Grade 4 ELA Nebraska Standards

Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding (spelling) words.

Decode words with common Latin derived words.

Use combined knowledge of letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in and out of context.

Develop accuracy, phrasing, and expression/prosody while reading a variety of grade-level text to support comprehension.

Read a variety of text accurately using appropriate rate, expression/prosody and intonation to reflect the meaning of text.

Adjust pace and prosody based on the purpose, complexity, form, and/or style of a text.

Determine the central idea of an informational text and how it is conveyed through key details.

Analyze an individual, event, scientific idea or concept, or steps in a process.

Compare and contrast authors' perspectives in multiple informational texts of the same topic.

Describe the overall structure of an informational text and how it contributes to meaning.

Integrate information from multiple informational texts on the same topic in order to demonstrate knowledge of the topic.

Identify an author's claim(s) and explain how the author supports the claim in the text.

Explain an author or speaker's treatment of similar topics and/or patterns of events in a wide range of informational texts.

Read and comprehend a wide range of informational texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 4 independently and proficiently.

Determine a theme in a literary text and how it is conveyed through key details.

Analyze a character, setting, or event in a literary text, drawing on specific details such as a character's thoughts, words, or actions.

Distinguish reader perspective from the perspective and point of view of the narrator or the characters in a literary text.

Compare and contrast the structural elements of literary texts (e.g., dramas, narratives, and poems).

Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics and patterns of events in literary texts by different authors or from different cultures.

Explain what the text says explicitly and draw inferences when asking or answering questions, quoting or paraphrasing specific evidence from the text as appropriate.

Explain an author or narrator/speaker's treatment of similar themes and/or patterns of events in a wide range of literary texts.

Read and comprehend a wide range of literary texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 4 independently and proficiently.

Prepare for and participate in structured discussions and collaborations about 4th grade topics and texts.

Ask relevant questions to build on ideas or acquire or confirm information.

Demonstrate interpretation of verbal and non-verbal messages in a conversation.

Converse with peers and adults in an all-inclusive manner to foster positive relationships while respecting diverse perspectives.

Demonstrate active and attentive listening skills (e.g., eye contact, nonverbal cues, recalling, questioning).

Complete a task following multi-step directions.

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support themes or central ideas.

Demonstrate appropriate speaking techniques (e.g., appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, clear pronunciation) for a variety of purposes and situations, including interpreting 4th grade texts.

Convey a perspective with clear reasoning and support.

Identify the purpose and credibility of information being presented.

Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the appropriate use of words (e.g., stereotypes, multiple meanings of words).

Use appropriate visual and/or digital tools to enhance verbal communication and add interest.

Acquire and use grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately.

Use context clues (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements) to determine the meanings of words and phrases.

Use commonly occurring Latin affixes and roots to determine the meanings of words and phrases (e.g., photograph, autograph).

Determine or clarify the meanings or pronunciations of words using reference materials and classroom resources.

Interpret an author's use of figurative, connotative, and technical language in grade-level literary and informational text.

Explain the meaning of commonly occurring similes and metaphors (e.g., light as a feather) in grade-level text.

Recognize and explain the meaning of commonly occurring idioms and adages.

Use knowledge of words by relating them to their antonyms and synonyms.

Create grammatically correct sentences and paragraphs using a variety of sentence types and phrasing.

Capitalize proper nouns (e.g., organizations, geographic regions, monuments and landmarks).

Use commas and quotation marks to indicate direct speech and quotations from a text; use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence and with dependent clauses.

Identify and use simple appositive phrases.

Identify and use frequently occurring pronouns (e.g., subject, object), adverbs (e.g., relative), and verbs (e.g., helping and linking).

Distinguish between frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their, they're).

Identify and revise fragment and run-on sentences in speaking and writing.

Use a recursive writing process to develop, strengthen, and produce writing appropriate to the audience, purpose, and discipline.

Use prewriting activities and resources to plan, organize, and draft writing.

