What does a student learn in StateLouisiana,GradeGrade 4,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students back up their answers with specific lines or details from the story, both for what the text states directly and for conclusions they figure out on their own.

Students find the big lesson a story, poem, or play is teaching, using details from the text to back it up. Then they sum up what happened in their own words.

Students pick a character, place, or moment from a story and describe it in detail using specific lines from the text. Not just "she was brave" but what she said, thought, or did to show it.

Students figure out what words and phrases mean in a story or poem, including figurative language like "her smile was sunshine" or "he ran like the wind."

Students learn to tell apart poems, plays, and stories by their structure. A poem has verses and rhythm, a play has dialogue and stage directions, and a story flows in paragraphs.

Students figure out who is telling the story and how that shapes what readers see. They compare a story told in first person ("I did this") with one told in third person ("she did this") and explain what changes.

Students compare a story or play to a film, audio recording, or stage version of it, noticing what each version keeps, changes, or leaves out.

This standard doesn't apply to literature. RL.4.8 is reserved for informational reading, where students learn to trace an author's argument and evaluate the evidence behind it.

Students read two stories from different cultures and look at how each one handles the same big idea, like a hero's journey or a battle between good and evil. They explain what's similar and what's different between the two.

Students read stories, plays, and poems written at a fourth-and fifth-grade level. Some texts will be challenging, and that is expected.

Students back up what they read with specific details pulled straight from the text. When the answer isn't spelled out, they use those same details to make a reasonable inference about what the author means.

Students read a nonfiction passage, figure out the main point the author is making, and find the sentences that back it up. Then they put the whole thing in their own words.

Reading a history or science passage, students explain not just what happened but why it happened. They point to specific sentences in the text to back up their explanation.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean using clues from the surrounding sentences. This includes everyday school vocabulary and words specific to a subject like science or social studies.

Students identify how a nonfiction passage is organized, whether the author walks through events in order, compares two things, explains a cause and its effect, or lays out a problem and how it gets solved.

Reading the same event through two lenses: someone who was there and someone who wasn't. Students compare what each account focuses on and why the details differ depending on who's telling the story.

Students read charts, graphs, timelines, and diagrams alongside the written text, then explain what those visuals add that the words alone don't.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain why the author included specific facts or examples. The goal is to see whether the evidence actually backs up what the author is claiming.

Students read two books or articles on the same topic, then combine what they learned from both to write or talk about that topic with more detail than either source gave them alone.

Students read nonfiction books and articles on history, science, and similar topics at a fourth-grade level. Some of the harder texts come with extra support to help students work through them.

This skill was fully mastered in Grade 1. By Grade 4, students already know how print works and apply that knowledge while reading longer, more complex texts.

This skill was fully mastered in first grade. Fourth-grade reading work builds on it rather than revisiting it directly.

Students use what they know about letter patterns, prefixes, and suffixes to read unfamiliar words on their own. This is the decoding work that makes reading longer, harder texts possible.

Students use what they know about letter sounds, syllables, and word parts like prefixes and suffixes to read longer, unfamiliar words accurately, whether those words appear in a sentence or on their own.

Students read aloud smoothly and accurately enough to focus on meaning, not just sounding out words. Fluent reading helps students understand and remember what they read.

Students read grade-level passages with a clear reason in mind, not just to get through the words. They show they understand what they read, not just that they can say the words aloud.

Students practice reading grade-level passages out loud until the words come smoothly, at a natural pace, and with the feeling the text calls for.

When students hit a word that doesn't make sense, they go back and reread the sentence to figure it out. Getting meaning from the full sentence matters more than just sounding words out correctly.

Students pick a topic, state what they think, and back it up with reasons drawn from what they have read or learned. The focus is on giving clear support for the opinion, not just saying what they believe.

Students write an opening paragraph that names the topic, states their opinion clearly, and groups supporting ideas together so the whole piece builds toward one point.

