Unit Plan 36 (Grade 4 ELA): Publishing Celebration & Reflection
Celebrate 4th graders’ writing growth with polished portfolios, author talks, and language-for-effect revisions for powerful writing and presentations.
Focus: Polished portfolios; author talks; language for effect
Grade Level: 4
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Writing, Speaking & Listening, Language)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Time to celebrate the year’s growth! This week, students curate and polish a writing portfolio, apply language-for-effect revisions (precision, sentence variety, tone/formality), and prepare a short author talk with a visual to spotlight craft choices. By Friday, each learner will publish a clean, reader-ready portfolio and present a brief, well-structured talk that adapts speech to audience and purpose.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Publish writing using technology (formatting, headings, visuals, hyperlinks) and collaborate for feedback (W.4.6).
- Plan and deliver an author talk that presents ideas clearly, uses relevant examples, and includes a visual/audio enhancement (SL.4.4–SL.4.5).
- Adapt speech for audience and task, using appropriate formality and clear pacing (SL.4.6).
- Revise writing for language effect—precise words/phrases, sentence variety, and purposeful conventions to shape voice and clarity (L.4.3).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 4
- W.4.6, SL.4.4–SL.4.6, L.4.3
Success Criteria — student language
- My portfolio is formatted, polished, and includes a brief curator’s note.
- My author talk has a clear structure, a helpful visual, and I speak at a steady pace.
- I choose precise words, vary sentences, and adjust formality when I write and speak.
- I can explain why I made a craft choice and how it affects readers.