Providing students with realistic problems will facilitate a better understanding of and reason for computation. Specific suggestions for introducing and for increasing problem-solving skills are described. (CJ)

A variety of techniques for incorporating writing--the writing of letters, the keeping of logs, the devising of word problems--into the mathematics curriculum are discussed. The benefits from using an integrated approach are indicated. (DG)

Use of a checkbook can hook even the most reluctant mathematics students into learning mathematical and problem-solving skills. (CB)

Mathematics instruction can be approached as a cognitive skill, as illustrated by these elementary-level classroom activities. (LH)

Problem-solving can be an exercise in mystification for some students. Six suggestions are given for presenting word problems in mathematics in ways that make them more accessible and comprehensible for young students. (PP)

Mathematics textbooks should encourage students to understand--as well as to memorize--problem-solving processes, to think about the reasonableness of an answer, and to "see" mathematics through real-life applications. Eight questions are given which can help schools determine whether a textbook truly emphasizes problem-solving. (PP)

Thirty-five outstanding educational programs were identified by a panel composed of educators, parents, and students. Computer programs are listed in the areas of reading and language arts, mathematics, general problem solving, science, social studies, creative arts, foreign languages, and computer literacy. (PP)

Using data and analyses gathered from multiple sources, this article discusses how students learn in reading, writing, and mathematics. A section on reading concentrates on methods and materials that motivate, a writing section concentrates on content, and a mathematics section discusses procedures for problem solving. A bibliography is included.…

A collection of activities and tips for elementary teachers, culled from material the magazine has published over 20 years, includes cornerstones of classroom management, top teaching strategies, and curriculum classics. A new poster offers activities for commemorating student birthdays and for enjoying the first day of school. (SM)

A City Building Education System uses the process of city planning to teach basic reading, writing, and math skills to children from kindergarten through junior high school and to stimulate creative thinking and problem solving abilities. (JMF)

This problem-solving activity book offers tools for attacking problems in the classroom and beyond (a reproducible card set explaining problem-solving skills, a math problem-solving grid, problem-solving lessons in science, language arts, and social studies, and a poster following scientists as they fight to reclaim an endangered species). (SM)