Students back up each opinion with facts and specific details, not just feelings or guesses. The goal is to show a reader why the opinion makes sense.

Students learn to connect their opinion to their reasons using linking words like "for instance," "in addition," and "in order to." These words help a reader follow the argument from one idea to the next.

Opinion essays end with a closing sentence or paragraph that wraps up the argument. Students write a conclusion that connects back to their opinion, not just stops mid-thought.

Students write a report or explanation about a real topic, grouping related facts and details so a reader can follow along without getting lost.

Students open an informational piece with a clear topic, then sort related facts into paragraphs or sections. Headings, pictures, or charts get added wherever they help a reader follow along.

Students back up their main idea with facts, real details, and examples. They might pull in a definition, a direct quote, or a specific piece of information that helps readers understand the topic more clearly.

Students practice connecting related ideas inside a paragraph using linking words like "another," "because," and "for example." These words help a reader follow the logic from one sentence to the next.

Students pick exact words that fit the topic, like using "habitat" instead of "place where animals live." Clear, specific word choices help readers understand the subject without guessing.

Students end an informational piece with a closing sentence or paragraph that wraps up the main idea, not just stops mid-thought.

Students write a story, real or made up, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They use specific details and descriptive language to bring characters and events to life.

Students open a story by setting up where things are, who's involved, and what's about to happen. The events that follow come in an order that makes sense.

Students write scenes where characters speak in their own words and where small details, like a slammed door or a shaking hand, show how a character feels instead of just telling the reader.

Students use words like "later," "after," and "meanwhile" to move a story forward and show readers when each event happens.

Students choose specific words and sensory details (what something looks, sounds, or feels like) to make a story scene clear and real for the reader.

Students write an ending that ties back to what happened in the story, not a new idea dropped in at the last minute. The ending feels like a natural stopping point.

Students write paragraphs and essays that fit the assignment. That means picking the right structure and details for who will read it and why.

Students learn to improve their writing by planning before they draft, then revising and editing with feedback from a classmate or teacher. The goal is a clearer, stronger piece, not a perfect first try.

Students use a computer or tablet to write, edit, and share their work. With some help from an adult, they produce writing that's ready to publish on their own or with a partner.

Students pick a topic, explore it from a few different angles, and write up what they find. The goal is to learn something new through the research itself, not just to confirm what they already knew.

Students gather facts from books, websites, or personal experience, take notes, and sort those notes by topic. They also keep a list of where each fact came from.

Students find specific passages or facts from a book or article, then use those details to back up a point they're making in their writing. The evidence has to connect directly to the idea they're trying to support.

Students pull specific details from a story to support their writing about a character, setting, or event. That means going back to the text and using what a character says, thinks, or does as real evidence.

Students read nonfiction articles, textbooks, or other factual writing, then write about how the author backs up key points with reasons and evidence. The goal is connecting reading to writing so one sharpens the other.

Students write often, for many reasons: to explain, to persuade, to tell a story. Some pieces take days or weeks to research and revise. Others get finished in a single sitting.

Students practice talking and listening in class discussions, whether in pairs, small groups, or with the teacher. They respond to what others say and add their own ideas clearly.

Students read or study the assigned material before a group discussion, then use what they learned to add to the conversation, not just listen.

Students follow class rules during group discussions and take on a specific role, like note-taker or discussion leader. The goal is to keep the conversation focused and make sure everyone contributes.

Students ask follow-up questions when something is unclear and connect their own comments to what a classmate just said, keeping the conversation moving forward.

After a class discussion, students look back at the main ideas that came up and explain how their own thinking changed or stayed the same.

Students listen to a passage read aloud or watch a video or graph presentation, then restate what they heard or saw in their own words.

Students listen to a speaker and pick out the specific reasons and examples used to back up each main point. It's the same skill as reading for evidence, but practiced out loud.

Students give a short talk on a topic, a book, or a personal story, organized so listeners can follow along. They back up their main point with real facts and clear details, and speak slowly enough to be understood.

