Latest Reading Posts from the Blog

Teaching Themes in Literature
It’s one thing to teach concepts like characters, setting, and plot. Most kids get these without too much trouble, but it’s another thing to teach

Teaching Character Traits in Reading
Teaching about character traits in reading can be challenging but fun! One of the hardest parts for kids is that in most pieces of literature,

Teaching Main Idea Using Informational Text
When I teach one of reading’s key concepts, finding the main idea using informational text, I like to start off the unit with something really

5 Reasons to Use Mentor Texts With Big Kids
When I changed grade levels from second grade to 4th/5th, one of the things I really thought I would miss was all of my amazing

Using the RACE Strategy for Text Evidence
Since we know that students need to be able to write constructed responses, I was so happy when I was introduced to the RACE strategy.

How to Teach Central Message
Teaching kids to identify the central message is not an easy task. Most central messages are implied and it takes some inferencing to piece it