Fourth Grade - ELA
1: Interdependence
Unit 1: Little House in the Big Woods
Lesson 1
Introducing the Story
Students are asked to place dates on an Age 8-10 timeline (the story begins in 1871; Laura Ingalls Wilder born 1867) and to locate Wisconsin on a U.S. map, which requires them to identify historical facts and sequence time. Students read about Wisconsin's environment, record examples of plants and animals on a chart, and discuss how pioneers were dependent on the environment to meet their needs. The skills list asks students to interact with text by making connections, answering questions, locating information, and to recount or narrate information in a sequenced, logical manner.
Lesson 2
Little House in the Big Woods
The lesson includes explicit comprehension questions that ask students to identify what something was and why: QUESTION #1 asks what the girl's house was made from and why it was made from that material. QUESTION #2 asks what animals lived in the woods and how those animals were dependent on the woods, prompting causal explanation. QUESTION #4 asks how Laura and her family were dependent on trees and animals, and Activity 3 (Natural Resources and Survival) asks students to describe how specific resources were used to meet needs, linking what happened to reasons based on the chapter.
Lesson 3
Winter Days and Winter Nights
Students answer Question #2 asking why the family made their own butter and ate animals from the woods, requiring them to explain that the family lived in a remote area and needed to provide food for themselves. In Activity 2 students record chores next to each character’s name and discuss the division of labor, asking why it was important that every family member help. Activity 3 directs students to reread a specific paragraph about Laura’s home and list similarities and differences between homes, using information from the text to explain living conditions.
Lesson 4
The Long Rifle
Students are asked to retell Pa's story about searching for the cows, which requires them to explain what happened using plot details (QUESTION #2). Students are asked why Pa made his own bullets and prompted to conclude from the text that many items were difficult to purchase, so families made things themselves (QUESTION #1). Activity 1 asks students to record differences between life in the Big Woods and life today, which prompts explanation of historical living conditions using textual information.
Lesson 5
Christmas
Students are asked to write three questions about Christmas during pioneer days and check answers while reading, promoting close reading. Questions require causal explanation (e.g., "Why did Prince growl at Aunt Eliza?" with the answer "He was trying to protect her from a panther"). Students identify resources used for gifts (wood, berries, apples, cloves) and compare life in the woods to life today, prompting explanation of how environment influenced actions. A stated skill asks students to "identify and discuss similarities and differences... and support them by referencing the text."
Lesson 6
Sundays and Two Big Bears
Students read two chapters and answer comprehension questions that require explaining events and reasons (e.g., "Why did Laura and Mary dislike Sundays?" and "Why did Pa go to town?"). They compare and explain outcomes for characters (e.g., what happened to Ma and Laura at the barn and how that compares to Pa's experience). In the Bear Research activity students gather factual information from linked scientific sources and respond to the question "Why do bears hibernate?", recording facts in the paw-print organizer.
Lesson 7
The Sugar Snow
Students are asked specific comprehension questions that require explanation (e.g., "What part of the tree does Pa say the sap is? Why do you think he calls it this?" and "Why did Pa call the snow a sugar snow?"), which ask them to explain what happened and why based on the chapter. In Activity 3 (Maple Sugar Farming) students cut out and order the steps Grandpa took to make maple syrup or record the steps themselves while referring to the text (Option 2), requiring them to explain a procedure using information from the text. The Wrap-Up asks students to summarize what happened in the chapter and to review how pioneers used natural resources, prompting explanation of ideas and events from the historical text.
Lesson 8
Dance at Grandpa's
Students are asked to draw a diagram of Grandma's house "based on Laura's description," requiring them to extract and explain descriptive information from the text. Question 5 asks what everyone did with the maple syrup and explicitly asks why they put it over snow, prompting students to explain a procedure and cause (cold snow + warm syrup makes candy). The Skills section instructs students to "draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text," and Activity 1 asks students to record how life in the Big Woods differed from life today, asking them to explain ideas from a historical context.
Lesson 9
Going to Town
Students are asked to explain why the family got dressed up to go to town (Question #3), which requires stating what happened and giving a reason from the text. Students make a list of items the family bought and are asked why that shopping list was different, prompting explanation of historical differences in goods and needs (Question #4 and Activity 1). The Life Application asks students to research Pepin and write about why a historic place was important to the community, which has students explain historical ideas and significance.
Lesson 10
Summertime and Harvest
Students answer specific comprehension questions that ask for explanations (e.g., "Why do you think people visited the Big Woods more in the summer?" and "Why do you think Pa and Uncle Henry traded work?"). Students explain events and procedures from the narrative (e.g., "What did Pa bring home with him? How did he get it?" with the answer describing banging on the tree, chopping it down, and splitting it open). In the Bees activity, students read a scientific web article, discuss how bees and flowers are interdependent, and write a paragraph describing the relationship and what would happen if bees disappeared.
Lesson 11
Finishing the Book
Students read the final chapters and answer comprehension questions that ask what happened and why (e.g., "What did the wonderful machine do?" and "Why did Pa say he didn't shoot the deer?"). Students describe environmental change and family dependence on the environment in questions and in the writing organizer (Paragraph 4: Environment and family's dependence on it). Students read an autobiographical letter by the author and are asked to judge whether it is formal or informal and explain why, requiring explanation based on the text.
Final Project
Pioneer Family Night
Students are asked to explain how pioneers were dependent on natural resources when leading the orange clove craft and to "explain how the pioneers used natural resources" on the craft and checklist pages. Students must read two to three favorite sections from Little House in the Big Woods, practice reading them aloud, and "be ready to explain the favorites." Students are asked to "explain how important music and dance were for the pioneers" and to "explain the importance of storytelling in the lives of the pioneers." The orange clove page provides a step-by-step procedural text that students follow to create a craft.
