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2007-08 Learner Statements—Grade 4

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Language Arts State Goal 1:
Read with understanding and fluency.


State Standards
A.   Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.
  B.   Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency.
  C.   Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Use a variety of word structures and forms (e.g., affixes, roots, homonyms, antonyms, synonyms, word analogies) to decode unknown words
  2.A.   Use a dictionary, glossary, and thesaurus to clarify and extend word meaning
  3.B.   Use self-correction strategies to establish and clarify meaning (e.g., reread, read ahead, use meaningful substitutions, use context, look back, identify miscues)
  4.B.   Read aloud instructional-level material fluently (rhythm, rate, and flow)
  5.B.   Make, confirm, and adjust predictions about text (e.g., based on formats, ideas, plots, and elements from previous readings)
  6.B.   Understand the uses of the various parts of a book (index, table of contents, glossary, and appendix)
  7.B.   Use organizational features of texts (e.g., headings, paragraphs, format) to increase understanding
  8.B.   Set, monitor, and accomplish quantitative (books per month) and qualitative (fiction, nonfiction) reading goals
  9.C.   Set, monitor, and accomplish quantitative (books per month) and qualitative (fiction, nonfiction) reading goals
  10.C.   Use cognitive strategies to understand and respond to a variety of literary and informational texts (e.g., activate and build schema, question, infer, create visual and sensory images, determine important ideas and themes, synthesize, utilize fix-up strategies)
  11.C.   Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate to the purpose of the text


Language Arts State Goal 2:
Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras, and ideas.


State Standards
A.   Understand how literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning.
  B.   Read and interpret a variety of literary works.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Understand methods used to develop characters and plot in a literary work (e.g., use of dialogue, exploration of motives)
  2.A.   Describe how literary elements (e.g., theme, character, setting, plot, tone, conflict) are used in literature to create meaning
  3.A.   Read and know the defining characteristics of a variety of classic and contemporary literary forms and genres (e.g., historical fiction, chapter books, biographies, poetry, fables)
  4.B.   Respond to literary material by making inferences, drawing conclusions, and comparing it to their own experience, prior knowledge, and other texts


Language Arts State Goal 3:
Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.


State Standards
A.   Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and structure.
  B.   Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.
  C.   Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Use rules of capitalization in writing (e.g., for proper nouns, titles, the first word of a direct quotation)
  2.A.   Use rules of punctuation in writing (e.g., use commas to connect independent clauses and to punctuate appositives and lists; use periods, question marks, and exclamation marks to distinguish statements, questions, exclamations, and commands)
  3.A.   Use the parts of speech in writing (e.g., nouns, verbs, demonstrative and indefinite pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, adverbial phrases, coordinating conjunctions)
  4.A.   Use resources (e.g., dictionaries, thesauruses) to find definitions, choose among synonyms, and confirm spelling
  5.A.   Use rules of grammar in writing (e.g., verb tense, subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, modifiers, sentence structure)
  6.B.   Use cohesive paragraphs to develop ideas (e.g., use devices such as repetition, synonyms, parallel structure, connectives, transitions, sentence variety)
  7.B.   Use strategies to write narratives (e.g., engage the reader by establishing a focus, develop reader interest)
  8.B.   Use strategies to develop the topic in expository writing (e.g., include relevant facts and details; use descriptive language to clarify and enhance ideas; represent accurately events and sequence; use elements of style, such as tone, voice, and sentence variation)
  9.B.   Use strategies to write persuasive text (e.g., state a clear position; elaborate the position with reasons, examples, and information)
  10.B.   Use prewriting strategies (e.g., draw, brainstorm, create story maps, keep a notebook of ideas, answer questions posed by others, observe surroundings, develop a plan)
  11.B.   Use strategies to edit and proofread writing (e.g., use knowledge of spelling patterns to detect misspelled words; check for capitalization of proper nouns, titles, and the first word of a direction quotation; check for correct use of commas, periods, question marks, and exclamation marks; check for correct use of basic parts of speech; check for subject-verb agreement)
  12.B.   Use strategies to draft and revise writing (e.g., focus on a central idea; organize and develop ideas; integrate focus, support, and organization; revised the language, organization, and content to fulfill a specific purpose and to communicate with a specific audience)
  13.B.   Identify strengths and weaknesses in own writing
  14.C.   Use a variety of writing formats (e.g., responses to literature, summaries, informational essays, basic directions, narratives, reflection, autobiographical pieces, letters, poetry, fiction)
  15.C.   Write for different audiences (e.g., peers, teachers, other adults)


Language Arts State Goal 4:
Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.


