Helping kids develop skills for choosing “good-fit” texts can be messy work, but the payoff is worth it! This graphic tool from Kari Yates and Christina Nosek’s book, To Know and Nurture a Reader, (described in Shift 6 of Shifting the Balance for Upper Elementary Classrooms), supports students in learning to weigh their book choices with greater awareness and purpose. The tool guides children in finding the sweet spot between challenge and interest as they select books for various purposes.
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Make blending easier to teach and easier for students to understand with visual tools designed for decoding success.
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Teach high-frequency words in a way that sticks using routines grounded in orthographic mapping.
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Blending Magic transforms simple word lists into purposeful routines that connect decoding with writing, vocabulary, and language comprehension—helping students become confident, connected readers and writers.