Foundation for Reading

Kentucky Department of Education
Program of Studies – English Language Arts – Fourth Grade 108
Big Idea: Forming a Foundation (Reading)
Forming a foundation requires readers to develop and apply basic reading skills and strategies across
genres to read and understand texts at the appropriate grade level. This involves reading a variety of
texts at the word, sentence, and connected text level across all content areas.
Academic Expectations
1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer
reference programs and research tools.
1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.3 Students make sense of the various things they observe.
1.4 Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.
Grade 4 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students will understand that
• knowing how to apply phonetic principles, context clues, structural analysis, and spelling patterns
can help determine unfamiliar words while reading.
• fluency involves reading orally and silently with speed, accuracy, and proper phrasing and
expression, while attending to text features (e.g., punctuation, italics).
• developing breadth of vocabulary improves reading comprehension and involves applying
knowledge of word meanings and word relationships. The larger the reader’s vocabulary, the
easier it is to make sense of text.
• many words have multiple meanings. Knowledge of syntax/language structure,
semantics/meaning, context cues, and the use of resources can help in identifying the intended
meaning of words and phrases as they are used in text.
Grade 4 Skills and Concepts
Students will
• read high-frequency/grade-appropriate words with automaticity in connected text; read multisyllabic
words using knowledge of sounds, word structure, syllable types, and word patterns; and
identify the purpose of capitalization, punctuation, and text features (e.g., boldface type, italics,
indentations) to make meaning of a variety of texts
• apply context and self-correction strategies while reading
• read grade-appropriate material--orally and silently--with accuracy and fluency
• use a variety of reading strategies to understand vocabulary and texts:
o formulate questions to guide reading (before, during and after reading)
o apply word recognition strategies (e.g., phonetic principles, context clues, structural analysis)
to determine pronunciations or meanings of words in passages
o apply knowledge of synonyms, antonyms, homonyms/homophones, compound words, or
differences in meaning to assist comprehension
o identify syllables and parts of words (e.g., prefixes, suffixes, base words); apply the meanings
of common prefixes or suffixes to comprehend unfamiliar words
o describe words in terms of categories (e.g., water is a liquid), functions (e.g., water is for
drinking), or features (e.g., water flows)
o scan to find specific key information (e.g., dates, places); skim to get the general meaning of
a passage
• use resources (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses) to determine correct spellings of
words, to identify multiple meanings of words, content-specific meanings of words, and precise
use of vocabulary

Initial Understanding

Kentucky Department of Education
Program of Studies – English Language Arts – Fourth Grade 109
Big Idea: Developing an Initial Understanding (Reading)
Developing an initial understanding of text requires readers to consider the text as a whole or in a broader
perspective. Texts (including multicultural texts) encompass literary and informational texts (expository,
persuasive, and procedural texts and documents). Strategies for gaining a broad or literal understanding
of print texts can also be applied to non-print texts (e.g., digital, environmental).
Academic Expectations
1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer
reference programs and research tools.
1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.3 Students make sense of the various things they observe.
1.4 Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.
Grade 4 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students will understand that
• reading a wide range of print and non-print texts builds an understanding of texts, of themselves,
and of different cultures.
• different purposes to read include reading to acquire new information and reading for personal
fulfillment.
• the use of comprehension strategies greatly enhances understanding of text. Among these texts
include fiction, non-fiction, classic and contemporary works.
• different types of texts place different demands on the reader. Understanding text features and
structures, and characteristics associated with different genres (including print and non-print)
facilitates the reader’s ability to make meaning of the text.