State Standards
A.   Listen effectively in formal and informal situations.
  B.   Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.

Learner Statements
  1.A.   Demonstrate understanding of the listening process (e.g., sender, receiver, message) by summarizing and paraphrasing spoken messages orally and in writing in formal and informal situations
  2.A.   Restate and carry out a variety of oral instructions
  3.B.   Use discussion strategies (e.g., volunteer relevant information, ask relevant questions, answer questions directly, respond to opinions and ideas of others, use eye contact and other nonverbal cues; ask for clarification and explanation of unfamiliar words and ideas, summarize information heard)
  4.B.   Use strategies for effective oral presentations (e.g., projection, tone, volume, rate, articulation, adjusting strategies when message is not being communicated, outline topics, manage apprehension and anxiety, visual aids, eye contact)
  5.B.   Speak in a variety of settings (e.g., in front of large and small audiences; as a participant in group readings, such as choral, echo, and shadow reading; as a participant in dramatic presentations; as a participant in a discussion)


Language Arts State Goal 5:
Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.


State Standards
A.   Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas.
  B.   Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources.
  C.   Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Use a systematic process for research (e.g., select a topic, formulate questions, narrow the focus of a topic, identify prior knowledge, develop a plan for gathering information)
  2.A.   Use electronic media to locate information (e.g., use pull-down menus, entry menu features, passwords, icons, key word searches)
  3.B.   Use a variety of methods to record and organize key details of informational texts (e.g., notes, summaries, outlines, charts)
  4.B.   Cite sources used (e.g., list titles of resources, quote or paraphrase information sources)
  5.C.   Create a variety of print and nonprint documents to communicate acquired information for specific audiences and purposes


Mathematics State Goal 6:
Demonstrate and apply a knowledge and sense of numbers, including numeration and operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), patterns, ratios and proportions.


State Standards
A.   Demonstrate knowledge and use of numbers and their representations in a broad range of theoretical and practical settings.
  B.   Investigate, represent and solve problems using number facts, operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) and their properties, algorithms and relationships.
  C.   Compute and estimate using mental mathematics, paper-and-pencil methods, calculators and computers.
  D.   Solve problems using comparison of quantities, ratios, proportions, and percents.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Read, write, and order numbers to 1,000,000
  2.A.   Read, write, and order decimals to hundredths
  3.A.   Use strategies to estimate/round numbers
  4.A.   Rename numbers using expanded notation to 1,000,000
  5.A.   Round numbers to the nearest 1,000
  6.A.   Round numbers to the nearest tenth
  7.A.   Recognize division and multiplication as inverse operations
  8.A.   Recognize the relationship between common fractions and decimals (i.e., 1/2 = .50, 1/4 = .25)
  9.A.   Identify equivalent fractions
  10.B.   Add and subtract multidigit numbers using regrouping
  11.B.   Know multiplication and division facts through 10s
  12.B.   Understand how multiplication and division are related
  13.B.   Solve real-world problems involving a single-digit divisor
  14.B.   Solve real-world problems using a two-digit multiplier
  15.B.   Multiply and divide by multiples of 10
  16.B.   Compare whole numbers, decimals, and simple fractions
  17.C.   Use mental math to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems
  18.C.   Use estimation to judge the reasonableness of a result
  19.C.   Know "how" and "when" to use a calculator
  20.C.   Identify fractions as a part of a whole, part of a collection, and as locations on a number line
  21.C.   Add and subtract simple fractions
  22.D.   Produce different representations of a number value for fractions and decimals (i.e., 1/4, 25%, 0.25, 2/8)


Mathematics State Goal 7:
Estimate, make and use measurements of objects, quantities and relationships and determine acceptable levels of accuracy.


State Standards
A.   Measure and compare quantities using appropriate units, instruments and methods.
  B.   Estimate measurements and determine acceptable levels of accuracy.
  C.   Select and use appropriate technology, instruments and formulas to solve problems, interpret results and communicate findings.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Read time to the nearest minute, both digital and analog
  2.A.   Measure to the nearest one-fourth inch using a ruler
  3.A.   Know one step equivalencies for cups, pints, quarts, gallons, liters, milliliters (i.e., two cups = one pint)
  4.A.   Regroup money (i.e., $4.25 = four dollars and one quarter and that seven quarters = $1.75)
  5.A.   Multiply and divide with dollar and cents
  6.A.   Convert within the same system (i.e., 100 cm = 1 m, 12 in. = 1 ft.)
  7.B.   Select appropriate units of measure for length, width, area, volume, and perimeter (i.e., measure a football field with meters and a pencil with centimeters)
  8.C.   Use a simple scale drawing (i.e., read a map key, 1 inch = 100 miles)
  9.C.   Select appropriate operations and methods when solving a given word problem
  10.C.   Given the formula, find the volume and surface area of a rectangular solid


Mathematics State Goal 8:
Use algebraic and analytical methods to identify and describe patterns and relationships in data, solve problems and predict results.


