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

Students use phonics patterns they've learned to read unfamiliar words, both on their own and inside sentences and paragraphs.

Students use what they know about letter sounds, syllable breaks, and word parts like prefixes and suffixes to sound out long, unfamiliar words, whether they appear in a sentence or on their own.

Students use spelling patterns and word parts to write words correctly by hand. This covers both how they spell grade-level words and how clearly they form letters on the page.

Students spell the words expected at this grade level correctly, looking up words in a dictionary or other reference when unsure.

Students practice forming clear, readable letters in both print and cursive handwriting. The focus is on legibility so that anyone reading their writing can follow it without effort.

Students read grade-level passages aloud smoothly and accurately, at a pace that lets them focus on meaning rather than decoding each word.

Students read a full passage smoothly and with understanding, not just word by word. The goal is to sound like a natural speaker, pausing and pacing in ways that show the meaning is landing.

Students practice reading paragraphs and poems aloud until the words flow smoothly, at a natural pace, with the feeling the writing calls for.

When students hit a word that doesn't sound right, they reread the sentence and use the words around it to figure out what they missed. It's a fix-it habit that keeps reading on track.

Students apply grammar rules when speaking and writing: correct capitalization, end punctuation, and sentence structure. It's the mechanical side of writing, making sure sentences are built and punctuated the way readers expect.

Students use words like "who," "which," and "where" to connect ideas inside a sentence. For example, "She is the teacher who helped me" links two thoughts into one.

Students practice writing actions that are ongoing, using verb forms like "was walking" or "is reading" to show something happening over a stretch of time.

Students practice using helper verbs like "can," "may," and "must" to make the meaning of a sentence clear. Choosing the right one changes whether something is possible, allowed, or required.

Students learn to use prepositional phrases, short word groups like "under the desk" or "before lunch," to add detail about where, when, or how something happens in a sentence.

Students write complete sentences and fix two common errors: fragments (incomplete thoughts) and run-ons (two sentences jammed together without proper punctuation or a connecting word).

Students learn when to capitalize, applying the rules to proper nouns, the start of sentences, and titles. The goal is clean, correct writing that readers can follow without stumbling.

Students learn to use commas and quotation marks whenever they write someone's exact words or copy a line directly from a book. It keeps the reader clear on whose words belong to whom.

Students learn when to place a comma before words like "and," "but," or "so" when joining two complete sentences into one. This is the rule that keeps a long sentence from running together and losing the reader.

Students write multiple paragraphs that stick together around one topic, with each paragraph adding to what came before.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they figure out its meaning using context clues, word parts, or a dictionary. This standard covers words that carry more than one meaning, too.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word means by reading the sentences around it. They look for clues in the paragraph instead of stopping to ask for help.

Students use familiar Greek and Latin word parts, like "re-," "pre-," or "rupt," to figure out what an unfamiliar word means before reaching for a dictionary.

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

Students learn to spot figurative language like similes and metaphors, and work out how words relate to each other in meaning. The goal is understanding not just what a word means, but how its meaning shifts in different sentences.

Students read a sentence and explain what a comparison like "her smile was sunshine" or "he ran like the wind" actually means. They use the words around it to figure out what two things are being compared.

Students learn that phrases like "break a leg" or "raining cats and dogs" don't mean what the words literally say. They figure out what the saying actually means and can explain it in their own words.

Students practice sorting words by what they mean: finding antonyms (words that mean the opposite) and near-synonyms (words that are close but not quite the same, like "cold" versus "freezing").

Students learn words that belong to a specific subject, like "erosion" in science or "democracy" in social studies, and practice using them correctly in speech and writing.

When explaining a story or answering a question about it, students point to specific lines or details from the text to back up what they say, not just what the text states outright but also what they can figure out by reading between the lines.

Students find the big lesson a story, play, or poem is teaching by looking at what characters do and what happens. Then they sum up the whole piece in a few sentences.

Students pick a character, place, or moment from a story and describe it in detail, using the character's own words, thoughts, or actions as evidence. Surface-level answers aren't enough here.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words and phrases mean from the surrounding story, including names and terms tied to well-known characters or historical events.

Students learn to tell poems, plays, and stories apart by looking at how each one is built. They use words like "stanza," "scene," or "chapter" when talking or writing about what they read.

Stories can be told by a character inside the story or by a narrator outside it. Students compare how that choice changes what readers know and how the story feels.

Students compare a written story or play to a movie, audio recording, or stage version of the same work, noticing what stays the same and what changes when the story moves off the page.

Students read two stories from different cultures and compare how each one handles the same theme or type of event, noting what is similar and what is different.

Stories and poems at the fourth- and fifth-grade reading level are the target. Students read these texts on their own and get extra support only when the material runs especially difficult.

Students back up their answers about a nonfiction passage by pointing to specific sentences or facts from the text, whether the answer is stated directly or requires a reasonable guess based on what the text says.

Students read a nonfiction passage and figure out the main point the author is making. Then they back it up with key details from the text and put the whole thing into their own words.

