English Language Arts — Grade 4

Bubba: A Cinderella story

This lesson focuses on the whimsical interpretation of the Cinderella story. Students explore the story Bubba, the Cowboy Prince, through rich text and interpretations of the story.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts and English Language Development)

By Jennifer Fessler and Karen Wright.

Weaving Picture Books into Narrative Writing

Children's picture books are the perfect medium for mini-lessons in narrative writing. Teachers provide books which demonstate the qualities the students need to develop in their own writing.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts)

By Jan Caldwell.

Lesson plans on the web

Acquiring new vocabulary through book discussion groups

While reading the text Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco, students identify words that are unfamiliar to them. Working collaboratively in small groups, they discuss the meaning of these new words using context clues from the text, prior knowledge, and print and online resources. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Alliteration all around

In this lesson, students are introduced to alliteration through picture books by Pamela Duncan Edwards. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Animal adaptations

Students participate in classroom discussions about animals. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts and Science)

Provider: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Beanie Baby prices soar

Students learn about supply and demand through the sale of Beanie Babies. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provider: National Council on Economic Education

Book report alternative: Examining story elements using story map comic strips

Students use a six-paneled comic strip to create a story map, summarizing a book or story that they've either read as a class or independently. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Buzz! Whiz! Bang! Using comic books to teach onomatopoeia

This lesson uses comic strips to introduce students to onomatopoeia, words that imitate the natural sound associated with an action or an object. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Characters in Because of Winn–Dixie: Making lists of ten

Using the children's book,Because of Winn–Dixie, students learn about characterization techniques by creating lists of ten features that identify a character. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Charlotte is wise, patient, and caring: Adjectives and character traits

Students define the purpose of adjectives and find examples in shared reading. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Dear Librarian: Writing a persuasive letter

Inspired by the actions in Beverly Cleary’s book Emily’s Runaway Imagination, in this lesson plan, students write to their school librarian, requesting that a specific text be added to the library collection. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Delicious, tasty, yummy: Enriching writing with adjectives and synonyms

This lesson for third- and fourth-grade students teaches them what adjectives are and then uses a webbing strategy to help them develop lists of adjectives and their synonyms. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Fables and trickster tales around the world

Students become familiar with different folklore traditions and genres, as well as the process of the oral transmission of culture and history. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: National Endowment for the Humanities

Figurative language: Teaching idioms

Students explore figurative language with a focus on the literal versus the metaphorical translations of idioms. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Graphing plot and character in a novel

This lesson uses The Watsons Go To Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis to introduce plot sequence and the importance of symbolism. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

How big are "Martin's Big Words"? Thinking big about the future

Using Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as other resources, students explore diction used by Dr. King and compose a reflective writing piece. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

How do leopard seals hunt?

In this lesson from Xpeditions, students brainstorm the hunting behaviors of animals in general and leopard seals in particular and read some basic information about leopard seals. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Science and English Language Arts)

Provider: National Geographic

Literature Circles: Getting started

This lesson explores Literature Circles, a collaborative activity to supplement a reading program in a literature-based classroom. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

My family traditions: A class book and a potluck lunch

In this lesson, students read a bilingual children’s book and create a class book, which includes their artwork, information about their ancestral countries, descriptions of their own unique family traditions, and family recipes. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

My world of words: Building vocabulary lists

In this lesson, students select vocabulary words based on their personal interests, research the words, and create word journals to share with the class. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE