This article presents a review of the author's long-term research in urban classrooms. The authors explore six illustrated information books created by children as culminating activities of integrated science-literacy units, Forest and Matter, that they developed, implemented, and studied in several 1st-3rd grade classrooms in Chicago Public…

Describes the inspiration, planning, and implementation of the Poetry Project, a nine-week unit designed to immerse first and second grade children in the reading and writing of poetry. Notes that the project helped the students bring together oral and written language. (RS)

Explores the consequences for children and teachers when a scripted literacy program eliminates time for thoughtfulness. Examines some implicit and explicit expectations of children's talk during read-aloud time by sharing a study of response conducted in a multiethnic, primary grade classroom. (SG)

Describes some of the discussions and writing that first grade children engaged in as the result of their exposure to literature read aloud. (HTH)

This article examines the curricular possibilities within critical inquiry-based primary classrooms. The children in this first through third grade multi-age, multi-lingual classroom participated in a two-year critical and collaborative inquiry around issues of segregation and the Jim Crow laws. A touchstone text, Freedom Summer (Wiles, 2001) and…

Analyzes read-alouds of information books in a first-grade classroom. Finds that children's responses to the books and the connections they made among texts and between texts and other aspects of their lives shows that children's backgrounds are important factors in their literacy development. Notes the strength that diversity in children's…

Describes the modification in one kindergarten class of Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) to Sustained Loud Reading (SLR). Describes children's excited interactions with and sharing of books. (SR)

Describes a teacher's year-long effort to help a second grader who would not listen to stories being read aloud understand the purpose of storybook reading. Relates her efforts as a teacher-researcher to understand beliefs about reading. Examines story time for what is says about educational equity, and what such classroom rituals may deny some…