What does a student learn in StateNew Jersey,GradeGrade 4,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students find exact lines from a story or poem that back up their answers. They also use clues in the text to figure out things the author never said outright.

Students find the main message or lesson in a story, then trace how it builds across key scenes and details. They can also sum up the whole story in a few clear sentences.

Students explain how a character changes across a story and why, or how one event sets off the next. The focus is on cause and effect inside the text, not just what happened.

Students figure out what words and phrases mean in a story or poem, including when an author uses figurative language like metaphors. They also look at how specific word choices change the feeling or mood of a passage.

Students look at how a story or poem is built: how one paragraph connects to the next, and how smaller parts add up to the whole.

Reading the same story from two different narrators shows how much the teller shapes what gets told. Students figure out who is speaking in a story and how that person's perspective changes what details are included and how the writing sounds.

Students compare a story told in words to the same story shown in a picture, film, or audio recording. They explain what each version shows that the other doesn't.

Students read a text and decide whether the author's argument makes sense. They check if the reasons hold up and if the examples given actually support the point being made.

Students read two stories or poems on the same topic and look at how each author handles it differently. They notice what each text adds to their understanding that the other one doesn't.

Students read stories, poems, and other texts on their own at a fourth-grade level. The goal is reading with enough understanding that they can talk or write about what they read without much help.

Students read a nonfiction passage, then point to specific sentences or details from the text to back up their answers. The goal is to show exactly where in the reading the evidence came from.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage and explain how the author builds on it. Then they sum up the key details in their own words, without copying sentences straight from the text.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain how a person, event, or idea changes from beginning to end. They look for what caused those changes and how different parts of the text connect.

Students figure out what unfamiliar or tricky words mean in a nonfiction passage, including slang, metaphors, and technical terms. They also notice how an author's word choices change the feeling or message of what they wrote.

Students look at how a paragraph fits into an article or book chapter as a whole. They explain why a sentence or section appears where it does and how it connects to the rest of the piece.

Students figure out who wrote a nonfiction piece and why, then notice how that shapes what the author chose to include and how they said it.

Students read information presented in different formats, such as maps, charts, and written paragraphs, then explain how each format adds to or changes what they understand about the topic.

Students read a nonfiction passage and decide whether the author's argument holds up. They check if the reasons make sense and if the facts given actually support what the author is trying to prove.

Students read two books or articles on the same topic and compare what each author says and how they say it. Noticing where the authors agree, disagree, or take different angles helps students build a fuller picture of the subject.

Students read grade-level nonfiction on their own, without help decoding or following along. By fourth grade, they pick up an article or chapter book and work through it independently.

By fourth grade, students already know how books and sentences work. This standard checks that understanding of print basics, like how words, sentences, and paragraphs are organized on a page, is solid enough to support independent reading.

Students listen to spoken words and identify syllables and individual sounds within them. This is the ear-level work that supports spelling and decoding on the page.

Students use what they know about letter patterns, prefixes, suffixes, and syllables to read unfamiliar words on their own. This is the decoding work that helps fourth graders move through a page without getting stuck.

Students read grade-level text smoothly and accurately enough to focus on what the words actually mean, not just how to say them. Practice here builds the reading stamina students need for longer stories and nonfiction passages.

Students write a short argument about a book, article, or topic, then back it up with reasons and details pulled from what they read. The goal is a clear claim with real evidence behind it, not just an opinion.

Students write reports or how-to pieces that explain a topic using real facts and clear details. The goal is a reader who finishes the piece actually understanding something they didn't before.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They use specific details and pacing to keep the reader following along.

Students write paragraphs and pieces that fit the assignment. The words, structure, and tone match who will read it and why it was assigned.

Students learn that writing is not finished after the first draft. They plan, revise, and edit their work, or start over with a fresh approach when a piece isn't working.

Students type, format, and share their writing using a computer or tablet, sometimes posting it online or exchanging feedback with classmates through a shared digital tool.

Students pick a focused question and research it by gathering information from more than one source. They use what they find to show they understand the topic, not just collect facts.

Students find facts from books and websites, check whether each source can be trusted, and put the information into their own words instead of copying it directly.

Students find specific lines or details from a book or article that back up what they're saying in their writing. This is the skill of using what they read as proof for their ideas.

Students write often, across different lengths and purposes. Some pieces take days to develop; others are quick responses to a prompt or question.

Students come to discussions ready to talk, listen to what classmates say, and build on those ideas with their own. The goal is to keep a real conversation going, not just wait for a turn to speak.

Students listen to a speaker, watch a video, or read a chart, then put the ideas together to explain what they learned. The goal is to make sense of information whether it comes through words, pictures, or numbers.

Students listen to a speaker and decide whether the argument holds up: Is the point clear? Does the evidence actually support it? Grade 4 students practice spotting weak reasoning, not just agreeing with a confident voice.

Students organize their ideas and present them clearly enough that listeners can follow along, choosing words and details that fit the topic and the people they're speaking to.

Students add photos, charts, or simple visuals to a presentation to help the audience understand the information, not just hear it.

Students learn when to speak formally, like during a presentation, and when casual language fits, like a small group discussion. They practice switching between the two based on the situation.

Students apply correct grammar when they write and speak. This covers everything from choosing the right verb form to building sentences that say exactly what they mean.

Students practice the rules for capitalizing words, using commas and quotation marks correctly, and spelling grade-level words right when they write.

Students learn to notice how word choice changes the feel of a sentence, then use that awareness to pick clearer, stronger words in their own writing and to understand more of what they read.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they figure out what it means by reading the surrounding sentences, breaking the word into roots or prefixes, or looking it up in a dictionary or glossary.

Students read poems, stories, and everyday sentences to figure out what phrases like "it's raining cats and dogs" really mean. They also practice noticing when two words are close in meaning but feel slightly different, like "chilly" versus "freezing."

Students build a working vocabulary of academic and subject-specific words, the kind that show up across textbooks, assignments, and class discussions. They use those words accurately when reading, writing, and speaking.