Grade 4 English Course Outline
Students in this class are required to read at least 20 minutes every day and to turn in a reading log to show their time spent reading. They are also required to write 10 different book reports in an effort to encourage reading and writing about stories. In each of the 18 chapters students will receive two vocabulary lessons, learn about grammar, practice reading different types of literature, and learn skills to be a good writer.
This class follows the Common Core State Standards for 4th grade English.
To improve their reading skills students will learn how to link prior knowledge to what they are reading, how to determine if information is a first or second hand account, will practice reading nonfiction, and will learn how to make predictions about what will happen next in a story. Through writing practice students will improve their abilities to paraphrase, write essays, construct a story from idea to finished product, write a play, and write a persuasive essay. Students will be encouraged to visualize what they are reading and writing about, to make connections between stories, and to ask questions about what they read.
Course Outline
Introduction
- Welcome to Class!
- Vocabulary Introduction
- Grammar Introduction
- Reading Introduction
- Writing Introduction
- Speaking and Listening Introduction
- Pretest
- Assignment: Pretest
- Resources
- Handout: Reading Log (Word)
- Handout: Reading Log (PDF)
- Handout: Reading Log (Excel)
- Handout: Book Report (Biography)
- Handout: Book Report (Nonfiction)
- Handout: Book Report (Fiction)
- Handout: Pre-writing Tool: Word Web
- Handout: Pre-writing Tool: Graphic Organizer
- Handout: Pre-writing Tool: Storyboard
- Handout: Story Map (Turtle)
- Handout: What Good Readers Do Overview
- Handout: The Writing Process
Sentences, Genres, Reviews
- Vocabulary: Lesson 1
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 1
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 1
- Vocabulary: Lesson 2
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 2
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 2
- Grammar: Types of Sentences
- Grammar: Simple, Complete & Compound Subjects
- Grammar: Simple, Complete & Compound Predicates
- Assignment: Sentences, Subjects, Predicates
- Grammar: Subject/Predicate Agreement
- Compound Sentences & Conjunction
- Assignment: Subject/Predicate Agreement & Compound Sent and Conjunctions
- Reading: Genre
- Writing: Book Review and Book Report
- Essay: Book Review
- Assignment: Book Report #1
- Speaking and Listening: Rules for Discussion
- Assignment: Discussion Rules
- Assignment: Reading Log #1
Nouns, Reading Strategies, Writing Process, Asking Questions
- Vocabulary: Lesson 3
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 3
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 3
- Vocabulary: Lesson 4
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 4
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 4
- Grammar: Common & Proper Nouns
- Assignment: Writing Journal: Favorite Activity
- Grammar: Plural Nouns – Noun/Verb Agreement
- Assignment: Nouns & Verbs
- Grammar: Noun Suffixes
- Reading: What Good Readers Do
- Handout: Naughty Jocko
- Reading: Rainforest Frogs
- Quiz: Rainforest Frogs
- Reading: Naughty Jocko
- Essay: Naughty Jocko Characters
- Writing: The Process
- Speaking and Listening: Ask Questions
- Assignment: Staying on Topic and Asking Questions Discussion
- Assignment: Reading Log #2
Pronouns, Prior Knowledge, Paragraphs, Paraphrasing
- Vocabulary: Lesson 5
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 5
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 5
- Vocabulary: Lesson 6
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 6
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 6
- Grammar: Subject & Object Pronouns
- Worksheet: Subject & Object Pronouns
- Grammar: Possessive Nouns & Pronouns
- Worksheet: Possessive Words & Noun Suffixes
- Grammar: Relative Pronouns
- Grammar: Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
- Quiz: Subject/Antecedent Agreement
- Reading Mini Lesson: What Good Readers Do -Activate Prior Knowledge
- Reading: Birthday Breakfast
- Quiz: Birthday Breakfast
- Reading: Well, I Declare!
- Writing: Outline
- Assignment: Outline
- Writing: Forming Paragraphs and Topic Sentence
- Essay: Writing Prompt: What is a Hero?
