Notes, Sources and Paraphrasing
A 40-minute Grade 4 lesson on taking notes, paraphrasing, categorising information and listing sources.
Notes, Sources and Paraphrasing is a free 40-minute Grade 4 English lesson plan for Common Core standard W.4.8 — take and sort notes from sources, and list where they came from. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 4
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- W.4.8
Grade 4 · Writing
W.4.8
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.
Objective
Students will be able to paraphrase a source passage and record the source correctly.
Students are successful when they can
- Paraphrases without copying phrases.
- Keeps the meaning accurate.
- Records the source.
What you need
- Source passages
- A source-recording format
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — spot the copy
5 min- Give three paraphrases of one passage. One has copied phrases.
- Underline them.
Teach — cover, say, write
13 min- Read a passage. Cover it. Say it aloud in your own words.
- Then write what you said.
- Uncover and check two things: no copied phrases, and the meaning survived.
- Show a paraphrase that avoided copying and lost the meaning. That is worse.
- Record the source: title, author, page.
“Say it out loud first. Speaking uses your words; copying uses theirs.”
Guided practice — three paraphrases
12 min- Students paraphrase three passages using cover-say-write.
- Partners check for copied phrases and lost meaning.
- They record all three sources.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the paraphrasing page.
- The passages are on the sheet.
Close
2 min- Read one paraphrase against its source.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Swaps a few words and calls it a paraphrase.
Why: The sentence is different and the meaning is intact.
Fix: The structure has to change too. Cover-say-write does that automatically.
Changes the meaning in the effort to change the words.
Why: Avoiding the source's phrasing pushes them away from its sense.
Fix: Check against the original. Accuracy first, then originality of wording.
Records the source later, from memory.
Why: It interrupts the reading.
Fix: Record it before reading the passage. Ten seconds at the start beats a lost source at the end.
If they are not there yet
- One passage rather than three.
- Shorter passages.
If they finish early
- Paraphrase a passage with technical terms that cannot be changed.
- Combine two passages into one paraphrase.
- Judge which of two paraphrases is more accurate.
Exit ticket
Paraphrase this passage and record its source.
What to look for: No copied phrases, meaning intact, source recorded. Copied phrases mean the covering step is being skipped.
Printable practice for W.4.8
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Take Notes and CategoriseWrite on the lines. Use the checklist.
Questions about Notes, Sources and Paraphrasing
How long does the Notes, Sources and Paraphrasing lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Notes, Sources and Paraphrasing teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.8 — W.4.8, Writing for Grade 4: “Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.” In plain terms, take and sort notes from sources, and list where they came from.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Source passages, a source-recording format and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: swaps a few words and calls it a paraphrase; changes the meaning in the effort to change the words and records the source later, from memory. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Paraphrase this passage and record its source.” No copied phrases, meaning intact, source recorded. Copied phrases mean the covering step is being skipped. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Notes, Sources and Paraphrasing?
Yes — 1 printable W.4.8 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Notes, Sources and Paraphrasing free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to W.4.8 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.