Jacob’s Ladder Reading Program
Implementation Guide for Grades 3, 4, and 5
The Jacob’s Ladder Program was developed by the Center for Gifted Education at the
College of William and Mary. The goals of this program are to:
• Move students from low level comprehension to high level thinking and analysis
of texts.
• Prepare students for success in rigorous programs like William and Mary and
Junior Great Books.
• Prepare students for high level thinking necessary to achieve proficient and
advanced levels in MSA reading.
The program uses short stories, poetry, fables, myths, and nonfiction selections. Each
selection is followed by one or more “ladders” which include questions and tasks at
increasing levels of difficulty and abstraction.
Within the Jacob’s Ladder Program, different ladders target different critical thinking
goals. Each ladder presents a set of questions designed to address prerequisite skills for
meeting the target goal.
Currently, there are three Jacob’s Ladder Manuals available.
• Level I includes short texts at third grade reading level
• Level II includes short texts at fourth grade reading level
• Level III includes short texts at fifth grade reading level
All the literary texts and corresponding ladders are included in the manuals. Also
included in each manual are a number of ladders for nonfiction texts. Teachers who wish
to use the nonfiction ladders must purchase the nonfiction texts separately.
Target Students
Use of the Jacob’s Ladder Program is recommended for students who need instruction
and support in moving their reading comprehension beyond the literal meaning of text.
Relationship to MCPS Curriculum
The skills students develop through use of the Jacob’s Ladder Program align with
Maryland’s Voluntary State Curriculum and the MSA for reading. These skills include
sequencing, identifying cause and effect relationships, making inferences, analyzing
literary elements, making generalizations, identifying themes, paraphrasing,
summarizing, and synthesizing important ideas in text.
Teachers will integrate Jacob’s Ladder lessons with lessons from the MCPS Reading,
Writing, Language Arts instructional guides to ensure that students are equipped with the
skills and strategies to meet and exceed proficiency on the MSA, and to prepare students
for success in the William and Mary Language Arts Program. Jacob’s Ladder instruction
can occur during small group instruction. After teacher modeling and group discussion,
students may complete written responses to one or more of the ladder questions. Teachers
can use ladder lessons for skill application, for re-teaching, or extension. Teacher
knowledge about students’ strengths and needs will guide instruction.
Alignment With MCPS Reading, Writing, Language Arts Instructional Guides
The following charts provide suggestions for alignment of Jacob’s Ladder lessons with
lessons in the MCPS instructional guides.
Grade 3 Jacob’s Ladder Implementation
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q1 Instructional
Guide
Understanding Characters
Lessons 4,5,6
Understanding Setting
Lesson 6
Understanding Problem and
Solution
Lesson10
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level I Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladder C
Ladder C
Ladder C
Ladder C
Ladder A
Ladder C
“The Dog and his Reflection”
“The Lion and the Gnat”
“The Tap Dancer”
“City”
“The Ant and the Dove”
“The Crow and the Pitcher”
Students Will
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reading to be Informed
Cause and Effect Lesson 4
Ladder A “Mars”
•
•
•
Identify and analyze characters
Identify and explain relationships among
characters, setting, and events
Identify and explain main ideas
Make inferences
Identify and describe setting
Identify and explain specific words and
phrases that contribute to meaning
Identify and explain main ideas
Make inferences
Identify and explain the elements of a story
Draw conclusions and inferences and make
predictions from text.
Identify and explain relationships among idea
(cause and effect)
Identify and explain main ideas
Identify and explain relationships among idea
(cause and effect)
Make inferences
Identify and explain main ideas
Grade 3 Jacob’s Ladder Implementation
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q2 Instructional
Guide
Characteristics of a Folktale
Lessons 1-7
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level I Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladder A
Ladder A
“The Fisherman and His Wife”
“The Judge, A Tale from West Africa”
Students Will
•
•
•
•
Introduction to Fables
Lesson 11
Using Sequence to Understand
Stories
Lesson15
Ladder B
Ladder A
Ladder A
Ladder C
“The Ant and the Dove”
“The Crow and the Pitcher”
“The Lion and the Gnat”
“The Dog and His Reflection”
Ladder A
Ladder A
Ladder A
“Daedalus and Icarus”
“The Tap Dancer”
“The Mice in Council”
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify and distinguish among types of
narrative texts
Identify and explain the elements of a story
Draw conclusions based on the text and prior
knowledge
Identify and explain relationships among idea
(cause and effect)
Identify and distinguish among types of
narrative texts
Identify and explain the elements of a story
Identify and explain main ideas
Draw conclusions based on the text and prior
knowledge
Make inferences
Identify and explain relationships among idea
(sequence/chronology) (cause and effect)
Draw conclusions and inferences and make
predictions from text.
