In Readers Writing, Elizabeth Hale offers practical lessons that show teachers how students of all ability levels can use readers' notebooks to think critically, on their own, one step at a time. Each of the lessons uses a fiction or nonfiction book to address a comprehension strategy-questioning, connecting, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating, visualizing, or monitoring-and shows students one specific way they can write about their thinking.

All of the lessons follow a similar format with five components-Name It, Why Do It?, Model It, Try It, and Share It-and include time for students to actively process what they learn by talking about and trying out the strategy in their readers' notebooks.

You will also find suggestions for supporting student independence, managing independent writing time, scaffolding nonfiction texts, and assessing and conferencing with readers' notebooks as well as information on how each lesson aligns with the Common Core State Standards.