English Language Arts Grade 4
Educational Links

Writing Standard 4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)

• Can You Haiku?
  Haiku show us the world in a water drop, providing a tiny lens through which to glimpse the miracle and mystery of life. Combining close observation with a moment of reflection, this simple yet highly sophisticated form of poetry can help sharpen students' response to language and enhance their powers of self-expression. In this lesson, students learn the rules and conventions of haiku, study examples by Japanese masters, and create haiku of their own.
• Leading to Great Places
  The lead of a story is the beginning, and yet it can be the end if the reader is not entranced immediately. This lesson from ReadWriteThink examines types of leads in promininent children's literature and asks students to try their own hand at writing leads.
• Learning to Learn with Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster
  After a read-aloud of the picture book Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster, students combine vocabulary exploration with word play by planning their own vocabulary parade, modeled on the activities in the text. Students brainstorm a list of vocabulary terms from a recent unit of study and then design concrete ways to illustrate the terms. The presentation of terms can be in the form of a parade (an appropriate substitute for Halloween activities), or a video, which might play during parent conferences or open house.
• Poetry for Kids - The Funny Forty
  The collection of 40 poems by Kenn Nesbitt. The site also links to an interview with Mr. Nesbitt and additional poetry and resources. Lessons for writing funny poetry.
• Seasonal Haiku: Writing Poems to Celebrate Seasons
  In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students listen to a sample of haiku read aloud. Then, using seasonal descriptive words, they write their own haiku following the traditional syllable and line format. Finally, they publish their poems by mounting them on illustrated backgrounds that support the images depicted in the poems.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Sara  Wiebke and see the Language Arts - Elementary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.