What does a student learn in StateWest Virginia,GradeGrade 4,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Reading accurately and at a steady pace helps students understand what they read. At this grade, students practice reading closely enough that meaning doesn't get lost in the words.

Students read fourth-grade passages with a clear reason in mind, not just to get through the words. They show they understand what they read by adjusting how they read based on the type of text in front of them.

Students read aloud from grade-level stories and poems, hitting the right words, pacing themselves, and letting their voice reflect what the text means.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they use the surrounding sentences to figure it out. If something still feels off, they reread until it makes sense.

Students use spelling patterns and word parts to read unfamiliar words on their own. This includes prefixes, suffixes, and root words they have learned in fourth grade.

Students use what they know about letter sounds, syllable patterns, and word parts like prefixes and suffixes to read longer, unfamiliar words. This works whether the word shows up in a sentence or on its own.

Students practice writing smoothly in cursive so their letters connect and anyone reading it can follow along without stopping to decode a word.

Students point to specific lines or scenes from a story to back up what they say the story means, both when the answer is stated outright and when they have to read between the lines.

Students find the big idea or lesson a story, play, or poem is really about, using details from the text to back it up. Then they write a short summary of what happened.

Students pick a character, place, or scene from a story and describe it using specific details from the text, not just general impressions.

Students read nonfiction passages and point to specific sentences or facts to back up what they say about the text. They also read between the lines, using those same details to figure out ideas the author didn't state directly.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction text and explain which details back it up. Then they summarize the whole piece in their own words.

Reading a nonfiction passage, students explain not just what happened but why it happened, pointing to specific details in the text as their evidence.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words and phrases mean by reading the sentences around them. Some words come from myths and famous stories, so students start learning where those references come from.

Students learn to tell poems, plays, and stories apart by what makes each one distinct: a poem's lines and stanzas, a play's scenes and stage directions, a story's paragraphs. They use those terms when talking or writing about what they read.

Students look at two or more stories and decide who's telling each one. They notice whether a character speaks as "I" or whether an outside voice describes the action, then explain how that choice changes what readers know.

Students figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words in nonfiction passages, using context clues from the surrounding sentences to understand both everyday academic words and subject-specific terms.

Students look at how a nonfiction passage is organized, such as problem and solution, cause and effect, or steps in order. They explain why the author arranged the information that way.

Students read two accounts of the same event, one written by someone who was there and one written by someone who wasn't. They explain how each writer focuses on different details and why those details differ.

Students compare a story or play to a movie, audio recording, or stage performance of the same work. They point to specific lines in the text and explain how those words show up in what they saw or heard.

Students read two stories from different cultures and look at how each one handles the same idea or plot pattern. They explain what the stories share and where they part ways.

Students look at charts, graphs, maps, or photos in a nonfiction article and explain what those visuals add to what the written text is saying.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain how the author backs up each main point with facts or examples. The focus is on seeing *why* the author included specific details, not just what those details say.

Students read two nonfiction books or articles on the same topic, then combine what they learned to write or talk about that subject with more depth than either source gave them alone.

Students read stories and poems written at the fourth- and fifth-grade level on their own. Harder books in that range are fine with some support from a teacher.

Students read nonfiction books and articles at a fourth-grade level on their own, covering topics like history, science, and how things work. Harder texts are fine with some support.

Students pick a topic, state what they think, and back it up with facts and reasons. The writing has a clear opening, connecting words like "for instance" or "in addition," and a closing that wraps up the opinion.

Students write a fact-based report that opens with a clear introduction, supports each point with facts and details, and wraps up with a conclusion. Linking words like "also" and "because" connect ideas, and topic-specific words keep the writing precise.

Students write a story about something real or made-up, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They use dialogue, sensory details, and transition words to move the story forward and bring characters to life.

Writing a paragraph or story means matching how it's organized and what's included to why students are writing and who will read it. A report for a teacher looks different from a letter to a friend, and students learn to make those choices on purpose.

Students plan, revise, and edit their writing with help from a teacher or classmate. Each round of feedback is a chance to fix grammar, tighten sentences, and make the piece clearer.

Students use a computer or tablet to write, edit, and share their work online, sometimes with help from a teacher or adult. They may also use technology to give feedback to classmates or work on a piece of writing together.

Students pick a topic, then dig into one specific angle of it through reading and note-taking. The goal is to learn something concrete, not just collect facts.

Students find facts from books, websites, or their own experiences to support a piece of writing. They take notes, sort what they find into categories, and record where each source came from.

Students pull quotes or details from a book or article to back up their thinking in writing. The reading and writing work together: what students notice while reading becomes the evidence they use on the page.

Students write often, both in quick exercises and longer projects. Some pieces take a day; others grow over weeks through research and revision.

