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California Standards

California 4th Grade ELA Standards

All 43 California English language arts standards for 4th grade, each explained in plain English. Where California uses the Common Core wording, it is one click away; California's own additions are explained in our words.

43 standards

Reading Standards for Literature

9 standards
RL.4.1
Back up what you say about a story with its own details and examples, both for what the story states plainly and for what it only hints at.
Official wording
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Common Core RL.4.1
RL.4.2
Work out the theme of a story, play or poem, such as kindness is repaid, from the details in it, then retell the whole in a short summary.
Official wording
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
Common Core RL.4.2
RL.4.3
Describe a character, setting or event in a story or play in depth, using specific details such as what the character thinks, says and does.
Official wording
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
Common Core RL.4.3
RL.4.4
Work out what words and phrases mean in a story, including ones borrowed from myths, like a Herculean task or an Achilles heel.
RL.4.5
Explain how poems, plays and prose differ, and use terms like verse, rhythm and meter for poems and cast, dialogue and stage directions for plays when discussing a text.
Official wording
Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.
Common Core RL.4.5
RL.4.6
Compare the points of view from which different stories are told, including an I narrator telling his own story versus a narrator outside it.
Official wording
Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
Common Core RL.4.6
RL.4.7
Connect a story or play to a film, audio or stage version of it, pointing out where each version follows the text’s descriptions and stage directions.
Official wording
Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.
Common Core RL.4.7
RL.4.9
Compare how stories, myths and folktales from different cultures handle a similar theme, like good versus evil, or a pattern of events, like a quest.
Official wording
Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.
Common Core RL.4.9
RL.4.10
Read and understand stories, plays and poems in the grades 4 to 5 difficulty range by year’s end, with help as needed at the top of the range.
Official wording
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4–5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Common Core RL.4.10

Reading Standards for Informational Text

10 standards
RI.4.1
Back up what you say about a story with its own details and examples, both for what the story states plainly and for what it only hints at.
Official wording
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Common Core RL.4.1
RI.4.2
Say in one sentence what an informational text is about, explain which key details support that idea, and summarize the text in your own words.
Official wording
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Common Core RI.4.2
RI.4.3
Explain what happened and why in a history, science or how-to text, such as the steps of an experiment, using the specific facts the text gives.
Official wording
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Common Core RI.4.3
RI.4.4
Work out what academic words like summarize and subject words like ecosystem or colony mean in a nonfiction text on a 4th grade topic.
RI.4.5
Describe how a text or a section of it is organized, such as in time order, as a comparison, as cause and effect or as a problem and its solution.
Official wording
Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
Common Core RI.4.5
RI.4.6
Compare a firsthand account, like a diary entry, with a secondhand account, like a textbook page, of the same event, noting what each focuses on and tells.
Official wording
Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.
Common Core RI.4.6
RI.4.7
Explain what a chart, graph, diagram, timeline, animation or web page feature shows and how it helps you understand the text it goes with.
Official wording
Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
Common Core RI.4.7
RI.4.8
Explain how an author backs up each point in an informational text with reasons and evidence, such as a fact or a statistic.
Official wording
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
Common Core RI.4.8
RI.4.9
Put together facts from two texts on the same topic, such as two articles on volcanoes, so you can write or speak about it with real knowledge.
Official wording
Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
Common Core RI.4.9
RI.4.10
Read and understand history, science and technical texts in the grades 4 to 5 difficulty range by year’s end, with help as needed at the top of the range.
Official wording
By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4–5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Common Core RI.4.10

Reading Standards for Foundational Skills

2 standards
RF.4.3
Say the main sound of each consonant, know the long and short sounds of a, e, i, o and u, and read common sight words like the, of and you.
Official wording
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.aUse combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.
Common Core RF.K.3
RF.4.4
Read 1st-grade books aloud smoothly and accurately with expression, understand them, and reread when a word or sentence does not make sense.
Official wording
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.aRead on-level text with purpose and understanding.bRead on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.cUse context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Common Core RF.1.4

Writing Standards

10 standards
W.4.1
Write an opinion piece that introduces the topic, states the opinion, gives reasons backed by facts, links them with phrases like for instance, and closes.
Official wording
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.aIntroduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.bProvide reasons that are supported by facts and details.cLink opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).dProvide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
Common Core W.4.1
W.4.2
Write an informative piece that introduces a topic, groups related facts and definitions, links them with words like also, and closes with a final sentence.
Official wording
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.aIntroduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.bDevelop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.cLink ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because).dUse precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.eProvide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.
Common Core W.3.2
W.4.3
Write a story, real or made up, that sets the scene, introduces the characters, uses dialogue and time words like later, and ends with a sense of closure.
Official wording
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.aOrient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.bUse dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.cUse a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.dUse concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.eProvide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Common Core W.3.3
W.4.4
Write clear, well-connected pieces, including ones several paragraphs long, organized and developed to fit the task, the reason for writing and the reader.
W.4.5
Strengthen a draft with help from classmates and adults by planning, revising and editing, like adding details and fixing commas and spelling to the 4th grade level.
W.4.6
With some adult help, use a computer and the internet to write, publish and share work with others, and type at least one page in a single sitting.
Official wording
With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.
Common Core W.4.6
W.4.7
Do a short research project that looks into different sides of a topic, such as a state’s history, land and people, to build knowledge about it.
Official wording
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Common Core W.4.7
W.4.8
Gather facts from their own experiences, books and websites, take notes, put ideas in their own words, sort them into groups and list the sources used.
W.4.9
Use evidence from stories and informational texts in writing, like details that show a character in depth or the reasons an author gives for a point.
Official wording
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.aApply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions].”).bApply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text”).
Common Core W.4.9
W.4.10
Write regularly, from a report built over several days to a journal entry finished in one class, for different subjects, purposes and readers.
Official wording
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Common Core W.3.10

Speaking and Listening Standards

6 standards
SL.4.1
Come to discussions on grade 4 topics having read the material, follow the rules and your role, ask and answer follow-up questions, and review the key ideas at the end.
Official wording
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.aCome to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.bFollow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.cPose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.dReview the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
Common Core SL.4.1
SL.4.2
Restate in your own words part of a text read aloud or information from a video, a chart or a speaker.
Official wording
Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Common Core SL.4.2
SL.4.3
Pick out the reasons and evidence a speaker, video or podcast gives for each point it makes, like the facts behind an ad for a new snack.
SL.4.4
Report on a topic or book, tell a story or recount an experience in an organized way, with facts and vivid details, speaking clearly at a pace listeners can follow.
Official wording
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
Common Core SL.4.4
SL.4.5
Add an audio recording or a visual display, such as a poster or slide, to a presentation when it helps develop the main ideas.
Official wording
Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
Common Core SL.4.5
SL.4.6
Know when to use formal English, like giving a report to the class, and when relaxed talk works, like chatting in a small group, and switch to formal when needed.

Language Standards

6 standards
L.4.1
Print many letters, use everyday nouns, verbs and little words like in and on, make plurals like dogs and wishes, ask with who and where, and speak in full sentences.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.bForm and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.cUse modal auxiliaries (e.g., can, may, must) to convey various conditions.dOrder adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g., a small red bag rather than a red small bag).eForm and use prepositional phrases.fProduce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.*gCorrectly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their).*
Common Core L.K.1
L.4.2
Capitalize the first word of a sentence and the word I, name the period and question mark, and spell simple words the way they sound, like kat for cat.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.aUse correct capitalization.bUse commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.cUse a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.dSpell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
Common Core L.K.2
L.4.3
Notice the difference between formal and casual English, like Good morning, Mrs. Lee versus Hey, and choose which fits the moment.
Official wording
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.aChoose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.*bChoose punctuation for effect.*cDifferentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion).
Common Core L.2.3
L.4.4
Work out an unknown word on a grade 4 topic from context clues, from Greek and Latin roots like graph in telegraph, or by checking a dictionary or thesaurus.
Official wording
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.aUse context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.bUse common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).
Common Core L.4.4
L.4.5
Explain a nonliteral phrase like take steps, name someone who is friendly to link a word to real life, and rank knew, believed and suspected by how sure they are.
Official wording
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.aExplain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.bRecognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.cDemonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).
Common Core L.3.5
L.4.6
Learn and use grade 4 school and subject words, including precise verbs for actions and feelings like quizzed, whined and stammered, and topic words like conservation.
Official wording
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).
Common Core L.4.6

The official California documents

Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

The plain-English lines are EMStudio's own explanations. Where California uses the Common Core wording it is shown under the Common Core license; California's own additions are explained in our words, and their official wording is in California Department of Education's documents above.