Grade 4 · spring eng.g4.s

Grade 4 Spring — Research Report Writing, Source Evaluation, Figurative Language Deepening, and Formal/Informal Register

18 weeks 300 min/week 22 lessons 17 skills 50 exercises 5 assessments

Overview

Grade 4 Spring is the term children become RESEARCHERS — writers who investigate a topic and build a multi-paragraph informational report from at least three sources, with explicit citation. Six intertwined threads run across 18 weeks. (1) RESEARCH-REPORT WRITING (CCSS W.4.2, W.4.7, W.4.8) is the primary genre and the term's writing arc. Children investigate one self-chosen research topic across the term, gather notes from ≥3 sources, organize their notes into categories, build a category-boxes-and-bullets planner, draft an outline, draft the report (5-7 paragraphs), revise using named moves, peer-edit, and publish at the Researcher's Showcase. Each report has an introduction (hook + topic-orienting context + research-thesis), 3-5 category-organized body paragraphs each using the TIES routine (TOPIC-SENTENCE + INFORMATION + EVIDENCE-WITH-CITATION + SO-WHAT — the informational extension of fall's CREEL), and a conclusion that SYNTHESIZES findings rather than just summarizing them. The Calkins Bringing-History-to-Life informational arc, the Hochman SPO-and-MPO, Graham & Perin's evidence-based writing strategies, and Wineburg's sourcing heuristic anchor the work. (2) NOTE-TAKING STRATEGIES. Two-column note-taking (paraphrase column + source column) is taught explicitly. The PARAPHRASE-vs-QUOTE distinction (introduced in G3-spring) is deepened — children paraphrase facts but quote when the source's exact words matter. Notes are organized by CATEGORY (each category becomes a body paragraph). (3) SOURCE EVALUATION introduction (Wineburg sourcing adapted for G4).

The WHO-WHEN-CHECK-IT three-question card: WHO wrote this source (author, expertise)? WHEN was it written (still current, or outdated)? Can the claim be CHECKED against another source (corroboration)? Children apply this card to every source before using it. (4) IN-TEXT SOURCE ATTRIBUTION and SIMPLE WORKS-CITED ENTRIES. Children learn signal phrases ('According to ___,' / 'In her book ___, ___ writes,' / '___ explains that ___') for embedding source material in their own writing. They also build a simple works-cited list (Author. Title. Year.) at the end of their report — entry-level MLA-9 format adapted for G4. (5) FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE DEEPENING (CCSS L.4.5.a-c). Similes and metaphors continue from fall; PERSONIFICATION is added; IDIOMS, ADAGES, and PROVERBS are introduced (L.4.5.b). Children recognize these in mentor texts (especially in Naomi Shihab Nye, Yuyi Morales, Joyce Sidman, Linda Sue Park) and use them as craft moves in their own writing. SYNONYMS and ANTONYMS (L.4.5.c) with PRECISE WORD CHOICE (L.4.3.a) are taught with the synonym-gradient strip — children pick the precise word (warm vs. hot vs. scorching) for the meaning intended. (6) GRAMMAR DEEPENING and REGISTER. L.4.3.b — choosing PUNCTUATION FOR EFFECT (a colon to introduce a list, a dash to interrupt, an exclamation point for emphasis, a question mark even in informational writing). L.4.3.c — differentiating FORMAL ENGLISH from INFORMAL DISCOURSE (when the audience or purpose requires formal register vs. when informal is appropriate); the research report is FORMAL register, while a journal entry or a peer conversation is INFORMAL. (7) MECHANICS AND VOCABULARY. HFW Set 10 (next 25 high-frequency words tilted toward research and academic vocabulary). Tier-2 Set 10 (15 research/inquiry/source words: research, investigate, source, credible, reliable, paraphrase, summarize, cite, attribute, category, classify, synthesize, conclude, analyze, evaluate). DOMAIN-SPECIFIC TIER-3 VOCABULARY (academic Tier-3 intro) is taught per-child based on their research topic — each child builds a 10-15 word topic-vocabulary bank. The WORKSHOP CONTINUES from fall with the researcher's-workshop variant — children name a RESEARCH QUESTION (a topic they want to investigate), use the CATEGORY-BOXES-AND-BULLETS planner, take notes in two columns, build an OUTLINE, and follow the named revision-moves anchor adapted for research mode. REVISION moves: stronger word choice with Tier-2 Set 10 substitutions, add SO-WHAT after each evidence, combine sentences for compound-complex variety, check source citation (every fact has a signal phrase), check synonym gradient (the precise word — not just the first one), add a figurative-language move where appropriate, check register (consistent formal throughout), check punctuation for effect, add a category-link transition at each paragraph opening, check works-cited list. The 8-CRITERION PEER-EDITING RUBRIC FOR RESEARCH is formally introduced in lesson 19: (1) intro has hook + topic-orienting context + research-thesis, (2) 3-5 body paragraphs with TIES, (3) category-link transitions at paragraph openings, (4) every fact has source attribution with signal phrase, (5) ≥1 paraphrase + ≥1 direct quotation distinguishable, (6) works-cited list with ≥3 entries, (7) consistent formal register, (8) conclusion synthesizes (not just summarizes). OUTLINING is introduced as a pre-writing strategy distinct from boxes-and-bullets — the outline is more linear and serves as the draft-script. The term closes with the RESEARCHER'S SHOWCASE — a classroom-wide walkabout where each child presents their published research report alongside a single-page evidence panel (a chart, photo, or quoted source with caption) and answers two questions from visitors, using formal register in the presentation and Tier-2 Set 10 vocabulary in answering questions.

Essential questions

How does a researcher take a question and build an answer from multiple sources — and what is the difference between COPYING from a source and CITING a source?
What makes a source CREDIBLE — and what does a researcher do when two sources disagree?
How does a writer move from gathering NOTES to building an OUTLINE to drafting a REPORT — and why does the order matter?
What is the difference between a PARAPHRASE (the source's idea in your words) and a QUOTE (the source's exact words) — and when does each fit?
Why does a research report use FORMAL register while a personal letter uses INFORMAL — and what specific word choices signal each?
How does a writer pick the PRECISE word (warm vs. hot vs. scorching) — and what does precision do for the reader?
What is the difference between a SIMILE, a METAPHOR, a PERSONIFICATION, an IDIOM, an ADAGE, and a PROVERB — and when does each fit in informational writing?
How does choosing the COLON, the DASH, the EXCLAMATION POINT, or the QUESTION MARK change what the reader hears in your voice?
Why does a research report need a CATEGORY-based organization rather than a chronological or claim-based one — and how does the category structure serve the reader?
How does a researcher SYNTHESIZE findings in a conclusion — rather than just summarize them?

Enduring understandings

A research report investigates a TOPIC by gathering information from multiple sources, organizing it into CATEGORIES, and synthesizing findings into a multi-paragraph informational piece.
The TIES routine — TOPIC-SENTENCE + INFORMATION + EVIDENCE-WITH-CITATION + SO-WHAT — builds an informational body paragraph that develops one category of the research topic.
Every fact from a source must be ATTRIBUTED in-text using a signal phrase ('According to ___,' or '___ writes that ___'); failure to attribute is plagiarism.
A SOURCE is CREDIBLE when we can answer the WHO-WHEN-CHECK-IT questions: who wrote it (qualified?), when was it written (current?), can the claim be checked against another source (corroborated?).
A PARAPHRASE puts the source's idea into your own words; a QUOTE uses the source's exact words inside quotation marks; both still require attribution.
NOTES organize information by CATEGORY; one category will become one body paragraph; each note record includes the source so it can be cited.
An OUTLINE is a linear pre-writing tool with section headings, sub-categories, and details — it is the script the writer follows when drafting.
A research report uses FORMAL register (precise vocabulary, complete sentences, third-person, no contractions); INFORMAL register fits personal writing and peer talk (contractions, first-person, casual vocabulary) — register is a choice the writer makes for the audience.
Synonyms have similar meanings but are not identical; a thesaurus helps the writer pick the PRECISE word for the meaning intended.
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings; using an antonym thoughtfully (rather than 'not [synonym]') can sharpen a sentence.
SIMILES compare with LIKE or AS; METAPHORS say X IS Y; PERSONIFICATION gives human qualities to non-human things; IDIOMS are figurative expressions whose meaning is not literal; ADAGES are old sayings holding general truth; PROVERBS are sayings offering a piece of advice.
Punctuation can be chosen for EFFECT: a colon introduces, a dash interrupts, an exclamation point emphasizes, a question mark invites — and skilled writers choose with purpose.
A research report's CONCLUSION SYNTHESIZES findings: it pulls categories together into a 'so what does it all mean' statement, not merely a summary of body paragraphs.
A WORKS-CITED LIST at the end of a report names every source used (Author. Title. Year.) so readers can find and check the sources for themselves.

Visual reference library 22 assets


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Illustration

Unit-opener: a Grade-4 researcher at a researcher's-workshop table with a two-column note-taking pad open (paraphrase column on left, source column on right), three different printed sources fanned out (a kid-friendly book, a printed website page, an encyclopedia article), a category-boxes-and-bullets planner pinned alongside, and a topic post-it 'Research Question: How did Sojourner Truth use her voice to change a nation?'. Behind the table a wall display shows the TIES paragraph anatomy in 4 colored bands (topic-sentence=purple, information=blue, evidence-with-citation=orange, so-what=green) and the WHO-WHEN-CHECK-IT source-evaluation card. Style: warm watercolor, multicultural classroom, eye-level shot, dyslexic-friendly classroom labels visible. Print-ready 11x17.


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Chart Physical / non-image

Research-report 5-7 box anchor poster: five-to-seven labeled boxes in a horizontal row — INTRODUCTION (blue, with hook+context+research-thesis icon), BODY 1 (yellow, with category 1 icon), BODY 2 (orange, with category 2 icon), BODY 3 (red, with category 3 icon), OPTIONAL BODY 4 (purple, with category 4 icon), OPTIONAL BODY 5 (pink, with category 5 icon), CONCLUSION (green, with synthesize+so-what icon). Below each box: a sentence-frame ('Did you know ___? Today, ___ continues to ___. This report investigates ___ across ___ categories.' / 'First, ___.' / 'Next, ___.' / 'In addition, ___.' / 'Finally, ___.' / 'Across these categories, ___ teaches us ___.'). Print-ready 11x17, dyslexic-friendly font.


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Chart Physical / non-image

TIES body-paragraph anchor chart: a 4-band stacked card — TOPIC-SENTENCE (purple, anchor icon — 'this body paragraph's category for the research topic'), INFORMATION (blue, book icon — 'what the sources tell us about this category'), EVIDENCE-WITH-CITATION (orange, magnifying-glass with quote-marks — 'a specific fact, quote, statistic, or example with signal-phrase attribution to the source'), SO-WHAT (green, lightbulb icon — 'a sentence that explains why this category matters for the research topic'). Worked example below: 'Sojourner Truth was born into enslavement in upstate New York around 1797. (TOPIC-SENTENCE) Her early life was shaped by slavery, separation from her family, and the Dutch language she spoke as a child. (INFORMATION) According to Patricia McKissack in her biography Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman?, Sojourner was sold four times before she was nine years old. (EVIDENCE-WITH-CITATION) This category of her early life reminds us that her famous voice for freedom was forged in the experience of her own captivity. (SO-WHAT)' Print-ready 11x17.


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Source-evaluation 'WHO-WHEN-CHECK-IT' anchor: 3 questions arranged on a vertical card with example responses. WHO (red, top): 'Who wrote this source? What are their qualifications? Are they a researcher, a journalist, a participant, or someone repeating others' work?' Example: 'Patricia McKissack — a children's literature historian who has researched African-American history for 30+ years. QUALIFIED.' WHEN (orange, middle): 'When was this source written? Is it current enough for the topic? Has anything important happened since?' Example: 'Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman? — 1992. The book is about historical events that have not changed; the source remains valid.' CHECK-IT (green, bottom): 'Can the claim in this source be CHECKED against another source? Does another source say the same?' Example: 'Yes — the date of Sojourner's first speech is confirmed in multiple sources.' Bottom rule: 'A credible source passes ALL three. Use the card on every source before you cite it.' Print-ready 11x17.


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Signal-phrase anchor for in-text attribution: 5 signal-phrase patterns with worked examples. PATTERN 1: 'According to ___, ___.' Example: 'According to Patricia McKissack, Sojourner was sold four times before age nine.' PATTERN 2: 'In her book ___, ___ writes that ___.' Example: 'In her book Voice of Freedom, Carole Boston Weatherford writes that Fannie Lou Hamer organized voter registration in Mississippi.' PATTERN 3: '___ explains that ___.' Example: 'Sandra Markle explains that the golden lion tamarin population has grown thanks to captive breeding.' PATTERN 4: '___ notes that ___.' Example: 'Duncan Tonatiuh notes that Posada made his calaveras using zinc-etching techniques.' PATTERN 5: '___ describes ___ as ___.' Example: 'Andrea Davis Pinkney describes the Greensboro sit-ins as the spark of a movement.' Bottom rule: 'Every fact from a source needs a signal phrase. Vary your phrases — don't use the same one every paragraph.' Print-ready 11x17.


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Works-cited entry anchor (simple MLA-9 elementary format): one-line entry per source. FORMAT: Author Last Name, First Name. Title (italicized for books, in quotes for articles). Publisher (book) or Website (article). Year. Worked examples: McKissack, Patricia. Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman? Scholastic, 1992. / Markle, Sandra. The Great Monkey Rescue: Saving the Golden Lion Tamarins. Millbrook Press, 2015. / 'How Do Animals Survive Winter?' National Geographic Kids, 2021. Bottom rule: 'A works-cited list goes at the END of your report. List every source you cited. Alphabetize by author last name (or article title if no author).' Print-ready 11x17.


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Two-column note-taking template: vertical line divides page into two columns. LEFT COLUMN (wider, ~60%): PARAPHRASE — the source's idea in YOUR words (or a direct quote in quotation marks). RIGHT COLUMN (narrower, ~40%): SOURCE — author + title + page (or website + section). Each row is one fact. Sample row: LEFT: 'Sojourner was sold 4 times before age 9.' RIGHT: 'McKissack 1992, p. 12.' Sample row 2: LEFT: '"And ain't I a woman?" (direct quote)' RIGHT: 'Painter 1996, p. 167.' Bottom rule: 'Paraphrase most facts; quote only when exact words matter. Always note the source — without it, you can't cite later.' Print-ready 8.5x11 (1 per child per source, target 6-9 sheets per term).


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Category-boxes-and-bullets planner anchor (research-mode adaptation): one large box at top labeled RESEARCH QUESTION + RESEARCH-THESIS, three-to-five medium boxes labeled CATEGORY 1, CATEGORY 2, CATEGORY 3, CATEGORY 4 (optional), CATEGORY 5 (optional), each with 3-5 bullet lines for evidence-with-source-tag beneath it, and one small box at bottom labeled SYNTHESIS / SO-WHAT. Worked example: RESEARCH QUESTION: 'How did Sojourner Truth use her voice to change a nation?' CATEGORY 1: Early Life (bullets: born ~1797, sold 4 times, Dutch first language, source: McKissack). CATEGORY 2: Speeches (bullets: 1851 Akron, 'Ain't I a Woman', source: Painter). CATEGORY 3: Legacy (bullets: stamp, statue in Capitol, source: National Park Service). SYNTHESIS: 'Her voice continues to influence movements for women's and Black freedom.' Print-ready 11x17.


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Simple outline template (G4-spring introduction to outlining): hierarchical structure with 4 levels. LEVEL 1 (I., II., III., IV., V.) = section headings (intro / 3-5 body sections / conclusion). LEVEL 2 (A., B., C.) = sub-categories under each section. LEVEL 3 (1., 2., 3.) = details under each sub-category. LEVEL 4 (a., b., c.) = optional specifics under details. Worked example for Sojourner Truth report: 'I. Introduction A. Hook: opening question B. Context: 19th century enslavement and abolition C. Research-thesis: this report investigates how her voice changed a nation across early life, speeches, and legacy. II. Early Life (1797-1826) A. Birth and family 1. Born ~1797 in Swartekill, NY 2. Dutch first language (McKissack 1992) B. Forced separations 1. Sold 4 times before age 9 (McKissack 1992) 2. Mother taught her to pray (Painter 1996). III. Speeches and Activism A. 1851 Akron speech 1. "Ain't I a Woman?" attributed (Painter 1996) 2. Multiple versions exist (corroboration noted). IV. Legacy A. Cultural memorials B. Continued movements V. Conclusion: synthesis across categories.' Print-ready 11x17, dyslexic-friendly font.


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Video Physical / non-image

4:00-minute model of a Grade-4 researcher working through one researcher's-workshop block: child holds a research-question card ('Sojourner Truth's voice'), uses the WHO-WHEN-CHECK-IT card to evaluate three sources, fills the two-column note-taking template with 6 paraphrases and 1 direct quote from one source, then drafts a TIES paragraph using the 4-band template. Voiceover narration explains the metacognitive moves: 'I am evaluating this source because the date matters... my paraphrase is in MY words but the idea is from the book... I cite the source with a signal phrase.' Multicultural child voice. Caption track on.


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Video Physical / non-image

3:40-minute peer-edit model using the 8-criterion research-mode rubric on a Grade-4 research-report draft: timestamped overlays at each criterion (0:00 INTRO HAS HOOK+CONTEXT+RESEARCH-THESIS, 0:25 TIES IN 3-5 BODY PARAGRAPHS, 0:50 CATEGORY-LINK TRANSITIONS, 1:15 EVERY FACT HAS SIGNAL-PHRASE ATTRIBUTION, 1:40 ≥1 PARAPHRASE + ≥1 DIRECT QUOTE DISTINGUISHABLE, 2:05 WORKS-CITED ≥3 ENTRIES, 2:30 CONSISTENT FORMAL REGISTER, 2:55 CONCLUSION SYNTHESIZES). Real-feel classroom; both children visibly use the MG-13 rubric check-off sheet.


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8-criterion research-mode peer-editing rubric check-off sheet (print-ready 8.5x11, one per peer-edit cycle): 1. INTRODUCTION HAS HOOK + TOPIC-ORIENTING CONTEXT + RESEARCH-THESIS. 2. 3-5 BODY PARAGRAPHS WITH TIES (topic-sentence + information + evidence-with-citation + so-what). 3. CATEGORY-LINK TRANSITION WORDS AT PARAGRAPH OPENINGS. 4. EVERY FACT HAS SIGNAL-PHRASE ATTRIBUTION TO A SOURCE. 5. AT LEAST ONE PARAPHRASE AND AT LEAST ONE DIRECT QUOTE, DISTINGUISHABLE. 6. WORKS-CITED LIST WITH ≥3 ENTRIES. 7. CONSISTENT FORMAL REGISTER (no contractions, third-person, precise vocabulary). 8. CONCLUSION SYNTHESIZES (pulls categories together, not just summary). Each criterion has a checkbox (yes / partly / no), a notes line, and a one-sentence quote/example space.


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Figurative-language full anchor: 6-band card with each figurative type. SIMILE (light blue): 'X is LIKE Y' / 'X is AS [adj] AS Y' — 'Her voice was like thunder.' METAPHOR (orange): 'X IS Y' — 'Her voice was thunder.' PERSONIFICATION (green): non-human gets human qualities — 'The wind whispered through the trees.' IDIOM (purple): figurative meaning, not literal — 'It's raining cats and dogs' = raining heavily. ADAGE (yellow): old saying with general truth — 'Actions speak louder than words.' PROVERB (pink): saying offering advice — 'A stitch in time saves nine.' Each band has 2-3 examples and one usage-note. Print-ready 11x17.


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Synonym-gradient and antonym anchor: TOP SECTION — synonym gradient strips for 6 word-families: warm-hot-scorching, cool-cold-freezing, happy-glad-elated-overjoyed, sad-disappointed-miserable-devastated, big-large-huge-enormous-gigantic, small-tiny-minuscule. BOTTOM SECTION — antonym pairs (hot/cold, day/night, simple/complex, kind/cruel, brave/cowardly, ancient/modern). Worked example sentences showing precise-word choice in research-report context: 'The tamarin's habitat was destroyed' (neutral) vs. 'The tamarin's habitat was devastated' (precise, stronger). Bottom rule: 'A thesaurus is your friend. Pick the PRECISE word — not just the first one.' Print-ready 11x17.


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Formal/informal register anchor: 2-column side-by-side card. FORMAL (left, blue panel) — features: precise vocabulary, complete sentences, third-person, no contractions, no slang, source attribution. Example: 'According to McKissack, Sojourner Truth was sold four times before age nine.' INFORMAL (right, orange panel) — features: casual vocabulary, contractions, first-person, idioms acceptable, no source attribution needed. Example: 'I just read about Sojourner and it's wild — she was sold four times before she was nine!' Bottom rule: 'Research reports use FORMAL. Journals, letters to friends, peer talk use INFORMAL. Match register to AUDIENCE and PURPOSE.' Print-ready 11x17.


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Punctuation-for-effect anchor (L.4.3.b): 4 punctuation choices with intended effect. COLON ( : ) — 'introduces a list or an explanation' — Example: 'Sojourner's voice carried three messages: faith, freedom, and equality.' DASH ( — ) — 'interrupts for emphasis or adds aside' — Example: 'Her voice — clear, deep, and powerful — silenced the crowd.' EXCLAMATION POINT ( ! ) — 'emphasizes urgency or strong feeling' — Example: 'And ain't I a woman!' QUESTION MARK ( ? ) — 'invites the reader to wonder' — Example: 'What does it mean to find your voice?' Bottom rule: 'Choose punctuation for the EFFECT you want — not just for the rule.' Print-ready 11x17.


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Revision-moves anchor (Grade-4 spring research-mode expansion): 1. STRONGER WORD CHOICE (Tier-2 Set 10 substitution — 'I think' → 'I argue based on evidence'; 'big problem' → 'urgent issue'); 2. ADD SO-WHAT (after every evidence, add 1 sentence explaining why this matters); 3. CHECK SOURCE CITATION (every fact has a signal phrase); 4. CHECK PARAPHRASE-vs-QUOTE (mark each — at least one of each); 5. PRECISE WORD CHOICE (use synonym gradient — pick the exact word); 6. ADD A FIGURATIVE-LANGUAGE MOVE (simile, metaphor, personification, idiom, adage, or proverb where it fits); 7. CHECK REGISTER (consistent formal throughout); 8. CHECK PUNCTUATION FOR EFFECT; 9. ADD CATEGORY-LINK TRANSITION AT PARAGRAPH OPENING; 10. CHECK WORKS-CITED LIST (≥3 entries, alphabetized, format consistent). Print-ready 11x17.


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Researcher's-Showcase planning poster: a 3-section card showing the LAYOUT each child uses for the Showcase — TOP LEFT: published 5-7 paragraph research report with works-cited list; TOP RIGHT: a hand-drawn or printed EVIDENCE PANEL (a chart, a quoted source with attribution, a photo with caption, a timeline, or a category-map of the topic); BOTTOM: a 'two visitor questions' note-card with space for the child to record questions actually asked and their answers (delivered in FORMAL register, using Tier-2 Set 10 vocabulary). Each child gets a small tri-fold display board. Print-ready 11x17 planning template.


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Chart Physical / non-image

Category-link transition word anchor: 4 columns by function. SEQUENCE: First, Next, Then, Finally. ADDITION: Furthermore, Additionally, In addition, Moreover. CONTRAST: However, On the other hand, In contrast, Although. SYNTHESIS/CONCLUSION: Across these categories, Taken together, In sum, Overall, Therefore. Each transition shows a sample paragraph-opener sentence with comma-after-fronted-transition. Print-ready 11x17.


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Idiom-adage-proverb sort anchor (L.4.5.b): 3-column sort board. IDIOMS column: 'spill the beans', 'piece of cake', 'under the weather', 'break the ice', 'cost an arm and a leg', 'hit the books'. ADAGES column: 'Honesty is the best policy', 'Better safe than sorry', 'Actions speak louder than words', 'The early bird catches the worm'. PROVERBS column: 'A stitch in time saves nine', 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch', 'A penny saved is a penny earned', 'Where there's a will there's a way'. Bottom rule: 'Idioms are FIGURATIVE (the meaning isn't literal). Adages and proverbs offer WISDOM — adages state truth; proverbs offer advice.' Print-ready 11x17.


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Tier-3 domain-vocabulary word-bank template: blank card with 12 slots, each with WORD line, DEFINITION line, EXAMPLE-SENTENCE-FROM-MY-RESEARCH line, and SYNONYMS line. Child fills with the 10-15 domain-specific words they encountered in their sources. Sample completed card for a Sojourner Truth research topic: words = enslavement, abolition, emancipation, suffrage, advocacy, segregation, oration, manumission, intersectionality, jubilee, plantation, fugitive. Print-ready 8.5x11 (one per child per term).

Lessons (22)

#	Title	Min	Skills
1	Spring Launch — Research-Question Inventory and the Term of Researching	55	2
2	Who Wrote It? When? Can We Check It? — Source Evaluation with the WHO-WHEN-CHECK-IT Card	55	2
3	Two-Column Notes — Paraphrase vs. Direct Quote with Source Attribution	55	2
4	Categories — Organizing Notes into Body Paragraphs (with Tier-2 Set 10 Launch)	60	2
5	Corroboration and Paraphrase Practice — When Two Sources Agree (or Disagree)	50	2
6	Meet TIES — Topic-Sentence, Information, Evidence-with-Citation, So-What	55	2
7	Signal Phrases — Five Ways to Attribute a Source In-Text	50	2
8	Figurative Deepening — Similes, Metaphors, and Personification in Informational Writing	50	2
9	Outlining as Pre-Writing — From Planner to Linear Outline	55	2
10	Tier-2 Set 10 Part 2 — Paraphrase, Summarize, Cite, Attribute, Category — and Drafting from the Outline	55	2
11	Synonym Gradient and Antonym Sharpening — Precise Word Choice	50	2
12	Embedded Quotations and Source Citation in Body Paragraphs	50	2
13	Idioms, Adages, and Proverbs — L.4.5.b in Mentor Texts and in Own Writing	50	2
14	Compound-Complex Sentences in Informational Prose — and Tier-2 Set 10 Part 3	50	2
15	Domain-Specific Tier-3 Vocabulary — Building Your Topic Word-Bank	50	2
16	Revision — 10 Named Moves on the Research Draft	60	2
17	Register — Formal vs. Informal — and Punctuation for Effect	55	2
18	Works-Cited List — Simple MLA-9 Format — and Final Figurative Pass	55	2
19	Peer-Edit — The 8-Criterion Research-Mode Rubric	60	2
20	Publication Booklet and Evidence Panel Design	60	2
21	Showcase Rehearsal — Formal Register in Speech and Final Polish	50	2
22	The Researcher's Showcase — Final Publication, Visitor Interactions, and Self-Reflection	90	2

Skills (17)

Strand · GR

Strand · RES

Strand · VOC

Strand · WR

Assessments (5)

Summative With Self Reflection week 18 100 min covers 17 skills
Formative Summative Mix week 9 50 min covers 7 skills
Formative Observation week 10 and week 18 15 min covers 1 skill
Assessment As Learning week 18 during publishing 25 min covers 1 skill
Formative weeks 11 13 15 17 10 min covers 3 skills

Standards alignment

Framework

CCSS-ELA

            W.4.2W.4.2.aW.4.2.bW.4.2.cW.4.2.dW.4.2.eW.4.4W.4.5W.4.6W.4.7W.4.8W.4.9
            + 36 more
          

Framework

English National Curriculum

            Y4 V/G/P: using fronted adverbials,...Y4 V/G/P: using conjunctions,...Y4 V/G/P: difference between plural...Y4 V/G/P: Standard English forms for...Y4 Composition: discussing and...Y4 Composition: organising...Y4 Composition: in non-narrative...Y4 Composition: assessing the...Y4 Composition: proof-read for...Y4 Composition: read aloud their own...Y4 Reading: retrieve and record...Y5 V/G/P (stretch): use of commas to...
            + 2 more
          

Framework

NCTE/IRA Standards

            NCTE-4 Adjust use of spoken,...NCTE-5 Employ a wide range of...NCTE-6 Apply knowledge of language...NCTE-7 Conduct research on issues...NCTE-8 Use a variety of...NCTE-11 Participate as...NCTE-12 Use spoken, written, and...
            
          

Framework

CEFR (early literacy adaptation)

            A2+ Writing — can write a series of...B1 Writing (entry) — can write...B1 Writing (entry) — can summarise,...A2+ Reading — can find specific...B1 Reading (entry) — can scan longer...A2+ Speaking — can give a short,...B1 Speaking interaction (entry) —...
            
          

Pedagogical anchors

The Writing Revolution / Hochman Method — single-paragraph outline (SPO) extended to multiple-paragraph outline (MPO) for informational/research writing; conjunction-driven sentence stretching with 'because', 'but', 'so', and 'although' applied to information-sentences; embedded-quotation drills; sentence-combining for compound-complex sentences in research context; question-stems for source-interrogation (who, when, where, what, why, how)
SPO-for-informational-body-paragraph routine extended to TIES (TOPIC-SENTENCE + INFORMATION + EVIDENCE-WITH-CITATION + SO-WHAT) in lessons 3, 6, 9, 12, 15; MPO for the 5-7 paragraph research report introduced in lesson 9; sentence-stretching applied to information-sentences in lessons 8 and 11; sentence-combining for compound-complex sentences extended to research-report sentences in lesson 14; Hochman 'because-but-so' drill applied to category-based note organization in lesson 4
Lucy Calkins' Units of Study — Bringing History to Life / Informational Writing (Grade 4 Bend I-III: gathering and categorizing information, drafting and revising for clarity, publishing as expert)
Research-report arc across lessons 1-3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 22; researcher's-notebook launch in lesson 1; expert-topic-territory-with-research-questions in lesson 1; category-boxes-and-bullets planner in lesson 4; researcher's-workshop format in lesson 6; revision-for-clarity in lesson 16; Researcher's Showcase publication in lesson 22
Graham & Perin 'Writing Next' — explicit strategy instruction for planning, revising, and editing (effect size 0.82); summarization instruction (effect size 0.82); sentence-combining (effect size 0.50); inquiry activities (effect size 0.32); word processing where developmentally appropriate
Explicit planning strategy taught through category-boxes-and-bullets template (lessons 4, 9); revision strategy taught through named-moves anchor for research-mode (lesson 16); sentence-combining drill in lessons 14 and 17 to produce compound-complex sentences within informational prose; summarization-of-source instruction in lessons 4 and 5; inquiry-question generation in lesson 1
Beck & McKeown 'Bringing Words to Life' — three-encounter Tier-2 vocabulary with research/inquiry-flavored academic-precision words and source-evaluation vocabulary
Tier-2 Set 10 launches in lessons 4, 10, 14, 17 with research/inquiry/source academic words (research, investigate, source, credible, reliable, paraphrase, summarize, cite, attribute, category, classify, synthesize, conclude, analyze, evaluate)
Wineburg historical-thinking heuristics — SOURCING (who wrote it, when, why) introduced at elementary-appropriate level; corroboration (does another source say the same?)
Source-evaluation routine taught explicitly in lessons 2 and 5 using the WHO-WHEN-CHECK-IT three-question card (Wineburg sourcing adapted for G4); corroboration check in lesson 9 when ≥2 sources support the same fact; carried forward to spring history's primary-source identification work
Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, Johnston 'Words Their Way' — synonym/antonym sorts (L.4.5.c); idiom/adage/proverb sorts (L.4.5.b); domain-specific tier-3 vocabulary acquisition routines for research topics
Synonym/antonym word sort in lesson 11; idiom/adage/proverb sort in lesson 13; precise-word-choice (synonym selection) revision move in lesson 16; domain-specific Tier-3 vocabulary acquisition through research-topic word-banks across the term
Handwriting Without Tears — Grade 4 cursive consolidation continued (full set, speed building); keyboarding-readiness continued from fall; transition to typed publication for many children
Cursive maintenance in spiral_review_plan; keyboarding-readiness drill twice weekly; final published research report may be in print, cursive, or typed at child's choice (typed encouraged for those who have reached keyboarding fluency)
Strickland & Stahl — distributed retrieval for HFW automaticity
HFW Set 10 spaced rotation across all 18 weeks per spiral_review_plan; daily 5-minute retrieval routine
Routman 'Writing Essentials' and Atwell 'In the Middle' — workshop format extended with researcher's-workshop variant
Researcher's-workshop format launched lesson 6; status-of-the-class with RESEARCH stages (QUESTION, SOURCES, NOTES, OUTLINE, DRAFT, REVISE, PEER-EDIT, PUBLISH); 8-criterion peer-editing rubric adapted for research-mode introduced in lesson 19
Vacca & Vacca 'Content Area Reading' — note-taking strategies (Cornell notes adapted for G4, two-column note format, paraphrase column + source column); category-based organization of notes
Two-column note-taking introduced in lesson 3; paraphrase-vs-quote distinction taught in lesson 3; category-based note organization in lesson 4; notes-to-outline transition in lesson 9

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Covers

CCSS

W.4.2.a-e: introduce a topic, group related information into paragraphs and sections including formatting/illustrations/multimedia when useful, develop the topic with facts/definitions/concrete details/quotations/other information and examples related to the topic, link ideas within categories using words and phrases such as 'another', 'for example', 'also', 'because', use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary, and provide a concluding statement or section, in full multi-paragraph form drawing from ≥3 sources
W.4.7: conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic
W.4.8: recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources
L.4.3.a: choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely
L.4.3.b: choose punctuation for effect
L.4.3.c: differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and situations where informal discourse is appropriate
L.4.5.a: similes and metaphors
L.4.5.b: recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs
L.4.5.c: demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites — antonyms — and to words with similar but not identical meanings — synonyms
L.4.6: in full

Exceeds

CCSS by formally teaching the 5-7 PARAGRAPH RESEARCH REPORT with an introduction (hook + topic-orienting context + research-thesis), category-organized body paragraphs (TIES routine — TOPIC-SENTENCE + INFORMATION + EVIDENCE-WITH-CITATION + SO-WHAT — extending the G4-fall CREEL into informational mode), and a conclusion that synthesizes findings (W.5.2 entry expectation), by formally introducing IN-TEXT SOURCE ATTRIBUTION ('According to ___,' / 'In her book ___, ___ explains that ___') and SIMPLE WORKS-CITED ENTRIES (W.5.8 entry expectation; MLA 9 simplified for elementary), by teaching SOURCE EVALUATION on three criteria (WHO wrote it; WHEN was it written; can the claim be CHECKED against another source — Y5 NC entry expectation; entry-level Wineburg sourcing heuristic), by introducing NOTE-TAKING with paraphrase vs. quote and category-based organization (W.5.8/Y5 NC entry expectations), by introducing OUTLINING as a pre-writing strategy distinct from boxes-and-bullets (CCSS W.5.5 entry expectation), and by introducing FORMAL/INFORMAL REGISTER as a craft choice (L.4.3.c) with explicit register-shift exercises (CCSS L.5.3.b entry expectation)