- Writing: Arranging Sentences into Paragraphs
- Assignment: Essay Draft
- Writing: Using Examples in Paragraphs
- Essay: Five Paragraph Essay
- Speaking and Listening: Paraphrasing
- Assignment: Paraphrasing
- Assignment: Reading Log #3
- Assignment: Book Report #2
Roots, Main Idea, Essays
- Vocabulary: Lesson 7
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 7
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 7
- Vocabulary: Lesson 8
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 8
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 8
- Grammar: Root Words
- Handout: Root Words
- Assignment: Root Words
- Reading Mini Lesson: Characters
- Reading: The Skipping Shoes
- Handout: Antagonist Question
- Handout: The Skipping Shoes
- Essay: Character
- Assignment: Antagonist Questions
- Reading: The Chimp’s Champ!
- Quiz: The Chimp’s Champ
- Writing: Parts of a Paragraph and Essay
- Writing: Thesis
- Worksheet: Thesis Statement
- Writing: Conclusion
- Assignment: Conclusion
- Essay: Prompt: Educational Adventure Park
- Assignment: Reading Log #4
Verbs, Rereading, Writing Process
- Vocabulary: Lesson 9
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 9
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 9
- Vocabulary: Lesson 10
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 10
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 10
- Grammar: Regular Verb Forms
- Grammar: Irregular Verb Forms
- Quiz: Regular & Irregular Verbs
- Reading Mini Lesson: What Good Readers Do – Reread
- Essay: “The Skipping Shoes” Summary
- Reading: Bees in the Trees
- Worksheet: Bees in the Trees
- Writing: The Writing Process – Brainstorming
- Assignment: Informational Topic Brainstorm
- Speaking and Listening: Brainstorming
- Assignment: Reading Log #5
- Assignment: Book Report #3
Verbs, Visualize, Writing Process
- Vocabulary: Lesson 11
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 11
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 11
- Vocabulary: Lesson 12
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 12
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 12
- Grammar: Auxiliary Verbs
- Grammar: Verb Prefixes & Suffixes
- Handout: Verb Worksheet
- Assignment: Verb Worksheet
- Reading: Visualize and Retell
- Assignment: Visualize and Retell
- Reading: Rosy’s Journey
- Handout: Rosy’s Journey
- Essay: Retelling
- Reading: They Changed the World
- Essay: How They Changed the World
- Reading: Patchwork History
- Worksheet: Patchwork History
- Writing: The Writing Process – Pre-writing
- Assignment: Pre-Write of an Informational Topic
- Writing: The Writing Process – Drafting
- Assignment: Draft of an Informational Topic
- Writing: The Writing Process – Proofreading
- Assignment: Proofreading and Editing Informational Topic
- Writing: The Writing Process – Revising and Publishing
- Assignment: Final Draft of an Informational Topic
- Speaking and Listening: An Informational Topic
- Assignment: Reading Log #6
Figurative Language, Inferences, Poetry
- Vocabulary: Lesson 13
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 13
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 13
- Vocabulary: Lesson 14
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 14
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 14
- Vocabulary Mini Lesson: Context Clues
- Grammar: Similes and Metaphors
- Grammar: Personification and Onomatopoeias
- Grammar: Hyperboles and Alliterations
- Reading: What Good Readers Do – Inferences
- Reading: Introduction to Poetry
- Handout: Poetry Handbook
- Reading: Rhyme and Rhythm
- Reading: Poetry – Little White Lily
- Handout: Little White Lily Line Patterns
- Assignment: Little White Lily Images
- Assignment: Little White Lily Line Patterns
- Reading: Interesting Poetry Elements
- Reading: Poetry Personal Meaning
- Assignment: Favorite Poem
- Essay: Favorite Poem
- Writing: Poetry Book
- Assignment: Poetry Book
- Speaking and Listening: Poetry
- Assignment: Poetry Reading
- Assignment: Reading Log #7
- Assignment: Book Report #4
Adjectives, Connections, Story Elements
- Vocabulary: Lesson 15
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 15
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 15
- Vocabulary: Lesson 16
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 16
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 16
- Grammar: Adjectives
- Grammar: Adjectives that Compare
- Grammar: Using More & Most With Adjectives
- Handout: Adjectives Practice
- Assignment: Adjectives Practice
- Reading: What Good Readers Do – Synthesize and Connect
- Worksheet: Babe The Blue Ox
- Reading: Babe the Blue Ox
- Handout: Babe the Blue Ox
- Writing: What’s the Purpose?
