Relates a kindergarten teacher's classroom experience where play is not considered a primary medium for learning. Describes a strategy used to establish play, specifically investigative play, as a legitimate activity in the classroom. Discusses issues associated with play-based curriculum and how, with the renewed interest in science education, it…

Describes geography activities for elementary students. In the first activity, students learn how to understand coordinates and use them to read maps. In the second activity, students learn the concepts of the legend as well as how to use it to find their way around on a map. (PR)

Describes introducing students to the chemical elements through the use of Tom Lehrer's recording of "The Elements" and through the use of the game "20 questions." By asking the teacher questions about an unknown element or compound, students are given opportunities to develop and practice analyzing, synthesizing, and…

The application of academic teaching techniques in a mainstream secondary school vocational-technical classroom was assessed, along with implications for students with learning disabilities. The techniques involved daily reviews of the previous lesson, probes for understanding through questioning, student demonstrations, and self-monitoring…

Describes a word game developed by a sixth-grade teacher that has groups of students "bid on" and "buy" words, with the object of forming as many grammatically correct sentences as possible. Points are awarded based on sentence length, correct punctuation, and sentence type (simple, complex, or compound). (MDM)

Presents class activities to help elementary students learn about changes in the state of matter by making ice cream. In addition to making observations on the changes of state, students can practice measuring and identifying the properties (e.g., color, size, and shape). (SM)

Presents two children's poems about candy, by Dorothy Aldis. The article describes a teaching unit on the poems, the poet, and her use of end rhymes. Activities include writing rhyming words, writing rhyming poems, rhyming a recipe, and creating collages. (SM)

The Multimethods Model organizes the learning activities of preschool classes for gifted children and assures a differentiated curriculum geared to the individual student. Model components include prescriptive instruction, acceleration of content, building self-direction, creative divergent problem solving, affective guidance, cultivation of…

Presents ideas and activities to be used in a course on the history and systems of psychology. Explains that the students prepared topic summaries to demonstrate knowledge rather that formal testing. Describes projects such as a reaction journal, intellectual genealogy, textbook comparison, and multiple timelines. (DK)

Presents ideas developed by four teachers for teaching the geographic themes. Includes a plastic flamingo sent traveling with instructions for those taking it to return postcards to a first grade class, a wall mural of the United States, and a song representing geographic concepts. Describes how one school painted maps of the continents in a…

Presents a group exercise to help critical thinking about key sociological concepts. Explains that students take the role of U.S. Supreme Court justices and formulate decisions on affirmative action cases after being divided into small groups. Includes summaries of five important cases on affirmative action. (DK)

Presented are five scenarios of how division might be introduced to a class of third graders using experiences with the concept, process, and symbolism of division rather than algorithms. Instruction that makes problem solving the emphasis of students' learning is described. (KR)

Describes group role-playing activities that have been used to teach about education, criminology, and sex roles. Suggests that role play helps students to absorb and retain many of the insights about the issues involved. (DB)

Challenges the assumption that library skills are not a legitimate aspect of sociology courses. Argues that library skills are learned most effectively through an active process of participation and experience. Suggests and describes a library scavenger hunt as an effective learning exercise. (DB)

Presents several time-effective classroom games that can be used to help students discover the consequences of two important concepts in public finance: the free rider problem and the voting paradox. Maintains that these games encourage student involvement and stimulate class discussion. (DB)