Grade 4 ELA Ontario Curriculum Standards

Literacy Connections and Applications

Demonstrate an understanding of how the seven transferable skills (critical thinking and problem solving; innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship; self-directed learning; collaboration; communication; global citizenship and sustainability; and digital literacy) are used in various language and literacy contexts.

Demonstrate and apply the knowledge and skills needed to interact safely and responsibly in online environments, use digital and media tools to construct knowledge, and demonstrate learning as critical consumers and creators of media.

Apply language and literacy skills in cross-curricular and integrated learning, and demonstrate an understanding of, and make connections to, diverse voices, experiences, perspectives, histories, and contributions, including those of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals, communities, groups, and nations.

Foundations of Language

Apply listening, speaking, and non-verbal communication skills and strategies to understand and communicate meaning in formal and informal contexts and for various purposes and audiences.

Demonstrate an understanding of foundational language knowledge and skills, and apply this understanding when reading and writing.

Demonstrate an understanding of sentence structure, grammar, cohesive ties, and capitalization and punctuation, and apply this knowledge when reading and writing sentences, paragraphs, and a variety of texts.

Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts

Apply foundational knowledge and skills to understand a variety of texts, including digital and media texts, by creators with diverse identities, perspectives, and experience, and demonstrate an understanding of the patterns, features, and elements of style associated with various text forms and genres .

Apply comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading, listening to, and viewing a variety of texts, including digital and media texts, by creators with diverse identities, perspectives, and experience, in order to understand and clarify the meaning of texts.

Apply critical thinking skills to deepen understanding of texts, and analyze how various perspectives and topics are communicated and addressed in a variety of texts, including digital, media, and cultural texts.

Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts

Plan, develop ideas, gather information, and organize content for creating texts of various forms, including digital and media texts, on a variety of topics.

Apply knowledge and understanding of various text forms and genres to create, revise, edit, and proofread their own texts, using a variety of media, tools, and/or strategies, and reflect critically on created texts

Select suitable and effective media, techniques, and tools to publish and present final texts, and critically analyze how well the texts address various topics .

explain how transferable skills can be used to support communication in various cultural, social, linguistic, and domain-specific contexts, and apply them when reading, listening to, viewing, and creating texts of various forms

explain how transferable skills help them to express their voice, be engaged in their learning, and plan the next steps to develop their capabilities and potential

explain their rights and responsibilities when interacting online with appropriate permission, and make decisions that contribute positively to the development of their digital identity and those of their communities

demonstrate an understanding of how to navigate online environments safely, manage their privacy and personal data, and interact in a way that supports their well-being and that of others, including seeking appropriate permission

gather, evaluate, and use information, considering validity, credibility, accuracy, and perspectives, to construct knowledge, create texts, and demonstrate learning

demonstrate an understanding of the forms, conventions, and techniques of digital and media texts, consider the impact on the audience, and apply this understanding when analyzing and creating texts

demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships between the form, message, and context of texts, the intended audience, and the purpose for production

select and use appropriate digital and media tools to support the design process and address authentic, relevant, real-world problems by developing innovative solutions

communicate and collaborate with various communities in a safe, respectful, responsible, and inclusive manner when using online platforms and environments, including digital and media tools, and demonstrate cultural awareness with members of the community

explain how the knowledge and skills developed in this grade support learning in various subject areas and in everyday life, and describe how they enhance understanding and communication

demonstrate an understanding of the historical contexts, contributions, lived experiences, and perspectives of a diversity of individuals and communities, including those in Canada, by exploring the concepts of identity, self, and sense of belonging in a variety of culturally responsive and relevant texts

explain themes explored in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures to demonstrate an understanding of the varied identities, perspectives, relationships, legacies, truths, and ways of knowing, being, and doing

use effective listening skills, including asking questions to encourage a speaker to elaborate, and responding to the contributions of others in group discussions, in formal and informal contexts and for various purposes

select and use a variety of listening strategies before, during, and after listening to comprehend information and messages communicated orally and non-verbally, express interest in what is being said at appropriate times, seek clarification, and develop an appropriate response

identify the purpose and audience for speaking in formal and informal contexts, and use appropriate speaking strategies, including paraphrasing and restating, to communicate clearly and coherently

identify and use oral and non-verbal communication strategies, including expression, gestures, and body language, and explain how these strategies help them understand or communicate ideas and meaning

use appropriate word choice, including new vocabulary, varied adjectives and adverbs to elaborate, a variety of sentence types, and cohesive sentences during formal and informal communication, to support audience comprehension

use knowledge of the meanings of words and morphemes (i.e., bases, prefixes, and suffixes) to read and spell words

demonstrate an understanding of a variety of words, acquire and use explicitly taught vocabulary in various contexts, including other subject areas, and use morphological knowledge to analyze and understand new words in context

read a variety of texts fluently, with accuracy and appropriate pacing to support comprehension, and when reading aloud, adjust expression and intonation according to the purpose of reading

identify and construct various sentence types and forms, including simple and compound sentences formed with prepositional phrases and/or independent and dependent clauses

demonstrate an understanding of the functions of parts of speech in sentences, including relative pronouns, the perfect verb tense and interrogative and imperative verbs, and the use of pronouns as adjectives, and use this knowledge to support comprehension and communicate meaning clearly

use their understanding of the meaning and function of capitalization and punctuation to communicate meaning clearly and coherently, including the use of capital letters for proper adjectives, commas to set off nouns of direct address, and quotation marks to indicate the title of a short work

read and comprehend various texts, using knowledge of words, grammar, cohesive ties, sentence structures, and background knowledge

describe some characteristics of various text forms and genres, including cultural text forms, and explain how they help communicate meaning

identify text patterns, such as spatial order in a graphic text, and text features, such as type styles and hyperlinks, associated with various text forms, including cultural texts, and explain how they help readers, listeners, and viewers understand the meaning

explain how images, graphics, and visual design create, communicate, and contribute to meaning in a variety of texts

identify various elements of style in texts, including voice, word choice, word patterns, and sentence structure, and analyze how each element helps create meaning and is appropriate for the text form and genre

identify the narrator's point of view, including first, second, or third person, in a variety of texts, and describe the advantages and disadvantages of the approach used in each story

read, listen to, and view various forms of texts by diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit creators to make meaning through Indigenous Storywork about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit histories, cultures, relationships, communities, groups, nations, and lived experiences

identify and explain prior knowledge from various sources, including personal experiences, that they can use to make connections and understand new texts

identify a variety of purposes for engaging with texts, and select texts from diverse creators that are suitable for the purposes

make predictions using background knowledge, text features, and evidence from the text, and pose questions to check whether their predictions were correct

use strategies such as adjusting reading rate, visualizing, reading ahead, asking questions, and consulting references and other texts or sources of information, to monitor and confirm their understanding of various texts

describe how the ideas expressed in texts connect to their knowledges and lived experiences, the ideas in other texts, and the world around them

summarize the main idea of a text and the supporting details in sequence, and draw a simple conclusion

explain how strategies, such as visualizing, making predictions, summarizing, and connecting to their experiences, have helped them comprehend various texts

describe literary devices, including personification and anthropomorphism, in a variety of texts, and explain how they help create meaning and are appropriate for the intended purpose and audience

make local and global inferences, using explicit and implicit evidence, to extend their understanding of various texts

analyze various texts, including literary and informational texts, by identifying main and supporting ideas, sequencing the events of multiple plots, and explaining cause and effect

identify cultural elements that are represented in various texts, including norms, values, artifacts, sports, and music, investigate the meanings of these elements, and make connections to their lived experience and culture

identify explicit and implicit perspectives communicated in various texts, explain how these perspectives are conveyed, give some evidence of any biases the texts may contain and suggest how such biases could influence an audience

explain how various topics, such as diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, are addressed in texts, and describe what insights or messages are conveyed

explain how texts created by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals, communities, groups, or nations are influenced by historical periods, cultural experiences, and events, and how they relate to current lived experiences

identify the critical thinking skills they used to analyze and evaluate various texts, and explain how these skills have helped them better understand the texts

identify the topic, purpose, and audience for various texts they plan to create, and explain why the chosen text form, genre, and medium suit the purpose and audience and how they will help communicate the intended meaning

generate and develop ideas about various topics, such as topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to other subject areas, using a variety of strategies, and drawing on various resources, including their own lived experiences

gather information and content relevant to a topic, using a variety of sources and strategies, and record the sources of information

select and classify ideas and collected information, using appropriate strategies and tools, and sequence content, taking into account the chosen text form, genre, and medium

describe the strategies and tools that helped them develop ideas and organize content for texts of the chosen forms, genres, and media, and explain how they helped them improve as a text creator

draft texts of various forms and genres, including narrative, persuasive, and informational texts, using a variety of media, tools, and strategies

write in cursive, forming letters of appropriate shape, size, proportion, and slant to improve the legibility of texts, and begin to develop fluent keyboarding skills using touch-typing techniques

establish a personal voice in their texts, using varied language and elements of style to express their thoughts, feelings, and opinions about a topic, and using a tone appropriate to the form and genre

identify the point of view used in their texts, and the perspectives and bias conveyed in their texts

make revisions to the content of draft texts and to elements of style, such as word choice and adding or deleting sentences, to improve clarity, focus, and coherence, seeking feedback

edit draft texts to improve accuracy and style, checking for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and format; use a word processor to edit texts

produce final texts using a variety of techniques and tools, including simple digital design and production tools, to achieve the intended effect

publish and present texts they have created, using selected media and tools, and explain how each helped them communicate their intended message

describe various strategies that helped them present and communicate their message when publishing and presenting texts, and explain how they helped them improve as a text creator

Language

Literacy Connections and Applications

Transferable Skills: demonstrate an understanding of how the seven transferable skills (critical thinking and problem solving; innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship; self-directed learning; collaboration; communication; global citizenship and sustainability; and digital literacy) are used in various language and literacy contexts

explain how transferable skills can be used to support communication in various cultural, social, linguistic, and domain-specific contexts, and apply them when reading, listening to, viewing, and creating texts of various forms

explain how transferable skills help them to express their voice, be engaged in their learning, and plan the next steps to develop their capabilities and potential

Digital Media Literacy: demonstrate and apply the knowledge and skills needed to interact safely and responsibly in online environments, use digital and media tools to construct knowledge, and demonstrate learning as critical consumers and creators of media

explain their rights and responsibilities when interacting online with appropriate permission, and make decisions that contribute positively to the development of their digital identity and those of their communities

demonstrate an understanding of how to navigate online environments safely, manage their privacy and personal data, and interact in a way that supports their well-being and that of others, including seeking appropriate permission

gather, evaluate, and use information, considering validity, credibility, accuracy, and perspectives, to construct knowledge, create texts, and demonstrate learning

demonstrate an understanding of the forms, conventions, and techniques of digital and media texts, consider the impact on the audience, and apply this understanding when analyzing and creating texts

demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships between the form, message, and context of texts, the intended audience, and the purpose for production

select and use appropriate digital and media tools to support the design process and address authentic, relevant, real-world problems by developing innovative solutions

communicate and collaborate with various communities in a safe, respectful, responsible, and inclusive manner when using online platforms and environments, including digital and media tools, and demonstrate cultural awareness with members of the community

Applications, Connections, and Contributions: apply language and literacy skills in cross-curricular and integrated learning, and demonstrate an understanding of, and make connections to, diverse voices, experiences, perspectives, histories, and contributions, including those of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals, communities, groups, and nations

explain how the knowledge and skills developed in this grade support learning in various subject areas and in everyday life, and describe how they enhance understanding and communication

demonstrate an understanding of the historical contexts, contributions, lived experiences, and perspectives of a diversity of individuals and communities, including those in Canada, by exploring the concepts of identity, self, and sense of belonging in a variety of culturally responsive and relevant texts

explain themes explored in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures to demonstrate an understanding of the varied identities, perspectives, relationships, legacies, truths, and ways of knowing, being, and doing

