Common Core Standards: Ccss. Ela-Literacy. Ri.4.2

Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

This Common Core Standard is a refinement of its third grade counterpart, with the added requirement of summarizing a text. That means students will have to be able to give a play-by-play of what a text is about, more than simply saying who or what the article describes, where and when the article takes place, and why or how something happens in the article. Now would be a good time to teach students how a main idea of a text is supported by individual points which in turn are backed up by supporting details.