Unit 2: The Sign of the Beaver
Lesson 1
Background Information
Activity 2 asks students to consider historical tensions and to answer why Native Americans and settlers might have been upset, and to write a paragraph choosing a perspective. Activity 1 has students place the story in 1768 on a timeline, locate Maine on a map, and research Maine's geography and Native American groups to provide historical context. Activity 3 asks students to discuss how settlers and Native Americans used environmental resources and to produce a drawing or poem showing how resources meet needs.
Lesson 2
Alone
Students read Chapters 1–2 and answer comprehension questions that ask what happened and, in some cases, why (for example, why Matt was standing alone, what his greatest fear was and why, and how he depended on his environment). Students follow a Johnnycakes recipe (a procedural text) and carry out the steps, giving experience with procedures. Students create character timelines recording feelings, attitudes, and actions over time, which supports tracing events and changes in characters.
Lesson 3
A Stranger
Students answer comprehension questions that ask both what happened and why (for example, Q2 asks why Matt lied and Q5 asks what happened when Matt tried to get honey and how he was helped). Students explain a procedure when they describe how Saknis removed stingers and applied medicine to heal bee stings and then research natural remedies for listed conditions. Students analyze historical context when they discuss why it might be unusual for an Indian to help a white settler and explore how people relied on environmental resources.
Lesson 4
A Treaty
Students are asked to describe what happened to Matt and who saved him and to read Chapter 6 and answer questions that require explanation (e.g., Why do you think the Indians had been watching Matthew?). Several questions ask for causes or reasons and supporting information (e.g., Why did Saknis want Attean to learn how to read?; How do you think Attean felt about Matt? What evidence do you have?). Activities ask students to create character timelines and to discuss interdependence, which requires sequencing events and explaining relationships based on the text.
Lesson 5
A Story
Students answer specific "why" questions (e.g., why Matt began reading instead of teaching letters; why Attean disliked being taught) that require explaining events and motivations from Chapters 7–9. Students create Character Timelines, which require sequencing events and linking actions to outcomes. Students complete the "Past and Present" journal activity comparing perspectives and explaining why Matt and Attean relate differently to characters, and skills explicitly ask students to summarize main ideas and identify similarities/differences supported by the text.
Lesson 6
The Beaver
Students read Chapters 10–11 and answer text-based questions that ask them to explain actions and ideas (e.g., how Attean fished differently from Matt, what Matt is learning from Attean, and what the "sign of the beaver" meant). Students complete a Character Timelines activity that requires sequencing events and a Venn diagram comparing stories that asks for similarities and differences in events and ideas. The Beaver Research activity directs students to reread specific pages, gather factual information from books or the internet, record habitat/adaptations/predators, and answer why beavers use trees to make dams.
Lesson 7
Real Life Learning
Students are asked to explain a procedure in Q1 (How did Attean teach Matt to make a bow?), including specific steps like choosing wood, shaping it patiently, and making a string. Question 3 asks students to explain a cause-and-effect (Why were there fewer beaver and moose?) with a text-based reason (white men hunted them for their skins). The Skill statements direct students to support discussions of events, characters, and ideas by referencing the text, and Activity 3 has students list and illustrate survival "rules" based on what Matt learns (procedural ideas).
Lesson 8
The Bear
Students are asked to explain events and causes from the chapters (e.g., Question #1 asks how Attean and Matt killed the bear and Question #2 asks why Attean felt bad about killing the bear). Activity 3 explicitly directs students to read a list of cause scenarios from the story and write corresponding effects, practicing explanation of what happened and why. The Character Timelines and the Flood Stories double-bubble map require students to identify and explain events and compare versions of a cultural story.
Lesson 9
Attean's Past
Students answer targeted comprehension questions that ask what happened and why (for example, Question #2 asks why Attean did not go hunting and Question #3 asks what happened to Attean's parents and how that explains his attitude). Students fill in Character Timelines to sequence events for Matt and Attean. In Activity 2 students devise and try out another way a settler could keep track of time, which has them plan and test a simple procedure.
Final Project
The Sign of the Beaver Movie
Students are asked to write a 6–8 sentence movie synopsis that must accurately describe the setting and main characters, which requires summarizing events and key story elements from the text. Students must design Attean's costumes so they "reflect resources in the environment," which prompts students to connect characters' clothing to environmental resources and needs. The opening Questions to Explore explicitly ask about how people in the past depended on plants and animals and how resources meet needs, directing student attention to historical/environmental ideas related to the story.
Unit 3: Native American Animal Stories
Lesson 2
People and Animal Stories
Students answer targeted cause-and-effect questions about each story (e.g., "How did the actions and feelings of the people affect the frogs?"; "Why was the eagle dependent on the boy?") that require them to state what happened and why based on story details. Students complete a story map for "The Dogs Who Saved Their Master," including sections for problem, events, resolution, and ending, which asks them to explain events and how the problem is solved. Students also complete activities that ask them to describe how a woman's experience changed people's attitudes and to write lessons people learned from animals, requiring explanation of events and consequences from the texts.
Lesson 3
The Natural World
Students answer targeted comprehension questions that ask why events occurred (for example, why Elder Brother took the songs away and why Possum's tail changed), and they retell stories using props, which requires sequencing events and stating causes. Activity 6 presents a scientific explanation of how fawn spots could arise (inheritance and natural selection) and asks students to compare that explanation with the mythical one and to list other camouflaged animals and describe how they function. Activity 7 asks students to record the problem and solution for each myth, prompting them to identify what happened and the outcome.
Lesson 4
Survival Stories
Students answer guided comprehension questions that ask both what happened and why (e.g., "What was the man's problem? Why would this be a big problem in Native American culture?"; "Why was the whale so important to the Inupiaq people?"; "Why did the Great Spirit create the mist?"). The Skills list explicitly asks students to locate information from text and to make inferences and draw conclusions based on events in the story. Activities require students to write sentences explaining why the Indians hunted, describe the role each animal played in the survival stories, and research events that led to the buffalo's near extinction.
