Content Knowledge
In grade four, teachers ensure that the content standards
for all subject matter (e.g., science, social studies, the arts) are
addressed in depth—and, importantly, that every student has
access to the content. They do this by ensuring that all students
are present for content instruction, including hands-on activities,
investigations, demonstrations, discussions, and experiences
with text (rather than being removed to receive special services,
for example) and by implementing instructional approaches that
are appropriate for the range of learners. Teachers recognize the
importance of students learning content for its own sake as well
as for its role in literacy and language development.
Because disciplinary texts differ from one another in terms of
presentation of information, language use (including vocabulary
and grammatical and larger text structures), the roles and use
of graphics and images, and so on, teachers provide explicit instruction in how to make meaning with
the texts of different disciplines.
As noted in the overview of the span of this chapter, wide reading and engaging in research
are both critical for expanding students’ content knowledge. Content area research provides rich
opportunities for reading and writing multi-media informational texts. Grade-four students have daily
opportunities to read books of their choice, and they pursue questions that interest them. Teachers
should have an independent reading program as specified in the wide reading and independent
reading section of chapter 2 of this ELA/ELD Framework.
Text sets are particularly useful for building students’ knowledge and academic language. Figure
5.14 provides informational texts related to Earth’s systems.
Figure 5.14. Texts on Earth’s Systems (NGSS ESS2)
Books:
Earthquakes by Mark Maslin (2000)
Volcano: Iceland’s Inferno and Earth’s Most Active Volcanoes by National Geographic (2010)
Los Volcanes by Gloria Valek (1996)
Rocas y Minerales by Jane Walker (1996)
Photo Essays:
Forces of Nature: The Awesome Power of Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tornadoes by Catherine
O’Neill Grace (2004) (http://www3.cde.ca.gov/reclitlist/displaytitle.aspx?pid=16652)
Everything Volcanoes and Earthquakes by National Geographic Kids (2013)
Earthquakes by Seymour Simon (1991)
Volcanoes by Seymour Simon (1988)
Picture Books:
Volcano by Ellen J. Prager (2001)
Volcanoes by Jane Walker (1994)
Online Resource:
Ask-A-Geologist (ask questions about volcanoes, earthquakes, mountains, rocks, and more) U.S.
Geological Survey ([email protected])438 | Chapter 5 Grade 4