Grade Level Writing Expectations - Fourth Grade

Writes Clearly and Effectively

Narrows topic and selects relevant details to elaborate
Refers to personal experiences and research to clarify, compare, extend, or explain an opinion or idea

Uses transitional phrases and sentences to connect episodes, descriptions, explanations, or facts
Identifies time and setting and refers to these beyond introductory section when narrating story or event
Sections work into paragraphs or chapters based on ideas
Identify and begin to use leads
Use clear, concluding statements
Identify and begin to use transitional sentences to link paragraphs

Uses conjunctions, ordinals (e.g., first, second, third), and compound sentences
Uses a rhyme scheme in a stanza of poetry
Varies length and type of sentences, using conjunctions, adjective phrases, and adverb phrases
Experiment with sound patterns and figurative language

Selects vocabulary suitable for topic, audience, purpose, and purpose
Uses similes, metaphors, alliteration, rhyme, and repetition for effect and to develop imagery

Conventions
Spelling	Capitalization	Punctuation	Grammar & Usage	Sentences / Paragraphs
Correct spelling of grade-level words Syllabification, word patterns, and letter patterns to spell unusual words Resources to find correct spelling for words identified as misspelled	Important words in a title of a book or article (e.g., The Little House on the Prairie.) Correct use of state abbreviations (e.g., WA or CA)	Comma to set off titles or initials (e.g., Dr. Smith, M.D.) Colon after greeting in a business letter Comma in complete address (e.g., 12356 7th Ave., Spokane, WA) Comma after an introductory phrase (e.g., After seeing the opera in person, she wished she had read the story.) or clause (e.g., Before she went to the opera, she read the story.") Commas in numbers over 4 digits (e.g., 10,000) Hyphen between syllables at line breaks	Single/plural agreement between nouns and modifiers (e.g., one child vs. one children) Correct use of "among" (more than two) vs. "between" (two) Resources cited using a standard bibliographic form Correct use of conjunctions Correct use of prepositions (e.g., in the past, from one to another) Collective nouns (e.g., cache, herd) Correct use of "either...or" and "neither...nor"

Adjusts writing process for demands of timed writing situations
Synthesizes information from more than one resource, especially for informational writing or to respond to a question or prompt
Uses notes, lists, free writing, webs, or clusters to record information or ideas at prewriting and/or drafting stages

Uses notes, lists, free writing, webs, or clusters to record information or ideas at prewriting and/or drafting stages
Drafts independently
Develops prewriting ideas by including a main idea, relevant details into sentences, phrases, and thoughts

Uses more than one word source (including a thesaurus) when revising and editing
Seeks input from peers when revising
Rereads work several times when revising and editing, and has a focus for each reading

Uses more than one word source (including a thesaurus) when revising and editing
Rereads work several times when revising and editing, and has a focus for each reading
Edits to meet 4th grade standards of conventions
Understands and uses standard proofreading marks

Demonstrates awareness of audience and purpose through selection of vocabulary, form, length, organization, and style
Distinguishes among different purposes for text (e.g., to respond to questions, to entertain, to inform, to persuade, to request, or to reflect)
Shows understanding of more than one purpose within a form (e.g., a letter can be used to inform, request, or persuade)
Includes more than one mode within a piece (e.g., descriptive or narrative elements within an expository piece)
Selects form to meet requirements of task or content area (e.g., book report or science report)
Experiments with different verse forms and rhyme patterns

	Literature or Literary Forms	Informational, Task-oriented, and/or Technical Writing
New to Grade Level	Tall tales Comics Personal essays	Book reviews and reports Brochures Procedures (to a game, to make something) Expository essays (explain why, compare/contrast) Expository speeches (explain why) Field notes Newspaper and magazine articles Summaries Business letters to thank or to request Letters to the editor Memos Literary analyses (explain about character, plot)
Previously Introduced	Narrative: experiential stories Narrative: fictional stories Personal letters, cards, and notes Diaries/journals Recounts Rhymes Retellings Poems: patterned poetry, couplet Poems: free verse Plays Biographies and autobiographies	Labels Captions Informational sentence Recounts Answers to questions Questions and answers Instructions (explain how to) Learning logs Reports Reviews Posters Directions (to a location) Paraphrase Expository writing (explain about) Expository speeches (explain about)