Final Project
My Own Myth
Students are asked to read about a natural occurrence online or in an encyclopedia to learn more before writing (Part 1). The Organizing the Myth student page asks students to describe the "Natural Phenomenon" and to record "How the problem is solved," prompting students to summarize aspects of the occurrence. The rubric's Content category explicitly includes checking for a natural phenomena explanation and for providing problems and solutions related to the phenomenon.
2: Force and Power
Unit 1: Ben and Me
Lesson 1
Ben Franklin and the Colonies
Students locate and record factual information about Benjamin Franklin (birth/death dates, where he lived, inventions, political contributions) from provided web sources and activity pages. Students label and color the thirteen colonies on a map and are asked to explain that the colonies were governed by Britain and later fought a war to gain independence. Students discuss how people lived in the 1700s without modern conveniences and list alternatives, and they reflect on why colonists used force and what 'freedom' meant to them. The Elements of Historical Fiction activity asks students to identify actual historical events in a novel, distinguishing real events from fictional ones.
Lesson 2
Setting the Record Straight
Students answer comprehension questions that ask for reasons and effects (e.g., "Why did Amos decide to write his account?", "Why did Amos leave his family?", and "How did the invention of the stove change life for the colonists?"), which requires explaining events and consequences from Chapters 1–2. Students identify specific information from the text (e.g., list of materials Ben used for the stove) and copy sentences from the book in the vocabulary activity. Students record a factual and a fictional event for each chapter on the "Fact and Fiction" chart and are prompted to do research to determine actual events.
Lesson 3
Swimming
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer targeted questions that ask what happened and why (e.g., Q3 asks why Amos did not like Ben to swim; Q6 asks what men thought had happened and implies reasoning). Students explain procedures and descriptions from the text (Q2 asks how Ben modified his hat and Activity 2 has students copy descriptive sentences and label parts). Students distinguish factual from fictional events (Activity 1) and explain technical/scientific ideas about using power to influence the environment (Activity 3 prompts students to identify inventions that reduce effort and to create a new invention that requires less work).
Lesson 4
Electricity
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer guided journal questions that ask for causes and explanations (e.g., Why was Ben so interested in printing? Why did an angry mob come to Franklin's house? How was Franklin able to calm the angry mob?). Activity 1 asks students to record a factual and a fictional event from each chapter, requiring them to distinguish and state what happened. Wrapping Up asks students to verbally summarize the events that occurred, prompting them to explain sequence and outcomes from the text.
Lesson 5
Electrifying
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer specific comprehension questions that ask what happened (e.g., "What happened when the lightning struck?" and "What happened when Amos was up on the kite during the thunderstorm?"). Students record factual and fictional events from each chapter and discuss questions that probe reasons (e.g., "Why did Ben give up his scientific investigation so readily?" and "Why did Amos not sail to England with Ben?"). Students also describe outcomes and causes in a hands-on experiment by answering "Describe what happened" and "Why do you think this happened?" and write a first-person account of the kite event describing what happened.
Lesson 6
War
Students read Chapters 9 and 10 and answer chapter questions in a journal, including causal questions such as why Ben Franklin traveled to France and how France could help the colonists. The wrap-up asks students to explain why the colonists went to war with the British and to discuss the problems the colonists had, prompting students to state what happened and reasons for it. The Fact and Fiction activity has students record events from each chapter as factual or fictional, requiring them to identify events from the historical text.
Lesson 7
France
Students read Chapters 11 and 12 and answer comprehension questions that ask for explanations and evidence (e.g., "How did the French feel about Ben Franklin? How do you know?" and "Why do you think Ben was in no rush to return to the colonies?"). Activity 2 asks students to describe the force Amos was enlisting, identify who force would be used against, and write a step-by-step rescue plan that explains when force and power should be used. The lesson also asks students to record factual vs. fictional events and to summarize what happened in the chapters, reinforcing explanation of events and procedures from the text.
Lesson 8
Amos's Account
Students are asked to list an event or accomplishment and write ten facts about that event, which requires gathering specific information. Students record the sequence of what occurred and are prompted to use transitional words to show order. Students write a three-paragraph first-person account that must describe what occurred and the outcomes or consequences of the event, and a rubric checks for inclusion of factual information.
Lesson 9
The Rescue
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer comprehension questions that ask what happened (QUESTION #1, #2) and why events occurred (QUESTION #4: "Why did the French snub Franklin?"). The Fact and Fiction activity asks students to choose a factual event and a fictional event from the chapters, and the Ben and Amos Bags activity asks students to characterize Ben and Amos "according to what he has learned from Amos's account of Ben's life," requiring use of details from the text. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to summarize what happened in the chapters and explain how Amos and Ben felt after the rescue.
Lesson 10
Back Home
Students are asked to describe main events in the book and to answer comprehension questions about Chapter XV (e.g., what the mice gave Ben, whether Amos should stay with Ben, and whether Amos has shown vision). The "Fact and Fiction" activity requires students to list a factual and a fictional detail from the chapter, and the "Elements of Historical Fiction" page asks students to provide examples of events and characters that support each element, including plot and detailed descriptions.
Final Project
An Interview or Party for Ben
Students write ten interview questions and answer them according to what they know about Ben Franklin and specific events and accomplishments, including prompts about his inventions, electricity, how he used his power and influence, and his work as a founding father. Students write two of Ben's maxims and explain why those maxims have been important in his life. The skills statement directs students to "draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text," and students are asked to create a card, a gift explanation, and a song that explain how Ben's knowledge and influence improved the community.
Unit 2: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Lesson 1
The Professor's House
Students read a provided historical background that explains World War II and why many children left London, and they are asked to summarize those events and discuss why the story is fantasy rather than historical fiction. Students answer comprehension questions that require explaining causes and motivations from the book (e.g., why the children went to live with the Professor; why Mr. Tumnus agreed to do bad things for the White Witch). Students may research biographical information about C.S. Lewis and write a short newspaper article, drawing facts from informational web resources.
