LAFS.4.RL.1.2Archived Standard

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Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
General Information
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Grade: 4
Strand: Reading Standards for Literature
Idea: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Date Adopted or Revised: 12/10
Content Complexity Rating: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning - More Information
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived
Assessed: Yes
Test Item Specifications
  • Item Type(s): This benchmark may be assessed using: TM , MS , ST , MC item(s)

  • Assessment Limits :
    Items may ask the student to use details from a text to determine the theme. The theme may be explicitly or implicitly stated. Items may ask the student to summarize the text as a whole or to identify key events as part of a summary.
  • Text Types :
    The items assessing this standard may be used with one or more grade-appropriate literary texts. Texts may vary in complexity
  • Response Mechanisms :
    The Enhanced Item Descriptions section on page 3 provides a list of Response Mechanisms that may be used to assess this standard (excluding the Editing Task Choice item type). The Sample Response Mechanisms may include, but are not limited to, the examples below
  • Task Demand and Sample Response Mechanisms :
    Task Demand

    Determine a theme of a text.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Text 

    • Requires the student to select the theme of the passage and then to choose textual evidence to support the answer. 
    Multiple Choice 
    • Requires the student to select the theme of the passage. Provide a summary of the text.
    Selectable Text 
    • Requires the student to select details from the text that are necessary for a summary. 
    Multiple Choice 
    • Requires the student to identify the correct summary of the text.
     Multiselect 
    • Requires the student to select multiple details from the text that are necessary for a summary. Table Match • Requires the student to complete a table that creates a summary of the text.

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5010010: English for Speakers of Other Languages-Elementary (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022 (course terminated))
5010020: Basic Skills in Reading-K-2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
5010030: Functional Basic Skills in Communications-Elementary (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
5010045: Language Arts - Grade Four (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
7710015: Access Language Arts - Grade 4 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5010240: Theatre – Intermediate 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2020 (course terminated))
5011040: Library Skills/Information Literacy 4 (Specifically in versions: 2016 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))
5004240: Theatre Intermediate 2 (Specifically in versions: 2020 - 2022, 2022 - 2024, 2024 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

Identifying Themes Across Cultures: Lesson on Theme:

In this lesson, students will learn to determine the universal theme of a story. They will first identify the problem and solution of a story and use that information to determine the theme or author's message, and from there, they will determine the universal theme. Finally, they will compare and contrast the text with another story with a similar theme. This lesson uses the texts Indian Children's Favorite Stories retold by Rosemarie Somaiah and Filipino Children's Favorite Stories retold by Liana Romulo.

Type: Lesson Plan

Aesop's Fable "The Lost Wig":

This lesson on Aesop's Fable "The Lost Wig" will provide students the opportunity to share and discuss their ideas of the fable’s theme. Students will work together in cooperative pairs to determine the theme "The Lost Wig." They will also have the opportunity to add on to the ending of "The Lost Wig" to enhance the theme.

Type: Lesson Plan

Discovering Florida's Past with A Land Remembered (Lesson 2 of 2):

Students will go on adventures with the MacIvey family as they work cooperatively to summarize a text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Student Center Activities

Comprehension: Sum-thing Special:

In this activity, students will summarize text using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Retell Recap:

In this activity, students will retell or summarize a story.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Story Element Ease:

In this activity, students will identify and sort story elements (character, setting, problem, solution, theme, plot). They will then compare and contrast the elements of different stories.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Story Pieces:

In this activity, students will answer questions related to story elements (characters, setting, plot, theme) and record their answers on a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Sum Summary!:

In this activity, students will summarize text (narrative and expository) using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Summary Step-Up:

In this activity, students will summarize narrative text using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: The Main Events:

In this activity, students will sequence events in a story using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.