State Standards
A.   Describe numerical relationships using variables and patterns.
  B.   Interpret and describe numerical relationships using tables, graphs and symbols.
  C.   Solve problems using systems of numbers and their properties.
  D.   Use algebraic concepts and procedures to represent and solve problems.


Learner Statements
1.A.   Recognize the relationship among 10s, 100s, and 1000s
  2.A.   Use number sentences and equations to represent problem situations
  3.D.   Represent the idea of a variable as an unknown quantity using a letter or a symbol


Mathematics State Goal 9:
Use geometric methods to analyze, categorize and draw conclusions about points, lines, planes, and space.


State Standards
A.   Demonstrate and apply geometric concepts involving points, lines, planes and space.
  B.   Identify, describe, classify and compare relationships using points, lines, planes and solids.
  C.   Construct convincing arguments and proofs to solve problems.
  D.   Use trigonometric ratios and circular functions to solve problems.

Learner Statements
1.B.   Identify two or more lines of symmetry in a given figure
  2.B.   Identify and distinguish among point, ray, line, line segment, and angle
  3.B.   Describe the results of sliding, flipping, and turning two-dimensional shapes
  4.B.   Investigate and predict what must occur for similar figures to become congruent figures
  5.B.   Identify, locate, and place ordered pairs on a coordinate grid
  6.C.   Identify and compare attributes of two- and three-dimensional shapes (edges, vertices, faces, and bases)


Mathematics State Goal 10:
Collect, organize and analyze data using statistical methods; predict results; and interpret uncertainty using concepts of probability.


State Standards
A.   Organize, describe and make predictions from existing data.
  B.   Formulate questions, design data collection methods, gather and analyze data and communicate findings.
  C.   Determine, describe and apply the probabilities of events.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Use data from charts and graphs to make predictions and solve problems (bar, line, pie, and pictographs)
  2.B.   Using charts (bar, line, pie, and pictographs), formulate questions, interpret data, and draw conclusions
  3.B.   Explain the basic concept of a sample (e.g., a large sample leads to more reliable information)
  4.B.   Find the mean (average) of a given set of data
  5.C.   Calculate the probability of simple events and express as odds (e.g., heads/tails, number cube 0 - 5)
  6.C.   Determine probability of a given event through use of manipulatives (equally likely, least likely, most likely, likely, and not likely)


Science State Goal 11:
Understand the processes of scientific inquiry and technological design to investigate questions, conduct experiments, and solve problems.


State Standards
A.   Know and apply the concepts, principles, and processes of scientific inquiry.
  B.   Know and apply the concepts, principles, and processes of technological design.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Read and interpret data presented in graphs, recognizing when information is irrelevant
  2.A.   Know the appropriate experimental variable and the variables that must be controlled to perform an experiment accurately
  3.A.   Use appropriate safety procedures when doing experiments (wearing goggles, using fire extinguisher, etc.)
  4.A.   Work to ensure a safe environment following safety procedures at all times


Science State Goal 12:
Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical, and earth/space sciences.


State Standards
A.   Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt and change.
  B.   Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment.
  C.   Know and apply concepts that describe properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.
  D.   Know and apply concepts that describe force and motion and the principles that explain them.
  E.   Know and apply concepts that describe the features and processes of the earth and its resources.
  F.   Know and apply the concepts that explain the composition and structure of the universe and Earth's place in it.

Learner Statements
1.B.   Understand the structure of simple food chains and webs and the corresponding relationships between organisms (e.g., primary producers, herbivores, carnivores, decomposers)
  2.C.   Understand sources of energy for plants and animals (food pyramid, web, chain)
  3.C.   Identify and classify rocks and fossils
  4.C.   Understand basic principles of electricity (e.g., circuits, electrical charges, voltage current)
  5.C.   Understand the basic properties of light
  6.C.   Recognize basic forms of energy (light and heat)
  7.C.   Understand the basic properties of heat (conduction, radiation, convection)
  8.D.   Understand the basic principles of magnetism (e.g., attraction and repulsion, magnetic substances)
  9.E.   Know how features on the earth's surface are constantly changed by a combination of slow and rapid processes (e.g., earthquakes, storms, fires, erosion, weathering, glaciers)
  10.E.   Know the natural cycles of the earth's land, water, and atmospheric systems (e.g., rock cycle, water cycle, weather patterns)
  11.E.   Know the basic features and components of the earth's land, water, and atmospheric systems
  12.E.   Understand the classification of rocks, minerals, and fossils


Science State Goal 13:
Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.