Grade 4 Jacob’s Ladder Implementation
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q1 Instructional
Guide
Fables: Character Foibles
Lesson 3
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level II Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladder C
“The Fox and the Cat”
Fables: Character Motivation
Lesson 4
Ladder C
“Androcles”
Fables: Determining the Moral
of the Fable
Ladder C “The Lost Wig”
Ladder D “Androcles”
Fables: Using Fables to
Identify Cause and Effect
Relationships
Lessons 6 and 7
Ladder A “The Lost Wig”
Students Will
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify and analyze characters
Identify and explain main ideas
Make inferences
Identify and analyze characters
Make inferences
Identify and explain main ideas
Identify and explain main ideas
Make inferences
Identify and explain relationships among idea
(cause and effect)
Make inferences
Grade 4 Jacob’s Ladder Implementation
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q4 Instructional
Guide
Fables: Character Foibles
Lesson 3
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level II Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladder C
“The Fox and the Cat”
Fables: Character Motivation
Lesson 4
Ladder C
“Androcles”
Fables: Determining the Moral
of the Fable
Ladder C “The Lost Wig”
Ladder D “Androcles”
Fables: Using Fables to
Identify Cause and Effect
Relationships
Lessons 6 and 7
Ladder A “The Lost Wig”
Students Will
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify and analyze characters
Identify and explain main ideas
Make inferences
Identify and analyze characters
Make inferences
Identify and explain main ideas
Identify and explain main ideas
Make inferences
Identify and explain relationships among idea
(cause and effect)
Make inferences
Grade 4 Jacob’s Ladder Implementation
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q2 Instructional
Guide
Character Traits and Motives
Historical Fiction
Lesson 4
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level II Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladder C
“Clay Marbles, Aleksei,and Me”
Students Will
•
•
•
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q4 Instructional
Guide
Poetry Lessons 3-13
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level II Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladder C
Ladder C
Ladders B,C
Ladders B,C
Ladders B,C
“A Bedtime Story”
“Cousin for Sale”
“Grapefruit”
“My Shadow”
“Occupant of Room #709”
Analyze elements of narrative texts to
facilitate understanding and interpretation
Draw conclusions based on the text and prior
knowledge
Identify and explain main ideas
Students Will
•
•
•
•
•
Analyze elements of poetry to facilitate
understanding and interpretation
Draw conclusions based on the text and prior
knowledge
Make inferences
Identify and describe the author’s use of
language
Identify and explain main ideas
Grade 5 Jacob’s Ladder Implementation
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q1 Instructional
Guide
Summarizing Narrative Text
Lesson 6
Understanding Organizational
Structure: Cause and Effect
Lesson 4
Understanding Organizational
Structure: Sequence
Lesson 5
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level III Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladder D
Ladder A
Ladder A
Ladder A
Ladder A
Martha”
“The Competition”
“Brazilian Paradise”
“Christa McAuliffe”
“Moving Pictures Evoke Concern”
“Washington’s Letter to his Wife
Students Will
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Determine important ideas and messages in
literary texts
Identify and explain main ideas
Make inferences
Develop and apply knowledge of
organizational structure of informational text
to understand what is read
Make inferences
Develop and apply knowledge of
organizational structure of informational text
to understand what is read
Make inferences
Grade 5 Jacob’s Ladder Implementation
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q2 Instructional
Guide
Understanding Poetry
Lessons 1-5
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level III Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladders A,B
Ladders B,C
Ladders C,D
Ladders A,C
Ladders B,C
“A Winter Morning”
“I Am the Moon”
“If”
“Sinking Sunset”
“Sunset”
Students Will
•
•
•
•
Begin With
Whole Group Lesson from
MCPS Q3 Instructional
Guide
Making Inferences
Lesson 1
Connect To
Instructional Focus
Level III Jacob’s Ladder Lesson(s) for
Small Group Instruction
Ladder C
Ladder C
Ladder
“The Lament of the Frog Prince”
“The Road Not Taken”
“The Harp”
Determine important ideas and messages in
literary texts
Analyze elements of poetry to facilitate
understanding and interpretations
Identify and describe the author’s use of
language
Make inferences
Students Will
•
•
Determine important ideas and messages in
literary texts
Make inferences