LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

English Language Arts — Grade 4

Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.

Objective 1.05. Use word reference materials (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus) to identify and comprehend unknown words.

Additional related resources

We’re in the process of aligning our content for students to the Standard Course of Study. As we do, you’ll find it here.

General resources

Aligned lesson plans

Understanding vocabulary in their own terms
This lesson focuses on vocabulary development. Students will work together in small groups to identify at least three to four unknown vocabulary words in a given passage. Vocabulary meanings will be learned through contextual means, previous knowledge and dictionary use. Students will then find a relevant way to illustrate the meaning of the word so that others can understand easily.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts)
By Christa Schneider.
Dictionary guide words: How do they guide us?
Students have difficulty locating words in a dictionary. This lesson will allow students to learn how to use guide words in a dictionary to locate words.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts and English Language Development)
By Anne Campbell and Carol Troutman.
Are you on a diet?
In I’m on a diet and proud of it: Nutrition through math and science, page 2
In this lesson, students will examine their knowledge, beliefs, and misconceptions about diets. Using word study and discussion, they will understand diet as a multi-faceted concept.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts, Healthful Living, and Science)
By Karina Colón.

Resources on the web

Rooting out meaning: Morpheme match-ups in the primary grades
Students engage in morphemic analysis by using their knowledge of morphemes to define words, using a dictionary to confirm the meaning and spelling of unfamiliar words, and combining morphemes to create new words. Students use Readwritethink's “Morpheme... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
My world of words: Building vocabulary lists
In this lesson, students are engaged in a vocabulary search based on their areas of interest. The lesson begins with the teacher discussing how words are everywhere—online or in magazines, newspapers, books, letters, and conversations. Then, students... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts and Information Skills)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
Literature circles: Getting started
This lesson serves as an introduction to the use of literature circles in the elementary classroom. Readwritethink offers a workshop-style lesson and a tool-kit for teachers who are using this collaborative reading strategy for the first time. Students... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
A daily DEAR program: Drop everything and read!
This lesson that promotes self-selected reading for students in grades 3–5, gives the teacher a structured time to touch base with each student over a period of time, assess progress, and target instruction. During this daily reading period, students... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
Acquiring new vocabulary through book discussion groups
This ReadWriteThink lesson explores various ways in which the teacher can foster students' vocabulary skills through direct instruction and small-group discussions. While reading the text Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco, students identify... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink