This project was completed as part of my Master’s and credential program at UCI in collaboration with two peers in my cohort. Each of us identified a common area of growth within our individual classrooms and implemented targeted teaching strategies while collecting research and observational data on student outcomes. During my fourth grade student teaching placement, I observed low engagement during English Language Arts instruction, as lessons primarily followed a “read and respond” structure as part of our curriculum. To address this, I implemented Hands-Down Conversations. Hands-Down Conversations are a student-led discussion format used to promote deeper thinking and rich dialogue. My goal was to create more opportunities for student voice, multiple entry points, perspective taking, increased comprehension, and critical thinking skills during our novel study of By the Great Horn Spoon. Students collaborated to co-create conversation norms and practiced using accountable talk while exploring character development, theme, and text-based evidence. Using Hands-Down Conversations proved to be effective in increasing participation, deepening understanding, and fostering a more positive and reflective classroom community. Below are images of the norms we created together as a class, along with the final presentation summarizing our project and findings. The use of Hands-Down Conversations was adapted from the book Hands Down, Speak Out: Listening and Talking Across Literacy and Math, K–5 by Kassie Omohundro Wedekind and Christy Hermann Thompson.