Reading skills and strategies are taught in a workshop format in our classroom. The main elements of reading workshop are (1) a mini-lesson which introduces a new reading strategies or a new type of literature, (2) independent or small-group reading time, and (3) a sharing time, when students can talk with their partner or with the whole class about their reading. Each trimester, students will be responsible for giving a book talk about a book they want to recommend to their classmates. Science and social studies themes will also be introduced through informational or narrative nonfiction texts.