Presents ideas for tools useful for teaching writing in elementary school, such as carbon paper, stick-on flags, blank books, scissors, rulers, tape, stationery, postcards, card stands, clotheslines, and Polaroid cameras. Notes on materials dos and don'ts and special writing projects are included. (SM)

Presents activities that teach elementary students how light works by having them make rainbows. A primary-/intermediate- level activity involves conducting a rainbow color survey, and a student page provides a copy of the rainbow color survey. A primary-level activity has students create rainbows using water and a mirror. (SM)

Reviews the literature for empirical support of the use of humor in classroom teaching. Concludes that the judicious use of humor by a teacher can facilitate student learning, and offers guidelines for its use. (FMW)

Presents nine video activities for use in physical education. Teachers can use video to get to know students, provide otherwise unavailable information, document funding needs, familiarize newcomers with the school, and train students. Student applications include individualized or group feedback, video research, video commercials or skits, and…

This article describes how to play a card game entitled "Is It 10?" which is designed to capture elementary school students' attention while they practice addition, explore number combinations, and learn beginning probability concepts. Suggestions for both primary and older students are provided. (SM)

Using the work of Anselm Kiefer, the article reflects on postmodern developments in visual arts, arguing that the developments point away from ideas about art that provide the impetus for discipline-based art education. Students need education in the arts that helps prepare them for the larger cultural arena. (SM)

Creative ways to motivate students to read and report on books include having them retell the stories differently, invent products related to the stories, share snacks like those the characters ate, illustrate action from the story, write imaginary conversations between themselves and the characters, and turn the stories into short skits. (SM)

A secondary teacher in Hawaii's Kamehameha schools describes how she teaches her students about video and television production. Because it is a school for native Hawaiians, the program emphasizes cultural documentation. Through the program, students learn to research, interview, organize video footage, write, rewrite, and use technology. (SM)

This discussion of creativity in its educational context first considers the role of the creative product, process, personality, and environment. A proposal for teaching student teachers to teach more creatively is offered. The approach stresses development of originality, fluency, abstraction, elaboration, and openness. (DB)

Describes why and how to make movement part of the teaching routine to enhance the curriculum. Information is presented on movement logistics, managing movement, and music. The article explains how to integrate movement activities into specific science, social studies, math, and language arts units at various elementary school levels. (SM)

Elementary teachers offer their ideas for enhancing the final days of school. They help students review material, highlight achievements, fill spare time, and create summer plans. Suggestions include making class diplomas, producing action news, making friendship trees, writing letters to their future selves, and preparing summer activity guides.…

Four elementary teachers present several suggestions for exciting end-of-the-school-year learning activities. Ideas include making math a field day, enjoying an imagination celebration, broadcasting a book fair, planning a turn-of-the-century picnic, celebrating school history, and participating in a moving up day. (SM)

Presents a collection of activities to help elementary students study ocean ecology. The activities have students investigate ocean inhabitants, analyze animal adaptations, examine how temperature and saltiness affect ocean creatures, and learn about safeguarding the sea. Student pages offer reproducible learning sheets. (SM)

Discusses the importance of children's literature in kindergarten math instruction, noting it is rich with opportunities for children to think and reason. The article explains how teachers can find math connections in children's books and then select books. It describes two books appropriate for literature-based math lessons. (SM)

Explains how elementary teachers can help students understand onomatopoeia, suggesting that they define onomatopoeia, share examples of it, read poems and have students discuss onomatopoeic words, act out common household sounds, write about sound effects, and create choral readings of onomatopoeic poems. Two appropriate poems are included. (SM)