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NJPEP Home > Standards > Language Arts Literacy (Revised)

STANDARD 3.1 (READING) Grade Four

Strands with Cumulative Progress Indicators

A. Concepts About Print/Text

  1. Identify differences of various print formats, including newspapers, magazines, books, and reference resources.
  2. Recognize purposes and uses for print conventions such as paragraphs, end-sentence punctuation, and bold print.
  3. Identify and locate features that support text meaning (e.g., maps, charts, illustrations).

B. Phonological Awareness

   No additional indicators at this grade level

C. Decoding and Word Recognition

  1. Use letter-sound correspondence and structural analysis (e.g., roots, affixes) to decode words.
  2. Know and use common word families to decode unfamiliar words.
  3. Recognize compound words, contractions, and common abbreviations.

D. Fluency

  1. Use appropriate rhythm, flow, meter, and pronunciation in demonstrating understanding of punctuation marks.
  2. Read at different speeds using scanning, skimming, or careful reading as appropriate.

E. Reading Strategies (before, during, and after reading)

  1. Use knowledge of word meaning, language structure, and sound-symbol relationships to check understanding when reading.
  2. Identify specific words or passages causing comprehension difficulties and seek clarification.
  3. Select useful visual organizers before, during, and after reading to organize information (e.g., Venn diagrams).

F. Vocabulary and Concept Development

  1. Infer word meanings from learned roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
  2. Infer specific word meanings in the context of reading passages.
  3. Identify and correctly use antonyms, synonyms, homophones, and homographs.
  4. Use a grade-appropriate dictionary (independently) to define unknown words.

G. Comprehension Skills and Response to Text

  1. Discuss underlying themes across cultures in various texts.
  2. Distinguish cause and effect, fact and opinion, main idea and supporting details in nonfiction texts (e.g., science, social studies).
  3. Cite evidence from text to support conclusions.
  4. Understand author's opinions and how they address culture, ethnicity, gender, and historical periods (cf. social studies standards).
  5. Follow simple multiple-steps in written instructions (cf. mathematics standard 4.4).
  6. Recognize an author's point of view.
  7. Identify and summarize central ideas in informational texts.
  8. Recognize differences among forms of literature (poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction).
  9. Recognize literary elements in stories, including setting, characters, plot, and mood.
  10. Identify some literary devices in stories.
  11. Identify the structures in poetry.
  12. Identify the structures in drama (cf. visual and performing arts standards).
  13. Read regularly in materials appropriate for their independent reading level.

H. Inquiry and Research

  1. Use library classification systems, print or electronic, to locate information.
  2. Investigate a favorite author and produce evidence of research.
  3. Read independently and research topics using a variety of materials to satisfy personal, academic, and social needs, and produce evidence of reading.