State Standards
A.   Know and apply the accepted practices of science.
  B.   Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology and society.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Know that different people may interpret the same set of observations differently
  2.B.   Know how science and technology have developed over time


Social Science State Goal 14:
Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States.


State Standards
A.   Understand and explain basic principles of the United States government.
  B.   Understand the structures and functions of the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
  C.   Understand election processes and responsibilities of citizens.
  D.   Understand the roles and influences of individuals and interest groups in the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
  E.   Understand United States foreign policy as it relates to other nations and international issues.
  F.   Understand the development of United States political ideas and traditions.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Understand the Constitution is a written document that states the fundamental purposes of American government are to protect individual rights (e.g., individual rights expressed in the Bill of Rights) and promote the common good
  2.A.   Understand the basic responsibilities of the three branches of national government: legislative (e.g., House of Representatives and Senate make laws), executive (e.g., the President enforces laws), and judicial (e.g., the Supreme Court decides fairness of laws)
  3.A.   Know that the three branches of government (legislative, executive, judicial) are present at the local, state, and national levels of government
  4.B.   Know the structure, function, and respective duties of Illinois state government and federal government
  5.B.   Distinguish between local, state, and federal government
  6.F.   Understand the historical and symbolic significance of the flag and why it is a respected American symbol


Social Science State Goal 15:
Understand economic systems, with an emphasis on the United States.


State Standards
A.   Understand how different economic systems operate in the exchange, production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.
  B.   Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by consumers.
  C.   Understand that scarcity necessitates choices by producers.
  D.   Understand trade as an exchange of goods or services.
  E.   Understand the impact of government policies and decisions on production and consumption in the economy.

Learner Statements
1.B.   Know the factors that affect how consumers make their economic choices
  2.B.   Understand the relationships of supply and demand
  3.C.   Understand the role of choice and competition in the marketplace (e.g., active competition among sellers results in lower prices and costs, higher product quality, and better customer service)
  4.C.   Understand the concept of free enterprise
  5.C.   Understand that a business or individual makes a profit when revenue is greater than the costs of producing or selling a good or service, and a business experiences a loss when revenue is less than the costs of producing or selling a good or service
  6.D.   Know that imports are goods or services bought from sellers in another nation, and exports are goods and services produced in one nation but sold to buyers in another nation
  7.D.   Understand the advantages and disadvantages of specialization and a division of labor (assembly line) when manufacturing a product
  8.D.   Understand circular flow as the continuing and recurring transfer of money and goods between producers and consumers


Social Science State Goal 16:
Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.


State Standards
A.   Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.
  B.   Understand the development of significant political events.
  C.   Understand the development of significant political events.
  D.   Understand Illinois, United States and world social history.
  E.   Understand Illinois, United States and world environmental history

Learner Statements
1.A.   Use historical stories (both primary and secondary) to determine historical events that influenced the story
  2.A.   Use historical sources (both primary and secondary) to compare different portrayals and perspectives of the same event or historical figure
 

3.A.

  Use historical data from a variety of nonliterary sources (e.g., tables, charts, graphs, time lines, thematic maps) to interpret historical facts
  4.B.   Know the key individuals and places associated with the American Revolution (e.g., King George, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Boston, Philadelphia)
  5.B.   Understand changes in business and labor practices during the late 19th century (e.g., reasons for child labor and its consequences, changes in business operation, how workers' lives were affected after the Civil War)
  6.B.   Know that different regions within the United States have a unique history of their own, with their own significant events and people that shaped the historical characteristics of the region
  7.C.   Understand how trade and exploration led to cultural exchanges of ideas, technology, and language
  8.C.   Know how the inventions of key individuals contributed to the Industrial Revolution (e.g., inventions of John Deere, Thomas Edison, Robert McCormack, George Washington Carver, Henry Ford)
  9.D.   Know the ways in which participation in the westward expansion affected families and communities (e.g., the hardships they experienced on the frontier, how the settlements of the west are different from those in the east)
  10.D.   Know the history, progression, and individuals associated with civil rights (e.g., Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, abolition, the Civil War, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, segregation and the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr.)
  11.D.   Know that ways in which people live have changed through American history (e.g., modes of transportation, types of employment, types of housing, social gender roles)


Social Science State Goal 17:
Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States.


