Describes how the author developed her own program for teaching grammar in the context of writing. Shows how, after laying some groundwork, she lets students' needs direct her teaching to specific usage areas. Shows how she gives specific instruction, supports it with examples, and then has students apply this to their writing. (SR)

Takes a look at what creativity is and where it goes as people age. Describes six exercises the author has used to spark creativity in middle school and high school students, both in the classroom and on stage. (SR)

Discusses the use of synchronous computer-mediated communication (commonly known as "chatting") in the foreign language classroom. Examines both pedagogical and technological factors that can affect the language productivity of second-language learners who engage in chatting activities. (SR)

Demonstrates how students' metacognitive skill may be enhanced through writing learning statements. Uses a framework of multiple intelligences and learning style theories to describe how teachers can guide students through reflective writing exercises to help them understand how they learn. (SR)

Explores the notion of masculinities and the impact that social contexts and power relations have on how boys display and practice masculinity as they participate in literacy activities. Presents a quick overview of the study in which the activity took place. Concludes that educators must continue to challenge existing practices of gender in order…

Presents a biography of children's book author Laura Ingalls Wilder; suggests appropriate activities related to her and the historical period of her books; and includes an annotated bibliography of her books, biographies, information material, activity books, media adaptations, Web sites, biographical information, and literary criticism and adult…

Discusses development of preschool emergent curriculum focusing on pet care. Considers the use of games, books, and veterinarian visits to the classroom to develop classroom content, and use of these activities to develop other appropriate preschool skills. Includes a bibliography of recommended children's books about dogs. (JPB)

Provides activities to encourage classroom play that helps preschool children learn more about place, including where they are at a particular time and how they move from one location to another. Includes separate lists of activities for children ages 2-3, 3-4, and 4 and older. (JPB)

Describes redesigned thematic units used by a middle-school teacher to make social justice a year-long focus that unified all aspects of her class endeavors. Claims that opening the door to the tenets of social justice expanded the classroom community to include the insight of teachers in a neighboring city, the wisdom of a Holocaust survivor, and…

Summarizes research findings from a longitudinal study related to measuring effective classroom practices, the aspects of interdisciplinary teaming that affect practices at the classroom level, and how classroom practices relate to student achievement. (JPB)

A teacher describes a class activity for teaching and illuminating the allegory of the cave in Plato's Republic, a parable that illustrates Plato's thoughts on enlightenment and the educative process. Students create the cave in the classroom, recreate the experience of its inhabitants, and discuss their own reactions to the experience. (SV)

Three fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms (147 students) were observed over 10 weeks. Science was taught either through (1) short, in-class projects; (2) an ongoing gardening project; or (3) teacher-oriented expository method. Participation in agriculturally oriented experiential activities, such as the projects, had a greater effect on science…

Interactive digital video enables computer visualization techniques that help students to collect, analyze, and model two-dimensional motion data. This article describes and evaluates five activities developed for the physics classroom with the use of this technology in mind. Activities explore concepts such as space, time, frames of reference,…

Maintains that viewing should be incorporated as an integral element in whole language curricula. Suggests a number of activities for the secondary school language arts classroom, pertaining to specific tenets of the whole language approach. (TB)

Suggests that students can improve their writing by being instructed on how to write badly. Applies the criteria of testability, tunnel-vision, excessive vagueness, flying in the face of established fact, and hazy authority to tabloid newspaper stories. Discusses how students can write their own "rotten" tabloid stories by taking these…