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WAB Faculty & Staff

ES Literacy: Grade 4

READING

Phase 1: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding that print represents the real or the imagined world. They know that reading gives them knowledge and pleasure; that it can be a social activity or an individual activity. They have a concept of a “book”, and an awareness of some of its structural elements. They use visual cues to recall sounds and the words they are “reading” to construct meaning.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Illustrations convey meaning.
  • Print conveys meaning.
  • People read for pleasure.
  • Stories can tell about imagined worlds.
  • Printed information can tell about the real world.
  • There are established ways of setting out print and organizing books.
Phase 2: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding that language can be represented visually through codes and symbols. They are extending their data bank of printed codes and symbols and are able to recognize them in new contexts. They understand that reading is a vehicle for learning, and that the combination of codes conveys meaning.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • The sounds of spoken language can be represented visually.
  • Written language works differently from spoken language.
  • Consistent ways of recording words or ideas enable members of a language community to communicate.
  • People read to learn.
  • The words we see and hear enable us to create pictures in our minds.
Phase 3: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding that text is used to convey meaning in different ways and for different purposes—they are developing an awareness of context. They use strategies, based on what they know, to read for understanding. They recognize that the structure and organization of text conveys meaning.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Different types of texts serve different purposes.
  • What we already know enables us to understand what we read.
  • Applying a range of strategies helps us to read and understand new texts.
  • Wondering about texts and asking questions helps us to understand the meaning.
  • The structure and organization of written language influences and conveys meaning.
Phase 4: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding of the relationship between reading, thinking and reflection. They know that reading is extending their world, both real and imagined, and that there is a reciprocal relationship between the two. Most importantly, they have established reading routines and relish the process of reading.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Reading and thinking work together to enable us to make meaning.
  • Checking, rereading, and correcting our own reading as we go enable us to read new and more complex texts.
  • Identifying the main ideas in them text helps us to understand what is important.
  • Knowing what we aim to achieve helps us to select useful reference material.
Phase 5: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding of the strategies authors use to engage them. They have their favorite authors and can articulate reasons for their choices. Reading provides a sense of accomplishment, not only in the process, but in the access it provides them to further knowledge about, and understanding of, the world.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Authors structure stories around significant themes.
  • Effective stories have a structure, purpose and sequence of events (plot) that help to make the author’s intention clear.
  • Synthesizing ideas and information from texts leads to new ideas and understanding.
  • Reading opens our minds to multiple perspectives and helps us to understand how people think, feel and act.

WRITING UNITS

Unit:
  • Persuasive Writing
Essential Questions:
  • What is the purpose of persuasive writing?
  • How can writers use evidence to support their points?
  • How can writers use persuasive techniques to influence their audience?
  • How does writing style, tone, and word choice impact the effectiveness of persuasive writing?
  • How can persuasive writing be used to create change?
Unit:
  • Personal Narrative
Essential Questions:
  • How can I use storytelling to express my ideas?
  • What makes an effective and engaging personal narrative?
  • What techniques can I use to bring my story to life?
  • What do I need to consider when writing my personal narrative?
  • How can I effectively structure my personal narrative?
  • How can I create suspense and intrigue in my story?
  • What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a personal narrative?
  • How can I make my story relatable to my readers?
  • How can I use imagery to create a vivid picture of my story?
  • How can I use literary devices to convey the emotion of my story?
Unit:
  • Expository Writing
Essential Questions:
  • What elements make up good expository writing?
  • How can writers effectively explain and organize complex topics in an expository essay?
  • How can a writer use evidence to support their argument in an expository essay?
  • How does the structure of an expository essay differ from other types of writing?
  • How can writers use language to effectively convey their ideas in an expository essay?
  • How can writers use effective transitions to draw together ideas in an expository essay?
  • How do writers create cohesiveness in an expository essay?
  • What techniques can writers use to engage readers in an expository essay?
Unit:
  • Fictional Narrative
Essential Questions:
  • What elements make up a fictional narrative?
  • What is the purpose of a narrative story?
  • How can a narrative story be used to show understanding of a topic?
  • How can writers create an engaging narrative?
  • Why is it important to use vivid language when writing a fictional narrative?
  • How can writers create believable characters and plotlines?
  • What challenges might arise when writing a fictional narrative?
  • How can writers develop a unique voice when writing a narrative?
  • What strategies can writers use to create suspense in a narrative story?
  • How can writers craft a compelling climax in a fictional narrative?
Unit:
  • Poetry
Essential Questions:
  • What is the purpose of poetry?
  • What elements make poetry unique from other genres of writing?
  • How do form and structure influence the meaning in poetry?
  • How can imagery be used to create a specific tone in poetry?
  • What are the various types of poetic devices and how can they be used to create interesting and impactful poetry?
  • What makes a poem successful?
  • How can poetry be used as a tool to explore emotions?
  • How can we interpret the messages and themes present in a poem?
  • What is the relationship between sound and meaning in poetry?
  • How can we use creative writing techniques to create a poem?

