Fourth grade is a momentous year for literacy learning. Having left the primary grades behind, students must grapple with more demanding texts and content material--and effective, motivating instruction can help them succeed. This book helps teachers vanquish the dreaded "fourth-grade slump" by creating an energized and organized learning environment in which all students can improve their reading and writing strategies. Taking readers into the classroom of an exemplary fourth-grade teacher, the book includes useful assessment tools, differentiation techniques, mini lessons, unit plans, reproducibles, and examples of student work. Special attention is given to meeting the challenges of high-stakes testing without sacrificing instructional quality.