Suggests that live plants can brighten up the classroom and can serve as the focus of interdisciplinary learning activities for elementary students. Briefly describes the organization of a "living laboratory" in an elementary school. (SJL)

Ideas for learning centers that will motivate students include: (1) a "railroad station" for reading groups; (2) a model rocket where children can use calculators; (3) a walled-in castle study center; (4) a model one-room schoolhouse; (5) a map center; and (6) a music center. Procedures for building and stocking the centers are…

Describes how play centers can be enriched in the functional uses of print. Details some of the effects observed on the frequency and quality of literacy activities in the spontaneous play of 37 preschoolers. (MG)

Over 30 activities for elementary school classes during the first week of school are described. Ideas are included for a first day checklist, correct pronunciation of names, getting acquainted games, and classroom organization hints. (CJ)

Vertical learning environments (vertical surfaces covered with two- or three-dimensional detachable objects that provide opportunities for perception, manipulation, interaction, construction of knowledge, and representation) offer children rich, interactive learning environments at eye level. Discusses vertical learning environments in a Piagetian…

Presents 80 quick activities that elementary teachers can use to get to know their students, reward good work, communicate with parents, brush up on basic skills, spruce up the classroom, pamper themselves, or publicize the school. (SJL)

Intended for teachers and administrators of early childhood programs, this publication is designed as a guide for developing learning environments for children in prekindergarten through the second grade. The approach advocated is based on research and on teacher experience with the way the young child learns. Contents of the guide include…

This handbook provides information on establishing and running learning centers in an elementary school classroom. A learning center is a station containing instruction and materials for one particular project. Every center should include multimedia and manipulative materials that support the topic or skill that is being focused upon. Students use…

Twenty ideas to motivate reluctant young readers in kindergarten and elementary school classrooms are presented. The ideas include reading contests, prizes, classroom decor, and community involvement. (PP)

Provides specific guidance to teachers planning activity areas and storage spaces to create an environment that supports children and how they learn. Areas of consideration include order, independence, comfort, materials, and boundaries. Hints for discovering unused space, including small and large storage projects, are provided. (SD)

This two-part article discusses the role of the physical environment in adult learning. In the first part, two activities--environment introduction and visualization--are discussed as ways to develop an awareness for improving the learning environment. In the second part, two planning activities--mapping and geometric coding--are discussed as ways…

Intended for all those involved in planning and carrying out activities with 3- to 5-year-old children, this text provides a practical guide to creating a "Growing Program" -- a planned, flexible, evolving educational environment of things, people, and activities for preschool children. Based on continuous observation by teachers of children's…

Based on the view that the early childhood care and education environment can have a tremendous influence on infant and toddler development, this book will assist early childhood teachers/caregivers in meeting the challenge of creating an effective learning environment for infants and toddlers. The book includes ideas for planning, using, and…

This guide provides a framework for creating and using learning centers to meet specific classroom goals, and presents ideas for topics and activities. The first part of the guide: (1) explains what learning centers are and how they are used within classrooms; (2) provides design options for the classroom; (3) suggests ways in which to schedule…

Conservation is a concern for all cultures, and children are familiar with this concept because of recycling in their homes and home towns. The World Saver Center, an example of the thematic approach to learning, is designed to allow children to experiment with concepts of conservation in a familiar setting. The center, designed to resemble an…