South Dakota ELA 4.RL.4

ELA4th GradeReading Literature

The Standard

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language (e.g., metaphors and similes).

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students use nearby sentences to work out what words and phrases mean in a story or poem. They explain what a simile or metaphor suggests instead of taking it literally.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given 'Kids shouted and ran between desks. The classroom was a zoo,' a student explains that 'zoo' means noisy and chaotic. They use the kids' actions as evidence.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think 'a blanket of snow' means an actual blanket. They may spot 'like' in a simile but name only the things compared, without explaining what they share. Others choose a dictionary meaning that does not fit the scene.
How to Assess It: Read: 'Maya was a rocket on the soccer field, sprinting past every defender.' What does 'rocket' mean here, and which words helped you decide?

Lesson moves

Give pairs cards reading 'The lunchroom was a beehive' and 'Children buzzed between tables'; have them match the sentences and sketch the scene.
Post 'Her smile was sunshine after a hard day'; ask partners what the comparison suggests and why.
Give pairs four cards: 'as quiet as a mouse,' 'a blanket of snow,' 'very quiet,' and 'snow covering everything'; have them match pairs.
Write 'Prices are falling' next to a grocery flyer; ask students what the claim tells shoppers and whether prices really move.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 4.RL.4, 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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