What does a student learn in StateDistrict of Columbia,GradeGrade 4,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students find the exact words or sentences in a story that back up what they say about it. They also use clues in the text to figure out things the author never states directly.

Students find the big idea a story keeps coming back to, then trace how the details and events build it up. They also sum up what happens without retelling everything.

Students track how a character changes, how a problem builds, or how one event leads to the next across a story. The focus is on why things unfold the way they do, not just what happens.

Students figure out what words mean based on how they are used in a story or poem, including words with hidden feelings or imaginative meanings. They also look at how an author's word choices change the mood of what they are reading.

Students look at how a story or poem is built, noticing how one paragraph connects to the next and how individual sentences support the bigger picture.

Students figure out who is telling the story and how that choice changes what gets included and how it sounds. A hero telling their own story leaves things out that a bystander would notice.

Students compare a story or poem to its movie clip, illustration, or audio version, then explain what each version shows that the others can't.

Students read a passage and judge whether the author's main point holds up. They check if the reasons make sense and if the examples actually support what the author is trying to prove.

Students read two stories or poems on the same topic and look at how each author handles it differently. They compare what each text says and how it's said.

Students read full books and stories on their own, without help on every page. By the end of fourth grade, they handle texts that are longer and more challenging than what they read in third grade.

Students read a nonfiction passage carefully, then back up their answers with specific lines or details from the text. They don't just say what they think; they point to the sentence or fact that proves it.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage and track how the author builds on it through the details. Then they sum up what the text says in their own words, without copying sentences directly.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain how a person, event, or idea changes as the text goes on, and why those changes happen. The focus is on connection: what causes what, and how one thing leads to another.

Students figure out what words mean based on how they're used in a nonfiction passage, including words with hidden or layered meanings. They also look at how an author's word choices change the feeling or message of what they wrote.

Students look at how a nonfiction article is built: how one paragraph leads into the next, how a single sentence supports the bigger idea, and how each part fits the whole piece.

Reading the same topic written by two different authors shows how their goals and opinions change what details they include and how they say it. Students figure out why an author wrote a piece and how that choice shapes what gets left in or left out.

Students look at a photo, chart, or graph alongside a written passage and explain what the visual adds to the words. The goal is to use both sources together, not treat them as separate.

Students read a nonfiction passage and decide whether the author's argument holds up. They check if the reasons make sense and if the facts and details actually support the point being made.

Students read two texts on the same topic and compare what each author focuses on, what details they include, and how they explain the subject differently.

Students read longer, harder nonfiction on their own, without help decoding words or piecing together meaning. By the end of fourth grade, they work through a full article or chapter and understand it.

By fourth grade, students are expected to know how printed text works. This standard checks that they still have those basics, like reading left to right and understanding how sentences and words are separated on a page.

Students listen to spoken words and identify the individual sounds and syllables inside them. This is the building block for spelling and reading words accurately.

Students use what they know about letter patterns and word parts to figure out unfamiliar words while reading. This is the decoding work that makes longer, harder words in fourth-grade books readable.

Students read aloud smoothly and accurately enough that the meaning of the text comes through. Reading without stumbling over words frees up attention for understanding what the passage actually says.

Students write a paragraph or short essay that takes a clear position on a topic, then back it up with reasons and details pulled from what they read. The argument has to hold up, not just sound convincing.

Students write to explain a topic clearly, using facts and details to help a reader understand something new. The focus is accuracy: every sentence should inform, not persuade.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with a clear sequence of events and specific details that make the experience feel real. The writing has a beginning, a buildup, and an ending that fits.

Writing fits the situation. Students choose the right structure, tone, and details for the type of piece they're writing and who will read it.

Students plan, draft, and revise their writing to make it clearer and stronger. That means fixing weak spots, editing for mistakes, or starting fresh when a piece isn't working.

Students use a computer or tablet to write, edit, and share their work. That includes publishing pieces online and giving or receiving feedback from classmates.

Students pick a focused question and research it, using what they find to show real understanding of the topic. The project can be short or spread across several days.

Students find facts from books and websites, check whether each source can be trusted, and put the information into their own words instead of copying it directly.

Students find specific sentences or details from a story or article that back up their thinking. They use that evidence to explain their ideas in writing.

Students practice writing often, for many different reasons, from quick in-class responses to longer research or story projects. The goal is to get comfortable writing for different readers and purposes, not just for tests.

Students come to discussions ready to listen, build on what classmates say, and share their own ideas in a way that makes sense to others.

Students watch, listen to, or read information presented in charts, videos, or spoken explanations, then combine what they learned from each source to get the full picture.

Students listen to a speaker and decide whether the argument holds up: Is the point clear? Does the evidence actually support it? Grade 4 students practice spotting when a speaker's reasoning is thin or when word choice is meant to sway rather than inform.

Students organize their ideas before speaking, then present them clearly enough that listeners can follow along. The structure, word choice, and level of detail fit the purpose and the audience.

Students add photos, charts, or simple video clips to a presentation to make their point clearer. The visuals do real work, not just decoration.

Students practice switching between casual and formal speech depending on the situation. Talking to a friend sounds different from presenting to the class, and students learn to recognize which one fits.

Students apply grammar rules in their writing and speech. This includes using correct verb tenses, pronouns, and sentence structure so their meaning comes through clearly.

Students correctly capitalize proper names and the start of sentences, use commas and quotation marks in the right spots, and spell grade-level words accurately in their own writing.

Students learn to choose words and sentences that fit the moment, whether writing a story or a persuasive paragraph. Reading and listening get sharper too, because students notice how word choices shape meaning.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they use surrounding sentences, prefixes and suffixes, or a dictionary to figure out what it means. This works for words with more than one meaning too.

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

Students learn words that show up across subjects, like *analyze*, *compare*, or *summarize*, and practice using them correctly in their own writing and conversation. This builds the vocabulary students need to read and discuss harder texts with confidence.