Grade 4 Curriculum Map

2018-2019
Week Texts Skills/Strategies Assessments

Unit 1: Making My Reading Life

Essential Questions
● How can I ​really ​enjoy reading?
● How can writing help me understand and enjoy texts?
● How can we support each other as readers?

1 Read Alouds: Week 1 - Engagement (RL/RI 4.10) ​Observations

● Miss Malarkey Leaves No
Reader Behind
● Thank You Mr. Faker
● Fantastic Mr. Fox
Interactive Read Aloud and Book Talk Stems checklist and quick
The part where ___ makes me think __ feels because… compliment conferences
The part where ___ reminds me of ___ because.. Focuses - book choice
I think __ is learning… (methods of previewing)
I think the author wants me to learn __ because… getting started, eyes in book,
I wonder… book preferences.
I predict… Engagement grade on Fri.

Minilessons:
● Turn & Talk
● Introduce first EQ and go over times we really enjoyed reading or
didn’t. Engaged reading looks, sounds and feels like.
● Previewing books to see if its interesting and read a page to if its a
Just Right Book
● Refocusing while reading, chosing a new book, changing postitions
or rereading.

Word Work: WTW inventory and teacher-made word part vocabulary

diagnotstic

2 Read Aloud Writing About Reading Longer conferences focusing

● Fantastic Mr. Fox
Interactive Read Aloud and Book Talk Stems: on engagement points from last
*I wonder… week, and using the reading
*I predict... log to figure out and affirm
*The part __ reminds me of __ because... book preferences, and quick
*The part __ makes me feel __ because… running records
*The part __ makes me think __ because…
 I think ___ means ___ because ___ Everyday analysis (quick
I wonder… feedback!) of IRA after reading
The part ___ confuses me because… notes for use of skill (grade on
Thursday or Friday)
Minilessons
● Fourth grade readers use their reading trackers to see what books
really interest them.
● Introduce note-taking system. Fourth grade readers take notes while
reading to remember their ideas, share, and push their thinking.
● Fourth grade readers use sentence stems for their notes (introduce
stem bank - from read aloud poster, fro reading binder / journal).
● Fourth grade readers choose just right books (3 strike rule, smooth,
understand).
● Tricky word strategies:Chunk and smooth, Try another sound, Think
about what fits

Word Study: Differentiated Prefix vocabulary and/or WTW sorts

3 Fantastic Mr. Fox Partner Talk Library conferences with focus

Interactive Read Aloud and Book on finding just right books,
returning, and book choice.
Minilessons
● Fourth grade readers share notes and interesting pages with their Table observations in MWTP
partners and shares for talk (as well as
● Fourth grade readers ask their partners clarifying questions. less formal observations in
● Fourth grade readers summarize books to show and share the T&T) assessments
important information.
● Students complete performance task
● Book check out system

Unit 2: Interpretting Characters and Theme

Essential Questions:
● How do Empathetic Readers get lost in their books?
● How do Empathetic Readers get to ​really​ know characters?
● How do Empathetic Readers build and take away really​ important ​ideas from novels?

4 The Tiger Rising Week 1 - Envisioning RL 4.3

Interactive Read Aloud/Shared Reading Thinking and Talking Stems: Book Talk Prep sheet
The part __ on page __ makes me see / hear / feel ___ because.. assessed for quality of
I can see/hear/feel__ because.. envisionment.

Minilessons During independent reading

 ● Readers envision scenes in order to get lost in books. One way we on Friday, students take
do that is by using our mind’s eye to see and hear what’s happening. envisioning notes on a
● Readers envision scenes in order to get lost in books. One way we teacher-selected page from
do that is by being empathetic readers - by thinking how it would feel their guided reading novel.
to be in the scene. Assessed with Calkins
● Close Reading progression.
● Empathetic Readers envision scenes in order to get lost in books.
One way we do that is by staying fully awake for details.
● Book Talks

Word Study: Differentiated Affix vocabulary and/or WTW sorts

5 The Tiger Rising Week 2: Inferring RL 4.1

Words Their Way Interactive Read Aloud/Shared Reading Thinking and Talking Stems: Book Talk Prep sheet
​The part __ on page __ makes think ___ because.. assessed for quality of
character inferences.
Minilessons
● Create character trait bank Empathetic Readers infer character’s During independent reading
traits in order to really know them. One way we do this is by on Friday, students take
reviewing the difference between character traits and feelings. character inference notes on a
● Empathetic Readers infer character’s traits in order to really know teacher-selected page from
them. One way we do this is by looking for little clues in what they their guided reading novel.
say and do. Assessed with Calkins
● Close Reading progression.
● Empathetic Readers infer character’s motivations in order to really
know them. One way we do this is by looking for little clues in what
they say and do - just like we did with traits!

