Enriched Literacy Curriculum Unit 4 Overview 
Grade 4 
 
 
In Unit 4, students read a nonfiction Junior Great Books selection paired with a literature selection at the beginning of the unit to frontload skills needed for
issue-based research and writing historical fiction as part of conglomerate informational book(s). Then students continue to engage in full implementation of
William and Mary, ​Autobiographies and Memoirs ​English Language Arts unit. Students will read short stories and poems, and complete vocabulary webs,
literature webs, and write short stories in response to reading. In addition, students will finish reading fictional works from their self-selected authors and
complete the second reading assignment. Beginning in week three, students learn about the elements of reasoning and standards of reasoning to evaluate
issue-based texts. Using these skills, students engage in the WIlliam and Mary Research Model to produce a report and oral presentation on a topic of their
choice. During small group reading and meaningful follow-up, students read issue-based texts to support their writing. Students conclude the William and
Mary unit by writing persuasive essays and completing the post assessment to reflect on their growth and learning throughout the ​Autobiographies and
Memoirs ​English Language Arts unit.

Students engage in a final Calkins Unit of Study in Writing: ​Bringing HIstory to Life​ where students compose one to two conglomerate informational books
containing chapters of various genres. The writing focus comes from a topic of study in social studies, such as the American Colonies. Students use prior
learning and skills in all three text types to create their book(s). They begin by planning and using specific text structures to outline the format of their book(s).
They also use student and published mentor texts to analyze effective writing techniques. Students read historical fiction, research subtopics, and take notes
during small group instruction and independent study to support the writing. The unit ends with a celebration of publishing their works.

Weeks At A Glance 
Week  Reading  Writing 

1 ● Refer to details and examples in a text when drawing inferences from
the text.
● Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by
key details; summarize the text.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
● Report on a topic or text using appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details to support main ideas or themes.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames.
2 ● Refer to details and examples in a text when drawing inferences from
the text.
● Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content.
● Determine a theme of a story and summarize the text.
● Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support
particular points.
● Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames.
3 ● Refer to details and examples in a text when drawing inferences from
the text.
● Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key
details; summarize the text.
● Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words
or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
● Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write
or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
● Read and comprehend literature in the grades 4–5 text complexity band
proficiently.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular
points in a text.
● Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings.
4 ● Refer to details and examples in a text when drawing inferences from
the text.
● Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key
details; summarize the text.
● Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words
or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
● Read and comprehend informational texts in the grades 4–5 text
complexity band proficiently.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Determine a theme of a story and summarize the text.
● Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.
● Determine a theme of a story and summarize the text.
● Refer to details and examples in a text when drawing inferences from
the text.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
● Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames.
● Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
● Produce and publish writing, as well as to interact and collaborate with
others.
● Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize
information, and provide a list of sources.
● Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames.
● Report on a topic or text using appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details to support main ideas or themes.
● Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when
appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
● Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with
reasons and information.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through
investigation of different aspects of a topic.
● Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
● Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and
situations where informal discourse is appropriate.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
 ● Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story.
● Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.
● Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are
narrated, including the differences between first- and third-person
narrations.
● Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics.
● Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content.
5 ● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Refer to details and examples in a text when drawing inferences from
the text.
● Determine a theme of a story and summarize the text.
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story.
● Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.
● Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are
narrated, including the differences between first- and third-person
narrations.
● Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content.
6 ● Refer to details and examples in a text when drawing inferences from
the text.
● Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key
details; summarize the text.
● Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific,
or technical text based on specific information in the text.
● Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words
or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
● Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,
speaking, reading, or listening.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases.
● Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with
reasons and information.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
● Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize
information, and provide a list of sources.
● Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
● Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and situations
where informal discourse is appropriate.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
● Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
● Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
● Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and situations
where informal discourse is appropriate.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
 ● Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and
explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text.
● Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular
points in a text.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content.
● Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings.
7 ● Refer to details and examples in a text when drawing inferences from
the text.
● Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and
explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text.
● Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular
points in a text.
● Paraphrase portions of a test read aloud or information presented in
diverse media formats.
8 ● Describe the overall structure of events, ideas, concepts, or information
in a text or part of a text.
● Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular
points in a text.
● Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write
or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
● Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases.
● Produce and publish writing, as well as to interact and collaborate with
others.
● Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through
investigation of different aspects of a topic.
● Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and situations
where informal discourse is appropriate.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
● Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
● Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
● Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases.
● Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
● Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and situations
 ● Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support
particular points.
9 ● Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write
or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
● Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support
particular points.
where informal discourse is appropriate.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
● Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
● Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases.
● Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
● Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant
information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize
information, and provide a list of sources.
● Produce clear and coherent writing.
● With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
● Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames.
● Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
● Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
● Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with
reasons and information.