- Worksheet: Authors Purpose
- Writing: Beginning Story Elements
- Essay: Beginning Story Elements
- Writing: Conflict, Rising Action, Climax and Conclusion
- Worksheet: Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Conclusion
- Essay: Real Life Conflict
- Essay: Short Story
- Speaking and Listening: Parts of a Story
- Assignment: Reading Log #8
Making Predictions, Informative Texts, Liberty!
- Vocabulary: Lesson 17
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 17
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 17
- Vocabulary: Lesson 18
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 18
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 18
- Grammar: Adverbs
- Grammar: Prepositions & Prepositional Phrases
- Handout: Adverbs and Prepositions Practice
- Assignment: Adverbs and Prepositions Practice
- Reading Mini Lesson: What Good Readers Do – Ask Questions
- Reading: The Star Spangled Banner
- Handout: The Star-Spangled Banner
- Assignment: The Star-Spangled Banner Questions
- Reading: When Lightning Strikes
- Quiz: When Lightning Strikes
- Writing: Topic, Main Idea, and Important Events
- Handout: Important Events
- Assignment: Important Events
- Writing: Research a Question
- Assignment: Research a Question
- Midtest
- Assignment: Midtest
- Assignment: Reading Log #9
- Assignment: Book Report #5
Progressive, Predictions, Transitions, Narratives
- Vocabulary: Lesson 19
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 19
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 19
- Vocabulary: Lesson 20
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 20
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 20
- Grammar: Understanding Verb Tense
- Grammar: Progressive Verb Tense
- Reading: What Good Readers Do – Predictions
- Worksheet: Practice Predictions
- Reading: Toads and Diamonds
- Handout: Toads and Diamonds
- Assignment: Toads and Diamonds Predictions
- Reading/Writing: Point of View
- Essay: “Toads and Diamonds” Point of View
- Writing: Transitions
- Writing: Story Maps
- Assignment: Story Map Hand
- Writing: Narratives
- Assignment: Narrative Pre-Write
- Assignment: Narrative First Draft
- Writing: Narratives Part 2
- Assignment: Narrative Draft 2
- Writing: Narratives Part 3
- Assignment: Narrative Final Draft
- Speaking and Listening: Narrative
- Assignment: Reading Log #10
Commas, Dialogue, First and Second Hand Accounts
- Vocabulary: Lesson 21
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 21
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 21
- Vocabulary: Lesson 22
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 22
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 22
- Grammar: Commas
- Grammar: Commas in Direct Address
- Handout: Commas in a Series & Punctuation
- Assignment: Commas in a Series & Punctuation Marks
- Grammar: Writing Dialogue
- Writing: A Story With Dialogue
- Reading: First and Second Hand Accounts
- Reading: The Buried City: Pompeii
- Essay: The Buried City: Pompeii
- Reading: New Mystery at Stonehenge
- Quiz: New Mystery at Stonehenge
- Assignment: Reading Log #11
- Assignment: Book Report #6
Colons, Nonfiction, Opinion, Speaking
- Vocabulary: Lesson 23
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 23
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 23
- Vocabulary: Lesson 24
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 24
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 24
- Grammar: Using Colons & Semicolons
- Grammar: Writing Titles & Using Hyphens
- Essay: Punctuation
- Grammar: Contractions
- Reading Mini Lesson: Fiction and Nonfiction
- Reading: Washington’s Last Battle
- Handout: Washington’s Last Battle
- Essay: Washington’s Last Battle
- Reading: William Penn and Native Americans
- Handout: William Penn and the Native Americans
- Essay: William Penn and the Native Americans
- Reading: How to Spy on Sharks
- Quiz: How to Spy on Sharks
- Reading: Children’s Poet Honored
- Quiz: Children’s Poet Honored
- Reading: Deep-Sea Detectives
- Quiz: Deep Sea Detectives
- Reading: Mysterious Lights
- Worksheet: Mysterious Lights
- Writing: Nonfiction
- Handout: Nonfiction Text Features
- Assignment: Nonfiction Text Features
- Assignment: Nonfiction Book
- Speaking and Listening: Informal and Formal Speaking
- Assignment: Reading Log #12
Letter Writing, Cause and Effect, Titles
- Vocabulary: Lesson 25
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 25
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 25
- Vocabulary: Lesson 26
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 26
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 26
- Grammar: Writing Friendly Letters
- Essay: Friendly Letter
- Grammar: Writing a Business Letter
- Essay: Business Letter
- Grammar: Writing Announcements
- Assignment: Writing Announcements
- Reading: Cause and Effect
- Reading: The Water Lily and The Gold Spinners
- Handout: The Water Lily. The Gold Spinners.