Foundations of Language

Oral and Non-Verbal Communication: apply listening, speaking, and non-verbal communication skills and strategies to understand and communicate meaning in formal and informal contexts and for various purposes and audiences

use effective listening skills, including asking questions to encourage a speaker to elaborate, and responding to the contributions of others in group discussions, in formal and informal contexts and for various purposes

select and use a variety of listening strategies before, during, and after listening to comprehend information and messages communicated orally and non-verbally, express interest in what is being said at appropriate times, seek clarification, and develop an appropriate response

identify the purpose and audience for speaking in formal and informal contexts, and use appropriate speaking strategies, including paraphrasing and restating, to communicate clearly and coherently

identify and use oral and non-verbal communication strategies, including expression, gestures, and body language, and explain how these strategies help them understand or communicate ideas and meaning

use appropriate word choice, including new vocabulary, varied adjectives and adverbs to elaborate, a variety of sentence types, and cohesive sentences during formal and informal communication, to support audience comprehension

Language Foundations for Reading and Writing: demonstrate an understanding of foundational language knowledge and skills, and apply this understanding when reading and writing

use knowledge of the meanings of words and morphemes (i.e., bases, prefixes, and suffixes) to read and spell words

demonstrate an understanding of a variety of words, acquire and use explicitly taught vocabulary in various contexts, including other subject areas, and use morphological knowledge to analyze and understand new words in context

read a variety of texts fluently, with accuracy and appropriate pacing to support comprehension, and when reading aloud, adjust expression and intonation according to the purpose of reading

Language Conventions for Reading and Writing: demonstrate an understanding of sentence structure, grammar, cohesive ties, and capitalization and punctuation, and apply this knowledge when reading and writing sentences, paragraphs, and a variety of texts

identify and construct various sentence types and forms, including simple and compound sentences formed with prepositional phrases and/or independent and dependent clauses

demonstrate an understanding of the functions of parts of speech in sentences, including relative pronouns, the perfect verb tense and interrogative and imperative verbs, and the use of pronouns as adjectives, and use this knowledge to support comprehension and communicate meaning clearly

use their understanding of the meaning and function of capitalization and punctuation to communicate meaning clearly and coherently, including the use of capital letters for proper adjectives, commas to set off nouns of direct address, and quotation marks to indicate the title of a short work

Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts

Knowledge about Texts: apply foundational knowledge and skills to understand a variety of texts, including digital and media texts, by creators with diverse identities, perspectives, and experience, and demonstrate an understanding of the patterns, features, and elements of style associated with various text forms and genres

read and comprehend various texts, using knowledge of words, grammar, cohesive ties, sentence structures, and background knowledge

describe some characteristics of various text forms and genres, including cultural text forms, and explain how they help communicate meaning

identify text patterns, such as spatial order in a graphic text, and text features, such as type styles and hyperlinks, associated with various text forms, including cultural texts, and explain how they help readers, listeners, and viewers understand the meaning

explain how images, graphics, and visual design create, communicate, and contribute to meaning in a variety of texts

identify various elements of style in texts, including voice, word choice, word patterns, and sentence structure, and analyze how each element helps create meaning and is appropriate for the text form and genre

identify the narrator’s point of view, including first, second, or third person, in a variety of texts, and describe the advantages and disadvantages of the approach used in each story

read, listen to, and view various forms of texts by diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit creators to make meaning through Indigenous Storywork about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit histories, cultures, relationships, communities, groups, nations, and lived experiences

Comprehension Strategies: apply comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading, listening to, and viewing a variety of texts, including digital and media texts, by creators with diverse identities, perspectives, and experience, in order to understand and clarify the meaning of texts

identify and explain prior knowledge from various sources, including personal experiences, that they can use to make connections and understand new texts

identify a variety of purposes for engaging with texts, and select texts from diverse creators that are suitable for the purposes

make predictions using background knowledge, text features, and evidence from the text, and pose questions to check whether their predictions were correct

use strategies such as adjusting reading rate, visualizing, reading ahead, asking questions, and consulting references and other texts or sources of information, to monitor and confirm their understanding of various texts

describe how the ideas expressed in texts connect to their knowledges and lived experiences, the ideas in other texts, and the world around them

summarize the main idea of a text and the supporting details in sequence, and draw a simple conclusion

explain how strategies, such as visualizing, making predictions, summarizing, and connecting to their experiences, have helped them comprehend various texts

Critical Thinking in Literacy: apply critical thinking skills to deepen understanding of texts, and analyze how various perspectives and topics are communicated and addressed in a variety of texts, including digital, media, and cultural texts

describe literary devices, including personification and anthropomorphism, in a variety of texts, and explain how they help create meaning and are appropriate for the intended purpose and audience

make local and global inferences, using explicit and implicit evidence, to extend their understanding of various texts

analyze various texts, including literary and informational texts, by identifying main and supporting ideas, sequencing the events of multiple plots, and explaining cause and effect

identify cultural elements that are represented in various texts, including norms, values, artifacts, sports, and music, investigate the meanings of these elements, and make connections to their lived experience and culture

identify explicit and implicit perspectives communicated in various texts, explain how these perspectives are conveyed, give some evidence of any biases the texts may contain and suggest how such biases could influence an audience

explain how various topics, such as diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, are addressed in texts, and describe what insights or messages are conveyed

explain how texts created by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals, communities, groups, or nations are influenced by historical periods, cultural experiences, and events, and how they relate to current lived experiences

identify the critical thinking skills they used to analyze and evaluate various texts, and explain how these skills have helped them better understand the texts

Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts

Developing Ideas and Organizing Content: plan, develop ideas, gather information, and organize content for creating texts of various forms, including digital and media texts, on a variety of topics

identify the topic, purpose, and audience for various texts they plan to create, and explain why the chosen text form, genre, and medium suit the purpose and audience and how they will help communicate the intended meaning

generate and develop ideas about various topics, such as topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to other subject areas, using a variety of strategies, and drawing on various resources, including their own lived experiences

gather information and content relevant to a topic, using a variety of sources and strategies, and record the sources of information

select and classify ideas and collected information, using appropriate strategies and tools, and sequence content, taking into account the chosen text form, genre, and medium

describe the strategies and tools that helped them develop ideas and organize content for texts of the chosen forms, genres, and media, and explain how they helped them improve as a text creator

Creating Texts: apply knowledge and understanding of various text forms and genres to create, revise, edit, and proofread their own texts, using a variety of media, tools, and strategies, and reflect critically on created texts

draft texts of various forms and genres, including narrative, persuasive, and informational texts, using a variety of media, tools, and strategies

write in cursive, forming letters of appropriate shape, size, proportion, and slant to improve the legibility of texts, and begin to develop fluent keyboarding skills using touch-typing techniques

establish a personal voice in their texts, using varied language and elements of style to express their thoughts, feelings, and opinions about a topic, and using a tone appropriate to the form and genre

identify the point of view used in their texts, and the perspectives and bias conveyed in their texts

make revisions to the content of draft texts and to elements of style, such as word choice and adding or deleting sentences, to improve clarity, focus, and coherence, seeking feedback?

edit draft texts to improve accuracy and style, checking for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and format; use a word processor to edit texts

Publishing, Presenting, and Reflecting: select suitable and effective media, techniques, and tools to publish and present final texts, and critically analyze how well the texts address various topics

produce final texts using a variety of techniques and tools, including simple digital design and production tools, to achieve the intended effect

publish and present texts they have created, using selected media and tools, and explain how each helped them communicate their intended message

describe various strategies that helped them present and communicate their message when publishing and presenting texts, and explain how they helped them improve as a text creator