Grade 4 Math Priority Pacing Guide
i-Ready Classroom ★ 14 District Priority Standards Integrated
Grade 4 Curriculum Pacing & Triage
Grade 4 Mathematics Priority Scope & Sequence
District Priority Standards Alignment • Targeted Curriculum Completion by April 16, 2027 (Pre-May 1 Window)
Instructional Runway
130 Days
Sept 15, 2026 – Apr 16, 2027. Unlocks 2 full weeks before May 1 for targeted spiral review.
District Priority Target
14 Standards (100%)
Non-negotiable full mastery across 4.NBT (5), 4.OA (2), and 4.NF (7).
Recaptured Time
24 Days Saved
Non-priority topics (symmetry, multi-day projects) bypassed to guarantee priority mastery.
District Adopted Priority Standards Roster (14 Essential Standards)
Mastery Mandate
4.NBT (5 Standards) 4.NBT.1 (10x Value), 4.NBT.2 (Read/Write/Compare), 4.NBT.3 (Rounding), 4.NBT.4 (Add/Sub Algorithm), 4.NBT.5 (Multiplication)
4.OA (2 Standards) 4.OA.2 (Multiplicative Comparison Word Problems), 4.OA.3 (Multi-step Problems & Remainder Interpretation)
4.NF (7 Standards) 4.NF.1 (Equivalence), 4.NF.2 (Compare), 4.NF.3 (+/- Fractions & Mixed), 4.NF.4 (Frac \(\times\) Whole), 4.NF.5, 6, 7 (Decimals)
Massachusetts MCAS Weighting & District Priority Intersection
DESE Math Alignment
| Domain / Cluster | MCAS Weight | District Priority Count | Strategic Pacing & Triage Policy |
|---|
| 4.NF — Number & Operations: Fractions | ~35% of MCAS | 7 Standards (Full Domain) | Absolute top priority. Every single fraction/decimal standard is a district priority. Zero days condensed or skipped in 4.NF. |
| 4.NBT — Numbers in Base Ten | ~25% of MCAS | 5 Standards (All except .6) | Teach to deep mastery. Dedicated time for rounding (NBT.3) & algorithm fluency (NBT.4/5). Division (NBT.6) taught for MCAS. |
| 4.OA — Operations & Algebraic Thinking | ~20% of MCAS | 2 Standards (OA.2 & OA.3) | Multi-step focus. OA.2 (comparison problems) and OA.3 (multi-step with remainders) receive intensive extended instruction. |
| 4.MD & 4.G — Measurement, Angles, Geometry | ~20% combined | 0 Standards (State Only) | Condense / Triage. Because these domains contain NO district priority standards, non-tested lessons are skipped to protect 4.NF/NBT runway. |
Massachusetts School Calendar Benchmark Schedule
Pacing Checkpoints
Checkpoint 1
Checkpoint 2
Checkpoint 3
Checkpoint 4
Pre-May 1 Target
Oct 23, 2026
Unit 1 Complete
4.NBT.1-4 Complete
Dec 18, 2026
Unit 2 Complete
4.NBT.5, 4.OA.2-3 Complete
Feb 12, 2027
Unit 3 Complete
4.NF.1-7 100% Done
Mar 26, 2027
Unit 4 Complete
Decimals & Measure
Apr 16, 2027
Unit 5 Complete
All Priorities Mastered!