- Handout: Cause and Effect Chart
- Assignment: Cause and Effect Chart
- Reading: A Natural Beauty
- Worksheet: A Natural Beauty
- Writing: Newspaper Article
- Assignment: Newspaper Article
- Assignment: Reading Log #13
- Assignment: Book Report #7
Modal Auxiliaries, Biographies
- Vocabulary: Lesson 27
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 27
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 27
- Vocabulary: Lesson 28
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 28
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 28
- Grammar: Modal Auxiliaries
- Quiz: Modal Auxiliaries
- Reading: Biographies – Author of Little Women
- Handout: The Author of Little Women
- Worksheet: Little Women Comprehension Questions
- Reading: The World Underwater
- Worksheet: The World Underwater
- Writing: Biography
- Assignment: Biography
- Speaking and Listening: Biography
- Assignment: Reading Log #14
Adjectives, Drama, Playwriting
- Vocabulary: Lesson 29
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 29
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 29
- Vocabulary: Lesson 30
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 30
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 30
- Grammar: Conventional Order of Adjectives
- Worksheet: Order of Adjectives
- Reading: Drama
- Writing: From Story to Drama
- Handout: Master Man
- Assignment: Master Man Play
- Writing: Playwrite
- Assignment: To-do List for Play
- Assignment: Water Lily and Gold Spinner Play
- Speaking and Listening: Tips on Performing
- Speaking and Listening: Drama in Action!
- Assignment: Drama in Action!
- Assignment: Reading Log #15
- Assignment: Book Report #8
Fragments, Foreshadowing, Persuasion
- Vocabulary: Lesson 31
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 31
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 31
- Vocabulary: Lesson 32
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 32
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 32
- Grammar: Run-on Sentences
- Grammar: Fragments
- Quiz: Run-ons and Fragments
- Reading: The Pomegranate Seed
- Handout: The Pomegranate Seed
- Essay: Friendly Letter to Mother
- Reading Mini Lesson: Foreshadowing
- Assignment: Get Your Daily News!
- Writing: Rules of Persuasion
- Essay: Persuasion
- Speaking and Listening: Persuasion
- Assignment: Persuasion Speech
- Assignment: Reading Log #16
Homophones, Fables, Myths
- Vocabulary: Lesson 33
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 33
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 33
- Vocabulary: Lesson 34
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 34
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 34
- Vocabulary Mini Lesson: Homophones
- Handout: Homophone Practice Sheet
- Assignment: Homophone Practice Sheet
- Assignment: Homophone Book
- Vocabulary Mini Lesson: Homophones Continued
- Quiz: Frequently Confused Words
- Reading: Animal Helpers
- Essay: Animal Helpers Prompt
- Reading: The Wild Side of the Trail
- Worksheet: The Wild Side of the Trail Worksheet
- Reading: Fables
- Handout: How the Tortoise Got Its Shell
- Handout: Fable Story Map
- Assignment: Fable Story Map
- Writing: Idioms
- Assignment: Idioms Book
- Writing: A Myth
- Handout: Myth Graphic Organizer
- Writing: A Myth Part 2
- Handout: Myth Rubric
- Assignment: A Myth
- Writing: Self-Evaluation
- Assignment: Self-Reflection Rubric
- Assignment: Reading Log #17
- Assignment: Book Report #9
Synonyms, Punctuation, Moods
- Vocabulary: Lesson 35
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 35
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 35
- Vocabulary: Lesson 36
- Handout: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 36
- Assignment: Vocabulary Builder Lesson 36
- Vocabulary Mini Lesson: Synonyms
- Handout: Weak and Strong Verbs Practice Sheet
- Assignment: Weak and Strong Verbs Practice Sheet
- Vocabulary Mini Lesson: Antonyms
- Grammar: Punctuation for Effect
- Reading: Wild Winds
- Essay: Wild Winds Assignment
- Reading: Unusual Pets
- Essay: The Perfect Pet Essay
- Writing: Moods
- Worksheet: Creating the Mood
- Post-test
- Assignment: Post-test
- Assignment: Reading Log #18
- Assignment: Book Report #10
Course Evaluation
- Handout: Course Evalulation
- Assignment: Course Evaluation