Adapt writing processes to sustain engagement in short and long-term writing tasks of increasing length and complexity.

Improve and clarify the content, structure, and organization of writing by revising, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Improve and clarify writing by editing and proofreading, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Use or decipher multiple formats of print and digital text (e.g., manuscript, cursive, font, graphics, symbols).

Use appropriate print and digital/multimedia tools to produce, enhance, and/or publish writing individually or in collaboration with peers.

Write creative and/or expressive pieces that describe a well-developed event or experience.

Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or character(s).

Use precise words and phrases, descriptive/sensory details, and dialogue to develop characters, events, and settings.

Use transitional words and phrases to organize a sequence of events that unfolds naturally.

Provide a conclusion related to the creative or expressive event or experience.

Write opinion pieces that explain a perspective with supporting reasons and/or evidence.

Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and develop a structure that includes reasons and/or evidence.

Use facts and details to support reasons and/or evidence.

Use linking words and phrases to connect ideas.

Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion.

Write informative/explanatory pieces to examine a topic or text and convey ideas and information.

Introduce a topic clearly and group related information into paragraphs and sections including text features, illustrations, and/or multimedia elements.

Develop the topic with information (e.g., facts, definitions, details, quotations) related to the topic.

Use linking words and phrases and key vocabulary to connect ideas and categories of information.

Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation(s).

Locate and summarize relevant evidence from literary and/or informational text sources to answer questions about a topic.

Paraphrase information and evidence to support ideas while avoiding plagiarism.

Identify print and digital tools to gather information and evidence.

Sort evidence into categories using an appropriate note-taking format to collect and organize information.

Demonstrate academic integrity by avoiding overreliance on any one source and referencing sources in writing and speaking; provide a list of sources.

Practice safe and ethical behaviors when communicating and interacting with others digitally (e.g. safe information to share, utilize appropriate sites and materials, appropriate language use, respect diverse perspectives).

Demonstrate phonetic and word analysis knowledge and apply decoding skills to isolated words and in connected text.

Read grade-level texts with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Citing relevant and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, evaluate the development of themes or central ideas in grade-level informational texts.

Citing relevant and thorough evidence to support ideas, evaluate the development and interaction of individuals, ideas, and events in grade-level informational texts.

Citing relevant and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, evaluate how an author's perspective or use of point of view shapes the style and meaning of grade-level informational texts.

Read and comprehend complex, grade-level informational texts independently and proficiently.

Citing relevant and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, evaluate the development of themes or central ideas in grade-level literary texts.

Citing relevant and thorough evidence to support ideas, evaluate the development and interaction of individuals, ideas, and events in grade-level literary text.

Citing relevant and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, evaluate how an author's perspective or use of point of view shapes the style and meaning of grade-level literary text.

Read and comprehend complex, grade-level literary texts independently and proficiently.

Communicate effectively and appropriately in collaborative activities for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences to express ideas, share knowledge, and generate new understandings.

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence in which the organization, development, and style are appropriate to the discipline, audience, and/or context.

Build and use a range of conversational, academic, and discipline-specific grade-level vocabulary and apply to reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Use a recursive writing process to produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to the discipline, audience, and/or context.

Write in a variety of modes for a variety of purposes and audiences across disciplines.

Phonics and Word Analysis

Reading Prose and Poetry

Foundations of Reading

Speaking and Listening

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Fluency

Author's Craft

Acquisition and Use

Production of Writing

Central Ideas and Details

Writing

Author's Craft

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

Knowledge and Ideas

Context and Connotation

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Modes of Writing

Knowledge and Ideas

Central Ideas and Details

Vocabulary

Reading Informational text

Comprehension and Collaboration

An ELL can . . . construct meaning from oral presentations and literary and informational text through grade-appropriate listening, reading, and viewing.

