Reports on a cross-section of high school seniors who were among the 40 students named as finalists in the fiftieth annual science talent search. Presents highlights from interviews with these exceptional teenagers being recognized for their independent research efforts in science, engineering, and mathematics. (JJK)

Four elementary teachers present several suggestions for exciting end-of-the-school-year learning activities. Ideas include making math a field day, enjoying an imagination celebration, broadcasting a book fair, planning a turn-of-the-century picnic, celebrating school history, and participating in a moving up day. (SM)

Provides classroom procedures for adapting the nineteenth-century-style song slide show to middle school history instruction. Suggests student production of song slide shows as individual or group projects. Argues that the activity can capture the drama of history and stimulate student curiosity about the past. (SG)

Undergraduate teacher education students participated in the Foxfire instructional approach by developing field trip packages for elementary students visiting a farm and a garden/greenhouse. Describes problems with group dynamics among students and efforts to resolve problems. (KS)

The project approach involves an in-depth investigation of a particular topic that integrates language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and the fine arts and extends over a period of several days or weeks. Discusses new ways to implement this approach in early childhood classrooms. (MDM)

Describes the way one English teacher designed a course by creating discourse community and thereby producing a group publication for a specific audience. Shows the steps by which a large group produced and revised copy for the publication. Argues for the efficacy of such courses. (HB)

Describes how one English teacher developed a multimedia poetry unit that opened her students' understanding of English poetry. Outlines the project's goals and methods of instruction. Provides students' written responses to the project and the teacher's reflection about its pros and cons. (HB)

Described is a senior project course that is intended to prepare graduates for solving problems in a real engineering environment. Students in electronics engineering technology may choose between an independent study option and a structured course in which they design and implement a project in a specified field. The scheduling, evaluation, and…

At South Medford High School, Oregon, all seniors must complete a senior project that requires the following: write a 10-page research paper on a topic of choice; carry out a project that relates to the research; and speak about what they learned from the project and answer questions before a board of judges. Offers tips for starting senior…

Means of accessing information above the textbook level for student research projects and a way of simplifying the process of assimilating research materials are described. Directions for developing "booster" bibliographies, simplified bibliographies on a specific topic that students can use to get them started, are included. (KR)

Thirteen suggestions for student research projects are presented. Project topics include birds, fish, frogs or toads, insects, spiders, crustaceans, mammals, predators, and ecology. The teacher's role in managing student projects is discussed. A list of middle school textbook resources is provided. (KR)

Directions for the building of a pocket microscope that will make visible the details of insect structure and living bacteria are described. Background information on the history of microscopes and lenses is provided. The procedures for producing various types of lenses are included. (KR)

Reports results of a research study of how student groups organize a collaborative writing task. Finds that students use two patterns like those of the workplace (dividing and allocating the tasks or drafting together), produce better documents using a variety of organizing patterns, and do not perceive equal performance on the basis of…

Class-produced newspapers are clear examples of product-driven learning, which requires a visible, though not always tangible, product; an audience other than the students themselves; whole-class involvement; and completion during normal school hours. Further examples are provided, including a first-grade circus, a fourth-grade rain forest tour,…

Benefits of a learner-based video production project in second-language learning are examined. Emphasis is on the communicative and interactive potential of such a project. The difference between process and product is discussed. (12 references) (LB)