Grade 4 ELA NJSLS Standards

Speaking and Listening Domain

Writing Domain

Reading Domain

Sentence Composition (Grammar, Syntax, and Punctuation)

Spelling

Foundational Skills: Writing Language

Fluency

Phonics and Word Recognition

Foundational Skills: Reading Language

Language Domain

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases.

Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.

Choose punctuation for effect.

Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion).

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding words; use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.

Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context

Determine the meaning of words and phrases that allude to significant characters found in literature.

Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.

Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning academic and domain-specific words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).

Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of encoding and spelling.

Analyze and spell multi-syllable words with the most common Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

Write affixed words that involve a sound or spelling change in the base word.

Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.

Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of writing, including those listed under grade three foundational skills:

Use basic paragraphing, including using paragraph indentations and using paragraphs in dialogue.

Place adjectives and adverbs and form comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs.

Use independent clauses and coordinating conjunctions.

Form irregular verbs; form and use progressive tenses.

Form and use possessive nouns and pronouns.

Capitalize the first word in quotations as appropriate, capitalize other important words (e.g., section headings).

Use underlining, quotation marks, or italics for titles; use quotation marks for direct speech; use comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.

Use apostrophes for possession.

Analyze how an author uses facts, details and explanations to develop ideas or to support their reasoning.

Summarize an informational text and interpret the author’s purpose or main idea citing key details from the text.

Refer to details and examples as textual evidence when explaining what an informational text says explicitly and make relevant connections when drawing inferences from the text.

Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes, topics and patterns of events in informational texts from authors of different cultures.

Describe the impact of individuals and events throughout the course of a text, explaining events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on evidence in the text.

Use evidence to show how graphics and visuals (e.g., illustrations, charts, graphs, diagrams, timelines, animations) support central ideas.

Compare and contrast multiple accounts of the same event or topic; noting important similarities and differences in in the point of view they represent.

Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

Summarize a literary text and interpret the author’s theme citing key details from the text.

Refer to details and examples as textual evidence when explaining what a literary text says explicitly and make relevant connections when drawing inferences from the text.

Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes, topics and patterns of events in literary texts from authors of different cultures.

Describe the impact of individuals and events throughout the course of a text, using an in-depth analysis of the character, setting, or event that draws on textual evidence.

Make connections between specific descriptions and directions in a text and a visual or oral representation of the text.

Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.

Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.

Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.

Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, and orally).

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Explicitly draw on previously read text or material and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.

Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.

Provide reasons that are supported by facts from texts and/or other sources.

Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).

Provide a conclusion related to the opinion presented.

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), text features (e.g., illustrations, diagrams, captions) and multimedia when useful to aid in comprehension.

Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, text evidence, or other information and examples related to the topic.

Link ideas within paragraphs and sections of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).

Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

Provide a conclusion related to the information or explanation presented.

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using narrative technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.

Use concrete words, phrases, and sensory details and explore using figurative language to convey experiences and events precisely.

Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

Write routinely over extended time frames (with time for research and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; take notes, prioritize and categorize information; provide a list of sources.

With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

Identify audience, purpose, and intended length of composition before writing.

Use specialized, topic-specific language appropriate for the audience, purpose and subject matter.

Consider writing as a process, including self-evaluation, revision and editing.

With adult and peer feedback, and digital or print tools such as a dictionary, thesaurus, and/or spell checker, evaluate whether the writing achieved its goal and make changes in content or form as necessary.

After initial drafting, expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, audience, and style.

Conduct short research projects that use multiple reference sources (print and non-print) and build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.