At the fourth-grade level, students will apply oral communication skills to participate in discussions about learning and take part in collaborative learning projects. In order to be contributing participants in discussions, students must apply the skills involved in effectively communicating ideas and opinions, including skills such as actively listening to others and constructively agreeing or disagreeing with them. While using grammatically correct language and specific vocabulary, students will learn how to present information succinctly and confidently in oral presentations.
Students will identify sensory words and describe the effect those particular words have on the reader. Students will use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension. Strategies include: draw conclusions/make inferences about text; and make, confirm, and revise ongoing predictions. To determine a student’s functional reading level for a specific text consider these word accuracy rates from Virginia’s Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS): independent level – 98-100% accuracy, or about two of every 100 words misread; student reads independently with little or no instructional support, and comprehension is strong. instructional level – 90-97% accuracy, or identify sensory words that describe sights, sounds, smells, and tastes, and describe how they make the reader feel. refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says, drawing conclusions/making inferences from text. identify cause and effect relationships. make, confirm, or revise predictions. read familiar text with fluency, accuracy, and prosody. read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. become aware of when they do not understand, (e.g., by reflecting upon and learning to articulate what exactly is causing difficulty).
and usage/mechanics – the features that cause written language to be acceptable and effective for standard discourse (e.g., spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar). Transition words and phrases provide organization to student writing by improving the connections between thoughts. Categories of transitions include, but are not limited to: example (e.g., that is, for example, in fact) sequence (e.g., then, next, finally) time or location (e.g., before, meanwhile, nearby). Students should have practice writing on demand, for shorter time frames, and over extended periods of time. use a variety of prewriting strategies (e.g., brainstorming, listing, and using graphic organizers). focus, organize, and elaborate to construct an effective cohesive message for the reader. write a clear topic sentence focused on the main idea. purposefully shape and control language to affect readers. select specific information to guide readers more purposefully through the piece. use specific vocabulary and vivid word choice. write two or more related paragraphs on a topic. use precise language and vocabulary to explain a topic. link ideas within paragraphs using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, since, also). include sentences of various lengths and beginnings to create a pleasant, informal rhythm. use available reference resources (e.g., dictionary and thesaurus) as aids to