Students in fourth grade analyze the structure of prose, poetry and drama. In narrative stories, students analyze the plot, characters, theme and setting. They determine how the characters' actions move the story forward. Students analyze the difference between prose and poetry. They understand that verse and meter make poetry different from a narrative story. Dramatic readings are studied in fourth grade. Students recognize the difference between drama and the other literature they study. Drama contains a cast of characters and stage direction, according to the California Department of Education.
Students in fourth grade read to learn especially in the content areas of science and social studies. They learn how to read visual aids within the text -- diagrams, timelines and photos -- to give clues about what they are reading. Determining the main idea and the supporting facts in the informational writing is a concept they work on while reading informational text. Students read information from different sources, including primary and secondary sources, and summarize the data. The students are then able to present the information orally or in written form.
Decoding grade-level words accurately is a fourth-grade concept. Students should be able to recognize words within the text. They work at looking at a word in context to determine its meaning. They also use their knowledge of syllabication, roots and affixes to decode a new word and its meaning, according to the California Department of Education.
in fourth grade, students should fluently read grade-level text. They strive to read accurately and smoothly, and with expression. Reading a variety of text -- prose, poetry, drama and informational -- will help them master this concept.