Integrating the use of a social studies text, trade books, and writing can be a daunting task for teachers in grades 5-7. A sample lesson used with senior level preservice teachers enrolled in a content area reading course is the focus of this paper. Suggestions for duplicating the lesson in a middle school setting are included. The lesson displayed was designed to: (1) model selective use of portions of a fifth-grade social studies text; (2) model the use of strategies that link students' prior knowledge to assigned text readings; (3) model the use of a trade book related to the text; and (4) encourage students to write formula poetry related to the text and trade book. (Author/RS)