Word Study: Differentiated Affix vocabulary and/or WTW sorts

6 The Tiger Rising Week 3: Building Ideas RL 4.3

Words Their Way Stems: Book Talk Prep sheet
All ending with “___, this makes me realize..” assessed for quality of textual
● (The character) often… evidences connection to
● ___ happens a lot… ideas.
● (The character) often _, but sometimes…
● (The character) is changing! At first __ but now... Students will need to find
● __ wants __, but __ is in their way… multiple pieces textual
● I think __ means __ because… evidence to support an idea
about their character -
Minilessons assigned (with tiers of
 ● Empathetic Readers build theories about characters in order to difficulty) in guided reading.
really know them. One way we do this is by noticing patterns in
their actions.
● Empathetic Readers build theories about characters in order to
really know them. One way we do this is by paying special
attention to their desire and obstacles.
● Empathetic Readers build theories about characters in order to
really know them. One way we do this is looking out for
complications in characters.
● Read Aloud and Book Talk: Grounding evidence

Word Study: Differentiated Affix vocabulary and/or WTW sorts

7 The Tiger Rising Week 4: Author’s Craft RL 4.2 ​&​ 4.3

Words Their Way Interactive Read Aloud/Shared Reading Thinking and Talking Stems: Guided reading assignments,
Already introduced. lesson and independent
reading notes, and book talk
Minilessons notes.
● Empathetic Readers build theories about characters in order to
really know them. One way we do this is by paying close attention
repeated details.
● Empathetic Readers build theories about characters in order to
really know them. One way we do this is by making sure we use
precise language.
● Empathetic Readers build theories about characters in order to
really know them. One way we do this is by paying close attention
to repeated images and objects.
● Read Aloud and Book Talk: *Debatable ideas

Word Study: Differentiated Affix vocabulary and/or WTW sorts

8 The Tiger Rising Week 5: Theme RL 4.2

Words Their Way Interactive Read Aloud/Shared Reading Thinking and Talking Stems: Guided reading assignments,
lesson and independent
Minilessons reading notes, and book talk
● Empathetic Readers build interpretations of books order to take notes.
away big ideas. One way we do this by looking for themes.
● Empathetic Readers build interpretations of books in order to take
away big ideas. One way we do this by looking not just at main
characters, but supporting ones too.
● Empathetic Readers build interpretations of books in order to take
 away big ideas. One way we do this by looking not just at one
scene, but the whole story so far.
● Empathetic Readers build interpretations of books in order to take
away big ideas. One way we do this by making connections and
noticing patterns in our notes.

Word Study: Differentiated Affix vocabulary and/or WTW sorts

9 Week 6: Culmination 1. Writing About Reading

Interactive Read Aloud/Shared - *Picture books with powerful themes TBD Performance
Assessment
Minilessons 2. Caulkins Unit
● Empathetic Readers build interpretations of books in order to take Assessment
away big ideas. One way we do this by paying close attention to
what characters learn or how they change at the end of books.
● Empathetic Readers build interpretations of books in order to take
away big ideas. One way we do this by considering what we are
taking away from the book.

Word Study: Differentiated Affix vocabulary and/or WTW sorts

Unit 3: ​Nonfiction Reading and Research - Extreme Weather!

Essential Questions
● How can ​text​ ​structure​ help researchers learn?
● How do researchers take the ​main ideas​ away from books?
● How can researchers become ​experts​ on a topic?