LISTENING AND SPEAKING

Phase 1: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding of the value of speaking and listening to communicate. They recognize that sounds are associated with objects, or with symbolic representations of them. They are using language to name their environment, to get to know each other, to initiate and explore relationships, to question and inquire.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Spoken words connect us with others.
  • People listen and speak to share thoughts and feelings.
  • People ask questions to learn from others.
Phase 2: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding that sounds are associated with objects, events, and ideas, or with symbolic representations of them. They are aware that an object or symbol may have different sounds or words associated with it in different languages. They are beginning to be cognizant about the high degree of variability of language and its uses.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • The sounds of language are a symbolic way of representing ideas and objects.
  • People communicate using different languages.
  • Everyone has the right to speak and be listened to.
Phase 3: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding of the wide range of purposes of spoken language: that it instructs, informs, entertains, reassures; that each listener’s perception of what they hear is unique. They are compiling rules about the use of different aspects of language.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Spoken language varies according to the purpose and audience.
  • People interpret messages according to their unique experiences and ways of understanding.
  • Spoken communication is different from written communication—it has its own set of rules.
Phase 4: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding of the conventions associated with speaking and listening and the value of adhering to those conventions. They are aware that language is a vehicle for becoming knowledgeable; for negotiating understanding; and for negotiating the social dimension.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Taking time to reflect on what we hear and say helps us to make informed judgments and form new opinions.
  • Thinking about the perspective of our audience helps us to communicate more effectively and appropriately.
  • The grammatical structures of a language enable members of a language community to communicate with each other.
Phase 5: Overall Expectations
  • Learners are able to understand the difference between literal and figurative language; how to use language differently for different purposes. They are aware that they are building on their previous experiences and using language to construct new meaning.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Spoken language can be used to persuade and influence people.
  • Metaphorical language creates strong visual images in our imagination.
  • Listeners identify key ideas in spoken language and synthesize them to create their own understanding.
  • People draw on what they already know in order to infer new meaning from what they hear.

VIEWING AND PRESENTING

Phase 1: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding that the world around them is full of visual language that conveys meaning. They are able to interpret and respond to visual texts. Although much of their own visual language is spontaneous, they are extending and using visual language in more purposeful ways.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Visual language is all around us.
  • The pictures, images, and symbols in our environment have meaning.
  • We can enjoy and learn from visual language.
Phase 2: Overall Expectations
  • Learners identify, interpret, and respond to a range of visual text prompts and show an understanding that different types of visual texts serve different purposes. They use this knowledge to create their own visual texts for particular purposes.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • People use static and moving images to communicate ideas and information.
  • Visual texts can immediately gain our attention.
  • Viewing and talking about the images others have created helps us to understand and create our own presentations.
Phase 3: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an understanding that visual text may represent reality or fantasy. They recognize that visual text resources can provide factual information and increase understanding. They use visual text in a reflective way to enrich their storytelling or presentations, and to organize and represent information.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Visual texts can expand our database of sources of information.
  • Visual texts provide alternative means to develop new levels of understanding.
  • Selecting the most suitable forms of visual presentation enhances our ability to express ideas and images.
  • Different visual techniques produce different effects and are used to present different types of information.
Phase 4: Overall Expectations
  • Learners show an open-mindedness about the use of a range of visual text resources to access information. They think critically and are articulate about the use of visual text to influence the viewer. They are able to use visual imagery to present factual information, or to tell a story.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • Visual texts have the power to influence thinking and behavior.
  • Interpreting visual texts involves making an informed judgment about the intention of the message.
  • To enhance learning we need to be efficient and constructive users of the internet.
Phase 5: Overall Expectations
  • Through inquiry, learners engage with an increasing range of visual text resources. As well as exploring the viewing and presenting strategies that are a part of the planned learning environment, they select and use strategies that suit their own learning styles. They are able to make connections between visual imagery and social commentary. They show more discernment in selecting information they consider reliable. They are able to use visual imagery to support a position.
Conceptual Understandings:
  • The aim of commercial media is to influence and persuade viewers.
  • Individuals respond differently to visual texts, according to their previous experiences, preferences, and perspectives.
  • Knowing about the techniques used in visual texts helps us to interpret presentations and create our own visual effects.
  • Synthesizing information from visual texts is dependent upon personal interpretation and leads to new understanding.

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