Unit Plan 2 (Grade 4 ELA): Reading with Evidence
Grade 4 reading unit: teach students to ask and answer text-based questions, cite details, infer theme, and summarize stories while building fluent, expressive reading.
Focus: Asking/answering questions; citing details; inferring theme
Grade Level: 4
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Literature, Speaking & Listening, Foundational Skills)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This week sharpens readers into evidence-finders. Students learn to ask text-dependent questions, answer by citing details and examples, and use those details to infer theme and craft a brief summary. Daily fluency keeps rate, accuracy, and expression in check. By Friday, each learner will answer questions with line-based evidence, state a theme supported by two details, and write a tight summary of a new passage.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Ask and answer text-dependent questions and cite details and examples from the text.
- Determine a theme and explain how events/details support it; distinguish topic vs. theme.
- Produce concise summaries that capture key events/ideas without opinions.
- Read aloud with appropriate rate, accuracy, and expression; self-monitor fluency.
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 4
- RL.4.1 (refer to details and examples when explaining and making inferences)
- RL.4.2 (determine a theme; summarize the text)
- SL.4.1 (engage effectively in collaborative discussions)
- RF.4.4 (read with sufficient accuracy and fluency)
Success Criteria — student language
- I can answer “Why/How” questions using a sentence + a line from the text.
- I can name the theme in one sentence and give two supporting details.
- I can write a 3–4 sentence summary that leaves out my opinions.
- I can read the passage again with smooth phrasing and expression.