11 Everything Weather Focuses: Short quiz on text features.

DK Eyewitness: Hurricane and Tornado
● Nonfiction sort / launch (reading to learn w/ intensity) Close reading reflections.
Hurricanes
Calkins Units of Study - Reading Weather, ● Previewing Nonfiction
Reading the World (inc. online)*1st bend ● Text feature hunt
supplemented with lessons from 3rd grade ● Close reading: using text features
nonfiction units
Varied, high interest texts

12 Focus: Text type identification exit slip

Everything Weather
DK Eyewitness: Hurricane and Tornado
Hurricanes
Calkins Units of Study - Reading
● Text structure (narrative, expository, hybrid)
● Text structure - more detail (compare contrast, cause effect, pro
con, claim, support etc.)
 Weather, Reading the World (inc.
online)*1st bend supplemented with
lessons from 3rd grade nonfiction units
Varied, high interest texts
13 Everything Weather
Calkins Units of Study - Reading
Weather, Reading the World (inc.
online)*1st bend supplemented with
lessons from 3rd grade nonfiction units
Varied, high interest texts
14 DK Eyewitness: Hurricane and Tornado
Hurricanes
Calkins Units of Study - Reading
Weather, Reading the World (inc.
online)*1st bend supplemented with
lessons from 3rd grade nonfiction units
15
Hurricane
Other articles and online resources
16
17
Unit 4: Reading History - The Civil War
Mini-Lessons and Close Reading focus on: Main idea / supporting details -
● Finding the main idea in claim support texts Summary Graphic Organizer
● Finding supporting details in claim support texts -> boxes and Thinking Maps
bullets
● Finding MIs & supporting details in other structures
● Choosing the summary structure that works for the text (Summary
Boot Camp)
● Planning Research Project Word Solving - Notes from
● Research Team Roles and Discussion IRA and GR
● Word Solving Strategies (restatements in context, looking it up in
glossaries, finding word parts, looking up in dictionary) (reinforced
in close reading)
● Synthesizing information across texts Synthesis - Research notes
● Reading a variety of texts and graphic organizers
● Writing to grow research based ideas
● Don’t Skip the Hard Stuff!
● Presentation / Celebration!
● Launching 2nd Research Project by Comparing and Contrasting Compare / Contrast - Book
● Seeking Out Patterns and Relationships Talk and Research Notes
● Field Trip​: Gathering Evidence from displays and interactive
exhibits at the MSI on your specific extreme weather topic
● Readers Come to Texts with Their Own Agenda
● Evaluating source trustworthiness Author’s Purpose - Research
● Reading Closely for Author’s Purpose Notes
● Analyzing Nonfiction Author’s Craft
● Preparing and Presenting Performance Tasks (2 day)
 ● Can historians envision what history was really like just by reading nonfiction?
● Which is more important when we read nonfiction: the writer’s perspective, or our own perspective?
● How can historians convince other people that they are right?

18 Primary Sources ● Launch (reenacted video of civil war debates) + orienting in a text set Research notes (focus on use
Slavery ● Using text structure to preview and organize notes of text structure and orienting
● Covering special challenges when learning about history in setting)
● Priotizing when taking notes

19 Persepectives: Underground Railroad ● Synthesizing across texts (reinforced with book talk) Primary source strategies -
● Focusing on the Emblematic Detail in Nonfiction (reinforced with practice and observe in GR
simplewikipedia
close read)
● Primary Source Strategies (asking questions about author, their
context, and their purpose)

20 Freedom Box ● Primary Source Vocabulary Strategies (substituting for common Formative: ​Vocabulary -
words) (reinforced with close read) Webs for independent
Harriet Tubman (in their own words
● Vocabulary Webs - related terms, antonyms, and synonyms reading, GR and close read
series)
● Envisioning scenes in nonfiction (like in fiction) to bring history to life Summative:
● Envisioning history: Students draw, write a poem, or act out a scene Envisioning history rubric
from their historical research, and write an explanation

21 Primary Sources , Civil War Recognizing Different Perspectives (choosing sides for debate) Formative: ​Debate
- Finding Evidence to Support Your Claim preparation notes
simplewikipedia
- Explain and Angling Evidence Summative: ​Debate rubric
- Rehearsing the Debate
- Debate!

22 Just in Time, Abraham Lincoln ● Choosing new focus, building on prior knowledge to make new Research packet of graphic
topics accessible organizers (differentiated by
● Strategies for Tackling Increasingly Complex Texts stems and question
● Studying ALL parts of a text to determine the main idea complexity): main idea,
author’s bias, take-aways,
vocab webs
23 Abe’s Honest Words ● Altering strategies based on text source and text type
● Close read around vocabulary
● Questioning and Hypothesizing to Reach Deeper Conclusions
● Reading history for lasting messages, and universal meaning
● Considering our take aways (students write in packet), we do a
shared write
24-27 TEST PREP

Unit 5:Historical Fiction Bok Clubs

Essential Questions
● How can we hold on to the important information in complex texts?
● Why do people read historical fiction and not just history?
● How do we decide what lessons WE want to take away from reading?

28 One Crazy Summer pages 1-61 ● Launch (preview historical fiction and EQs and PT), Envisionment and inference
● Reading analytically at the start of the book notes for GR/book club and
● Envisioning the setting (reinforced in close read) exit tickets from read alouds
● Monitoring for sense: Fitting Pieces together
Self-assess for BC talks
29 One Crazy Summer pages 62-120 ● Setting book club roles
● Small group book talk: Fitting the pieces together
● Narrative and Historical Timelines
● Character’s Perspectives are Shaped by their Roles
● Character’s Roles are Shaped by their Setting

30 One Crazy Summer pages 121-167 ● Making significance Notes for GR on theme and
● Seeing Big Ideas in Small Details notes on theme from close
● Determining Themes (reinforced in small group book talk) reads (1st week ​One Crazy
● Deepening Interpretation through Close Reading Summer ​2nd week - short
text TBD)

31 One Crazy Summer pages 168-end ● Attending to minor characters (reinforced in book talk)
● Recognizing Allusions (reinforced in close read)
● Self Assessing Using Qualities of a Strong Interpretation

32 Expository texts on black panthers,
TBD Historical Narrative
● Turning to Primary Sources to Better Understand History Notes for guided reading /
● Add Background Knowledge to Deepen Understanding book club and notes on
● Learning from Historical Narratives (close read) close read
● Keep in mind - some people’s perspective is not everyone’s
perspective
● Seeing Power in Many Forms

33 None ● Finding thematic connections across texts (shared write) Observations and Rubrics
● Writing Take Away Essay, then preparing plays for Performance Task,
● Rehearsing then performing plays
Unit 6:​The Structure and Significance of Poetry and Drama
Essential Questions
● What makes a poem a poem?
● How do literary theorists really understand poems?
● How do the structure of poems and plays affect how they are read?

34 Love That Dog, pages 1-30 ● Introduce EQ, scope of unit, observe and notice poems in videos RL 4.5
& packet Formative: RA/GR notes
● Read aloud and minilesson: Using meter to read with rhythm & Summative: Day 5 Quiz
understanding
● Read aloud and minilesson: Noticing and envisioning descriptive
language
● Close Read: Analyzing descriptive language for mood and meaning
● Read aloud and minilesson: Comparing different structures of
poetry

35 Love That Dog, pages 31-67 ● Read aloud and minilesson: Reading for meaning, mood, and form RL 4.2, L 4.5
● Read aloud and minilesson: Similes Formative: Notes and
● Read aloud and minilesson: Metaphors discussion in RA, GR, & IR.
● Read aloud and minilesson: Analyzing the meaning ​&​ purpose of Writing a poem.
literary devices Summative: Modified
● Close Read: Text dependent questions about poetry (at end EngegeNY test on new
students begin a poem that they complete for homework over the poem
weekend)

36 Love That Dog, pages 68-86 ● Read aloud and minilesson: Review of summary
● Poetry Circle Book Talk: Themes of ​Love That Dog, ​power of poetry
● Assessment: Modified EngageNY test, then debrief

37 Greek Myths TBD ● Introducing drama structures with a longer reading lesson (play RL 4.7
Greek Myth Plays TBD) Formative: Notes and
● Lesson on allusions by watching two Greek myths, and reading discussion in RA, GR, & IR
brief versions Summative: PT
● Read aloud of a Greek Myth play, comparing and contrasting
structure and significance of prose and play
● Choosing and preparing a Performance Task
● Performing and analyzing performance tasks