use a very limited set of strategies from read-alouds, simple written texts, and oral presentations to:

identify a few key words and phrases

use an emerging set of strategies from read-alouds, simple written texts, and oral presentations to:

identify the main topic

retell a few key details

use a developing set of strategies from read-alouds, simple written texts, and oral presentations to:

determine the main idea or theme, and

retell a few key details

retell familiar stories

use an increasing range of strategies from read-alouds, written texts, and oral presentations to:

determine the main idea or theme, and

explain how some key details support the main idea or theme

summarize part of a text

use a wide range of strategies from read-alouds, written texts, and oral presentations to:

determine two or more main ideas or themes

explain how key details support the main ideas or themes

summarize a text

An ELL can . . . make accurate use of standard English to communicate in grade-appropriate speech and writing.

with support (including context and visual aids),

recognize and use a small number of frequently occurring nouns, noun phrases, and verbs

understand and respond to simple questions.

with support (including visual aids and modeled sentences),

recognize and use some frequently occurring nouns, pronouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, and conjunctions

produce simple sentences in response to prompts.

with support (including modeled sentences),

use some relative pronouns (e.g., who, whom, which, that),

use some relative adverbs (e.g., where, when, why),

use some prepositional phrases

produce and expand simple and compound sentences.

Level 4

use relative pronouns (e.g., who, whom, which, that),

use relative adverbs (e.g., where, when, why),

use prepositional phrases

use subordinating conjunctions

produce and expand simple, compound, and a few complex sentences.

Level 5

use relative pronouns (e.g., who, whom, which, that),

use relative adverbs (e.g., where, when, why)

use prepositional phrases

use subordinating conjunctions

use the progressive and perfect verb tenses

produce and expand simple, compound, and complex sentences.

An ELL can . . . participate in grade-appropriate oral and written exchanges of information, ideas, and analyses, responding to peer, audience, or reader comments and questions.

about familiar topics.

participate in short conversations

participate in short written exchanges

actively listen to others

respond to simple questions and some wh-questions

about familiar topics and texts.

participate in short conversations

participate in short written exchanges

actively listen to others

respond to simple questions and wh-questions

about familiar topics and texts.

participate in short conversations and discussions

participate in short written exchanges

respond to others’ comments

add some comments of his or her own

ask and answer questions

about a variety of topics and texts.

participate in conversations and discussions

participate in written exchanges

build on the ideas of others

express his or her own ideas

ask and answer relevant questions

add relevant information and evidence

about a variety of topics and texts.

participate in extended conversations and discussions

participate in extended written exchanges

build on the ideas of others

express his or her own ideas clearly

pose and respond to relevant questions

add relevant and detailed information using evidence

summarize the key ideas expressed

An ELL can . . . speak and write about gradeappropriate complex literary and informational texts and topics.

about familiar texts, topics, events, or objects in the environment.

communicate simple information

about familiar texts, topics, and experiences.

deliver short oral presentations

compose written texts

including a few details, about familiar texts, topics, and experiences.

deliver short oral presentations

compose written narratives or informational texts

including some details, about a variety of texts, topics, and experiences.

deliver short oral presentations

compose written narratives or informational texts

including details and examples to develop a topic, about a variety of texts, topics, and experiences.

deliver oral presentations

compose written narrative or informational texts

An ELL can . . . construct grade-appropriate oral and written claims and support them with reasoning and evidence.

Level 1

express an opinion about a familiar topic.

Level 2

construct a simple claim about a familiar topic

give a reason to support the claim.

Level 3

construct a claim about familiar topics

introduce the topic

provide a few reasons or facts to support the claim.

Level 4

construct a claim about a variety of topics

introduce the topic

provide several reasons or facts to support the claim

provide a concluding statement.

Level 5

construct a claim about a variety of topics

introduce the topic

provide logically ordered reasons or facts to support the claim

provide a concluding statement.

An ELL can . . . conduct research and evaluate and communicate findings to answer questions or solve problems.

Level 1

recall information from experience

gather information from a few provided sources

label some key information.

Level 2

recall information from experience

gather information from provided sources

record some information.