Lesson 4
The Lion
Students read the "Lions in Myths and Legends" activity page, which presents historical and cultural information about lion symbolism (griffin, sphinx, Acker, Chinese and Judeo-Christian references). Activity 2 directs students to find a related myth/legend, record words and phrases that describe the lion in that story, and use a Venn diagram to compare that lion to Aslan. The lesson's opening Questions to Explore prompt consideration of power and power struggles "throughout history," linking the reading to historical ideas.
Lesson 8
Deep Magic
Activity 4 asks students to read about a listed historical leader in online or reference sources, record ten facts, and decide whether the leader was more similar to Aslan or the White Witch. The activity prompts students to answer "How did the leader use his or her power?", which requires students to extract information from historical texts and summarize leaders' actions and motives. The reading questions also ask students to explain plot events and motivations in the narrative (e.g., why the witch killed Aslan), showing practice explaining what happened and why based on the text.
Unit 3: The BFG
Lesson 1
In the Middle of the Night
Students are asked direct comprehension and inference questions that require explaining events and reasons from the text (e.g., QUESTION #5: "What did the giant do? Why would the giant do this?"). QUESTION #1 asks students to use textual clues to support a location inference ("What clues from the text support your guess?"). QUESTION #3 asks students to explain a concept from the story by restating the author's description of the "witching hour."
Lesson 5
Time with the BFG
Students read two chapters and answer text-based questions that ask what happened and why (e.g., Question #1 asks how the BFG got the Bloodbottler to eat the snozzcumber and Question #4 asks what happened to Sophie). Activity 1 directs students to identify and record direct quotes from Sophie and the BFG, supporting use of specific text evidence. The Facts & Definitions and Activity 3 give a scientific explanation of carbonation and require students to follow a recipe (a procedure) and observe/describe the gas (fizz) produced. The Skills list explicitly includes reading and following step-by-step directions and making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters.
Lesson 9
The Palace
Students complete a Cause and Effect activity that asks them to fill in missing causes or effects based on specific events from the chapters (e.g., Sophie peeks out her window → the BFG takes Sophie). Students are asked to list three actions that had positive effects and two that had negative effects and to explain how decisions led to those outcomes. Students also summarize the events of the chapters and predict what will happen next, using story details to support their answers.
Lesson 10
A Breakfast Fit for a Queen
Students answer comprehension questions that ask why events happened (e.g., QUESTION #1 asks why Mary looked as though she was going to faint and QUESTION #3 asks why the queen told Mary not to take Sophie). The wrapping up prompts ask students to describe how the queen received Sophie and the Giant and to judge whether the queen's response was believable and why. Activity 3 asks students to select adjectives that describe the queen and support each adjective with at least one example from the text. The Skills section explicitly lists "Draw conclusions from information gathered," which directs students to infer and explain based on the text.
Lesson 11
Fighting Giants
The lesson asks students to read chapters and answer comprehension questions that require explaining what happened and why (e.g., Q1 asks what force the queen planned to use; Q6 asks how the BFG was able to tie Fleshlumpeater and includes the trick used). The Skills and Activities direct students to "draw conclusions from information gathered," "use multiple sources," and to read about the U.S. armed forces online or in books, take notes on each branch, and discuss why countries have armed forces. Activity 2 explicitly instructs students to locate information that addresses the question of how armed forces help people and why countries maintain them.
Lesson 12
Snozzcumbers
Several comprehension questions ask students to explain events and reasons (e.g., Q1: How were the giants imprisoned? Why would this be a good way to keep the giants?; Q2: What did the BFG bring back in his sack? What was he going to do with them?; Q6: What happened when Sophie and the BFG returned to England?). The Skills section tells students to "Reference the text to support the theme" and to "Draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text." Activity 3 asks students to record events, quotes, and characters' actions that support each listed theme, which requires citing specific information from the story.
3: Similarities and Differences
Unit 1: Stories from Africa and Asia
Lesson 1
Meerkats in Botswana
Students are asked to read scientific information about meerkats using linked resources (Smithsonian and NatGeo Kids) and to record information in a graphic organizer about Botswana and its animals. In Option 1 or 2 students must write a descriptive paragraph or short story that includes at least five facts about meerkats, demonstrating extraction and use of factual information. Activity 3 directs students to discuss meerkat adaptations and to consider the function each feature provides, prompting students to explain why certain features help meerkats survive.
Lesson 2
Meeting Precious
Students are asked to read nonfiction pages about ostriches and cobras (links to NatGeo Kids and Softschools) and then list five facts about each animal or complete a chart comparing kind, diet, predators, defense, habitat, and special characteristics. The lesson includes a specific comprehension question asking how Precious's father's hat saved his life, which requires students to state what happened and why based on text details. The Facts and Definitions section gives scientific-style statements (e.g., how an ostrich defends itself) that students can refer to when completing the chart or fact lists.
Lesson 3
The Surprise
Students are asked to identify scientifically accurate information about meerkats in Question #3 (e.g., posture, diet, family group). Activity 3 has students take on the role of a zoologist to find names of African animals, choose one to research, and write a paragraph describing why they would study it. The Life Application asks students to watch a documentary about meerkats and discuss how the filmed animals are similar to and different from the book's meerkat, and Activity 4 asks students to summarize events in the chapters and find examples of authorial intrusion.
Lesson 5
A Good Idea
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer comprehension questions that require recounting events (e.g., where the cows' tracks ended, how the men reacted, and how Kosi finding the cow resolved the problem). Students are asked to read the African Wildlife Foundation website and pick an animal to read about, then write descriptive sentences or a short story that incorporates factual information. Activity 2 has students write a paragraph describing a real challenging event they faced and discuss what others could learn from that account.
Lesson 7
Japan
Students are asked to read an informational book (A Kids Guide to Japan) and answer guided questions about Japan. The Facts and Definitions section lists historical events (Japan and America were enemies in WWII; Pearl Harbor; the atomic bombing of Hiroshima). The Wrapping Up section asks students to explain why Japan and America were at war and to discuss why the atomic bomb was so deadly. The Map activity asks students to locate and label Hiroshima and Nagasaki, linking places to events.
