Discusses various encounters children may have that leave lasting impressions, including encounters with animals or natural elements in general, those with people that evolve into friendship or tension, and fantasy encounters. Examples are given from films and literature, and sample creative activities involving encounters are suggested for…

This study investigated differences in verbal and artistic creative achievements among 6-year-old children. Creative-capacity level differentiation was analyzed, and factors which determine individual and group differences were determined. Results confirm a great differentiation of creative capacity levels and suggest that pedagogic factors are…

Describes several Thanksgiving Web sites, including those with historical information, favorite Thanksgiving foods and recipes, songs and games, arts and crafts activities, and some sites "just for fun." Sites include everything from the Macy's Day Parade site, to PlimothonWeb, to Thanksgiving clip art. (AEF)

Presents an article about the techniques for enhancing creativity among elementary students. Importance of developing rapport with the students to establish a harmonious learning environment; Need for teaching a wide but simple repertoire of songs, chants and patterns; Significance of developing mirroring games like Simon Says to improve the…

To encourage creative thinking, high school teacher Kelly Courtney-Smith asked her students for creative responses to Hesse's novel, using a technique she learned from coauthor Michael Angelotti. Students painted or wrote poems interpreting their reading, then responded to the creations of their classmates. The students found that these…

School Library Journal hosted its first Leadership Summit March 18 and 19. The best and brightest were invited, and many of them came to New York City to discuss the most pressing issues facing K-12 education: literacy, student achievement, and the integration of 21st century learning skills. These core topics became the categories around which…

There are many interpretations for the symbols that are seen in rock art, but no decoding key has ever been discovered. This article describes one classroom's experiences with a lesson on rock art--making their rock art and developing their own personal symbols. This lesson allowed for creativity, while giving an opportunity for integration…

This paper assesses the causes and consequences of recent American efforts to configure the research university as an engine of economic and social change. Drawing upon interviews and strategic plans, the paper describes recent policies to encourage "interdisciplinary creativity," in a context of increasing income from private gifts and endowments.

This study explores a teacher's understandings of the role of play and her use of play in literacy learning serving children from diverse language backgrounds. The participants in this study were a public pre-kindergarten teacher and her class. Data were collected from interviews, informal conversations, observations, and self-reflexive notes. The…

The purpose of this paper is to show how curricular quality is related to the day-to-day activities experienced by children and the pedagogical activities of staff, both coded through systematic target-child observations. Data were drawn from the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) and the Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early…

How can university faculty use communicating-to-learn activities to enliven discussions, check understanding, and assess learning? By incorporating various reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking strategies into their classes, faculty are teaching through example and are making classes invigorating. As such, their undergraduate and…

An innovative method for teaching creativity and leadership to adults was presented to engineers and executives within a high-technology corporation who wished to overcome fear of failure and the inhibiting influences of stress within their industry. The methodology developed was based upon prior research conducted in the area of self-directed…

This handbook, designed for use with preschool and elementary age children, is based on the premise that the focus of the art program should be upon encouraging children to create art as a way of expressing feelings and communicating ideas. The value of art activities for young children lies in the process of creation rather than in the finished…

Designed to be used before and after attending a storytelling performance by Dylan Pritchett, this cue sheet presents information about the performance and suggests activities that can be done with classmates, friends, or family members. The cue sheet discusses where and why people tell stories, what makes a story good for telling, what makes a…

Presented are activities relating science and Halloween. (PB)