Describes a project in which elementary school students create a computer-generated time line of milestones in their lives, noting such an activity can give them a good start on writing autobiographies. (SM)

Having students create personalized stationery is a good way to promote student writing. Children of all ages can design computer-generated stationery in just a few steps using predrawn or original graphics and a variety of typefaces. The article describes three programs that enable students to create stationery. (SM)

Children love writing and receiving personal messages. By setting up a mystery pen pal network in the classroom, elementary teachers can get students excited about writing. The article explains how to set up such a network using a computer and a word processing program. (SM)

A Chapter 1 school motivated students using technology and the arts. A partnership with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Arts helped students develop cognitive and creative skills while working in concrete ways. Using computers, each class chose an artist, developed a class museum, and exhibited at the student-staffed museum. (SM)

Describes how technology helped one elementary teacher meet the needs and celebrate the strengths of all his students in a mixed-ability-grouped, student-centered classroom. Technology allowed the children many more choices for different kinds of learning and helped them develop their individual strengths. (SM)

Three elementary level publishing projects encourage students' writing skills. The first involves painting a poetry quilt. The second has students create stories through collage using the Image-Making within the Writing Process program. The third involves creating oral histories of older people and using computer software to conduct research. (SM)

Describes three computer spelling programs that take the emphasis off memorization and instead provide innovative ideas for helping students remember their spelling words. One program organizes spelling words starting with the most frequently used words. The second provides multiple levels of instruction simultaneously. The third uses…

This paper recommends edutainment to engage students' senses and get them involved by presenting lessons in a way that makes education interesting and entertaining. Suggestions for creative edutainment include using exciting computer software, joining the Internet, hooking up to cable television, and providing a variety of magazines. (SM)

Elementary level math activity helps students learn averages, percentages, and mathematical predictions using candies and a computer spreadsheet. Students estimate, collect data, and compare actual counts against their predictions. (SM)

Two articles discuss changes that are making technology useful to teachers. After examining computer uses in education, the articles describe new research and educational technology trends, and products and projects that got three teachers hooked on technology. (SM)

Elementary teachers can help students consider how much trash they create by analyzing lunchroom waste. Students research the problem, brainstorm lists of items thrown away, and monitor the cafeteria, counting items and collecting data. They enter information into a spreadsheet which the class examines to search for alternatives. (SM)

Five teachers recommend their favorite elementary teaching tools, including a counting board, a keyboard introduction game, geoboards for the overhead projector, a book on crafts using recyclables, tape recorders, computerized games, interlink cubes, a geology book, videotaped sentence structure games, and a solar calculator for use on overhead…

Four teachers discuss how they help students create hands-on, multimedia reports and presentations. Ideas include using hypertext programs on classroom computers to make computerized notecards of data on study topics, using CD-ROM disks for research, creating storyboards of videotaped reports, and setting up schedules for videotaping. (SM)

Students can study the Arctic by creating Arctic clubs, using modems to communicate with students nationwide who are following International Arctic Project (IAP) explorers. The article describes the IAP, explains how to form a club, and discusses issues that clubs can tackle, for example, pollution, Arctic animals, natural resources, and the…

Elementary computer teacher describes a summer program in which fifth graders cooperatively created a computer-based city planning unit. Students strengthened math, writing, technology, and problem-solving skills as they organized and used a bank, purchased property, proposed and designed buildings, and assembled the futuristic city using a…