Independent reading is a struggle for students across many boundaries, regardless of age, sex, race or socioeconomic status. The purpose of this unit is to engage intermediate age readers as active listeners and encourage independent reading. The Bluford Series by Townsend Press is the selected series chosen for this unit. Using this particular series is advantageous because it has the qualities to connect to various types of readers. Focusing on the lives of male and female protagonists is a way to entice male and female readers. The setting throughout the series is an urban inner city school. Many of the conflicts that are resolved are common situations that students deal with today. For these reasons, I felt that this series was appropriate for a sixth grade Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtiI) class. In ten days, the first book in the series will be read outloud to the class. Details of the main characters shall be developed with the use of informal discussions and activities. At the conclusion of reading and discussing the first book, other books in the series are available in the class for students to read.

(Developed for Response to Instruction and Intervention, grade 6; recommended for Academic Support and Response to Instruction and Intervention, grades 4-6)