K-12 Grade Levels

Grade 04

BPS-S ELA Logo glossary icon4th Grade English
"I can ... statements"
BPS-S ELA-RL Logo BPS-S ELA-RI Logo BPS-S ELA-RF Logo
BPS-S ELA-RL Logo BPS-S ELA-RI Logo BPS-S ELA-RF Logo

Grade Level LogoBuilding the stamina and skills to read challenging fiction, nonfiction, and other materials is fundamental in 4th grade. Your child will continue to learn about the world as well as build vocabulary skills by reading more complicated stories and poems from different cultures and a range of books on history, science, art, and music. Fourth grade students also will make important strides in their ability to explain plainly and in detail what a book says — both explicitly and what is implied from its details. By 4th grade, your child will be writing effective summaries, book reports, and descriptions of characters or events that use correct grammar and punctuation.

Note: Standards Identifiers auto-link to popup a detailed description with "I can ..." and Proficiency Scales.
Prioritized Standards Identifiers are highlighted a sky-blue.

ELA-04.RL Grade 4Reading Literature Strand

  • ELA-04.RL.01  Refer to details and examples using textual evidence when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text; summarize the text.
  • ELA-04.RL.02  Determine a theme of a story, dramas, or poems from details in the text.
  • ELA-04.RL.03  Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.
  • ELA-04.RL.04  Determine the allusions in meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including, but not limited to significant characters found in mythology.
  • ELA-04.RL.05  Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems and drama when writing or speaking about a text.
  • ELA-04.RL.06  Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
  • ELA-04.RL.07  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.
  • ELA-04.RL.08  Not applicable to literature
  • ELA-04.RL.09  Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics and patterns of events in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.
  • ELA-04.RL.10  By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, on grade level independently and proficiently.

ELA-04.RI Grade 4Reading Information Strand

  • ELA-04.RI.01  Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. Summarize the text.
  • ELA-04.RI.02  Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details.
  • ELA-04.RI.03  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-04.RI.04  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-04.RI.05  Describe the overall structure of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
  • ELA-04.RI.06  Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.
  • ELA-04.RI.07  Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
  • ELA-04.RI.08  Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
  • ELA-04.RI.09  Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
  • ELA-04.RI.10  By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, on grade level independently.

ELA-04.RF Grade 4Reading Foundational Skills Strand

  • ELA-04.RF.03  Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
  • ELA-04.RF.04  Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

ELA-04.W Grade 4Writing Strand

  • ELA-04.W.01  Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
  • ELA-04.W.02  Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • ELA-04.W.03  Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
  • ELA-04.W.04  Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • ELA-04.W.05  Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
  • ELA-04.W.06  Use technology , including the Internet, to produce and publish grade-level writing using keyboarding skills/digital tools as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
  • ELA-04.W.07  Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
  • ELA-04.W.08  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-04.W.09  Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

ELA-04.L Grade 4Language Strand

  • ELA-04.L.01  Within the context of authentic English writing and speaking…
  • ELA-04.L.02  Within the context of authentic English writing and speaking…
  • ELA-04.L.03  Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
  • ELA-04.L.04  Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
  • ELA-04.L.05  Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • ELA-04.L.06  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 and that are basic to a particular topic.

ELA-04.SL Grade 4Speaking and Listening Strand

  • ELA-04.SL.01  Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
  • ELA-04.SL.02  Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
  • ELA-04.SL.03  Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.
  • ELA-04.SL.04  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.
  • ELA-04.SL.05  Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
  • ELA-04.SL.06  Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and situations where informal discourse is appropriate; use formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

A Sample of What Your Child Will Be Working on in 4th Grade

  • Describing the basic elements of stories — such as characters, events, and settings — by drawing on specific details in the text
  • Paying close attention to key features of informational books and articles: these include understanding the main and supporting ideas; being able to compare and contrast information; and explaining how the author uses facts, details, and evidence to support particular points
  • Comparing ideas, characters, events, and settings in stories and myths from different cultures
  • Writing summaries or opinions about topics supported with a set of well-organized facts, details, and examples
  • Independently conducting short research projects on different aspects of a topic using evidence from books and the Internet
  • Paraphrasing and responding to information presented in discussions, such as comparing and contrasting ideas and analyzing evidence that speakers use to support particular points
  • Reporting orally on a topic or telling a story with enough facts and details
  • Writing complete sentences with correct capitalization and spelling
  • Relating words that are common in reading to words with similar meanings (synonyms) and to their opposites (antonyms)