develop reasoning skills in the language arts.
    • Understand the concept of change in the language arts.
    • Identify a concept or “Big Idea” that supports interdisciplinary connections e.g. change, systems, patterns, relationships, etc. to analyze real-world problems.
    • Understand cause and effect and its relationship to consequences and implications within a text. 
    • Create and answer questions about a topic. 
    • Monitor reading and know what to do when understanding is not occurring.  
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills. 
    • Increase number of known words.

Unit 5: Narrative Nonfiction

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules. 
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas. 
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly.
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others.
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading: 
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words. 
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words. 
    • Develop and use general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Describe how the choice of language, setting, and characters contributes to the development of plot.
    • Identify the theme(s).
    • Summarize events in the plot.
    • Identify genres.
    • Identify the narrator of a story and the speaker of a poem. 
    • Identify the conflict and resolution.
    • Identify sensory words. 
    • Draw conclusions/make inferences about text using the text as support.
    • Compare/contrast details in literary and informational nonfiction texts.
    • Identify cause and effect relationships.
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. 
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Explain the author’s purpose. 
    • Identify the main idea. 
    • Summarize supporting details.
    • Draw conclusions and make inferences using textual information as support. 
    • Distinguish between cause and effect. 
    • Distinguish between fact and opinion. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. 
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression.

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language. 
    • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry.
    • Evaluate the choices the author makes to construct power, position, and perspective.
    • Use a variety of strategies including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/text based on categories.
    • Understand cause and effect and its relationship to consequences and implications within a text.
    • Monitor reading and know what to do when understanding is not occurring. 
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills. 
    • Increase number of known words. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Identify and use text features such as headings, formats, charts, and diagrams.
    • Use a variety of strategies, including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Provide a sequence of events, procedures, and/or activities that occur in the text. 
    • Understand classification of details to make generalizations within text. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/‌text based on categories and concepts.
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature.
    • Develop reasoning skills in the language arts.
    • Understand the concept of change in the language arts.
    • Identify a concept or “Big Idea” that supports interdisciplinary connections e.g. change, systems, patterns, relationships, etc. to analyze real-world problems.
    • Understand cause and effect and its relationship to consequences and implications within a text. 
    • Create and answer questions about a topic. 
    • Monitor reading and know what to do when understanding is not occurring.  
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills. 
    • Increase number of known words.

Unit 6: Historical Fiction Book Clubs

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules.
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas. 
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly. 
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others, and show value for individual contributions.
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words. 
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words.
    • Use vocabulary from other content areas. 
    • Develop and use general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Describe how the choice of language, setting, and characters contributes to the development of plot. 
    • Identify the theme(s). 
    • Summarize events in the plot. 
    • Identify the narrator of a story and the speaker of a poem. 
    • Identify the conflict and resolution. 
    • Draw conclusions/make inferences about text using the text as support. 
    • Compare/contrast details in literary and informational nonfiction texts. 
    • Identify cause and effect relationships. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. 
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression.

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry.
    • Evaluate the choices the author makes to construct power, position, and perspective.
    • Use a variety of strategies including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/text based on categories.
    • Monitor reading and know what to do when understanding is not occurring.
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills. 
    • Increase number of known words.

Unit 7: Critical Literacy

Students will be able to: 

Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:

  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules. 
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas. 
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly. 
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work.
    • Work respectfully with others, and show value for individual contributions. 
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Locate, organize, and analyze information from a variety of multimodal texts. 
    • Speak audibly with appropriate pacing. 
    • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
    • Make eye contact with the audience. 
    • Ask and answer questions to gather or clarify information presented orally. 
  • Learn how media messages are constructed and for what purposes:
    • Differentiate between auditory, visual, and written media messages and their purposes. 
    • Compare and contrast how ideas and topics are depicted in a variety of media and formats. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words. 
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words. 
    • Use word-reference materials. 
    • Use vocabulary from other content areas.
    • Develop and use general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Explain the author’s purpose. 
    • Identify the main idea. 
    • Summarize supporting details. 
    • Draw conclusions and make inferences using textual information as support. 
    • Distinguish between cause and effect. 
    • Distinguish between fact and opinion. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. 
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression.

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Know the type of information found in various reference materials including atlases, dictionaries, and websites.
    • Select appropriate resources to find answers to questions about a topic. 
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Learn how media messages are constructed and for what purposes:
    • Make informative and/or persuasive presentations using purposeful structure and visuals.
    • Evaluate information gathered from authoritative print and digital sources using technology, including the Internet, with a focus on the ways the form of publication impacts its affect and potential use.
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.
    • Use reference books to determine meaning, pronunciation and origin of words.
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Use a variety of strategies, including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions, and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Provide a sequence of events, procedures, and/or activities that occur in the text. 
    • Understand classification of details to generalize within text. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/‌text based on categories and concepts.
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Develop reasoning skills in the language arts.
    • Understand the concept of change in the language arts. 
    • Identify a concept or “Big Idea” that supports interdisciplinary connections e.g. change, systems, patterns, relationships, etc. to analyze real-world problems.

Unit 8: Content Area Research

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules.
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas. 
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly. 
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others, and show value for individual contributions. 
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Locate, organize, and analyze information from a variety of multimodal texts. 
    • Speak audibly with appropriate pacing. 
    • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
    • Make eye contact with the audience. 
    • Ask and answer questions to gather or clarify information presented orally. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words. 
    • Use word-reference materials. 
    • Use vocabulary from other content areas. 
    • Develop and use general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts: 
    • Use text features such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and categorize information. 
    • Explain the author’s purpose. 
    • Identify the main idea. 
    • Summarize supporting details. 
    • Draw conclusions and make inferences using textual information as support. 
    • Distinguish between cause and effect.
    • Distinguish between fact and opinion. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. 
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression. 

