Unit Materials for 4th Grade English Language Arts
Explore the texts and supporting materials used in each unit of 4th Grade English Language Arts.
Need to purchase texts for this course?
You can request a current spreadsheet with all unit texts needed to teach Fishtank ELA for the 2025-26 school year by emailing [email protected].
Fishtank Learning partners with two text vendors who offer convenient ordering options for a school or district adoption: The Reading Warehouse and Mackin. You can request an introduction to the appropriate representative by emailing [email protected].
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Finding Fortune: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Core Texts
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Book: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011) — 810L
Supporting Texts
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Supplies: White paper
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Supplies: Scissors
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Markers or crayons
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Preparing for the Worst: Natural Disasters
Core Texts
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Book: Unforgettable Natural Disasters (TIME FOR KIDS Nonfiction Readers) by Tamara Hollingsworth (Teacher Created Materials; 2 edition, 2013)
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Book: Hurricanes by Seymour Simon (HarperCollins, 2007)
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Book: Wildfires by Seymour Simon (Collins, 2016) — 990L
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Book: Earthquakes by Seymour Simon (Collins, 2006) — 1010L
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Book: Volcanoes by Seymour Simon (Collins, 2006) — 880L
Supporting Texts
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Supplies: 3 Posters with Headings - Past, Present, Future
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Research Materials
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Interpreting Perspectives: Greek Myths
Core Texts
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Book: Greek Myth Plays by Carol Pugliano-Martin (Scholastic Teaching Resources, 2008)
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Book: I am Arachne: Fifteen Greek and Roman Myths by Elizabeth Spires (Square Fish, 2009)
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Book: The McElderry Book of Greek Myths by Eric A. Kimmel (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
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Book: Echo Echo: Reverso Poems about Greek Myths by Marilyn Singer (Dial Books) — 670L
Supporting Texts
Believing in Yourself: The Wild Book
Core Texts
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Book: The Wild Book by Margarita Engle (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, 2014) — 1050L
Supporting Texts
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Book: Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
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Book: Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
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Book: Rules by Cynthia Lord
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Video: “What is Dyslexia?” by TED-Ed
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Article: “Capitol Journal: Newsom's struggles with dyslexia prompt a 'very personal' quest to fund early screening” by George Skelton (The Los Angeles Times)
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Article: “After setbacks, dyslexia screening for young students moves forward in California schools” by Carolyn Jones (EdSource)
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Article: “'Learning Disabilities: An Overview' by Reading Rockets — Research Resource” (Reading Rockets)
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Article: “'Ability & Disability' by Learning For Justice — Possible Research Resource” (Learning for Justice)
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Website: https://www.understood.org
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Poster materials: poster, tri-fold, chart paper, etc.
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans
Core Texts
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Book: Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson (Balzer + Bray, 2013) — 1050L
Supporting Texts
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Book: Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2013)
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Book: Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America by Andrea Pinkney (Disney-Hyperion, 2012)
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Taking a Stand: Shiloh
Core Texts
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Book: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2000) — 890L
Supporting Texts
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Template: Opinion Writing Brainstorm Note-taker
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Discovering Self: Bud, Not Buddy
Core Texts
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Book: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (Laurel Leaf, 2014) — 950L
Supporting Texts
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Book: Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2010)
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Template: Two-Paragraph Outline
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Template: Great Depression Research Note-Taker
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Examining Our History: American Revolution
Core Texts
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Book: Liberty! How the Revolutionary War Began by Lucille Recht Penner (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2002) — 780L
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Book: A Young People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn, Adapted by Rebecca Stefoff (Seven Stories)
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Book: Black Heroes of the American Revolution by Burke Davis (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1992) — 1330L
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Book: Great Women of the American Revolution by Brianna Hall (Capstone Press, 2015)
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Book: A Young People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn, Adapted by Rebecca Stefoff (Seven Stories)
Supporting Texts
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Book: Black Heroes of the American Revolution by Burke Davis (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1992)
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Book: Great Women of the American Revolution by Brianna Hall (Capstone Press, 2015)
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Article: “William Barton’s Opinion Letter” (Retrieved from Engage NY Grade 4, Module 3B, Unit 3, Lesson 1)
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Article: “Just Say No: The Daughters of Liberty” by Jennifer Barefoot (CommonLit)
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Article: “Native Americans in Colonial America” by National Geographic (National Geographic)
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Article: “Betwixt & Between: Growing up African American in Revolutionary Times” by Leslie Anderson Morales (Appleseeds)
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Template: American Revolution Research Note-Taker
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Various websites for research
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Politics and People: U.S. Government
Core Texts
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Book: Roses and Radicals: The Epic Story of How American Women Won the Right to Vote by Susan Zimet (Viking Books for Young Readers, 2018) — 1090L
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Book: For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters by Jeff Foster (Scholastic, 2020) — 1130L
Supporting Texts
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Book: Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America by Andrea Pinkney (Disney-Hyperion, 2012)
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Book: Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by Juan Felipe Herrera (Dial Books) (August 2014)
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Book: Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2013)
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Book: Kid's Guide to Government: Understanding Your Role in Elections by Jessica Gunderson (Capstone Press, 2018)
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Template: US Government Research Note-Taker
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Various websites for research
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
