English Language Arts — Grade 4

Resources on the web

Fairy tales, then and now

In this lesson, students read an old fairy tale or story and list the geographical features and characters described in the story. They'll then think about how the story might be updated to reflect their own modern setting and culture and will conclude... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: Xpeditions

Fables and trickster tales around the world

This lesson plan from EDSITEment introduces students to folktales, such as fables and trickster tales, from around the world. Students become familiar with different folklore traditions and genres, as well as the process of the oral transmission of culture... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: EDSITEment

Exploring the subtext strategy: Thinking beyond the text

In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students take the perspectives of various characters in a story and think beyond the written text. Students act as the assigned characters and speak aloud, expressing their interpretations of the characters' thoughts and feelings... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Escaping slavery: “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt”

This lesson, from ReadWriteThink, uses the picture book Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson and an interactive website to enhance students' understanding of the Underground Railroad and slavery. The teacher... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Developing students' critical thinking skills through whole-class dialogue

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students listen to a book read aloud by the teacher or read it silently by themselves. After reading, students answer an open-ended question about an issue that could have multiple perspectives. Students take positions,... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Developing inferential comprehension through DL-TA and discussion webs

This lesson from ReadWriteThink uses the narrative text Granddaddy's Gift by Margaree King Mitchell to help students improve their inferential comprehension, prediction, and discussion skills. Before reading, students answer discussion questions... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Demonstrating comprehension through journal writing

In this lesson, from ReadWriteThink, students demonstrate comprehension by responding to open-ended questions based on the 1939 Newbery Honor chapter book, Mr. Popper's Penguins. Students draw from the text and their personal experiences to... (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

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

Daily book boost

This lesson describes a strategy for students to share books and ideas with other students. After exploring several examples of book reviews, students write their own reviews of books they are reading and create a visual representation to assist with the... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Comics in the classroom as an introduction to narrative structure

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students will examine the plot and narrative structure of a story through the use of comic strip frames. They will then write their own original narratives after creating comic strip storyboards as a prewriting exercise. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Comics in the classroom as an introduction to genre study

In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students explore a variety of comic strips and discuss the different components and conventions of them. Teachers of reading and writing always look for new and engaging texts to use in the classroom. An often-overlooked genre... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Color Poems--Using the Five Senses to Guide Prewriting

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students are asked to think about colors, while imagining what they taste, feel, smell, sound, and look like. The students use their five senses as a prewriting tool to guide their poetry writing. This lesson is open-ended... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Cinderella folk tales: Variations in plot and setting

In this lesson from EDSITEment, students compare and contrast several versions of Cinderella stories told around the world to find differences and similarities in plot and setting. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: EDSITEment

Cinderella folk tales: Variations in character

In this lesson from EDSITEment, students compare and contrast several versions of Cinderella stories told around the world to find differences and similarities in character traits. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: EDSITEment

Choosing clear and varied dialogue tags: A mini-lesson

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students explore the use of dialogue tags such as “he said” or “she answered” in picture books and novels, discussing their purpose, form, and style. Students identify dialogue tags in stories,... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Charting characters for a more complete understanding of the story

This ReadWriteThink lesson introduces the instructional strategy of Character Perspective Charting. This method is designed to reflect the actual complexity of stories that may not be reflected by the use of traditional story maps. A practical instructional... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

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

In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students define the purpose of adjectives and find examples in shared reading. Then students “become” one of the major characters in a book and describe themselves and other characters using Internet reference... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

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

In this alternative lesson to a book report, students explore how authors use certain techniques to develop characters. This lesson employs a strategy used in the children's book, Because of Winn–Dixie, where the characters... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

A case for reading: Examining challenged and banned books

Any work is potentially open to attack by someone, somewhere, sometime, for some reason. This lesson introduces students to censorship and how challenges to books occur then invites them to read a challenged or banned book and decide for themselves what... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink