Standard: 4.W.9 – Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Grade level: Grade 4
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Writing
Teacher Overview
This standard focuses on teaching students to draw evidence from texts to support their analysis, reflection, and research. This skill is crucial for developing critical thinking and effective writing abilities, which are essential for academic success in higher grades. Students should be able to read and understand both literary and informational texts, identify main ideas, and recognize supporting details.
After mastering this standard, students will be able to construct well-supported written arguments and analyses, preparing them for more complex research and writing tasks in future grades.
Common Misconception 1
One common misconception is that students may think they can use their personal opinions instead of text-based evidence. This is incorrect because evidence from the text provides concrete support for their analysis.
Intervention 1
An effective intervention is to model how to extract and cite evidence from a text during a class discussion or writing exercise. Provide clear examples and practice opportunities.
Common Misconception 2
Another misconception is that students might believe only direct quotes are acceptable evidence. This is incorrect because paraphrasing and summarizing are also valid, as long as they accurately reflect the text.
Intervention 2
Encourage students to practice paraphrasing and summarizing sections of the text. Provide exercises that differentiate between direct quotes, paraphrases, and summaries.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have a basic understanding of how to read and comprehend literary and informational texts. They should also be familiar with identifying main ideas and supporting details within a text.
Subsequent Knowledge
Students will develop the ability to construct well-supported arguments and analyses in their writing. They will also be better prepared for more advanced research projects and critical thinking tasks in higher grades.
Instructional Activities
- Have students write a book report that includes direct quotes and paraphrased evidence from the text.
- Create a research project where students must cite sources to support their findings.
- Organize a class discussion where students analyze a story’s characters and plot using text evidence.
- Assign a reflective essay on a historical event, requiring students to use primary sources as evidence.
