CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4

Description: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
Maps to Reading Plus skills: 4A, 4B, 4C

Exemplars

4A: Interpreting Word Meaning

4A: Interpreting Word Meaning

Description: Interpreting Word Meaning

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: HiD-8

HiD-8

Grade level: 4
Word count: 1565 words
Author: Jack London
Synopsis: A proud young man finds out it takes more than just muscle to stay alive in the frozen north.
Excerpt: Still, Tom was alive with joy. He was doing something, achieving something, mastering the elements. Strong as the elements were, he was stronger.

Question: Read this excerpt from the selection. What does the phrase "mastering the elements" mean?
  1. He believed he was stronger than nature.
  2. He thought he owned that area of land.
  3. He knew the long hike would not make him tired.
  4. He was sure it would get warmer soon.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Choose a selection that included some unfamiliar vocabulary. Replace the unfamiliar words with synonyms that are easier to understand yet still convey the same meaning.

Evaluator

Organization: Curriculum Design Institute

4B: Interpreting Analogies

4B: Interpreting Analogies

Description: Interpreting Analogies

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: D-17

D-17

Grade level: 4
Word count: 1585 words
Author: R. Bender
Synopsis: A teacher gets the attention of his students through clever lessons about scientific ideas.
Excerpt: Then he looked at all of us, smiled, and said, "Hello, sponges! I'm Mr. A. Welcome to science!"

This was weird! I raised my hand and asked, "Why did you call us sponges?"

Mr. A smiled. "A sponge soaks up things, right? You are going to be soaking up science in my class this year!"

Question: According to Mr. A, a sponge is to liquid like
  1. students are to science.
  2. gravity is to a desk.
  3. people are to plants.
  4. teachers are to skateboards.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: List five words in a selection that helped you form a picture in your mind. Do additional research to find a synonym and antonym for each word, and use the word in a sentence.

Evaluator

Organization: Curriculum Design Institute

4C: Visualizing

4C: Visualizing

Description: Visualizing

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: D-25

D-25

Grade level: 4
Word count: 1511 words
Author: John R. Corvell
Synopsis: Now come on. There's no such thing as a bird the size of an elephant. Is there?
Excerpt: It looked like a large, round, white stone lying near some thick brush. I decided to take a closer look, so I walked over. I give you my word, this is the truth! It was a huge egg, as big as a bucket!

Question: Pierre described the egg as being the same size as a
  1. bucket.
  2. cup.
  3. coconut.
  4. person's head.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Draw a picture of something that happened in a selection.

Evaluator

Organization: Curriculum Design Institute