In this self-contained classroom, a teacher uses a timeline to guide a discussion with the students reflecting on previously read material on the civil rights movement. Together, they review and add to a timeline. In order to help students think about how long ago these events took place, the teacher refers to the birth dates of the adults in the classroom. This helps students make a connection between something they know and have had experienced (i.e., birthdays), to something they are trying to learn and understand (i.e., timelines and events associated with the civil rights movement). The teacher also models the use of a communication book to assist in the discussion. After students have read various texts and created the timeline, they can use the information to help them create an argument about the civil rights movement with logically organized claims, reasons and evidence. The video demonstrates effective strategies for engaging students with significant cognitive disabilities in literacy instruction.