Students take turns in class discussions, listen closely enough to build on what a classmate just said, and explain their own ideas clearly. This covers one-on-one conversations, small groups, and full-class talks.

Students read or study the assigned material before a discussion, then use what they read to support their ideas when the class talks it through. Showing up prepared means having something real to say.

Students follow class discussion rules and take on a specific role, such as note-taker or discussion leader. They stay on topic, listen to others, and do the job the group assigned them.

Students ask follow-up questions when something is unclear and build on what classmates say, not just wait for their own turn to talk.

After a class discussion, students look back at the main ideas and explain how the conversation changed or deepened what they think. They connect what others said to their own thinking.

Students listen to a passage or watch a short video, then restate the key information in their own words. This is different from copying a quote or summarizing the whole thing.

Students listen to a speaker and pick out the specific reasons and details used to back up each main point.

Students pick a topic, story, or personal experience and present it out loud in a clear, organized way. They back up their main idea with facts and specific details, speaking at a pace the audience can follow.

Students choose when to add a recording, image, or chart to a presentation to make the main idea clearer. The extra piece has to help the audience understand, not just decorate the slide.

Students learn when to speak formally (like in a class presentation) and when casual language is fine (like talking with friends). They practice switching between the two based on the situation.

Students apply grammar rules when writing and speaking: using correct verb tenses, forming sentences that make sense, and choosing words that fit the context. It's the foundation for clear, readable writing. Wait, I have a three-part rhythm and an em dash issue to check. Let me redo. Students apply grammar rules when they write and speak. That means using correct verb tenses, building complete sentences, and choosing words that fit. Still three parts. Let me fix. Students apply grammar rules when they write and speak, using correct verb tenses and complete sentences so their meaning comes through clearly.

Students use words like "who," "whose," "which," and "that" to connect ideas within a sentence, such as "the dog that barks" or "the teacher who helped me."

Students write sentences that show ongoing action, like "she was reading" or "they are building." Progressive tenses signal that something is still happening, already in progress, or will be happening at a set time.

Students practice choosing words like "can," "may," and "must" to show whether something is possible, allowed, or required. A sentence changes meaning depending on which of these words it uses.

Students arrange describing words in the right order before a noun, for example "small red brick house" instead of "red small brick house." English has an unwritten rule for which type of description comes first, and this standard covers that pattern.

Students practice using prepositional phrases, short word groups like "on the shelf" or "after lunch," to show where, when, or how something happens in a sentence.

Students write complete sentences and fix ones that stop too early or run together without a break.

Students learn to tell apart words that sound alike but mean different things, like "there," "their," and "they're," and use the right one when writing.

Students practice the rules of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in their own writing. That means knowing when to use a capital letter, where a comma goes, and how to spell grade-level words correctly.

Students capitalize the first word of every sentence, names of people and places, and titles like "Dr." or "Mrs." Getting capitalization right is one of the basic rules of written English.

Students learn to use commas and quotation marks when writing someone's exact words, whether from a conversation or a book. This includes knowing where the comma goes and how the quotation marks wrap around the spoken or quoted words.

Students learn when to put a comma before words like "and," "but," or "so" that join two complete sentences into one. For example: "I wanted to go outside, but it started to rain."

Students spell the words expected at fourth grade correctly and look up any word they're unsure about. The goal is accurate spelling in real writing, not just on a test.

Students pick exact words, use punctuation on purpose, and know when to write formally (like in a report) versus casually (like in a text to a friend).

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean using context clues, word parts like prefixes and suffixes, or a dictionary. They learn to pick the right meaning when a word has more than one.

Students use nearby words and sentences to figure out what an unfamiliar word means, instead of stopping to look it up.

Students use familiar Greek and Latin word parts, like "bio" or "re-" or "-tion," to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. It's a decoding strategy for longer, trickier vocabulary.

Students look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary or glossary, print or digital, to check how a word is pronounced and what it means.

Students learn to spot figures of speech like similes and idioms, understand how words relate to each other, and notice the small differences in meaning between words that seem similar.

Students read a sentence and explain what a comparison means, such as why a writer might say someone "ran like the wind" or call a bedroom "a tornado." The comparison is not literal, and students put the meaning into their own words.

Students learn what familiar phrases like "it's raining cats and dogs" or "the early bird catches the worm" actually mean. These sayings don't mean what the words say literally, and students practice explaining the real idea behind them.

Students learn to recognize when two words mean the same thing and when two words mean the opposite. They use those connections to sharpen their word choices in writing and to understand what they read.

Students learn the precise vocabulary their grade level demands, including words that name specific feelings, actions, or ideas tied to a subject. Knowing these words helps students read and write with more exactness across every topic they study.