Grade 4 English (Virginia SOL)

Foundations for Reading (FFR)

• 4.FFR.1 Print concepts – see Kindergarten.
• 4.FFR.2 Phonological awareness – see Kindergarten to Grade 2.
• 4.FFR.3 Apply phonics and word analysis to decode unfamiliar words in grade-level text.
• Use syllable division and syllable types to decode and encode words.
• Use morphology (prefixes, suffixes, roots) to decode words.
• Read grade-level high-frequency words accurately and automatically.

Developing Skilled Readers and Building Reading Stamina (DSR)

• 4.DSR Build knowledge and comprehension from challenging texts, using strategies when understanding breaks down.
• Read complex texts accurately, fluently, and with expression, self-correcting as needed.
• Understand literary and informational texts in the lower part of the grades 4–5 complexity band.
• Support claims with several accurate quotations or paraphrases, noting where the evidence appears.
• Regularly read sets of related texts to build knowledge, vocabulary, and context.
• Use reading strategies to monitor understanding in challenging parts of a text.

Reading and Vocabulary (RV)

• Build vocabulary and word knowledge systematically from grade 4 content and texts.
• 4.RV.1 Develop vocabulary and word analysis through a range of texts and discussion.
• Build academic and subject-specific vocabulary through grade 4 texts and topics.
• Discuss the meanings of complex words and phrases from conversation and literature.
• Work out complex word meanings using root words and inflectional affixes.
• Use sentence context to choose between homophones.
• Use morphology, synonyms, and antonyms to work out complex word meanings.
• Broaden vocabulary by listening to and reading high-quality, complex texts.
• Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs and adjectives.
• Use strategies to infer word meanings.
• Use print and digital glossaries, dictionaries, and thesauruses to clarify meanings.
• Use newly learned words and phrases in discussion and speaking.

Reading Literary Text (RL)

• Use textual evidence to understand literary texts, with a focus on poetry, realistic fiction, and historical fiction.
• 4.RL.1 Key ideas and details in literary texts.
• Summarize themes and how characters respond to challenges.
• Describe the central conflict and resolution using text structure and plot events.
• Analyze characters in depth through their words, actions, and thoughts.
• 4.RL.2 Craft and style in literary texts.
• Explain how language, characters, and settings move the plot forward.
• Identify the features and structural elements of genres.
• Identify the narrator of a story and the speaker of a poem.
• Tell first-person from third-person point of view.
• 4.RL.3 Integrate concepts across literary and informational texts.
• Set a purpose for reading by activating prior and background knowledge.
• Compare paired literary and nonfiction texts on themes, topics, and events.
• Explain how the parts of stories, poems, and plays build on each other.

Reading Informational Text (RI)

• Use textual evidence to understand grade-level informational texts.
• 4.RI.1 Key ideas and supporting details in informational texts.
• Summarize main ideas and explain how supporting details develop them.
• Summarize historical, scientific, or technical events and ideas, including what happened and why.
• Tell fact from opinion and explain how authors support opinions.
• 4.RI.2 Craft and style in informational texts.
• Explain how text structures and transition words support the author's purpose.
• Use text features and search tools in print and digital sources to find information.
• Explain the author's purpose from the links between sentences and paragraphs.
• 4.RI.3 Integrate concepts across informational texts.
• Use prior experience and background knowledge as context for new learning.
• Compare several accounts of the same event, noting differences in focus and information.
• Describe relationships among events, ideas, or procedures using comparison, sequence, or cause and effect.

Foundations for Writing (FFW)

• Print and write cursive legibly and spell words correctly using grade-level knowledge.
• 4.FFW.1 Handwriting.
• Keep printing legible.
• Keep cursive legible.
• Sign first and last name.
• 4.FFW.2 Spelling.
• Combine letter-sound, syllable, and morphology knowledge to spell accurately.
• Use sound-symbol correspondences to read and spell high-frequency words.

Writing (W)

• Compose a range of texts for different audiences and purposes linked to grade 4 content.
• 4.W.1 Modes and purposes for writing.
• Recognize that narrative, expository, and persuasive writing each have their own structure.
• Write narratives organized logically around a central problem or experience.
• Write expository texts with facts, details, and linking words.
• Write persuasive pieces with a clear opinion supported by facts and reasons.
• Respond to texts using details, examples, evidence, and linking words.
• 4.W.2 Organization and composition.
• Use a writing process to build well-developed paragraphs with topic sentence, details, transitions, and conclusion.
• 4.W.3 Usage and mechanics.
• With support, revise for ideas, organization, fluency, and word choice.
• Self- and peer-edit for capitals, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English.

Language Usage (LU)

• Use Standard English conventions and tell formal from informal contexts.
• 4.LU.1 Grammar.
• Produce, expand, and rearrange simple and compound sentences with prepositional phrases.
• Use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions to join words and phrases.
• Use adjectives to compare and describe precisely.
• Use modal words to express conditions.
• Use standard subject-verb agreement.
• Use standard noun-pronoun agreement.
• 4.LU.2 Mechanics.
• Use commas in series, dates, addresses, and letters.
• Use commas and quotation marks to punctuate dialogue.
• Use apostrophes in contractions and possessives.
• Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and studied words.
• Use reference materials to check and correct spelling.

Communication and Multimodal Literacies (C)

• Develop oral communication and collaboration skills that help a learning community build understanding together.
• 4.C.1 Communication, listening, and collaboration.
• Sustain discussions with a range of partners: listen, build on ideas, ask clarifying questions, and use evidence.
• 4.C.2 Speaking and presenting ideas.
• Report orally in an organized way with descriptive details, clear pace and voice, and suitable language.
• 4.C.3 Integrating multimodal literacies.
• Create engaging presentations with multimedia components and visual displays.
• Use two or more interdependent modes of communication to convey a message.
• 4.C.4 Examining media messages.
• Tell auditory, visual, and written media messages apart and identify their purposes.
• Compare how ideas are presented across media formats and techniques.

Research (R)

• Conduct research and read related texts to build knowledge, solve problems, and support cross-curricular learning.
• 4.R.1 Evaluate and synthesise information.
• Write questions about a topic.
• Choose search terms and gather relevant information from print and digital sources.
• Organize and synthesise information, judging its relevance and reliability.
• Take notes with key ideas, summaries, and source details.
• Organize and share information orally, in writing, or visually.
• Avoid plagiarism by citing sources of media, facts, ideas, and quotations.