English Language Arts — Grade 4

Sticky-note discussions

Sticky-notes discussions are fun, add variety to reading, and allow students to respond to the written text immediately. They are easy to implement in all content areas. Sticky-note discussions are effective when used individually, in a small or large group, or a combination of settings.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–8 English Language Arts)

By Kim Rector.

Predicting skills

Students will practice predicting what will happen in different stories and understand why predicting is important while reading.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2–4 English Language Arts)

By Susan Bell.

Operation beach teach

This lesson is the introduction to an integrated marine science unit which culminates in an early fall trip to Hammocks Beach State Park. (See attachment: Pre-Activity). The unit is designed to hook students into science and provide joyful learning experiences across the curriculum.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies)

By Melissa Tukey.

Mystery: Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective

This is a three part lesson on mysteries using the novel Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald Sobol.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts)

By Christine Weaver.

Let's become chefs!

The following is designed to teach students the characteristics of a recipe. The characteristics to be taught about this genre are: the step-by-step directions, ingredient words and numerical measures.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts)

By Sarah Ann Parker.

Comparing/contrasting characters: A Taste of Blackberries

This lesson is designed to use with Chapter 1 of the novel A Taste of Blackberries. Students will use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two main characters and then relate the material to their own lives.

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

By Denise Caudle.

Cloudy with a chance of... what?

Students will enjoy reading about a town where no one ever goes hungry because the sky provides food while learning about weather, healthy and unhealthy foods, and creating a database.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2–4 English Language Arts and Science)

By BJ Larson and Paula Sharpe.

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.

Night of the Twisters

Reading strategies are used to introduce a literary work.

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

By Authurice Mitchell.

Molly's Pilgrim Activity

Using the book by Barbara Cohen, students will respond to the social and historical significance of this portrayal of the Thanksgiving holiday. Students will also participate in constructing a Venn diagram and completing a cloze activity.

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

By Susan Milholland, Kathy Vaden, and Rita Wilson.

Resources on the web

Voting! What's it all about?

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students both listen to information read aloud from a variety of sources and read from fiction and nonfiction books. Students explore information from current sources including child-oriented websites, newspapers, and... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Computer/Technology Skills, English Language Arts, and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Using the prediction strategy to set purposes for reading

This ReadWriteThink lesson gives students opportunities to understand the prediction strategy in reading. The prediction strategy is modeled, practiced, and used independently as students read a trade book. Response journal forms are used by the students... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Unwinding a circular plot: Prediction strategies in reading and writing

This ReadWriteThink lesson builds on students' existing knowledge of plot structure and of cycles in other content areas, and invites students to use a circle plot graphic organizer to explore the structure of this type of story. The cyclical nature of... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Traveling terrain: Comprehending nonfiction text on the web

This lesson introduces students to the process of identifying specific information from Internet sites. After a brief lesson by the teacher, students learn to complete certain tasks while using a graphic organizer. Upon the completion of this lesson,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Computer/Technology Skills and English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Technical reading and writing using board games

This lesson is designed as a review activity for the conclusion of a novel unit. Students work together to design a board game and to determine what the game will look like, how it will be played, and the number of questions and answers the game will include.... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Teaching science through picture books: A rainforest lesson

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, a study of the tropical rainforest is introduced through the picture book Welcome to the Green House by Jane Yolen. This science lesson, which incorporates reading, writing, and technology, is a template... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Talking about books to improve comprehension

In this lesson, students will learn how to determine which ideas work best to inspire a conversation, how to stay focused on a particular idea, and how to talk with other students in a way that leads to deeper thinking. During a read-aloud of Stephanie's... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Rudyard Kipling's "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi": Mixing Fact and Fiction

In this EDSITEment lesson, the first of a two-part curriculum unit on Rudyard Kipling, students identify key events in Kipling's life and describe their effect on his story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” (part of The Jungle Book). Students... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: EDSITEment

Research building blocks: Skim, scan, and scroll

Children are naturally curious, wanting to know “how” and “why.” Teaching research skills can help students find answers for themselves. This ReadWriteThink lesson, taken from the “Research Building Blocks” unit, is a... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Research building blocks: Notes, quotes, and fact fragments

In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students acquire and use research skills. They learn the importance of finding the words in sentences and paragraphs that contain the facts they need for compiling their research. They then move to putting those notes into... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink