Chess experts remember meaningful knowledge in the form of networks or patterns. Applied to mathematics instruction, effective classroom approaches can use investigation to identify patterns or rules. Described are a class activity and a small-group activity to investigate addition of signed numbers and linear relationships. (MDH)

Urges social studies teachers to help students understand and identify sociocentric, national bias in the news media. Illustrates how the media fosters "us versus them" thinking and how word choice often reflects bias. Outlines activities to help students recognize bias. Provides weak and strong examples of students' analyses of bias in news…

Outlines a unit of study in which students undertake a scavenger hunt for data about the civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. Lists 36 activities (e.g., obtain a copy of a search warrant) and assigns points for the completion of each. Explains that student groups attempt to earn a 200-point total by completing activities. (CH)

Describes an activity in which the students utilize the mathematics concepts of ratio, proportion, and data tabulation to examine the relationship between air pressure, temperature, and humidity. Students learn to approximate partial pressure by using humidity and temperature readings and by interpolating from the vapor pressure-temperature table.…

Provides background information on landfills and describes an activity where students learn how a modern landfill is constructed and develop an understanding of the reasons for several regulations regarding modern landfill construction. Students design and construct working models of three types of landfills. (PR)

Presents two examples from 1990 curriculum guide written for Pullen School. Designed for middle school students, "The Japanese Gardener as Visual Artist" emphasizes nature in aesthetic depictions including architecture, horticulture, and visual arts. Appropriate for primary grades, "Reading/Language Arts: Using Books from the…

Presents activities designed to give students an opportunity to solve concrete problems involving spatial relationships and logical thinking utilizing hands-on manipulatives. Provides teacher instructions and four reproducible worksheets. (MDH)

Offers 3 teaching designs developed for 12- to 16-year-old pupils taking into account personal differences in gender, culture, knowledge, and use of calculators. The designs concern the representation of three-dimensional objects in the plane, directions and great circles on the sphere, and exploration of the integrating calculator. (Contains 31…

Presents a learning activity in which the location of National Football League teams are used to explain geographic concepts. Contends that geography presented in most history textbooks is limited primarily to simple name-place identification. Provides maps and teaching suggestions to help students understand spatial perspective and historical…

Describes using the movie "Jurassic Park" as a foundation for a middle school interdisciplinary unit involving science, math, language arts, history, and geography. Suggested books and activities are presented. (PR)

Technology means more than computers, especially in classrooms for young children. The K-3 technology curriculum should build on children's interest in making things, discovering how things work, and using tools to help accomplish tasks. To prevent computer misuse or overuse, principals must involve teachers in planning the technology curriculum.…

To provide information about potential legal problems that might arise from using and distributing instructional materials and designing activities for Internet-based instruction, this article analyzes court cases and decisions relating to course packets; illustrations and figures; learning activities; video, sound and graphic images; and…

Provides five fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in nutrition, reading and language arts, science, and social studies. Each activity identifies library media skills, objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, evaluation, and…

Presents curriculum guides for elementary instruction in the areas of industrial arts, social studies, mathematics, science, and reading/language arts. Each lesson plan describes library media skills objectives; curriculum objectives; grade levels; resources; instructional roles; activity and procedures for completion; evaluation; and follow-up…

Teachers received guidance and direction from elementary-education university students for using telecommunications to allow third and fourth graders to practice literacy skills in authentic contexts. As a result of the project, the university students gained insight into teaching and learning, and the elementary students enjoyed reading and…