CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.9a
The Standard
Apply 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].").
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students write about characters, settings, and events using details from a story or play. They explain how each chosen detail supports their thinking.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students answer a literary question with a clear idea. They select accurate details from the text and explain how each detail supports that idea.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may retell the plot instead of analyzing it. They may choose unrelated details, copy quotations without explanation, or make claims based only on personal opinion.
How to Assess It
- After a shared story, ask: “How do the main character’s actions reveal a character trait?” Require one clear answer, two text details, and an explanation.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs claim and evidence cards from a shared story; students sort details into supports or does not support, then explain each choice.
Ask students to write: How does the setting shape one character's decision? Use two details and explain each connection.
Play Evidence Match: teams pair claim cards with detail cards, then earn a point by explaining each match.
Have students write a library recommendation that supports an opinion with details about a character, setting, or event.
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Printable W.4.9a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.9a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
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Where This Standard Sits
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
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Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.9a
Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fa...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9a
Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the ...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.9b
Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text").
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