Lesson 8
Peace Day
Students read the prologue and first two chapters of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and answer direct comprehension questions such as "What was Peace Day?" and "What did the family do on Peace Day?", which require describing what happened and why. Activity 2 asks students explicitly "Why do the Japanese celebrate Peace Day?" and "What types of activities do the Japanese engage in on Peace Day?" prompting explanation based on the text. Vocabulary pages require students to record the sentence from the book that contains each Japanese word and the chapter-by-chapter cultural organizer asks students to record specific cultural details from each chapter to support their explanations.
Lesson 9
The Secret is Out
Students read chapters "Sadako's Secret" and "A Secret No Longer" and answer explicit comprehension questions asking what happened (e.g., Sadako's talent, the relay selection, her dizziness) and how her parents learned her secret (she fell at school and doctors diagnosed leukemia). Students are prompted to explain Sadako's secret and reasons she may have kept it in the wrapping-up discussion. In Activity 4 students are given factual statements about leukemia and cancer, discuss treatments and prevention, and are asked to read about cancer prevention online and make a list of healthy lifestyle actions.
Lesson 10
Kenji
Students are asked to summarize the events of the chapters and reflect on Sadako's situation, which requires explaining what happened. Question 1 asks students to explain the story behind Chizuko's gift, and Question 5 asks how Kenji got leukemia, both requiring explanation of why events occurred. The Skills section instructs students to identify similarities and differences and support them by referencing the text, and Activity 3 asks students to discuss the symbolism of the golden crane, which requires explaining an idea from the text.
Lesson 11
O Bon
Students read the chapters "Hundreds of Wishes" and "Last Days" and answer comprehension questions that ask them to identify what O Bon is (Question #5) and how the family celebrated it (Question #6). Question #2 and #4 ask students to explain actions and outcomes from the text (e.g., why Sadako pushed food away; why the doctor was pleased and what he allowed). Activity 2 and the journal/song options ask students to reflect on and explain reasons why people remember the dead and to write from the perspective of a Japanese child after celebrating O Bon.
Lesson 12
Racing the Wind
Students read the historical story sections ("Racing the Wind," Epilogue, and About the Author) and answer guided comprehension questions that ask what happened (e.g., "What did Sadako's class make?"; "What did the class do in memory of Sadako?") and why (e.g., "Why do you think she couldn't stop [thinking about death]?"; "Why do you think the author ends the story this way?"; "Why do you think the author thought it was important for American children to hear Sadako's story?"). Students also discuss the significance of monuments and create their own peace monument, which asks them to explain the purpose and message of a public memorial. The journal tasks and discussions require students to explain events and author motivation in writing or oral responses.
Lesson 13
Precious and Sadako
Activity 3 asks students to "explain three or four important events that occurred in each story" and offers a letter option in which the character must "explain the event, the circumstances, and how she felt about the event." The Skills section requires students to "draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text" and to "identify and discuss similarities and differences in events... and support them by referencing the text." Activity 1 has students cite descriptions, quotations, actions, and words or phrases from the novels to support character analysis.
Unit 2: Holes
Lesson 1
Texas and Desert Biomes
Students research desert biomes using the provided maps, web articles, and videos and record names of animals and plants and write about two special adaptations. Students answer explicit explanatory questions such as "Why do few people live in the desert?" and "What makes a desert different from other habitats?" and, in Option 2, write a paragraph describing geographic location, rainfall, indigenous species, and adaptations. The skills list directs students to take simple notes from relevant sources and compile those notes into written reports or paragraphs, which requires basing explanations on specific information from texts and media.
Lesson 2
Camp Green Lake
Students are asked to explain how the U.S. court system functions and to discuss why the principle "innocent until proven guilty" is important (Activity 3), and they match legal terms to definitions from an informational page. Students complete an "An Inventor" activity where they name an invention, list materials, and write numbered steps describing how the invention will be made and how it will change lives. Reading comprehension questions ask students to state what happened to characters (e.g., why Stanley went to Camp Green Lake) and to give cause or reasons for events from the text.
Lesson 3
Digging
Students read Chapters 5–7 and answer comprehension questions that ask them to explain events (e.g., Q5: "What had actually happened?" about the stolen shoes) and infer reasons (e.g., Q6: "Why do you think someone dropped the shoes?"). Questions also ask students to explain historical differences (Q8: how life was different when Stanley's great‑great grandfather was alive) and to recount what happened and why (Q1, Q7). In Activity 2 students read an informational soil page and match/cut out layer names and definitions, demonstrating understanding of scientific concepts about soil layers.
Lesson 4
Caveman
Students are asked to state what Stanley found while digging and why he did not get the day off (Question #4), which requires explaining an event and its reason from the text. Activity 4 asks students to discuss what archaeologists can learn about a region from fossils and rocks, prompting explanation of a scientific idea tied to the provided fossil definition. The "Make Your Own Fossil" page gives a step-by-step procedure that students follow to create a model fossil, engaging them with a technical procedure.
Lesson 6
Sunflower Seeds
The Rattlesnake Research activity asks students to write three questions about rattlesnakes and then "try to find answers to her questions using books and/or the Internet," with space provided to record findings. The Student Activity Page begins with the prompt, "How are rattlesnakes similar to and different from other snakes?" which directs students to compare and record information. The Skills list also includes "Summarize written text," indicating students will read informational sources and summarize what they learn.
Lesson 7
Zero
Students answer guided comprehension questions (e.g., Q1 asks what happened and why Zero dug Stanley's hole; Q2 asks how Zero knew Stanley did not steal the sneakers; Q3 asks what Stanley discovers about Zero and how he figures this out), which require explaining events and motivations from Chapters 21–24. Activity 3 directs students to find the author's description of Green Lake and to draw and discuss how the geography changed and possible explanations for that change. The Wrapping Up prompt asks students to explain what they learned about the history of Green Lake and its people, encouraging explanation of historical events and ideas based on the text.
