Standardized tests are increasingly used to determine students' growth in reading comprehension. In some U.S. school districts, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has led to a focus on multiple-choice questions to better prepare students for these types of tests. Even though such questions can provide some important information, they do not…

Describes the design and implication of a 10-week unit for third and fourth graders using QARs (Question-Answer-Relationships) to integrate reading and writing tasks and prepare for standardized tests. Concludes that the student-friendly model described here is easy to implement and can be customized for any classroom and grade level. (SG)