Discusses three award-winning novels for young adults that are very popular with school teachers: "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, "Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse, and "Holes" by Louis Sachar. Examines the quality of plots, characters, and themes but also considers the artistry in details and emotional impact. Offers…

Describes how Gary Paulsen's novels for young adults transformed the author's teaching, and caused her eighth-grade reluctant readers to read as if inspired. Relates how Paulsen's stories about his adventures and misadventures in education and in life stirred students to become active participants in the reading process. Offers a select…

Relates stories of three middle and high school teachers to describe how teachers can effectively integrate young adult literature into the curriculum. Notes a variety of strategies, including the particularly effective use of multiple genre thematic units, where a variety of texts are linked by some common theme, allowing students to use…

Describes an interdisciplinary activity combining visual and language arts. First grade students explore the meaning of "Starry Crown" by John Biggers through the use of student-generated interrogative and demonstrative sentences. Lists the materials needed and provides information about John Biggers and the "Starry Crown." (CMK)

Argues that, especially in the intermediate grades, keying into students' personal interests is a powerful motivator for learning. Illustrates this with the story of a formerly excellent student who became disillusioned with school in fifth grade, becoming resistant and disruptive. Describes how a project approach to reading and writing that…

Introduces an activity of creating discovery centers that is designed for preservice elementary students using a constructivist approach. Encourages students to find science experiments and hands-on extension activities. (YDS)

Offers a review of nine books, presented in the form of an imagined conversation between the authors (leading scholars in the English-language arts today) as they discuss changes in language-arts curriculum, interdisciplinary curriculum, community-building in the classroom, teaching rather than showing films, and literature as a living tradition.…

Introduces a tornado tube activity to develop understanding of an environmental phenomena. Uses an inquiry-based, hands on science approach. (Contains 24 references.) (YDS)

Discusses the philosophy of Core Knowledge that was developed by E. D. Hirsch and provides a description of the Core Knowledge curriculum sequence. Examines the history and language arts Core Knowledge curricula that foster civic virtue and the relationship between Core Knowledge and character education. Describes one program focusing on character…

This article discusses important principles for assessing language arts instruction for gifted learners. It stresses the importance of multiple measures and approaches being employed at formative and summative stages of the instructional process. Examples of rubrics, portfolios, and performance-based models are provided, along with ideas for…

This study evaluated the William and Mary curriculum units in science and language arts for high ability learners after 3 years of implementation in several suburban elementary and middle schools. Findings suggested that the curriculum was viewed positively by relevant groups, that the innovation had been integrated into district policies, and…

Presents brief descriptions from 8 middle and high school teachers of various ways they have successfully incorporated history into the English curriculum, including using historical fiction; doing prior research; using interdisciplinary projects coordinated with the history teacher; a women's suffrage unit; linking world literature with classes…

Forms part of a themed issue describing "Parent-Kid-Teacher Investigators," a program in which parents, children, and teachers gather regularly to use language and literacy for action research projects. Offers a classroom portrait of these weekly meetings, looking at the process of research and the impact that "learning how to learn" had on all…

This case study examined how elementary teachers reacted to uncertainties inherent in a language arts reform effort. Results found that teachers fell along a continuum in their willingness to tolerate and use uncertainty within language arts reform as a springboard for thoughtful, probing inquiry. Overall, teachers demonstrated a growing…

Reviews 43 recently-published collections of poetry for children that were considered by the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Committee. Groups them in terms of: evoking an image or idea; visual poetry; word play; and the voice. (SR)