Triage Action Key:
★ DISTRICT PRIORITY (Non-negotiable full mastery)
State Priority
Condense
Skip
Grade 4 i-Ready Pacing • Massachusetts DESE Alignment Framework Section 1 of 5 • Strategic Executive Blueprint
Fall Term: Unit 1 & Unit 2 Part A (Sept 15 – Nov 24)
District Priorities: 4.NBT.1, 4.NBT.2, 4.NBT.3, 4.NBT.4, 4.NBT.5, 4.OA.2
6 District Priorities
Unit 1: Whole Number Operations & Place Value Sept 15 – Oct 23 • 25 Instructional Days
| Lesson | Lesson Title & Target Concept | Standards Alignment | Dates | Days | Action & Curricular Directive |
|---|
| L 1 | Understand Place Value (10x rule) | 4.NBT.A.1 ★ | Sept 16 - 22 | 4 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Full mastery. Digit value = 10x position to right. |
| L 2 | Compare & Order Whole Numbers | 4.NBT.A.2 ★ | Sept 23 - 28 | 4 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Read, write numerals, word names, expanded form, >, =, <. |
| L 3 | Round Whole Numbers to Any Place | 4.NBT.A.3 ★ | Sept 29 - Oct 2 | 4 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Full instruction. Vertical number line reasoning for multi-digit numbers. |
| L 4 | Add Whole Numbers (Standard Alg.) | 4.NBT.B.4 ★ | Oct 5 - Oct 9 | 4 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Fluency standard. Emphasize place-value regrouping precision. |
| L 5 | Subtract Whole Numbers (Zeros) | 4.NBT.B.4 ★ | Oct 13 - 19 | 5 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Fluency standard. 2 full days dedicated to regrouping across zeros. |
| U1 Act | Unit 1 Math in Action Task | Culminating Task | Oct 20 | 0 Days | SKIP Saves 2 days. Replace with 1-day Unit 1 Assessment & MCAS check. |
Unit 2 (Part A): Multiplicative Comparison, Factors & Multiplication Oct 26 – Nov 24 • 20 Instructional Days
| Lesson | Lesson Title & Target Concept | Standards Alignment | Dates | Days | Action & Curricular Directive |
|---|
| L 6 | Multiplicative Comparison Concept | 4.OA.A.1 (State) | Oct 26 - 29 | 4 Days | STATE PRIORITY Foundation for 4.OA.2. Interpret "\(a \times b\)" as times as many. |
| L 7 | Comparison Word Problems & Symbols | 4.OA.A.2 ★ | Nov 2 - 6 | 5 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Bar models & equations with unknown symbols. Distinguish add vs mult. |
| L 8 | Factors, Multiples, Prime & Composite | 4.OA.B.4 (State) | Nov 9 - 13 | 4 Days | STATE PRIORITY Essential prerequisite for fraction simplification (4.NF.1). |
| L 9 | Number and Shape Patterns | 4.OA.C.5 (State) | Nov 16 - 17 | 2 Days | CONDENSE Saves 2 days. Focus on number rules only. Skip shape tiling. |
| L 10-12 | Multi-Digit Multiplication (Area & 2x2) | 4.NBT.B.5 ★ | Nov 18 - 24 | 5 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Area models, partial products, 4x1 & 2x2. Equations & arrays. |
Thanksgiving Gatekeeper (Nov 24, 2026): By Thanksgiving, 6 of 14 District Priority Standards (4.NBT.1-5 and 4.OA.2) must be fully taught with students scoring 80%+ on area models and comparison equations.
6 Priorities Done
Grade 4 i-Ready Pacing • Massachusetts DESE Alignment Framework Section 2 of 5 • Fall Term Matrix
Winter Term: Unit 2 Part B & Unit 3 (Nov 30 – Feb 12)
District Priorities: 4.OA.3, 4.NF.1, 4.NF.2, 4.NF.3, 4.NF.4, 4.NF.5, 4.NF.6, 4.NF.7
8 District Priorities
Unit 2 (Part B): Multi-Digit Division & Multi-Step Problem Solving Nov 30 – Dec 18 • 15 Instructional Days
| Lesson | Lesson Title & Target Concept | Standards Alignment | Dates | Days | Action & Curricular Directive |
|---|
| L 13-14 | Divide 3- & 4-Digit by 1-Digit Numbers | 4.NBT.B.6 (State) | Nov 30 - Dec 8 | 6 Days | STATE PRIORITY Area models & partial quotients. Connect division directly to multiplication. |
| L 15 | Divide Four-Digit Numbers (Algorithms) | 4.NBT.B.6 | Dec 9 | 0 Days | SKIP Saves 3 days. Not a district priority. Core standard already met in L13-14. |
| L 16-17 | Multi-Step Problems & Remainder Interpretation | 4.OA.A.3 ★ | Dec 10 - 18 | 6 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY All 4 operations, letters for unknown, assess reasonableness, interpret remainders. |
