Presents ideas to help elementary school educators teach their students about magnetic force fields by observing how iron filings line up around magnets. The article lists materials needed and offers a student page with suggested student activities. (SM)

Great writers can help students find their own stories and style. The article includes one activity that can teach younger students to incorporate their own experiences into their writing and another activity to help seventh- and eighth-grade students recognize the elements that contribute to an author's style. (SM)

Elementary teachers can interest their students in U.S. geography by having them plan a cross-country concert tour for a rock and roll band. The project develops research, writing, and critical thinking skills as students learn about U.S. geography. The article includes a listing of state tourism agencies. (SM)

Elementary teachers can use folktales to teach story structure. After students read a folktale, they can brainstorm for story ideas, create and revise outlines and drafts, edit their stories in pairs, complete a final version, then construct and illustrate a book. A student page teaches how to plan a folktale. (SM)

A children's book author describes how to help students blend bookmaking techniques and the writing process to create a classroom hardback library full of unique publications. The project requires inexpensive, easily accessible materials and results in impressive finished products. (SM)

Children love writing and receiving personal messages. By setting up a mystery pen pal network in the classroom, elementary teachers can get students excited about writing. The article explains how to set up such a network using a computer and a word processing program. (SM)

Describes a multicultural unit for elementary students. Children select a folk art or craft and become experts, learn the craft, research the craft, pass the craft on, and review their discoveries. The unit culminates in a folk arts festival at which students demonstrate their craft to classmates, teachers, and guests. (SM)

Gives an idea of how to structure a common reading experience around a book on tape with accompanying response approaches for student engagement with and reaction to good common reading. Presents exercises and ideas that can be used in the classroom to supplement the audio books, including writing exercises and listening and responding exercises.…

This activity for K-3 students helps them learn to decode and spell words using rhyme, noting that hearing and creating rhyme helps children hear similarities among words. Books with the Dr. Seuss imprint are recommended because they appeal to children. A sample poem entitled March, by Solveig Paulson Russell, is included on a reproducible sheet.…

Presents suggestions for helping students learn to read and appreciate literature by tapping into their multiple intelligences (spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, mathematical-logical, interpersonal, verbal-linguistic, and intrapersonal). The paper describes the eight intelligences. A teacher reproducible sheet presents a multiple intelligences…

Describes a teacher who applied an innovative pedagogy in her rural Chinese hometown, unfolding the complex, dangerous remaking of ideologies and power relations inherent in pedagogical reform as a microcosm of other concomitant changes in society at large. Reflects the inadequacy of teacher education in preparing teachers to survive the…

Describes how to use a one-handed clock for teaching time telling: make a one-handed clock (hour hand only); discuss clock history; have students use approximate language to describe where the hour hand is; have students practice with their own clocks; introduce the minute hand; have students compare the clocks; and have students add minute hands…

When the Ronald Yuill was told by his administration that there were not enough aides to help the special education students in the classes, he suggested placing all the students requiring special assistance into one class. His idea was to teach all of the special education children at the same time with the assistance of an aide or two. However,…

In this article, the author presents fifty skill-building activities that can be used by teachers teaching kindergarten through Grade 8. Among others, one effective teaching tip for primary teachers is to use sandwich theme on November 3 lectures as this was the day that the sandwich was invented.

Developing scientific literacy drove the teaching and learning experiences provided to pre-service primary education teachers. Interactive whiteboard (IWB) pedagogy was used to engage and motivate these students' to explore science's role in making sense of our world and to understand key scientific concepts. Active science learning connected to…