Outlines techniques that teachers can use to help students develop base-10 numeration and other mathematics skills, using calculator explorations, problems that require strategies to solve, and group discussion activities. Examples of activities and problems for both primary and upper elementary grades are provided. (MDM)

Describes two practices that make the writing of a persuasive essay more manageable for writing students: (1) a game in which students attempt to match a list of logical fallacies with an instance in Max Shulman's "Love Is a Fallacy"; and (2) a graphic arrangement that students can use to organize their ideas on one page before writing.…

Argues that family stories encourage students to learn more about their heritage, acquire and refine literacy skills, and develop greater respect for the multicultural differences that make the students unique. Discusses starting with children's literature, collecting stories, sharing aloud, preserving the stories through writing, and celebrating…

Notes that how teachers actually utilize the computers and software provided for their classrooms may determine how much the students benefit from their classroom computer experiences. Presents specific concrete activities teachers can employ to reinforce software being used in class. (ET)

Notes that Grandparent's Day is becoming a nationally recognized holiday celebrated by more and more schools, but that such celebrations can alienate students whose grandparents have died or whose families do not have good relations with the grandparents. Presents an activity to engage students who may be in these situations. (JW)

Highlights Paley's contributions, particularly her work in developing the vision of the narrative classroom. This vision includes using a combination of acting, writing, and directing to get children to work together and develop ideas in small settings. Paley's methods and insights illustrate these concepts and classroom life in an important way…

Describes a schema-awareness activity (used with sixth graders and college students) that provides teachers with a model of how students can use their past experiences and their ability to infer and predict when reading. Notes that the activity convinces students that they bring to the reading act much more than they encounter on the printed page.…

Describes video distribution systems as a way of giving control of all monitors in a classroom to the teacher. Examples of their use are given, including distribution in language labs and distribution from a media lab to classrooms throughout a school building; and information about five vendors is included. (LRW)

Presents activities for observing, measuring, collecting, and graphing data about times of sunrise and sunset to teach an understanding about arrival of Daylight Savings Time in April. Also discusses seasonal affective disorder (SAD). (TM)

Describes how an eighth-grade teacher interested her students in reading and writing using cooperative learning and newspapers. During National Newspaper Week, students grouped into mixed ability clusters then completed weekly newspaper reading activities over the rest of the year. Team members agreed on role assignments and rotated…

Describes how one seventh-grade teacher accomplishes a comprehensive review of reading and writing skills by having groups of students design and present reviews of selected skills to their classmates. (SR)

Describes a seven-day vocabulary building unit for language deficient high school students that revolved around ice cream, fat content of foods, and heart disease. (RS)

Argues that the unique interrelationship of art, reading, and writing offers teachers a variety of opportunities to nurture students' artistic imagination. Describes several strategies that can be used to explore images through writing and to explore images through reading. (SR)

Each year, fifth graders at Kamehameha Elementary School produce a play about American history. Students do research, write scripts and songs, design costumes and the stage sets, act, and promote the event. The article explains how the students accomplished this over several months and notes how the activity tied into their schoolwork. (SM)

Field trips allow students to learn from direct experience. Teachers must make what occurs before and after the trip meaningful in order to maintain what students learned on the trip. The article describes three field trips for Hawaiian students, explaining the necessary preparation and follow through to make them effective. (SM)