Unit 3: Fractions & Decimals (100% District Priority Domain) Jan 4 – Feb 12 • 28 Instructional Days
| Lesson | Lesson Title & Target Concept | Standards Alignment | Dates | Days | Action & Curricular Directive |
|---|
| L 18 | Fraction Equivalence & Visual Models | 4.NF.A.1 ★ | Jan 4 - 8 | 4 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Visual fraction models; explain \(a/b = (n \times a)/(n \times b)\); fractions > 1. |
| L 19 | Compare Fractions (Benchmarks 0, 1/2, 1) | 4.NF.A.2 ★ | Jan 11 - 15 | 4 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Different numerators/denominators; justify with models; symbols >, =, <. |
| L 20-22 | Add/Subtract Fractions & Mixed Numbers | 4.NF.B.3 ★ | Jan 19 - 29 | 8 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Decompose into unit fractions; join/separate parts of same whole; mixed numbers. |
| L 23-24 | Multiply Fractions by Whole Numbers | 4.NF.B.4 ★ | Feb 1 - 5 | 5 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY Multiple of unit fraction: \(n \times (a/b) = (n \times a)/b\). Contextual word problems. |
| L 25-26 | Decimals: Tenths/Hundredths & Comparing | 4.NF.C.5,6,7 ★ | Feb 8 - 12 | 5 Days | DISTRICT PRIORITY \(3/10 = 30/100\); decimal notation \(0.62 = 62/100\); compare decimals to hundredths. |
Mid-Year Milestone: 100% of District Priority Standards Complete (Feb 12, 2027)! By February vacation, all 14 District Priority Standards are taught to mastery. The remaining spring runway is dedicated to state-only topics, spiral review, and MCAS practice.
14/14 Priorities Done
Grade 4 i-Ready Pacing • Massachusetts DESE Alignment Framework Section 3 of 5 • Winter Term & Fractions Core
Spring Term: Units 4, 5 & MCAS Review (Feb 22 – May 1)
State-Supporting Standards (Measurement & Geometry) & 10-Day Pre-May 1 Review Runway
Priority Runway Protected
Unit 4: Measurement, Area/Perimeter & Line Plots (State Standards Only) Feb 22 – Mar 12 • 15 Instructional Days
| Lesson | Lesson Title & Target Concept | Standards Alignment | Dates | Days | Action & Curricular Directive |
|---|
| L 27 | Convert Measurement Units (Custom/Metric) | 4.MD.A.1 (State) | Feb 22 - 25 | 3 Days | CONDENSE Saves 2 days. Use 2-column conversion tables; formula sheets given on MCAS. |
| L 28 | Measurement Word Problems | 4.MD.A.2 (State) | Feb 26 | 0 Days | SKIP Saves 3 days. Embed distance and elapsed time problems into morning spiral routines. |
| L 29 | Area and Perimeter Formulas | 4.MD.A.3 (State) | Mar 1 - 5 | 5 Days | STATE PRIORITY Solve for unknown dimensions (\(A = 48\), \(w = 6\), find length & perimeter). |
| L 30 | Line Plots with Fractional Data | 4.MD.B.4 (State) | Mar 8 - 9 | 2 Days | CONDENSE Saves 2 days. Treat as fraction addition review; skip data collection projects. |
Unit 5: Geometry, Angles & 2D Classification (State Standards Only) Mar 15 – Apr 16 • 24 Instructional Days
| Lesson | Lesson Title & Target Concept | Standards Alignment | Dates | Days | Action & Curricular Directive |
|---|
| L 31-32 | Lines, Rays, Angles & Classifying 2D Shapes | 4.G.A.1, 4.G.A.2 | Mar 15 - 24 | 6 Days | STATE PRIORITY Parallel/perpendicular lines; classify triangles (right/acute/obtuse) & quadrilaterals. |
| L 33 | Line Symmetry (Draw & Identify) | 4.G.A.3 | Mar 25 | 0 Days | SKIP Saves 3 days. Lowest tested standard (<1% MCAS). Send home as family math task. |
| L 34-36 | Angle Concepts, Protractor & Additive Angles | 4.MD.C.5-7 (State) | Mar 26 - Apr 16 | 11 Days | STATE PRIORITY 360-degree circle fraction, physical protractor usage, additive equations (\(\angle a + \angle b\)). |
April 26 – May 7: 10-Day District Priority MCAS Spiral Review
Because all 14 District Priority Standards were completed by February 12, this 10-day post-vacation window delivers high-intensity spiral practice on 4.OA.3 multi-step items, 4.NF.3 fraction computation, and 4.NBT.5 multiplication models.