Students read a history, science, or how-to text and explain not just what happened but why it happened, pointing to specific details in the text as proof.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean by using clues in the text around them. That includes words used as figures of speech, words with emotional weight, and subject-specific vocabulary like terms from science or social studies.

Students identify how a nonfiction passage is organized, such as problem and solution or cause and effect, and explain why the author arranged the ideas that way.

Students read two articles about the same event and figure out what each one focuses on and what details the other leaves out.

Students read charts, graphs, photos, or other visuals in a nonfiction text and explain what those visuals add that the words alone don't show.

Students look at a nonfiction passage and explain why the author included specific facts or examples. The goal is to see how those details back up the author's main points.

Students read two nonfiction sources on the same topic, then pull facts from both to write or talk about it. The goal is to use both sources together, not just one.

Students read nonfiction books and articles written at a fourth- and fifth-grade level. Some harder texts come with extra support until students can handle them on their own.

Students watch, listen to, or read information presented in charts, videos, or speeches, then restate the key ideas in their own words.

Students listen to a speaker and name the specific reasons and proof given to back up each main point.

Students come to group discussions ready to talk, listen to what others say, and add their own ideas to keep the conversation going.

Students pick a topic, story, or personal experience and explain it out loud in a clear order, using facts and specific details that back up the main point. They speak slowly enough that listeners can follow along.

Students add images, audio, or video to a presentation to make the main idea clearer. They choose media that actually helps the audience understand, not just decoration.

Students learn when to use casual, everyday language and when to switch to more careful, formal speech. In class discussions or presentations, they practice speaking in complete sentences the way they would for an adult they've just met.

Students pick a topic, state what they think, and back it up with reasons and facts. The writing makes a clear case for one side.

Students open a piece of writing by naming the topic and giving readers enough context to follow what comes next.

Students back up their opinion with reasons, then support each reason with facts or details from what they've read or learned.

Students group related ideas into sections that support their main point. A paragraph about why recess matters, for example, keeps all the reasons together instead of scattering them across the page.

Students write a closing sentence or paragraph that wraps up their opinion. It ties back to what they argued without just repeating it word for word.

Students practice connecting their opinions to their reasons using linking words like "because," "therefore," and "for example." This makes their arguments easier to follow.

Students use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar when writing opinion pieces. This standard ties the writing rules from language lessons directly into the work of building an argument on the page.

Students write paragraphs that explain a topic clearly, using facts and details to help a reader understand something new. Think reports, how-things-work pieces, or explanations of a subject students have researched.

Students open an informational piece by naming the topic clearly so readers know exactly what the writing is about before the details begin.

Students organize their writing so that ideas on the same topic stay together in one paragraph, and different topics get their own paragraph.

Students learn when to add a diagram, a heading, or an image to make a written explanation easier to follow. The goal is clarity, not decoration.

Students back up what they write with facts, definitions, and details that actually come from the topic. The goal is to give readers real information, not just general statements.

Students write a closing sentence or paragraph that wraps up the main idea. The ending connects back to what the piece explained, so the writing feels finished rather than cut off.

Students practice connecting related ideas in a paragraph using words like "also," "another," and "for example." These linking words help readers follow how one sentence leads to the next.

Students choose exact words for the topic they are writing about, including subject-specific terms a reader would need to understand the explanation.

Students use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar when they write, following the same rules practiced in reading and language lessons.

Students write stories, real or made-up, using specific details and a clear order of events to pull readers through what happens.

Stories need a starting point. Students learn to open a narrative by setting up the situation and introducing who is there before the plot moves forward.

Students arrange story events in an order that makes sense, so one moment leads naturally into the next. The beginning, middle, and end hold together without jumping around.

Students write conversations between characters and use descriptive details to show what happens in a story and how characters react to it.

Students practice moving smoothly from one part of a story to the next by using words like "later," "meanwhile," or "after that." Those words help readers follow what happens and in what order.

Students write an ending that wraps up what happened in their story, not just a sentence that stops the action cold. The ending fits the events that came before it.

Students choose specific words and sensory details (what something looks, sounds, or feels like) to make a story's events feel real to the reader.

Students use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar when writing stories or essays. This standard connects writing to the language rules students practice separately in foundational literacy.

Students write paragraphs and essays that fit the job: the right structure for a story, the right tone for a report, the right details for whoever will read it.

Students plan, draft, revise, and edit their writing with help from a teacher or classmates. The goal is a cleaner, clearer piece, with correct grammar and punctuation by the end.

Students use a computer to write, finish, and publish a piece of writing in one sitting. They may also use the internet to share work or get feedback from others.

Students pick a topic, then research different angles of it to build a fuller picture. They gather information from more than one source and bring it together in a short written project.

Students find facts from books or websites, take notes on what matters, sort those notes into groups, and keep a list of where the information came from.

Students pull quotes or details from a book or article to back up a point they are making in their writing. The reading and writing work together: what students find on the page supports what they say in their own words.

Students write regularly across subjects, not just in English class, building the habit of putting ideas on paper for different reasons and different readers. The goal is fluency: writing that comes more easily the more students practice it.