Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History, long concerned with man's ecological heritage, has designed many programs of interest to teachers of environmental education. The philosophy of the environmental program described here is to "observe, explore, generalize" and provides a hands-on exhibit for elementary school students at the…

Described is a project in which third graders create their own corporation--a cupcake factory--and learn first-hand about economic principles and the decisions that businesses must make in the market economy. The cupcake factory is one example of how enterprising educators can make economics comprehensible and captivating. (RM)

Three companies (Voyager Expanded Learning, Mindsurf, and EXPLORE) have introduced after-school programs that emphasize stress-free academic enrichment activities. The companies differ, but share a fun-learning concept, maintain low staff-child ratios of about 1:8, and serve grades K-8. The operative words are flexibility and affordability. Some…

Describes the science program that has been developed in Sierra Leone elementary schools over the past eight years. (JR)

Southeastern New Hampshire schoolchildren are involved in three network science projects for grades 2-8: Batnet, Birdnet, and Treenet. The listserv projects were developed by a group of teachers interested in using the computer-Internet connection to enrich and extend the science learning. Network science makes topics more real, lends immediacy to…

Around Puget Sound, communities and elementary teachers value naturalist intelligence, the kind needed to solve environmental problems. As part of an integrated curriculum on water quality, sixth graders are learning about scientific procedures by performing dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity tests and taking samples of aquatic organisms. An…

Describes the production of a dramatic musical, Chimera: A Journey to Redoubtia, at Chapman Elementary School in Anchor Point, Alaska. Student participation in the project, and students' rewards from participation, are detailed. Benefits of the integration of dramatics into the language arts curriculum are listed. (BB)

Students participating in Need in Deed's "My Voice" program perform community service while engaging in a self-discovery process. Exercises focus on what kids care about, what they would like to change, and five social issues they would like to study and report on to others. (MLH)

The use of pictures created by students as aids in the learning of mathematical concepts and the problem solving process is promoted. (MP)

The Comprehensive Instructional Management System (CIMS)-Science program is designed to support teachers in teaching the "New York State Elementary Science Syllabus." The curriculum emphasizes a hands-on inquiry approach to learning and includes an assessment component comprised of written tests and performance-based tests, designed to…

In the Discover Lab, a science education center at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, students learn to investigate, critique, and test big scientific questions and devise their own answers. Students are guided through cyclical processes of inquiry, logic and reasoning, testing and experimentation, and communication. (MLH)

The description provides information on the elementary social studies one-year program designed for use as the basis of curriculum or as a supplement to an existing program. A long term goal is for students to develop democratic human relations. Terminal objectives include affective and cognitive developments, helping students to understand the…

By combining hands-on research and telecommunications, the National Geographic Society's Kids Network enables K-8 students to grapple with basic science and geography concepts, hone communication and research skills, and network with kids around the world. Students focus on real-world problems, work cooperatively, and share results in class…

Reports development and results of the Kramer Project, a two-year study of the implementation of a problem-solving, activity-based mathematics program in the elementary grades. Describes the mathematical content covered, participating teachers, instructional materials employed, inservice teacher training provided, and academic achievement gains of…