Lesson 8
Sam the Onion Man
Students read Chapters 25–28 and answer targeted questions that require identifying events (e.g., Sam sold onions and medicines, fixed the schoolhouse, and was shot in his boat) and outcomes (e.g., Kate became an outlaw). Several questions ask for reasons or causes (e.g., Why might Sam and Kate's relationship be a problem? How did the town treat them and why?), and the skills list asks students to draw conclusions and gather support by referencing the text. Activity 1 asks students to write a speech explaining why racism is wrong and why the townspeople should not punish Kate and Sam, prompting students to give reasons tied to the story.
Lesson 11
The Thumb of God
Several comprehension questions (Questions 1 and 2) ask students to identify what characters found (weeds, bugs, mud, onions) and to explain what those findings mean (that there must be water nearby), requiring students to state what happened and why based on text details. Question 7 asks students to explain why Zero was arrested, prompting students to recount an event and its cause from the text. Activity 1 has students locate and follow an onion recipe (a procedural text) by using an index and preparing the dish, engaging them with a technical/procedural text form.
Unit 3: Stories from Europe
Lesson 2
Fiona's Luck
Students identify story elements including plot, conflict, and resolution on the 'Fiona's Luck Story Elements' page, where the conflict is described (leprechaun king swept up all the luck) and the resolution (Fiona releases the luck). Students complete a 'Fact and Fantasy' page listing three facts about Ireland from the story and three fantasy elements, using specific story details. On Day 2 students read more about Ireland via a linked website and answer factual questions about historical events (e.g., which group invaded in 1170 and what happened in 1948).
Lesson 3
The Sea King's Daughter
The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes the RI.4.3 standard. Students read factual information about Russia (Day 2) and answer specific factual questions (e.g., capital city, land area, animals, WWII side). In Activity 2 (Fact and Fantasy) students identify three story elements that are based on real facts about Russia and three that are fantasy. Activity 1 has students locate Russia on maps and explain what they learned about Russia's culture and geography from the story.
Lesson 4
The Snow Queen
Students read an informational webpage about Denmark and answer specific factual questions (e.g., what happened during the Ice Age, how many islands, Viking activities), demonstrating engagement with a historical/geographical text. Students are asked to create a concise non‑fiction booklet about Denmark based on what they read, encouraging them to convey specific information precisely. Students read a short biography of Hans Christian Andersen and are prompted to discuss why he wrote tales the way he did, referring to the text during discussion.
4: Exploration and Survival
Unit 1: Abel's Island
Lesson 1
Survival
Students are asked to read about river habitats (Activity 2) and discuss the special adaptations of plants and animals that help them survive, and to look for names and examples in the story. In Activity 3 students list river resources and how those resources can be used for clothing, shelter, food, and water, and they are directed to add examples of how the main character uses river resources to a chart. The Skills section explicitly lists explaining how humans and animals adapt behaviors to live in changing habitats and interacting with text before, during, and after reading by making connections.
Lesson 2
The Storm
Students answer literal and causal questions (e.g., Question #5 asks why the animals needed shelter; Question #6 asks how the wind carried Abel away), which requires explaining what happened and why. The Skills list tells students to "support interpretations or conclusions with examples drawn from text," and Activity 1 asks students to record natural resources Abel uses and describe how he uses them. The Predictions and Inferences activity asks students to make inferences and record predictions based on information in the paragraphs, prompting use of specific textual details.
Lesson 3
Where Am I?
Students read Chapters 3 and 4 and answer comprehension questions that ask what happened and why (e.g., where Abel was stuck and why that was a problem; why his boats were destroyed). Students explain procedures and technical details by answering how Abel made the first boat steerable (he carved a rudder) and by labeling parts of a boat (sail, rudder, mast, deck, oars). Students are asked to locate information for specific purposes (fill in the "Using Natural Resources" chart) and to support interpretations or conclusions with examples drawn from the text (Question #8).
Lesson 4
Who Is Abel?
Students read Chapters 5 and 6 and answer targeted questions that require explanation based on text details (for example, QUESTION #1 asks how Abel knew which foods to eat and the answer cites that he studied them in his books). Activity 1 asks students to fill a "Using Natural Resources" chart taking information directly from the chapters, and Activity 2 asks students to provide textual evidence for Abel's traits and to infer whether those traits could be determined before the author stated them. The skills list explicitly includes "Draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text" and "Make inferences and draw conclusions about characters and events," which directs students to explain events/ideas using specific information.
Lesson 5
Perseverance
Students read Chapters 7 and 8 and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask them to explain events and reasons (e.g., Q1 asks what plan Abel devised for crossing the river and why it failed; Q2 asks how Abel knew different plant types; Q5 and Q6 ask how Abel made fire and how he used it). Activity 1 asks students to fill in a chart, "Using Natural Resources," taking information from the chapters, which requires extracting and organizing informational details about procedures and uses from the text. The introduction and wrap-up prompt students to describe the story's problem/conflict, which directs students to identify events and causes in the narrative.
Lesson 6
Surprises
The Skills section instructs students to "Draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text," indicating explicit practice using text evidence. Multiple comprehension questions ask students to explain reasons (e.g., "Why did Abel not feel completely lonely?" and "Why was Abel worried about the coming of winter?"), requiring students to state what happened and why based on the chapters. Activities (Using Natural Resources chart; ordering Abel's routines; Deserted Island item selection) ask students to extract information from Chapters 9 and 10 and justify choices, reinforcing explanation and support from text.
Lesson 7
Threats
Students are asked to explain character feelings and causes (Question 1 asks how Abel was beginning to feel and why). Students explain actions and consequences (Question 4 asks how Abel protected himself and why that would shock the owl; Question 5 asks how the environment is changing and how Abel is adapting). In Activity 3 students list three adaptations for Abel and describe how each adaptation will aid his survival, and the 'Using Natural Resources' chart directs students to take specific information from Chapters 11 and 12.