Interpreting Text

Kentucky Department of Education
Program of Studies – English Language Arts – Fourth Grade 111
Big Idea: Interpreting Text (Reading)
Interpreting text requires readers to extend their initial impressions to develop a more complete
understanding of what is read. This involves linking information across parts of a text, as well as focusing
on specific information. Texts (including multicultural texts) encompass literary and informational texts
(expository, persuasive, and procedural texts and documents). Strategies for interpreting print texts can
also be applied to non-print texts (e.g., digital, environmental).
Academic Expectations
1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer
reference programs and research tools.
1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.3 Students make sense of the various things they observe.
1.4 Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.
Grade 4 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students will understand that
• interpretations of text involve linking information across parts of a text and determining
importance of the information presented.
• references from texts provide evidence to support conclusions about the message, the
information presented, or the author’s perspective.
• authors make intentional choices that are designed to produce a desired effect on the reader.
Grade 4 Skills and Concepts
Students will
• use comprehension strategies while reading, listening to, or viewing literary and informational
texts
• use text structure cues (e.g., chronology, cause/effect, compare/contrast, description,
logical/sequential) to aid comprehension
• use text references to explain author’s purpose, author’s message, supporting evidence or logical
predictions
• record and organize ideas to show understanding of central ideas and interrelationships (e.g.,
charting, mapping, webbing)
• demonstrate understanding of literary elements and literary passages/texts:
o explain a character’s actions and interpret possible motives based on a passage
o identify problems and explain how conflicts are resolved
o recognize author’s craft as appropriate to genre (e.g., figurative language, exaggeration)
• demonstrate understanding of informational passages/texts:
o distinguish between informative or persuasive passages
o identify commonly used persuasive techniques (e.g., emotional appeal, testimonial,
bandwagon, expert opinion)
o use evidence/references from the text to state central/main idea and details that support them
o distinguish between facts and opinions found in texts
o identify information in a passage that is supported by facts
o explain the purposes of text features in different types of informational texts

Reflecting and Responding to Text

Kentucky Department of Education
Program of Studies – English Language Arts – Fourth Grade 112
Big Idea: Reflecting and Responding to Text (Reading)
Reflecting and responding to text requires readers to connect knowledge from the text with their own
background knowledge and experience. The focus is on how the text relates to personal knowledge.
Texts encompass print and non-print literary and informational texts.
Academic Expectations
1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer
reference programs and research tools.
1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.3 Students make sense of the various things they observe.
1.4 Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.
Grade 4 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students will understand that
• making connections involves thinking beyond the text and applying the text to a variety of
situations. Connections may be expressed as comparisons, analogies, inferences, or the
synthesis of ideas.
• references from texts provide evidence of applying ideas and making text-to-self, text-to-texts,
and texts-to-real world connections.
• reading a wide range of literature by different authors, and from many time periods, cultures, and
genres, builds an understanding of the extent of human experience.
Grade 4 Skills and Concepts
Students will
• use comprehension strategies while reading, listening to, or viewing literary and informational
texts to make connections
• self-select texts based on personal interests
• generate a personal response to what is read, listened to or viewed:
o relate stories or texts to prior knowledge, personal experiences, other texts, or ideas
o provide text references/evidence to support connections made between text-to-self, text-totexts,
or texts-to-world
• read a range of texts by the same author, about the same subject, or from the same genre in
order to respond and make connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world)
• demonstrate participation in a literate community by sharing and responding to ideas and
connections with others through writing and focused discussions about texts

Critical Stance

Kentucky Department of Education
Program of Studies – English Language Arts – Fourth Grade 113
Big Idea: Demonstrating a Critical Stance (Reading)
Demonstrating a critical stance requires readers to consider the text objectively in order to evaluate its
quality and appropriateness. It involves a range of tasks, including critical evaluation, comparing and
contrasting, and understanding the impact of features, such as irony, humor, and organization.
Knowledge of text content and structure is important.
Academic Expectations
1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer
reference programs and research tools.
1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.3 Students make sense of the various things they observe.
1.4 Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.
5.1 Students use critical thinking skills such as analyzing, prioritizing, categorizing, evaluating, and
comparing to solve a variety of problems in real-life situations.
Grade 4 Enduring Knowledge – Understandings
Students will understand that
• reading is a process that includes applying a variety of strategies to comprehend, interpret and
evaluate texts, showing evidence of responsible interpretations of texts and examining texts
critically.
• references from texts provide evidence to support judgments made about why and how the text
was developed, considering the content, organization and form.
• determining the usefulness of text for a specific purpose, evaluating language and textual
elements, and analyzing the author’s style are all ways to critically examine texts.
• all citizens need to critically consider messages provided through a variety of media in order to
make informed decisions.
Grade 4 Skills and Concepts
Students will
• explain how text features organize information for clarity or for usefulness
• identify the organizational pattern used (e.g., sentence lengths and structures, paragraphs in
prose, verses in poems, sequence, description) and describe how understanding the structure
helps to understand the text
• evaluate what is read, based on the author’s word choice, sentence variety, content or use of
literary elements
• form and support judgments/opinions about central ideas
• connect information within and across texts
• evaluate the accuracy of information presented in texts
• evaluate connections among evidences and inferences
• evaluate the quality of evidence used to support or oppose an argument
• analyze or evaluate the use of persuasive or propaganda techniques
• recognize faulty reasoning and false premises in an argument