Students add a recording, image, or diagram to a presentation to help listeners understand the main idea. The extra piece should make the point clearer, not just fill space.

Students learn when to use careful, complete sentences (like during a class presentation) and when casual conversation is fine (like talking with a partner). They practice matching how they speak to who is listening and why.

Students write and speak using correct grammar: full sentences, proper verb tenses, and pronouns that match the nouns they replace. This standard covers the grammar rules students are expected to know and apply by the end of fourth grade.

Students use words like "who," "which," and "where" to connect ideas inside a sentence. For example: "The teacher who reads aloud" or "the day when school started."

Students practice writing sentences that show action happening over time, choosing the right form of "to be" plus a verb ending in -ing to match past, present, or future.

Students learn to choose helping verbs like "can," "may," and "must" to show whether something is possible, allowed, or required. A sentence like "You must wear a helmet" means something different from "You may wear a helmet."

When two or more describing words appear before a noun, English has a standard order for them. Students learn to place adjectives in the right sequence so sentences read naturally, like "a small red bag" instead of "a red small bag."

Students learn to use prepositional phrases, short word groups like "under the desk" or "before lunch," to add detail to their sentences about where, when, or how something happens.

Students write complete sentences and fix ones that are broken in half or crammed together without a proper stop. A sentence needs a subject and a verb, and this standard is about spotting when one is missing or when two sentences are running into each other.

Words like "to," "too," and "two" sound the same but mean different things. Students learn which spelling fits which sentence.

Students learn the rules for capitalizing words, using punctuation marks correctly, and spelling accurately in their writing. This covers commas, quotation marks, apostrophes, and how to use a dictionary to check spelling.

Students practice capitalizing the first word in a sentence, names of people and places, and titles. Getting capitalization right is one of the basics of writing clearly and being taken seriously on the page.

Students learn to punctuate the exact words someone said or wrote, using commas and quotation marks to show where those words begin and end.

Students learn to place a comma before words like "and," "but," and "so" when joining two complete thoughts into one sentence. For example: "We went to the park, but it started to rain."

Students spell the words expected at fourth grade and know when to look one up in a dictionary or word list if unsure.

Students choose words carefully to match the situation, like using formal sentences in a report and casual ones in a story. They notice how word choice and sentence structure shift the feel of a piece of writing.

Students practice picking the exact word that fits, not just a word that's close enough. A sentence about a character who "sprinted" says more than one who "went fast."

Students learn to use punctuation on purpose, not just by rule. A period, a question mark, or a comma can change how a sentence hits a reader.

Students learn when to use careful, polished sentences and when everyday casual speech fits better. A presentation to the class calls for formal language; chatting with a small group does not.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean by using context clues, breaking the word into parts, or checking a dictionary. The goal is picking the right strategy for the moment, not always reaching for the same one.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they look at the surrounding sentences for clues, like a definition the author slips in or an example nearby. They use those clues to figure out what the word means without stopping to look it up.

Students use familiar word parts, like Greek and Latin roots, to figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Knowing that "photo" means light helps them work out what "photograph" or "photosynthesis" means.

Students look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary or thesaurus, in print or online, to confirm how a word is pronounced and what it precisely means.

Students learn to recognize when language means more than it says literally. They practice phrases like "it's raining cats and dogs" and think through how words relate to each other and shade into slightly different meanings.

Students read sentences with comparisons like "she was a shining star" or "as quiet as a mouse" and explain what the writer means. They use the words around the comparison to figure out the intended meaning.

Students learn what common sayings like "it's raining cats and dogs" or "the early bird catches the worm" actually mean. They explain the real idea behind the words, not just what the words say on the surface.

Students practice choosing the right word by comparing it to words that mean the opposite and words that mean nearly the same thing. Knowing the difference between "angry" and "furious," for example, sharpens how precisely students read and write.

Students learn words that fit the subject they're studying, like "conservation" in a science unit or "stammered" in a story, and use those words correctly in their own writing and conversation.