Lesson 8
The Dead of Winter
Students read Chapters 13 and 14 and answer text-based questions that ask why Abel went out in the cold, how he adapted to the cold, and why his attitude changed as the earth warmed. The Skills section requires students to identify and discuss similarities, differences, concepts, and ideas "and support them by referencing the text." The Wrap-Up explicitly asks students to "find information in the chapters that explains Abel's hibernation/torpor (p. 74-75)." The student pages and experiment prompt students to explain what happens during hibernation, why animals hibernate, how they prepare, and to link physiological measurements to the concept of energy conservation.
Final Project
Your Own Deserted Island
Students are asked to write a paragraph describing how they landed on the island and how they use natural resources (Part 2), which requires explaining events and cause-effect within their scenario. Students must create a step-by-step escape plan (Part 4), which has them produce and sequence procedural steps. Students also describe the island environment and adaptations on the map and resource pages, which asks them to account for environmental factors and survival choices.
Unit 2: Pedro's Journal
Lesson 1
Exploring with Columbus
Students are asked to record dates and important events along Columbus' 1492 route (Activity 4), which requires identifying what happened in a historical journey. Students analyze reasons for exploration by writing possible positives and negatives for listed motives (Activity 2), which asks them to consider why explorers undertook voyages and the consequences. Students distinguish fact from opinion and list factual descriptions and historical events from Pedro's Journal and other texts (Activities 1 and 3), supporting use of text-based information.
Lesson 2
August
Students read Pedro's journal entries (historical text) and answer direct "why" questions such as why Pedro was hired, why crew members prayed, and why the rudder might have been broken. Students fill a chronological chart ("The Journey") recording important events, geographic location, and the attitudes of Columbus, Pedro, and the crew, linking events to causes and perspectives. In Activity 2 students match navigation instruments with their descriptions and purposes, explaining technical ideas (how and why sailors used those tools). The skills list also directs students to use text to verify facts, concepts, and ideas.
Lesson 3
September
Students read Pedro's journal entries for September and answer guided comprehension questions that ask what Pedro's duties are, what will happen if they do not find a port, why the men and Pedro do not trust Columbus, and how sailors interpreted a meteor differently than Columbus. Students are asked to summarize what happened to Columbus and the crew in September, requiring them to explain events in sequence. In the Meteors activity students read background information about meteors and discuss why meteor sightings may have been fearful, linking causes and ideas to historical beliefs.
Lesson 4
October
Students read journal entries for October and answer several 'why' questions (e.g., Why does Pedro enjoy the night watch? Why would the men think Columbus is crazy? Why does Columbus love it when the natives 'throw themselves in the sand'?) that require explaining events and motives. Students are asked to describe how the book portrays the native people and to explain why Pedro is uncomfortable with interactions, prompting explanation of what happened and why. The 'The Natives and the White Men' bubble maps ask students to record words or phrases each group might use to describe the other, supporting explanation of perspectives and events from the text.
Lesson 5
Journal Writing
The introduction asks the child to identify three events Pedro writes about and three places where Pedro records his feelings, so students practice locating events and emotional responses in Pedro's journal. The text states that Pedro's journal includes actual events from his journey with Columbus and his thoughts about those events, which frames the material as historical content students can reference. The Pre-Writing activity asks students to list ten facts about an event and three feelings, so students practice extracting and recording factual details related to an event.
Lesson 6
November
Students read Pedro's journal entries for November and answer guided questions that ask them to explain events and reasons (e.g., "Why did Columbus want to take the native people back to Spain?" and "Why did Pedro feel shame?"). Students are prompted to recount what happened ("What happened to the Pinta?") and to connect past experience to current actions ("What past experience does Pedro relate to what Columbus is doing to the natives?"). Activities ask students to draw conclusions from Pedro's perspective ("Surviving Life at Sea, Surviving Life on Land") and to fill in details about "The Journey," reinforcing explanation of events and causes based on the journal text.
Lesson 7
December
Students read the December journal entries and answer directed comprehension questions that ask them to describe specific events (e.g., the December 3rd encounter with natives and Pedro sinking the Santa Maria on Christmas Eve) and to explain crew beliefs (Question #2). Activity 2 asks students to read pages 52-53 and compare expected versus actual treasures, prompting them to explain differences and judge the soldiers' reactions. The wrapping-up prompts require students to explain the difference between hoped-for and found treasures and to respond to 'why' and 'was it his fault?' questions, tying explanations to the text.
Lesson 8
The Island of the Skog
Students are asked to explain why the mice set off (Question #1) and what threatened their survival and why (Question #3), requiring explanation of events and causes from the story. Question #6 asks students to explain what happened between the Skog and the mice and how their community changed, which requires describing events and reasons. The Skills section directs students to "identify and discuss similarities and differences... and support them by referencing the text," and Activity 1 and Activity 2 have students compare Pedro's Journal (a historical text about Columbus) with The Island of the Skog and list examples of prejudice based on the texts.
Lesson 9
January
Students read Pedro's journal entry and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask what happened (e.g., where Pedro went, what was wrong with the Niña and the Pinta) and why (e.g., why some men stayed to build a fortress), requiring them to extract specific information from a historical text. Students complete a "The Journey" page and respond to guided questions that practice identifying events and details from the narrative. Students discuss scientific ideas about manatees (ecosystem, threats, and the adaptation of digits forming a flipper) and perform a water displacement activity to connect text descriptions to observed function.
Lesson 10
February
Students answer comprehension questions that ask what happened and why (e.g., Q2 asks how sea conditions changed; Q4 asks why Columbus was worried about Martin Alonso; Q6 asks why Pedro never went back to sea; Q7 asks what qualities helped him survive). Students are instructed to finish the book, refer to their "The Journey" journal entries, and write a firsthand report "from Pedro's perspective" that must explain the crew's survival, their discoveries, and what it was like to sail with Columbus. The activity pages include page-referenced similes and idioms, prompting students to locate and interpret specific lines from the historical text.
