Alaska Grade 4 English

Compare firsthand and secondhand accounts

Two accounts can describe the same event while emphasizing different information. Read them together, identify what each writer could observe, and combine the details that answer a particular question. This is useful practice for reading about local events without assuming that one person's account tells the whole story.

Curriculum reference: Alaska’s 2012 English/Language Arts standards, listed in the state standards directory.

Selected Grade 4 references for this activity

Read the Grade 4 column of the linked state pages for the full requirements. The two focus labels below identify the part of the curriculum used for this guide.

A worked Grade 4 reading and writing example

These original classroom examples model reasoning. They are fictional learning material, separate from official assessment questions.

Both accounts below are invented. A student writes: 'When the visiting book collection arrived at our Alaska school, I chose a book about birds. The volunteer helped me find the section.' A school notice says: 'The collection visited three classrooms on Tuesday. Volunteers helped students select books and recorded which titles were borrowed.'

Build the explanation

The student gives a firsthand account of choosing a book and receiving help. The notice gives a wider account of the visit, including the number of classrooms and the record keeping. To explain how volunteers supported the visit, combine their help with choosing books and their work recording loans. Neither account says that every student borrowed a bird book.

Diagnose the next learning need

If a student calls the notice wrong because it omits the bird book, explain that writers select details for different purposes. If an answer blends the two sources without identifying them, use phrases such as 'The student describes…' and 'The notice adds…'.

Choose a Grade 4 English worksheet

Use the companion collection to find printable skill practice. Match the task to the teacher’s assignment and the state reference above; the collection is independently published.

Browse Grade 4 English worksheets

Make the next practice session count

1. Make a two-column chart of details from each account.
2. Identify a difference in focus and support it with a detail.
3. Write an answer that draws useful information from both accounts.

Compare two real teacher-selected accounts of an event. Check authorship, date, and whether the writer witnessed the event before labeling an account firsthand.

For additional general learning resources, use the Grade 4 English Online Center.

Alaska Grade 4 English: planning questions

What is the curriculum source?

The linked Alaska document provides the formal requirements. This page focuses on selected references and a worked activity; a school’s pacing guide determines the sequence of instruction.

Is AK STAR the assessment for this grade?

AK STAR includes Grade 4 English language arts. Check Alaska’s AK STAR guidance for official assessment information. Use the worked example here to develop the skill before choosing additional practice.