Teacher Resources for Instructional Planning


Grade 4, Reading Std Comprehension V-A: Comprehension, a meaning making process, is the primary goal of reading and is constructed through the dynamic interactions between reader and text. A. Use a wide range of strategies, including distinguishing fiction from nonfiction and making inferences to comprehend fourth-grade literary/recreational materials in a variety of genres. Examples: novels, short stories, poetry, trade books (AL COS) 1. Apply a variety of strategies, daily, in reading to, with and by use sentence structure and context (AL COS) skim passages (AL COS) preview and predict (AL COS) (SAT 10) summarize, paraphrase, retell (AL COS) compare and contrast (AL COS) (SAT 10) self-monitor for understanding (AL COS) examples: reread, use contest clues, adjust speed, access prior knowledge and experiences use vocabulary knowledge (AL COS) draw conclusions (AL COS) (SAT 10) ask and answer questions (AL COS) (SAT 10) relate events, ideas, and characters to specific life experiences (AL COS) visualize make generalizations, evaluate/make judgments identify characteristics of a variety of genre 2. Use cueing systems at current independent and instructional levels semantic (meaning) syntactic (structure of language) graphophonic (letters and sounds) schematic (connections based on prior knowledge and experience) (AL COS) (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world 3. Identify, read and apply comprehension strategies with a variety of literary genres (SAT 10) fiction nonfiction poetry drama media (newspaper, television, computers, magazines, etc.) 4. Recognize cultural diversity through reading a variety of multicultural literature. 5. Apply strategies of a skillful listener to gain meaning.

Lesson Plans: Behind the Scenes with Cinderella This lesson invites students to explore two different versions of the well-known folk tale Cinderella and to make connections between story background elements. Sequential Directions Students learn the importance of precise directions when drawing a map or giving directions to a specific location. Charting Characters for a More Complete Understanding of the Story As an alternative to story mapping, this strategy delineates the multiple points of view, goals, and intentions of different characters within the same story. Critical Reading: Two Stories, Two Authors, Same Plot? This lesson encourages students to read and respond critically to two different pieces of literature with the same title. African American Culture through Literature The students will gain a better understanding of the African American culture through a vast assortment of literature and through activities and experiences within the classroom Memoir: The Stuff of Our Lives In this unit students will explore the genre of memoir. They will see that writers write about the ordinary happenings of their lives and that their own lives are packed with meaningful experiences that can form the basis of their own writing. Reading Groups Students listen to stories and then form groups to answer questions about the content of the story. Listening to Gather Evidence in a Reading Selection Students will listen effectively to obtain evidence to support decisions when making judgments. Reading Clinic: How to Spur Progress With Mini-Lessons and Guided Practice Find out how to use mini-lessons and guided practice to support students as they learn reading strategies. Readers Theater A list of sites for Readers Theater. Learn how to use readers theater in the classroom to promote an interest in literature. Daily Book Boosts Each day at the end of their "official" reading time, students give "Book Boosts," one-minute raves about books they've read.

Resources: Encouraging the Young Reader: This site offers several activities for identifying story elements. Comparing Characters: Venn Diagram: This PDF file is a reproducible for comparing character traits and make literary connections. Life-Size Characters: Students will analyze a character and create a visual representation. Multicultural Children's Literature Lesson Plans and Resources: This site offers lots of resources on multicultural children's literature. Not Your Same Old Book Report: Ideas for book reports include an accordion folded book, triaramas, and info-spheres. More Ideas Than You'll Ever Use for Book Reports: This site offers more than 100 ideas for book reports. Writing with Writers: Teacher's Guide: Writing With Writers offers students the opportunity to learn and practice writing in particular genres while having their work read by well-known children's book authors. Suggestions for English Language Learners (ELLs): (E/B=Entering/Beginning, D=Developing, E=Expanding) E/B: Identify characters and setting nonverbally (i.e. gestures, pictures, pictures, charts, graphic organizers) or with simple spoken words or phrases. E/B: Identify and use title pages, chapter headings, and illustrations with gestures (i.e. pointing) or simple spoken words or phrases to locate information in a simple text; D: Use features of text, including format, diagrams, charts, and illustrations, to locate information; E: Use features of text, including format, diagrams, charts, and illustrations, to support comprehension. E/B: Follow one-to-two-step written instructions with assistance in an illustratively supported basic technical manual or with oral instructions; D: Follow most multi-step instructions in an illustratively supported basic technical manual; E: Follow most multi-step instructions in a basic technical manual. E/B: Review information on a similar topic from two illustratively supported sources and express with simple spoken or written sentences; D: Collect and consult information on a similar topic from a variety of sources and express with simple spoken and written sentences; E: Compare and contrast information on a similar topic from a variety of sources. E/B: Respond to true or false statements about illustratively supported texts; D: Identify facts and opinions within text that are supported by examples and illustrations and express with simple spoken and written sentences; E: Distinguish between most facts and opinions in text.
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