Grades 4-5

Social and Instructional Language

Language for Language Arts

Language for Mathematics

Language for Science 

Language for Social Studies

Narrate

Inform

Explain

Argue

Narrate

Inform

Argue

Explain

Argue

Explain

Argue

Explain

Argue

Interpret language arts narratives by

Construct language arts narratives that

Interpret informational texts in language arts by

Construct informational texts in language arts that

Interpret language arts arguments by 

Construct language arts arguments that

Interpret mathematical explanations by

Construct mathematical explanations that

Interpret mathematics arguments by

Construct mathematics arguments that

Interpret scientific explanations by 

Construct scientific explanations that

Interpret scientific arguments by

Construct scientific arguments that

Interpret social studies explanations by

Construct social studies explanations that 

Interpret social studies arguments by

Construct social studies arguments that

Share ideas about one’s own and others’ lived experiences and previous learning

Connect stories with images and representations to add meaning

Identify and raise questions about what might be unexplained, missing, or left unsaid

Recount and restate ideas to sustain and move dialogue forward  

Create closure, recap, and offer next steps

Define and classify facts and interpretations; determine what is known vs. unknown

Report on explicit and inferred characteristics, patterns, or behavior

Describe the parts and wholes of a system

Sort, clarify, and summarize relationships

Summarize most important aspects of information

Generate and convey initial thinking

Follow and describe cycles and sequences of steps or procedures and their causes and effects

Compare changing variables, factors, and circumstances

Offer alternatives to extend or deepen awareness of factors that contribute to particular outcomes

Act on feedback to revise understandings of how or why something is or works in particular ways

Generate questions about different perspectives

Support or challenge an opinion, premise, or interpretation

Clarify and elaborate ideas based on feedback

Evaluate changes in thinking, identifying trade-offs

Refine claims and reasoning based on new information or evidence

Identifying a theme from details 

Analyzing how character attributes and actions develop across event sequences

Determining the meaning of words and phrases used in texts, including figurative language, such as metaphors and similes

Orient audience to context

Develop and describe characters and their relationships

Develop story with complication and resolution, time and event sequences

Engage and adjust for audience  

Identifying and summarizing main ideas and key details 

Analyzing details and examples for key attributes, qualities, and characteristics

Evaluating the impact of key word choices in a text 

Introduce and define topic and/or entity for audience

Establish objective or neutral stance

Add precision and details to define, describe, compare, and classify topic and/or entity

Develop coherence and cohesion throughout text

Identifying main ideas

Analyzing points of view about the same event or topic

Evaluating how details, reasons, and evidence support particular points in a text

Introduce and develop a topic clearly; state an opinion

Support opinions with reasons and information 

Use a formal style

Logically connect opinions to appropriate evidence, facts, and details; offer a concluding statement or section

Identifying concept or entity

Analyzing problem-solving steps

Evaluating a pattern or structure that follows a given rule

Introduce concept or entity

Share solution with others 

Describe data and/or steps to solve problem

State reasoning used to generate solution

Comparing conjectures with patterns, and/or rules

Distinguishing commonalities and differences among ideas in justifications

Extracting patterns or rules from solution strategies to create generalizations

Create conjecture using definitions, patterns, and rules

Generalize commonalities and differences across cases

Justify conclusions with patterns or rules

Evaluate others’ arguments

Defining investigable questions or design problems based on observations, data, and prior knowledge about a phenomenon

Obtaining and combining evidence and information to help explain how or why a phenomenon occurs

Identifying evidence that supports particular points in an explanation 

Describe observations and/or data about a phenomenon

Establish neutral or objective stance in communicating results

Develop reasoning to show relationships between evidence and claims

Summarize and/or compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design solution

Identifying relevant evidence from data, models, and/or information from investigations of phenomena or design solutions

Comparing reasoning and claims based on evidence

Distinguishing among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in an explanation 

Introduce topic/phenomenon in issues related to the natural and designed world(s)

Make and define a claim based on evidence, data, and/or model

Establish a neutral tone or an objective stance  

Signal logical relationships among reasoning, relevant evidence, data, and/or a model when making a claim 

Determining different opinions in sources for answering compelling and supporting questions about phenomena or events

Analyzing sources for a series of contributing factors or causes

Evaluating disciplinary concepts and ideas that are open to different interpretations

Introduce phenomena or events

Describe components, order, causes and effects, or cycles using relevant examples and details 

Generalize probable causes and effects of developments or events 

Identifying topic and purpose (argue in favor or against a position, present a balanced interpretation, challenge perspective)

Analyzing relevant information from multiple sources to develop claims in response to compelling questions

Evaluating point of view and credibility of source, based on distinctions between fact and opinion

Introduce topic

Select relevant information to support claims with evidence from multiple sources

Establish perspective

Show relationships between claims with reasons and multiple sources of evidence