Teaching children to inquire, discuss ideas, and defend thinking about a literary text is a key aim of the common core state standards (CCSS). This article describes how four third-grade, male struggling readers successfully co-constructed meaning during a discussion based reading intervention rooted in philosophical inquiry. Three elements that…

The Common Core Standards for the English Language Arts (CCSS) provide explicit guidelines matching grade-level bands (e.g., 2-3, 4-5) with targeted text complexity levels. The CCSS staircase accelerates text expectations for students across Grades 2-12 in order to close a gap in the complexity of texts typically used in high school and those of…

This article shares findings from a collaborative, qualitative research project investigating what happens to first and third graders' comprehension of picturebooks if we intentionally teach them the language of art--Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Work with the art teacher and two classroom teachers transformed the traditional picture…

Dutro discusses an analysis of the disconnect between the material realities of the lives of a group of third-grade children living in poverty and the middle-class assumptions of a district-mandated unit within a literacy curriculum. The analysis arose in the context of an ethnographic study of identity and classroom literacy practices; it was…

Describes how the author incorporated a shared book reading using the multicultural book "Too Many Tamales" (by G. Soto and E. Martinez) with her urban third graders. Notes how the story provides an opportunity to consider what variables impact readers' interpretations and comprehension of text. (SG)

Discusses how curriculum can be designed so that it has the transforming power to change lives and transform words and actions, especially through literature study. Describes a group of third-graders' transactions with Patricia Polacco's "Chicken Sunday" to show how a "narrative curriculum" can be transformative. Discusses distinctive features of…

Shares the author's experiences as a third-grade teacher facing the dilemma of not having multiple copies of good literature available. Tells the story of how she developed effective instructional strategies for using the limited resources she was able to find. Describes how, despite less than ideal resources, children engaged in rich, thoughtful…

"Text Sets" is a curricular strategy that highlights intertextuality, the process of searching for connections among reading texts and personal experiences. The strategy consists of gathering groups of related books and engaging small groups of students in a discussion of how the books interrelate. Three teachers assembled Text Sets for…

Third-graders can use read-aloud time to hone critical and creative reading skills by getting involved in a story. Children relate book experiences to their own experiences by evaluating characters' responses, recognizing characters' motivation, and adjusting interpretations. (BB)