There's a lot to love about this newly expanded book in the Picture-Perfect Science series: You can combine STEM and reading through appealing lessons that are just right for your second-grade students. Also, reading comprehension strategies are embedded in all 12 of the ready-to-teach lessons, 11 of which are updated and one brand-new. The goal…

Middle grades teachers should create meaningful learning activities involving stimulating literature and interesting composition prompts. This article describes a unit in which eighth graders read short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. Using multiple learning and teaching approaches, they expanded their vocabularies, responded artistically to "The…

This paper describes a graduate course using biographical materials for teachers to work through their understandings of reading and writing as personal, valuable processes. The course consists of three parts; each session begins with the reading of a children's picture book that deals with reading and writing; next, the class reads the…

Provides activities for teachers to use in studying characters' motivation in literature. Suggests books and describes the action and motivation for each; considers evaluation methods that include group activities, individual activities, and writing; and includes a student assignment worksheet on motive. (LRW)

Outlines letter writing exercises for fifth grade social studies units on the U.S. Revolutionary War period. Students write letters as fictional and nonfictional historical characters from trade books described in article. Objectives include understanding viewpoints and historical events, writing to persuade, and share or seek information.…

This booklet was prepared for use as a staff development presentation in response to an official statement by International Reading Association's "Executive Board that literature (and the reading and writing that goes with it) must be the foundation of the language arts curriculum. The purpose of the booklet is to provide alternatives to…

A survey investigated students' attitudes towards the writing activities and experiences in a children's literature course in which students were required to develop, orally share, revise after peer collaboration, and submit for possible publication a folktale or modern fantasy story. Surveys were completed by 37 students enrolled in two classes.…

Shares an account of efforts by a teacher to try and involve 7- to 11-year-old children in a book investigation which would provide them with investigative strategies applicable to subsequent works. (MG)

Gives suggestions for books and activities that can be used to take children on literary trips. Provides 77 annotations of educational resources for literary trips to Russia and China that cover the curriculum areas of reading, writing, and the expressive arts. (MG)

Offers suggestions for incorporating literature into teaching history. Outlines several activities designed to extend students' understanding of historical events. Includes a suggested reading list of fiction covering various periods in U.S. history for grades 4 through 12. (NL)

Advocates teaching history through children's fictional and nonfictional literature in elementary social studies. Offers seven criteria for selecting books for elementary history units. Provides activities for teaching about American Indians, communities, and U.S. history based on award-winning children's books. (CH)

Learning to use technology can be traumatic for adults. This study is qualitative and based on personal e-mail diaries written by adult learners. It identifies six stages adults may go through as they learn to use technology to communicate electronically. Initially, 30 teachers studying in a post-graduate university course were involved in a…

Discusses the Pocketful of History project, which uses historical fiction and biographies to fill in gaps in student knowledge and engage children in meaningful learning experiences. Presents examples of seven historical figures featured in the project. (CFR)

Recommends establishing literature study groups as early as the primary grades. Outlines the steps for implementing a group and describes several classroom experiences with them. Includes a discussion of follow-up activities, and a bibliography of related works. (MJP)

Suggests incorporating reading, writing, and social studies within the context of literature. Includes reading lists and activities for teaching about the Victorian period in a two-month social studies unit that incorporates science fiction, mysteries, and fairy tales. Children discuss old photographs, examine artifacts, visit a Victorian mansion,…