4th-Grade ELA Assignment

Fourth-grade students engage with a series of worthwhile sources (text, video, and experiment) about different simple machines, then write in response to the prompt: "Choose a simple machine that you’ve learned about. Explain how that simple machine makes life easier using evidence from the video, text and experiment.” A student-facing writing rubric sets clear expectations for organization, the use of evidence from these sources, and the explanation of evidence. This assignment exposes students to grade-appropriate, content-rich sources that build scientific knowledge and requires students to write an explanatory piece to convey their understanding. 

This assignment is strongly aligned because the sources are strong and the task is strong:

The assignment exposes students to multiple sources (text, video, and experiment) that build their scientific knowledge. The central text builds students’ knowledge of simple machines that help us do work (e.g., wedge, screw, lever, pulley, wheel and axle), and prompts exploration of these machines through experiments.  

The assignment requires students to identify and examine textual evidence. Students are asked to write an explanatory piece that conveys their understanding of the ideas and information in these sources.

The rubric sets clear expectations for the organization and development of student writing. Students are expected to include an introduction that provides context on the topic, three ideas with supporting evidence from sources, and a concluding statement. 

The assignment provides an opportunity for students to practice the conventions of standard English in authentic writing. In this task, however, this opportunity appears to be incidental rather than intentional, as the directions do not include clear expectations for use of grammatical conventions beyond fourth-grade level transitions.