Elementary and secondary school teachers explain how they get the most out of their computer labs. Ideas including conferencing with the school's computer teacher, developing a new system for disks, planning a practice project to reinforce basic skills, setting up computer competency training, and supporting the curriculum. (SM)

Elementary level activity book presents suggestions for teaching students about endangered and threatened species worldwide. Students learn about what is causing the rapid extinction rate and what needs to be done. They also discover the value of rainforests and why conservationists are fighting to save them. (SM)

Presents suggestions for teaching elementary students about shapes and similarities. Primary students can read an illustrated story that encourages observation and discussion of shapes. Intermediate students can cut shapes out of magazines and describe their similarities. Another activity teaches students that geometrically similar figures,…

Presents classroom activities designed to teach elementary students about soil, seeds, and sprouts and to guide them in gardening. The article also includes extension activities, home projects, and a student journal page. Curriculum materials are listed. (SM)

By bringing some of the excitement of the stock market to the classroom, teachers can encourage students to learn about the financial world, read the newspaper, work cooperatively, and practice working with money and fractions. The article explains how to get students started and offers some advanced strategies. (SM)

A Chapter 1 school motivated students using technology and the arts. A partnership with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Arts helped students develop cognitive and creative skills while working in concrete ways. Using computers, each class chose an artist, developed a class museum, and exhibited at the student-staffed museum. (SM)

Interactive language arts homework helps parents and children come together on activities they enjoy. The article presents a project in which students interview their parents on hairstyles from their youth, write a paragraph about the subject, then follow up with class activities. Includes a questionnaire form for students to give their parents.…

Examines why the arts, particularly dance, are significant in education and why art forms should be taught with other disciplines. The article provides examples of integrated arts experiences and describes how to begin with the essence of an idea and make connections in the arts and other curriculum areas. (SM)

Describes how technology helped one elementary teacher meet the needs and celebrate the strengths of all his students in a mixed-ability-grouped, student-centered classroom. Technology allowed the children many more choices for different kinds of learning and helped them develop their individual strengths. (SM)

Educators seeking novel ways to instill conflict-resolution skills in young children should consider Dr. Seuss, whose books provide a synthesis of fantasy and reality that works for teaching values endemic to peace education. This paper discusses how students can learn peace and educators can teach peace using Dr. Seuss books, examining steps to…

Provides an overview of about 100 quality historical fiction books for each decade of the 20th century. Describes "Doing the Decades" as a program where students, guided by social studies and English language arts teachers, work in learning teams to explore the "ins and outs" of the 1920s, 1950s, or other periods. (SC)

Describes how one fourth-grade teacher developed a Web site to build online research skills. The Day I Was Born helps students find interesting details about what was occurring in the world on their birth day. Suitable for grades 4 and up, it provides links to such sources as the New York Times Learning Network and History Channel On-Line. (SM)

Matches a number of famous musical compositions with literary works that can be paired for interdisciplinary lessons. Lists musical and literary works appropriate for grades 1-12 ("Samson et Delilah" by Camille Saint-Saens and readings from the Book of Judges for grade seven). Includes a list of video resources. (MJP)

Describes a multisensory reading program for teaching beginning reading to general education students. The program's main feature is that students learn to read by seeing, hearing, saying, and signing words. Pretesting and posttesting of participating kindergartners indicated that signing greatly enhanced the ability of hearing students to retain…

Presents three art projects that can bring to life the study of ancient Egypt for elementary students. After researching Egypt's history and culture, students can create King Tut masks, make Cleopatra headdresses, and craft cartouche pendants. The article describes the materials needed and steps required to complete each project. (SM)