High school teachers are often challenged to motivate students who have little or no interest in a subject and are bored with traditional instruction. This unique book is designed to help educators make chemistry classes more interesting and links art curriculum to practical applications, integrating the two subjects through scores of hands-on…

This issue of "Calliope," a world history magazine for young people is devoted to "Great Explorers of the East" and features articles on famous explorers of the eastern hemisphere. The following articles are included: "Ancient Egyptian Mariners"; "Alexander: The Great Reconciler"; "Marco Polo:…

For 8 weeks during 1991, a project was conducted in which literacy was emphasized within the context of one fourth-grade social studies classroom. The overall goal for this unit of instruction was to create language-rich experiences that would stimulate higher order thinking about the concept of Liberty. Additionally, students were to become more…

Intended to help students develop into discerning and perceptive theater audience members, this curriculum guide seeks to promote a course of study in which each and every student becomes aware of the world around them and how the arts, and specifically theater, are a reflection of and a comment on the world. It includes goals, objectives,…

Two lesson plans designed to teach the geographic theme of movement to third grade students are presented in this document. The first lesson involves the study of a can of fruit cocktail, and explores the ways in which the production of the fruit cocktail and its transportation connects the students' town to other towns. The second lesson involves…

This paper presents a guide to the selection and use of finger plays with children. Finger plays are defined as brief stories that rhyme and can be dramatized by fingers. After touching briefly on the origins of finger plays, the paper lists several uses for this activity, including motivating students, introducing new themes or units, and…

Defining critical thinking as a conscious process means that teachers can make students aware of the process and can affect the process. In addition, teachers can help students to evaluate their use of the process. The goal in any course is to involve students in the practice of critical thinking, and the oral exam reflects the students'…

This book helps individuals use Turtle Time Designs programs (i.e., a series of graphics program files to be used with LogoWriter) even if they have little previous experience with LogoWriter. The features of each program are carefully explained and are followed by step-by-step suggestions for teaching the lesson. Examples of the types of designs…

StarServe is a national, non-profit organization that provides materials, resources, and ongoing assistance free to teachers and administrators to make community service part of a class or school-wide activity. StarServe utilizes celebrities to bring the message to students: "You can be a star through service to others." This StarServe…

This theme issue contains articles about the importance of learning local history. The lead article includes historical information about three Iowa cities: Council Bluffs, Waterloo, and Jefferson. Other features in this issue are entitled: "Iowa Kids Talk,""Digging Into Local History,""Goldie's Top Ten News Stories";…

A communication instructor designed the "Organizational Feud" game to emphasize the variety and pervasive influence of organizations upon students' lives. In this game, students complete surveys indicating the organizations to which they belong and the values reflected in the organizations. The instructor codes the responses on the…

The theory and methods of the natural approach to language acquisition in the classroom are described. The natural approach is based on the theory that language acquisition occurs only when students receive comprehensible input. The emphasis is on reading and listening comprehension for beginning students. The seven chapters cover (1) language…

This unit, based on the 1982 North Dakota Official Highway Map, is designed to familiarize junior high school students with the information provided by road maps and to help them develop essential map skills. Topics covered in the unit include using mileage logs, map legends, and map coordinates; understanding travel information; and identifying…

A small-group teaching method for physical education which uses grids comprising 10-yard squares is outlined. It is stated that grids can be used for both indoor and outdoor activities. The advantages of using grids and specific physical objectives which can be met are listed. A detailed example of an activity in which students use a variety of…

Five teachers developed and tested creative, subtle approaches to the use of aging-related source material in language arts activities, an effort which resulted in this volume of 14 self-contained activities. These activities have been successfully field-tested in junior or senior high school classes, resulting in gains in language arts skills,…