Montague Township School District
English Curriculum Guide
Grade 4
2025-2026
Ella Shade
| Unit | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | ||
Description
The Grade 4 English Language Arts curriculum at Montague Township School addresses all areas of Speaking and Listening, Writing, Reading Foundational Skills, Reading Literature, Reading Informational Texts, and Language. Students engage with 12 student-centered units across an 80-minute daily literacy block. Each unit integrates reading and writing skills with language skills embedded throughout learning activities. The curriculum follows Understanding by Design principles and provides teachers with flexibility in instructional approaches while maintaining consistent focus on New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Units are designed with 3-4 week timeframes and can be reordered based on classroom needs while preserving skill scaffolding.
Big Ideas
- Identities are shaped through experiences, personal interests, and passions.
- Our senses are powerful tools that help us experience the world in meaningful ways.
- With personal courage and support from community, people can face any challenge.
- Traditional stories teach lessons about life and the world around us.
- Sharing creative talents with others brings people closer together.
Essential Questions
- How do your experiences help shape your identity?
- How do people and animals use their senses to navigate the world?
- What does it take to meet a challenge?
- What makes someone a hero?
- How do your talents contribute to the world?
Core Textbook
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Into Reading, Grade 4 — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Language
Reading: Informational Text
Reading: Literature
Speaking and Listening
Writing
Students explore sensory perception and animal senses in Unit 2, connecting to life science standards about how animals receive information through their senses and process it in their brains.
Students examine natural wonders and Earth's geological features in Unit 6, learning about landforms, weathering, and erosion patterns.
Students investigate environmental sustainability, food systems, and waste reduction in Units 8 and 9, connecting to Earth and space science standards about natural resources and human environmental impact.
Students read about immigration, refugees, and cultural diversity in Unit 3, exploring historical and contemporary perspectives on human migration and resilience.
Students examine heroic figures and historical events in Unit 4, analyzing how individuals have contributed to society across different cultures and time periods.
Students explore environmental conservation and global citizenship in Unit 9, learning about individual and collective action to address climate change and protect natural resources.
Students study the history and evolution of communication systems in Unit 10, examining how technological innovations have shaped human connection and society.
Students use digital tools for research, writing, and collaborative learning throughout the curriculum, demonstrating skills in digital citizenship and technological application.
Students are assessed through a variety of formative and summative assessments across units. Formative assessments include guided reading groups, ask-and-answer questions, central idea identification, and vocabulary strategy activities. Each unit includes summative assessments tied to specific texts and response questions. Teachers have access to formative, summative, alternative, and benchmark assessment resources. Accommodations and modifications are available for students with special education plans, ELL needs, gifted and talented designation, 504 plans, and at-risk students.
| Unit | Formative | Summative | Benchmark | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01What Makes Us Who We Are? | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 02Come To Your Senses | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 03Rise To The Occasion | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 04Heroic Feats | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 05Art Everywhere | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 06Marvels of Nature | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 07Tricksters and Tall Tales | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 08Food For Thought | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 09Global Guardians | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 10Communication Nation | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 11Genre Study: Nonfiction | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
| 12Genre Study: Fiction | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 12/12 | 10/12 | 2/2 | 12/12 |
| Unit | IEP | 504 | MLL | At-Risk | Gifted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01What Makes Us Who We Are? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 02Come To Your Senses | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 03Rise To The Occasion | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 04Heroic Feats | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 05Art Everywhere | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 06Marvels of Nature | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 07Tricksters and Tall Tales | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 08Food For Thought | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 09Global Guardians | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 10Communication Nation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 11Genre Study: Nonfiction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 12Genre Study: Fiction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 |