Final Project
Story Blocks
Students are asked on the Survival Cube to record three things that threatened the sailors' survival and three actions the crew or captain took to aid survival, which asks them to identify events and responses from the text. The Exploration Cube asks students to record discoveries and to describe ways lives and cultures were changed "because of Columbus' voyage," which prompts students to state effects and link them to an event. The Historical Fiction Cube asks students to record three historical facts from the story, and several cubes (Quotes, Vocabulary, Similes) require students to select specific information and language directly from the text.
Unit 3: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Lesson 1
Sickness
Students are asked to "reference the text to determine the plot and sequence of events" and complete a Plot Flowchart recording major events for each chapter. Reading questions ask students to state what happened to Timothy (he was bitten by a spider) and Mr. Ages' diagnosis and recommendation (pneumonia; stay warm and indoors), and to explain why Mrs. Frisby was worried as moving day approached (Timothy was too sick to travel and moving could be dangerous). Students also answer why the garden discovery was wonderful (a stash of food), which requires citing text details to explain consequences.
Lesson 2
Spring is Coming
Students are asked in Question #2 to state what happens in the garden in spring and to explain how this threatens the survival of the mice, requiring them to describe an event and its cause from the text. Activity 2 asks students to describe several ways animals' survival may be threatened in winter and to explain how Mrs. Frisby's family faces a specific threat as spring approaches, prompting cause-and-effect explanation based on the story. Activity 3 directs students to read factual information about rats and mice using books or websites, engaging them with informational (scientific) text about the animals.
Lesson 3
A Visit to an Owl
Students read two chapters and answer direct comprehension questions that require explaining what happened and why (e.g., What did Jeremy tell Mrs. Frisby she should do? Why was Mrs. Frisby afraid to go in the owl's home?). Students complete a Plot Flowchart activity to identify and sequence an event from the chapters. The Wrap Up asks students to describe what happened to Mrs. Frisby, prompting them to explain events based on the text.
Lesson 5
Meeting the Rats
Students read the chapters Brutus and In the Library and answer guided questions that ask them to describe characters and events (e.g., how Brutus responded, who Mrs. Frisby met). Students complete a Plot Flowchart in which they describe an important event from each chapter (what happened). In the "Beyond Needs" activity students list examples from the text of inventions and machines and (in an extension) describe how each machine or invention makes life easier for the rats.
Lesson 6
A Plan for Mrs. Frisby
Students read the chapters "Isabella" and "A Powder for Dragon" and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask what happened and why (for example, Q3 asks what Mrs. Frisby learned about the rats, Q4 asks where the rats want to move the house and why, and Q6 asks how Mr. Frisby died). Students create a Plot Flowchart to describe important events from both chapters. Students are asked to devise a plan using knowledge of simple machines to move the house and to describe the rats' plan in a wrapping-up discussion.
Lesson 7
The Capture
Students read the chapters "The Marketplace" and "In the Cage" and answer direct comprehension questions asking what happened and why (e.g., Q3 asks where the rats lived and why it was a good place; Q4 asks how the rats got caught; Q5 and Q6 ask where they were taken and how they survived). Activities require students to describe important events on a Plot Flowchart and write a summary of Nicodemus' story including life at the farmers' market, the capture, and life at NIMH. Question #7 explicitly asks students to use evidence from the book to support whether the scientists mistreated the rats, and the Skills list includes "gather support by referencing the text."
Lesson 8
Life at NIMH
Students read the chapters "The Maze" and "A Lesson in Reading" and answer comprehension questions that ask what happened (e.g., Justin's escape plan, scientists' calm response) and how procedures were done (Question #5 asks how scientists taught the rats to read). Students complete a Plot Flowchart to describe important events from both chapters and discuss whether the scientists' actions were good or bad in the Wrapping Up. The Scientific Vocabulary activity has students learn and use terms (DNA, mutation, control, injections, laboratory) that relate to the scientific ideas in the text.
Lesson 9
The Escape
Students read specific chapters (The Air Ducts and The Boniface Estate) and answer targeted comprehension questions that ask what happened and why (e.g., why the rats delayed escape, what they learned exploring the building, what tools they used and how). The skills list includes locating information in text for specific purposes and making inferences, and activities require students to record events on a Plot Flowchart and explain Nicodemus before/after NIMH. A simulation game has students reenact navigation through ducts, reinforcing understanding of the escape procedure and its purposes.
Lesson 10
Amazing Rats
Multiple comprehension questions require students to state what happened and explain why (e.g., "What was the plan for moving Mrs. Frisby's home?", "Why were the rats building a plow and storing seeds?", "Why did the rats want to grow their own food?"). The Plot Flowchart activity has students record important events from each chapter. The Tools and Machines and Electricity activities ask students to describe how tools and machines were used and to explain (or research) technical ideas about how the rats obtained and used power. The Skills list explicitly includes "Support interpretations or conclusions with examples drawn from text."
Lesson 11
The Plan
Students read the chapters "Thorn Valley" and "Captured" and answer comprehension questions in a journal, including items that ask what happened and why (for example, questions about how the rats got electrical power, why they lived near the farmhouse, and why Jenner left). Students complete a Plot Flowchart to record an important event from each chapter, which requires them to identify and sequence events. The question set and flowchart prompt students to explain events and motivations from the text.
Lesson 12
Working in the Night
Students answer questions that require identifying what happened (e.g., Jenner and the rats were electrocuted; Justin rescued Mrs. Frisby) and explain causes or motives (questions ask whether investigators are from NIMH and why, and why the shrew acted). Students explain procedures and mechanical actions by identifying the equipment used to move Mrs. Frisby's home and describing how bars, pulleys, ladders, and log rollers were used. Students draw the process of moving the house based on the author's description and label simple machines, and they are prompted to use examples from the text to describe how the rats were inventive.