Unit Plan 26 (Grade 4 ELA): Firsthand vs. Secondhand Accounts

Focus: Comparing accounts; differences in focus and information

Grade Level: 4

Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Informational, Writing)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

This week, students become information investigators—learning to tell the difference between a firsthand account (someone who was there) and a secondhand account (someone who heard, researched, or retold it). They’ll compare how each type focuses on different details, identify point-of-view signals, and use text evidence to support claims in a short analytical paragraph. By Friday, each learner will read two accounts of the same event, identify the type, compare differences in focus and information, and write a clear comparison supported by evidence.

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…

1. Distinguish firsthand vs. secondhand accounts using textual signals (pronouns, quotations, sources, text features).
2. Compare and contrast how the two accounts focus on or omit information about the same event.
3. Cite details and examples from both texts to support thinking.
4. Write a short comparison paragraph that uses evidence and reasoning.

Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 4

• RI.4.6 (compare firsthand and secondhand accounts of the same event; describe the differences in focus and the information provided)
• RI.4.1 (refer to details and examples when explaining and inferring)
• W.4.9b (draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis)

Success Criteria — student language

• I can tell if a text is firsthand or secondhand and point to two signals that prove it.
• I can explain how the focus is different and what information each account includes or leaves out.
• I can use two pieces of evidence—one from each text—to support my comparison.
• I can write a well-organized paragraph with a comparison claim, evidence, and a concluding line.