Help students in grades 4 and up become better readers and writers using multilevel instruction with Modifying the Four Blocks(R) for Upper Grades. This 240-page book includes instructions for modifying strategies to meet the needs of older students and age-appropriate activities for each of the four blocks! It also features tips for scheduling, model lessons, and reproducibles to make implementation easier. The book supports the Four-Blocks(R) Literacy Model.

Presents ideas and suggestions for expanding the Four-Blocks literacy model in intermediate and middle school classrooms.

A plan book for teachers using the "Four-Blocks Literacy Model" for their daily planning also includes activities for each block.

B.11 Sports Books

Learn when and how to teach the Writing block using Writing Mini-Lessons for Upper Grades for grades 4–6. This 160-page resource, addresses specific issues and skills that help students become better writers. These mini-lessons are divided into three sections for use throughout the year. Students learn about different writing genres, making decisions about what to write, paragraphing in stories and informational text, self/peer editing, spelling, using commas, and writing to a prompt. This book supports the Four-Blocks(R) Literacy Model.

Write on! Writing the Four-Blocks(R) Way gives teachers of grades K–6 a glimpse into writing classrooms throughout the school year. This resource includes ideas for setting up a writing classroom, motivating students to write and keep writing, teaching reading through writing, supporting struggling writers, and teaching different genres. This 240-page book supports the Four-Blocks(R) Literacy Model and features lessons on editing, revising, sharing, and publishing.

All too often the poorest readers learn that if they keep quiet during sustained silent reading (SSR), they're doing okay--no reading required. This is especially true in middle school where class sizes are large and instructional emphasis is on content rather than reading. In Are They Really Reading?, Jodi Crum Marshall discusses how to find out if your students are using SSR time wisely and what to do about it if they're not. Her book describes how to support middle-grade readers who need it the most, while embracing a research-proven need to increase independent, self-selected reading time for students. Jodi shares lessons and anecdotes from her classroom and from her experience as a reading specialist implementing her model schoolwide. She expands the traditional concepts of SSR to include read-alouds, writing, and accountability to scaffold struggling middle-grade students. Bolstered by these additional supports, Jodi's students dramatically increased their interest and ability in reading through a program they named Supporting Student Literacy (SSL). Classroom teachers will appreciate the clear direction on how and why to implement an SSR program. Administrators will appreciate the guidance for establishing a schoolwide literacy block that substantially improves student motivation and learning. Are They Really Reading? answers the following important questions: Why should I start an SSR program? How do I build a classroom library? Where do I get funding for books and other materials? How do I prepare the students for SSR? How do I motivate students to read? What is the role of the teacher? How do I assess SSR? If you don't currently use a sustained silent reading program, this book will help you get started on the right track. If you worry that some of your students aren't really reading during SSR or if you want to enhance your program, here is a roadmap that is instructionally sound and flexible enough to fit your students' needs.