Pronouns take the place of other nouns. In the case of personal pronouns, they often take the place of nouns that identify persons. The pronoun highlights the difference by being formed differently, and by being placed in different spots in the sentences. Pronouns point out the differences as they change form, and vary their representational…

This article describes a mathematics unit developed with second-grade students based on the story, "Grandpa's Quilt." The activities encourage students to make connections with a number of areas of mathematics, particularly patterns and relationships, measurement, geometry, and spatial sense as well as multiplication activities. (Contains 7…

In this article, the author reflects back to when he was in fifth grade, when his teacher taught the class to bake bread in school. It was November, and baking bread tied into the lesson. His teacher and some open-minded parents and students knew that to bake, sew, paint, sing, play an instrument, or dance as part of a lesson for a math class,…

In education, STS too often is viewed as a new kind of course--new material for use in teaching. However, this view of STS is fraught with the same kind of problems as traditional teaching of natural science and technology. This major problem is that information is merely transmitted to students by lecture, discussion, verification laboratories,…

It's no secret that many school programs don't give children enough opportunity to explore the natural world--i.e., to "mess about" and to have firsthand experience with nature and animals. Not so at the Muscota New School in New York City! This innovative public elementary school actively promotes inquiry-based learning and encourages…

This study examined the knowledge, beliefs and efforts of five prospective teachers to enact teaching science as inquiry, over the course of a one-year high school fieldwork experience. Data sources included interviews, field notes, and artifacts, as these prospective teachers engaged in learning how to teach science. Research questions included…

University courses preparing elementary education majors to incorporate creative movement into their teaching methodology are becoming requirements in many schools of education around the country. The article addresses three questions pertinent to preparing upcoming teachers: 1. How can pre-service generalist teachers develop an appreciation of…

The importance of thinking suggests the need for learning activities which promote this ability of man if he is not to be totally dependent as a learner and a thinker. Four examples of the kinds of activities which might stimulate student thought, both intuitively and cognitively, were provided. (Author/RK)

Argues that creative dramatics offers many outlets for expression and creative activity to children who are shy, unable to speak up and act out imaginary adventures, or who lack confidence or self-esteem. (RB)

A study was conducted to determine where a sample of English language arts teachers, identified as educational leaders, get their ideas. Twenty-five English language arts teachers agreed to participate in the study which took the form of a 10-item survey. Five items dealt with trivial knowledge about language conventions and five items required…

This annotated bibliography contains 28 annotations (dating from 1975 to the present) on classics, folklore, and mythology. The bibliography provides (1) suggestions for teaching classics as part of the literary canon and relating those works to more recent literature, (2) resources on folklore that furnish the teacher with instructional…

Four true stories reveal how teachers used Sylvia Ashton Warner's ideas of "organic teaching" and "key vocabulary" to reach apparently unreachable students. The essence of the organic method of teaching is that it touches those things very deep and very real within the child. Teachers who can remain comfortable while taking the…

A paper given at a conference of art educators stressing the importance of a special way of living and behaving which emphasizes explorative inquiry, inventive "making" or creation, and dialogue or openness to experience. (SF)

Appeared originally in "This Magazine Is about Schools, vol. 2, no. 3.

Intended for teachers at all levels, this paper examines the characteristics of creativity and provides activities for creative learning. Following an introduction defining creativity as the ability to draw upon one's past experience, the paper examines the characteristics of creative thinking. This examination is followed by a section that…