A teaching unit on economics discusses basic background information, suggests classroom activities, and lists sources of instructional resources. Reproducible masters for two instructional levels are included and introduce economics law and basic financial management. (FG)

Suggestions are made for overcoming these common learning problems: (1) can't stick to a task; (2) trouble organizing time and space when starting or finishing a task; (3) trouble dealing with verbal information; (4) visual and visual-motor difficulties; (5) trouble understanding spoken language; and (6) trouble memorizing. (JD)

One of the best tools for sharpening students' problem solving skills can be found in the mystery story, which calls for logical thinking, paying attention to detail, and distinguishing between facts and assumptions. Activities that can help to develop problem solving skills are described along with several references to mystery magazines and…

Discusses how teachers can deal with student misbehavior by ignoring negative behavior that is motivated by a desire for attention. Practical techniques are described for pinpointing attention seekers, enlisting classmates to deal with misbehaving students, ignoring misbehavior, and distinguishing behavior that responds to this technique from…

Use of a checkbook can hook even the most reluctant mathematics students into learning mathematical and problem-solving skills. (CB)

Mathematics instruction can be approached as a cognitive skill, as illustrated by these elementary-level classroom activities. (LH)

Presents suggestions on how to incorporate elementary student decision making into classroom routine. The article recommends teachers be models, provide food for thought, focus on student strengths, introduce decision-making processes, and provide practice. Seven steps to making good decisions and activities to develop decision-making skills are…

Children use creative thinking processes when teachers assign ambiguous rather than specific problems. Suggestions for developing questions that encourage experiential and metaphorical thinking are offered. (DF)

Students can and should learn to discipline themselves. This article describes results of one teacher's reflective deliberations on how to handle certain problem students by shifting responsibility for appropriate behavior from the teacher to the student. A brief guide for teachers, "Handling Typical Discipline Scenes," is included. (IAH)

Critical thinking skills that can be applied to reading can be developed through means other than reading. Teachers can launch class discussions of popular films, such as "E.T.," to nurture these skills, a technique especially helpful for children who have difficulty with the printed word. (PP)

Problem-solving can be an exercise in mystification for some students. Six suggestions are given for presenting word problems in mathematics in ways that make them more accessible and comprehensible for young students. (PP)

To deal effectively with diabetic children, teachers need to learn as much as they can about the disease. This article discusses how diabetes affects the child, warning signals of diabetes, and precautions teachers can take to ensure the child's safety. (JMK)

Pullout pages provide suggestions for teaching elementary students at all levels about the wonders of human ingenuity. The suggestions help students see that great ideas come from the need to solve real-life problems and that one great idea leads to another, so current inventions help predict future inventions. (SM)

A collection of activities and tips for elementary teachers, culled from material the magazine has published over 20 years, includes cornerstones of classroom management, top teaching strategies, and curriculum classics. A new poster offers activities for commemorating student birthdays and for enjoying the first day of school. (SM)

Issues teachers should consider before introducing the subject of nuclear arms into classroom teaching are raised, and tips for dealing with this sensitive subject are given. Sources of curriculum materials are listed, and problems with prepackaged curricula are pointed out. (PP)