Reading & Writing Program for Students in Grades 3 - 5

Reading & Writing Program for Students in Grades 3 - 5

Modifications for using Reading Kingdom Stage 2 For children on the Spectrum: View PDF

Reading Kingdom Stage 2 is an incredibly effective reading and writing program for students in grades 3 to 5 as well as older students who are experiencing difficulties. It is the only program available that features Dr. Marion Blank’s Integrated Skills Method which uses innovative techniques to teach reading, writing and comprehension in an integrated fashion so that they complement and reinforce each other. The result is that students become successful readers and writers.


The program has three levels that teach students to become adept at dealing with the higher level reading and writing skills required in key subjects such as literature, social studies and science. These subjects entail reading about complex topics with lengthy elaboration that cannot be communicated effectively in a few paragraphs. That’s why this material expands to what are commonly referred to as “chapter books." From about third or fourth grade on, this type of reading is the mainstay of the curriculum and skill with this material is the single, most important factor in whether or not a child will be successful in school.


Early reading instruction typically involves short, simple content. But that type of instruction can leave students unprepared for the transition to the material they are going to be dealing with day in and day out for the rest of their school careers. Unfortunately, relatively little is done to provide them with the instruction they need to handle more advanced reading.


Reading Kingdom Stage 2 has been created to smooth this critical transition. Designed for children who are reading at third to fifth grade level, it offers four books at each of the three levels. The books that are used are from Levels 3, 4 and 5 of the Random House Step Into Reading books — an excellent series that provides a wide range of interesting topics.


At all levels, each teaching session involves three key components:

  • Reading: smooth decoding of sustained sequences of texts.
  • Writing: accurate writing of the type of sentences found in meaningful topics.
  • Comprehension: understanding and relating the key content (“the main idea") in the material that has been read.

Selecting the Level

Depending on his or her skill, a student can start at any level. In general, the appropriate level is one where the student handles the material relatively easily – so that there is only a small rate of error (e.g., 85-90% accuracy or no more than 10-15% errors). If the error rate is higher than that, the child will experience too high a rate of failure and learning will be negatively affected. If the error rate is lower than that, the child has already mastered the skills in question and significant learning will not take place.


To determine the level, there is a short, easy to carry out assessment. You can download it here.


Content

One of the great advantages of the topics in chapter books is that students often find them fascinating. In place of early reading’s focus on materials with uninteresting details such as letters and sounds, students can now experience the excitement of good ideas. The benefits are incalculable.


The books at all three levels offer appealing content. The major differences between the levels is in the complexity of the vocabulary, the sentence structure, and the concepts. To get a sense of the differences, under the content below, you can find some sample sentences.


You can read more about Reading Kingdom Stage 2 here.


Click here to view sample pages from Reading Kingdom Stage 2

To Purchase:


Reading Kingdom Stage 2 Level 3

Sample sentences:
Miles away, a family camping near a big lake hears the howls. The children grab their parents’ hands. Nothing sounds as scary as a howling wolf!


The workbook above is to be used in cojunction with these four books.

Wild, Wild Wolves

A book that tells the lives and habits of wolves, along with the fantasy and folklore connected to them.

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Dinosaur Days

This is a simple, but informative story about dinosaurs – a subject that thrills young students.

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Bravest Dog Ever

The Story of Balto: the true story of a sled-dog in Alaska who delivered medicine during a blizzard.

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Christopher Columbus

The story of an amazing voyage, including insights about the sailors’ fears and Columbus’s personality.

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Reading Kingdom Stage 2 Level 4

Sample sentences:
Suddenly the lookout sees a dark shape. It is a mountain of ice! And the Titanic is heading right into it! The lookout rings an alarm. He calls, "Iceberg straight ahead!"

The workbook above is to be used in cojunction with these four books.

Titanic: Lost and Found

A book that tells the lives and habits of wolves, along with the fantasy and folklore connected to them.

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Helen Keller: Courage in the Dark

The life of an amazing woman who, after becoming blind and deaf in infancy, went on to many outstanding achievements.

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Volcanoes: Mountains of Fire

Starting with the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, the book offers information about volcanoes, such as their locations and the ways scientists study them.

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Tut’s Mummy: Lost and Found

The story of the famous Egyptian king and his burial. There is information about the discovery of Tut’s tomb in the 1800’s and mummies.

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Reading Kingdom Stage 2 Level 5

Sample sentences:
Now the expedition comes to a great valley of snow and ice. It sweeps silently down the mountain like an enormous waterslide. At the top are huge steps, as though a giant had built a staircase.

The workbook above is to be used in cojunction with these four books.

Moonwalk: The First Trip to the Moon

A book that tells the lives and habits of wolves, along with the fantasy and folklore connected to them.

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Dinosaur Hunters

Starting with the initial discovery of dinosaurs in the 19th century, the book provides information about dinosaur digs and the science of paleontology.

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To the Top: Climbing the World’s Highest Mountain

This covers the expedition in 1953 of the first two men who reached the summit of Mt. Everest.

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The Trojan Horse

How the Greeks Won the War: an account of the famous war between the Greeks and Troy. It also shows how archaeologists proved that this really happened.

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About the author:

Dr. Marion Blank is a world-renowned literacy and language expert on the faculty of Columbia University where she created and directed the Light on Learning Program. She has lectured extensively around the world, authored dozens of peer-reviewed articles and books and developed numerous award winning teaching programs (including the ground-breaking reading education site, ReadingKingdom.com). She is a recipient of the Upton Sinclair Award which honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to education.

Please contact us if you have any questions.