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Know the type of information found in various reference materials including atlases, dictionaries, and websites.
    • Select appropriate resources to find answers to questions about a topic.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.
    • Use reference books to determine meaning, pronunciation, and origin of words.
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Identify and use text features such as headings, formats, charts, and diagrams.
    • Use a variety of strategies, including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Provide a sequence of events, procedures, and/or activities that occur in the text. 
    • Understand classification of details to make generalizations within text. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/‌text based on categories and concepts.
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Develop reasoning skills in the language arts.
    • Understand the concept of change in the language arts. 
    • Identify a concept or “Big Idea” that supports interdisciplinary connections e.g. change, systems, patterns, relationships, etc. to analyze real-world problems.

Unit 9: Functional Texts

Students will be able to:

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules.
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas.
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly.
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others.
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others.
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work.
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words.
    • Use word-reference materials.
    • Use vocabulary from other content areas.
    • Develop and use general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Use text features such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and categorize information. 
    • Explain the author’s purpose.
    • Identify the main idea.
    • Summarize supporting details.
    • Draw conclusions and make inferences using textual information as support.
    • Distinguish between cause and effect.
    • Distinguish between fact and opinion.
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension.
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression.

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.
    • Use reference books to determine meaning, pronunciation, and origin of words.
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Identify and use text features such as headings, formats, charts, and diagrams.
    • Use a variety of strategies, including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Provide a sequence of events, procedures, and/or activities that occur in the text. 
    • Understand classification of details to make generalizations within text. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/‌text based on categories and concepts.
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Develop reasoning skills in the language arts.
    • Understand the concept of change in the language arts. 
    • Identify a concept or “Big Idea” that supports interdisciplinary connections e.g. change, systems, patterns, relationships, etc. to analyze real-world problems.

Unit 10: Testing as a Genre

Students will be able to: 

  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words. 
    • Use word-reference materials, including the glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus. 
    • Use vocabulary from other content areas. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction, and poetry:
    • Describe how the choice of language, setting, characters, and information contributes to the development of plot.
    • Identify the theme(s). 
    • Summarize events in the plot.
    • Identify genres.
    • Identify the narrator of a story and the speaker of a poem.
    • Identify the conflict and resolution. 
    • Identify sensory words. 
    • Draw conclusions/make inferences about text using the text as support.
    • Compare/contrast details in literary and informational nonfiction texts. 
    • Identify cause-and-effect relationships.
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words. 
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Use text features, such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and categorize information in both print and digital texts. 
    • Explain the author’s purpose.
    • Identify the main idea.
    • Summarize the supporting details.
    • Draw conclusions and make inferences using textual information as support. 
    • Distinguish between cause and effect.
    • Distinguish between fact and opinion. 

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.
    • Use reference books to determine meaning, pronunciation, and origin of words. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Evaluate the choices the author makes to construct power, position, and perspective.
    • Use a variety of strategies including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions, and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/text based on categories.
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Evaluate the choices the author makes to construct power, position, and perspective.
    • Use a variety of strategies including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions, and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/text based on categories.
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words.
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language.  
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts:
    • Identify and use text features such as headings, formats, charts, and diagrams.
    • Use a variety of strategies, including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions, and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Provide a sequence of events, procedures, and/or activities that occur in the text. 
    • Understand classification of details to make generalizations within text. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/‌text based on categories and concepts.
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Develop reasoning skills in the language arts.
    • Understand the concept of change in the language arts. 
    • Identify a concept or “Big Idea” that supports interdisciplinary connections e.g. change, systems, patterns, relationships, etc. to analyze real-world problems.

Unit 11: Book Clubs

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules.
    • Contribute to group discussions across content areas.
    • Orally summarize information expressing ideas clearly. 
    • Ask specific questions to gather ideas and opinions from others.
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work.
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Describe how the choice of language, setting, and characters contributes to the development of plot.
    • Identify the theme(s).
    • Summarize events in the plot.
    • Identify genres.
    • Identify the narrator of a story and the speaker of a poem. 
    • Identify the conflict and resolution. 
    • Draw conclusions/make inferences about text using the text as support. 
    • Compare/contrast details in literary and informational nonfiction texts. 
    • Identify cause and effect relationships. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. 
    • Read with fluency, accuracy, and meaningful expression. 

Extended Standards

In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use the words around an unknown word to figure out its meaning. 
    • Use text, word parts, knowledge of stems and word origins to figure out unfamiliar words. 
    • Increase vocabulary development by applying the knowledge of Greek and Latin stems to the English language. 
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction texts, and poetry:
    • Evaluate the choices the author makes to construct power, position, and perspective.
    • Use a variety of strategies including determining importance, making inferences, drawing conclusions, and considering multiple perspectives. 
    • Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature. 
    • Draw consequences and implications from text for application in the real world.
    • Create generalizations about the story/text based on categories.
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills.
    • Monitor reading and know what to do when understanding is not occurring.
    • Use a variety of word recognition skills.   
    • Increase the number of known words.

Virginia Department of Education Resources

Assessments

Student assessments are part of the teaching and learning process.

  • Teachers give assessments to students on an ongoing basis to
    • Check for understanding 
    • Gather information about students' knowledge or skills.
  • Assessments provide information about a child's development of knowledge and skills that can help families and teachers better plan for next steps in instruction.

For testing questions or additional information about how schools and teachers use test results to support student success, families can contact their children's schools.

In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), fourth grade tests focus on students’ developing content knowledge and skills.

Looking for other grade 4 information?