10 Review Days
Grade 4 i-Ready Pacing • Massachusetts DESE Alignment Framework Section 4 of 5 • Spring Term & Spiral Review Runway
District Priority Mastery Protocol & Triage Audit
14 Adopted Priorities
Standards-aligned justification for skipped/condensed lessons and non-negotiable mastery criteria.
Recaptured Instructional Time Audit (24 Days Total)
Curricular Rationale
| Lesson / Activity | Status | Days Saved | District Priority Protection Rationale |
|---|
| Lesson 33: Line Symmetry | Skip | 3 Days | Not a District Priority. DESE weight <2%. Single 1-pt item. Assign as home enrichment to preserve time for 4.NF fractions. |
| Lesson 15: 4-Digit Division Ext. | Skip | 3 Days | Not a District Priority. Standard 4.NBT.B.6 is fulfilled in L13-14. Avoids rote division drills to protect 4.OA.3 multi-step instruction. |
| Lesson 28: Measure Problems | Skip | 3 Days | Not a District Priority. Measurement word problems (4.MD.2) are integrated into 5-minute morning warm-up spiral routines. |
| All Math in Action Days (U1-5) | Skip | 10 Days | Recaptures 2 full weeks. Multi-day open projects replaced by 1-day MCAS released item assessments targeting district priority standards. |
| Lesson 9: Shape Patterns | Condense | 2 Days | Not a District Priority. Condensed to focus solely on numerical sequence rules; geometric tiling skipped. |
| Lesson 27: Conversions | Condense | 2 Days | Not a District Priority. DESE provides reference conversion sheets on MCAS; focus on ratio table multiplication. |
District Priority Mastery Criteria (14 Standards)
- • 4.NBT.1-3: Explain 10x value; read/write/compare numerals to 1M; round to any place with number line models.
- • 4.NBT.4-5: Fluently add/subtract multi-digit numbers with standard algorithm; multiply up to 4x1 and 2x2 with area models.
- • 4.OA.2-3: Solve comparison problems (\(a \times b\)); solve multi-step problems with all 4 operations and remainder interpretation.
- • 4.NF.1-4: Visual equivalence; benchmark comparisons; +/- like denominator fractions & mixed; multiply fraction \(\times\) whole.
- • 4.NF.5-7: Convert tenths to hundredths; decimal notation (\(0.62 = 62/100\)); compare decimals to hundredths (\(>, =, <\)).
Tier 2 Targeted Prerequisite Bridge
- • 4.NBT.5 Intervention: Small-group bridge to Grade 3 array models (3.OA.B.5) and foundational 10s fact fluency.
- • 4.OA.3 Intervention: 3-Read protocol and tape diagram bar modeling routines for multi-step contextual decoding.
- • 4.NF.1-2 Intervention: Daily fraction strip manipulatives and number lines (3.NF.1-2) before numeric cross-multiplication.
- • i-Ready Personalized Path: Target 45 min/week on assigned prerequisite domains with 70%+ passing benchmark.
Teacher Action Mandate: 100% District Priority Mastery Before May 1
Stick to the calendar dates. All 14 District Priorities are mastered by February 12. Use March/April for state topics and spiral review!
14 Priorities Aligned
Grade 4 i-Ready Pacing • Massachusetts DESE Alignment Framework Section 5 of 5 • Triage Rationale & Interventions
