The Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program targets reading comprehension skills in high-ability learners by moving students through an inquiry process from basic understanding to critical analyses of texts, using a field-tested method developed by the Center for Gifted Education at William & Mary. Students in grade 5 will learn to comprehend and analyze any reading passage after completing the activities in Jacob's Ladder, Grade 5 (2nd ed.).

Each set of student workbooks includes 5 student booklets, divided by grade level and area of emphasis (short stories, poetry, nonfiction and essays/speeches). Corresponding to the activities in Jacob's Ladder, Grade 5 (2nd ed.), students read high-interest passages, then complete skill ladders connected to the nonfiction readings to move them from concrete thinking skills to higher order, critical thinking skills. The ladders include multiple skills necessary for academic success, covering language arts standards such as sequencing, determining cause and effect, classifying, inferencing, and recognizing main ideas. Student workbooks are also available for the short story activities and the poetry activities.