Level 3

recall information from experience

gather information from print and digital sources to answer a question

identify key information in orderly notes.

Level 4

recall information from experience

gather information from print and digital sources to answer a question

record information in organized notes, with charts, tables, or other graphics, as appropriate

provide a list of sources.v

Level 5

recall information from experience

gather information from print and digital sources

summarize key ideas and information in detailed and orderly notes, with graphics as appropriate

provide a list of sources.

An ELL can . . . analyze and critique the arguments of others orally and in writing.

Level 1

identify a point an author or speaker makes.

Level 2

identify a reason an author or speaker gives to support a main point

agree or disagree with the author or speaker.

Level 3

tell how one or two reasons support the specific points an author or speaker makes or fails to make.

Level 4

describe how reasons support the specific points an author or speaker makes or fails to make.

Level 5

explain how an author or speaker uses reasons and evidence to support or fail to support particular points

(at grade 5) identify which reasons and evidence support which points.

An ELL can . . . adapt language choices to purpose, task, and audience when speaking and writing.

Level 1

recognize the meaning of some words learned through conversations, reading, and being read to.

with emerging control,

adapt language choices to different social and academic contents

use some words learned through conversations, reading, and being read to.

with developing control, in conversation, discussions, and short written text.

adapt language choices according to purpose, task, and audience

use an increasing number of general academic and content-specific words, phrases, and expressions

with increasing ease, in speech and writing.

adapt language choices and style (includes register) according to purpose, task, and audience

use a wider range of general academic and content-specific words and phrases

in speech and writing.

adapt language choices and style according to purpose, task, and audience

use a wide variety of general academic and content-specific words and phrases

An ELL can . . . determine the meaning of words and phrases in oral presentations and literary and informational text.

relying heavily on context, visual aids, and knowledge of morphology in his or her native language, in simple oral discourse, read-alouds, and written texts about familiar topics, experiences, or events.

recognize the meaning of a few frequently occurring words, phrases, and formulaic expressions

using context, some visual aids, reference materials, and knowledge of morphology in his or her native language, in simple oral discourse, read-alouds, and written texts about familiar topics, experiences, or events.

determine the meaning of some frequently occurring words, phrases, and expressions

using context, visual aids, reference materials, and a developing knowledge of English morphology, in texts about familiar topics, experiences, or events.

determine the meaning of frequently occurring words and phrases

determine the meanings of some idiomatic expressions

using context, reference materials, and an increasing knowledge of English morphology, in texts about a variety of topics, experiences, or events.

determine the meaning of general academic and content-specific words, phrases

determine the meaning of a growing number of idiomatic expressions

using context, reference materials, and knowledge of English morphology, in texts about a variety of topics, experiences, or events.

determine the meaning of general academic and content-specific words and phrases

determine the meaning of figurative language (e.g., metaphors, similes, adages, and proverbs)

An ELL can . . . create clear and coherent gradeappropriate speech and text.

with support (including context and visual aids), and using non-verbal communication, with limited control.

communicate simple information about an event or topic

use a narrow range of vocabulary and syntactically simple sentences

with support (including visual aids and modeled sentences), with emerging control.

communicate simple information about a topic

recount a simple sequence of events in order

use frequently occurring linking words (e.g., and, then)

with support (including modeled sentences), with developing control.

introduce an informational topic

present one or two facts about the topic

recount a short sequence of events in order

use an increasing range of temporal and other linking words (e.g., next, because, and, also)

provide a concluding statement

with increasingly independent control.

introduce an informational topic

develop the topic with facts and details

recount a more detailed sequence of events, with a beginning, middle, and end

use transitional words and phrases to connect events, ideas, and opinions (e.g., after a while, for example, in order to, as a result)

provide a conclusion

Level 5

Introduce an informational topic

develop the topic with facts and details

recount a more detailed sequence of events, with a beginning, middle, and end

use a variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas, information, or events

provide a concluding statement or section.