State Standards
A.   Locate, describe and explain places, regions and features on the earth.
  B.   Analyze and explain characteristics and interactions of the earth's physical systems.
  C.   Understand relationships between geographic factors and society.
  D.   Understand the historical significance of geography

Learner Statements
1.A.   Use maps, graphs, charts, and other geographic tools to classify regions, both globally and within the United States, with common characteristics (e.g., thematic maps showing climate, religions, economy, topographical features)
  2.A.   Use a map grid (latitude and longitude) to locate places, countries, and regions
  3.A.   Know that areas can be classified as regions according to physical criteria (e.g., landform regions, soil regions, vegetation regions, climate regions, water basins)
  4.A.   Know prominent geographic features of U.S. regions (e.g., the coastal plain, the Mississippi River, the Grand Canyon, the Everglades, the Rockies)
  5.B.   Understand the dominant physical processes associated with different regions (e.g., erosion and flooding along rivers, earthquakes and volcanoes on fault lines, limited precipitation in desert areas, characteristics of forests, prairies, and tundras)
  6.B.   Know the impact of physical geography on the settlement patterns of people (e.g., avoidance of harsh terrain such as mountain ranges, proximity to fresh water lakes and rivers, availability of arable land)
  7.B.   Understand the basic physical processes of the Earth (e.g., climate, the water cycle, soil formation, erosion) and how these processes affect the availability of natural resources
  8.C.   Know the location and uses of natural resources in different regions of the U.S. and the world (e.g., oil in Texas, Alaska, and the Middle East)
  9.C.   Know the relationships among the location of resources, population distribution, and economic activities (e.g., why the Northeast Coast of the United States is so densely populated)


Social Science State Goal 18:
Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the United States.


State Standards
A.   Compare characteristics of culture as reflected in language, literature, the arts, traditions and institutions.
  B.   Understand the roles and interactions of individuals and groups in society.
  C.   Understand how social systems form and develop over time.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Know the ways culture and ideas can be transmitted (e.g., museums, film, television) and that some sources are more reliable than others
  2.A.   Know that false stereotypes can sometimes be associated with different cultures
  3.A.   Know that different regions in the United States can have their own distinct cultural traits and can be found in the literature, art, music, and architecture of that region
  4.A.   Understand the differences in various cultures through short stories, novels, and music


Physical Development State Goal 19:
Acquire movement skills and understand concepts needed to engage in health-enhancing physical activity.


State Standards
A.   Demonstrate physical competency in individual and team sports, creative movement and leisure and work-related activities.
  B.   Analyze various movement concepts and applications.
  C.   Demonstrate knowledge of rules, safety and strategies during physical activity.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Demonstrate ability to jump rope individually or with a partner for sustained time
  2.A.   Demonstrate a sense of balance during physical activities
  3.A.   Demonstrate basic skills needed to perform lead up games to team sports
  4.B.   Use strong or light force when striking an object which is stationary or moving
  5.B.   Strike a tossed ball back to partner or wall using a variety of body parts
  6.B.   Use different body shapes and movements to creatively express various qualities of efforts
  7.C.   Demonstrate safety procedures appropriate to level
  8.C.   Demonstrate and understand rules in games and activities while officials identify fouls and errors in play


Physical Development State Goal 20:
Achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness based upon continual self-assessment.


State Standards
A.   Know and apply the principles and components of health-related fitness.
  B.   Assess individual fitness levels.
  C.   Set goals based on fitness data and develop, implement and monitor an individual fitness improvement plan.

Learner Statements
1.A.   Recognize the importance of locating heart rate before, during, and after physical activity


Physical Development State Goal 21:
Develop team-building skills by working with others through physical activity.


State Standards
A.   Demonstrate individual responsibility during group physical activities.
  B.   Demonstrate cooperative skills during structured group physical activity.

Learner Statements
Not tested at this benchmark.


Health State Goal 22:
Understand principles of health promotion and the prevention and treatment of illness and injury.


State Standards
A.   Explain the basic principles of health promotion, illness prevention and safety.
  B.   Describe and explain the factors that influence health among individuals, groups and communities.
  C.   Explain how the environment can affect health.

Learner Statements