Four reading texts provide interesting, developmentally appropriate selections from a variety of genres, such as realistic and historical fiction, fables, folktales, Bible accounts, biography, and drama as well as poetry. The reading selections provide a progression of difficulty in readability. Instruction is provided in phonics, oral reading, literary techniques, and comprehension. The selections are sequenced logically for readability and skill progression to help all students succeed.

The teacher edition provides phonics instruction for review, multi-level discussion questions to promote critical thinking, and suggestions for pre-reading and post-reading activities to meet multiple-learning needs. Lesson instruction promotes the use of reading groups to help teachers tailor instruction to meet students’ varied reading levels. Teachers use silent reading to teach students to read for learning and then use good questions to guide discussion which builds comprehension. Oral reading follows to communicate the message of the author by using inflections, rhythm, pitch sounds, and so forth.