Offers 12 activities based on Mother Goose which lend themselves to various content areas and are easily adaptable to any grade level. (MG)

Argues that graphs and charts are cases of document structures introduced in previous columns: combined lists, intersecting lists, and nested lists. Explores pie charts and various aspects of bar charts as they relate to other document structures presented in this series. (RS)

Summarizes documents from the ERIC database that provide suggestions for integrating disabled students into elementary and secondary school drama activities, as well as information about programs and activities that encourage understanding and appreciation of school children with physical and mental disabilities. (MS)

Discusses several principles that can help reading teachers create fluency activities: repetition, modeling, direct instruction and feedback, support during reading, emphasis on reading in chunks or phrases, and use of easy materials. Notes that these principles are guidelines for developing reading instruction and activities that promote fluency.…

Describes problem-based thematic instruction in an effort to give both students and teachers meaningful experiences. (MG)

Describes an approach for teaching "The Diary of Anne Frank" to secondary school students, focusing on historical and emotional preparation, and writing prompts for the play. (MM)

Describes several exercises for incorporating dictation into the business communication class. Suggests that these skills will continue to be important as future technology brings significant changes in dictation procedures. (MM)

Describes the mission, objectives, and activities of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education. Considers plans for the expansion of the program. (DMM)

Explored nature of group maturity in classroom among 58 undergraduate student task groups. Found that, compared to members of immature groups, members of mature groups scored higher in their project evaluations and were significantly more satisfied with groups, reporting they would work with group again and would engage in non-task-related…

An instructional unit designed for an advanced core French class uses a cooperative learning model. Related activities include an introduction and grouping exercise, completion of a question set, wrap-up, evaluation, and followup activities, and vocabulary and questions are appended. (MSE)

Describes a "literate occasion," when the death of a teacher's grandmother gave her fourth-grade students the chance to use their reading and writing skills for a purpose--to support their teacher. Emphasizes the importance of showing students the power of literacy in their lives and the lives of others. (MM)

Argues that introducing preschoolers to the kinds of formal basic skills instruction they will receive in elementary school fosters "learned stupidity" and merely teaches the ability to memorize concepts that have no meaning. Advocates that preschool programs focus on play, motor skills, and that which is visible, tangible, and audible. (DMM)

This article describes a science learning experience in which intermediate grade students launched balloons with attached postcards to study wind currents. More than 200 (of over 900 balloons) were returned, and their analysis supported the students' hypothesis about the direction of wind currents. (DB)

Describes how students in a developmental college reading class were encouraged to become more active readers by interacting with the author of a novel that was a required text. (SR)

Describes how using a flashlight to read language experience chart stories can provide a concrete way to build a foundation for many emergent reader concepts, such as directionality. (SR)