This parent guide supports parents in helping their child at home with the 4th grade ELA content. Within the folder you will access Parent Guide PDFs in FIVE Languages: Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish, and Vietnamese to help on-going communication with caregivers. 

This lesson outlines teacher-led discussion on the topic of migration as an adaptive behavior in response to changes in the animal's environment. Journaling questions are also provided to help build each student's individual understanding.

In this lesson, traditional stories of the Native peoples (i.e., narrative text) introduce students to the study of animals in Alaska (i.e., expository text). Students use the Internet to listen to a Yu'pik tale told by John Active, a Native American living in Alaska. They also use online resources to find facts about animals in Alaska. Students compare and contrast the two types of text in terms of fiction and nonfiction. The narrative stories provide students with a context to begin studying a content area topic; this lesson emphasizes the integration of curriculum.

In this lesson, students overcome their fears by using a traditional poem to teach students about alliteration. After reading the book, A My Name Is... by Alice Lyne, students use a variety of print and online resources to brainstorm their own alliterative word lists. They then create a poetry link that uses the traditional poem they have read together as a framework for their own poems.

In this lesson students will explore adaptations that animals have that help them survive in their environment. Students will build understanding by identifying adaptations as described in two folk tales and sorting descriptions of adaptations into categories of their choice. They will then compare and contrast the snowshoe hare and the cottontail rabbit. Students will work in groups to research and organize information they gather about the two animals, summarizing their research in their science journals. In an associated activity, "Camouflage: An Adaptation of Survival," students simulate the use of camouflage as a survival adaptation.

In this lesson, students will research a specific chromebook troubleshooting technique, write a short script, and perform a skit in person or via flip grid to share with the class.

n this lesson, students explore a historic event in depth by reading fiction and nonfiction literature. Then, to enhance and extend the reading experience, students participate in website exploration and virtual field trips. Throughout the process, students gather facts and relevant information, which they later organize and present to the class. This lesson is easily adaptable to accommodate a wide range of historic events, instructional objectives, and grade levels.

In this lesson students will describe how weathering and erosion change Earth's surface after observing the effects of erosion from wind and water on three types of ground: bare ground, ground with sparse vegetation, and ground covered with vegetation. Students will record their observations in their science journals and then participate in a discussion about the results of the activity. They will be assessed by a final written summary of the activity where they will cite the reasons they think understanding soil erosion is important. Note: Teachers will need to build the Erosion Chamber mentioned in the lesson ahead of time; directions for building are included.

In celebration of Earth Day, students research famous environmentalists and write letters to them asking for their opinions on current issues and turn their letters into a poem.

In this lesson, students will review story components using the original Cinderella story. They will then compare and contrast Cinderella tales from a variety of cultures and backgrounds.

In this lesson, students will see how artistic materials can extend knowledge. This lesson provides opportunities for students to explore and experience the meaning potential of everyday writing and drawing tools in their own writing. The lesson can adapted for older students.

This lesson will take students to the final phase in this unit, the essay writing. Students have been writing routinely throughout the unit and have had authentic exposure to the language of immigration. Students will write a well-developed, 5-6 paragraph essay articulating their immigration story titled, "I am...." Students will be supported with a graphic organizer, sentence frames and a writing checklist as they write. These subtopics were identified in Lesson 3: cause, effect, challenges, emotions, and hopes. Students' writing will be supported by facts and details and provide a concluding section which expresses their opinion about their family's choice to immigrate to the United States. This lesson was developed by Tsianina Tovar as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.

In this culmination activity, students will plan, practice and present their immigration autobiography. Their presentations will include: background, causes, effects, challenges, emotions and hopes about their personal or family's immigration story. This lesson's presentation can be showcased in a variety of ways from low tech, by giving a class presentation with pictures, to high tech by making a video using a green screen and movie making software. It is suggested and helpful to utilize the Technology Specialist at the school or district level to support the high tech option. This lesson was developed by Tsianina Tovar as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.

Students learn to use the QuIP (questions into paragraphs) comprehension strategy to organize information and then synthesize it in writing.

In this lesson, students use balloons, plastic bags, and glass and metal rods to investigate static electricity and then write complete a series of writing assignments to describe what they have learned.

Students will read directions and write a U.S. president. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read directions and write a poem about America. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read directions and write a poem about an ocean. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will a sample bio poem and write a bio poem about someone they know. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a description of first and third person narrations. Students will then read background information about a passage, read the passage, and write the passage in order to change it from first to third person narration. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.