Artists and writers from Maine were asked to develop creative activities for a sixth-grade class. Students were encouraged to observe nature, investigate their ancestors, design logos, and think about the impossible. Several of the activities that could be adopted to relate to other states are presented. (DF)

A personal account of teaching creative writing to elementary school students, with information on what the teacher learned about teaching, what classroom techniques she used, and how the students reacted to creative writing and writing for publication. (RL)

Football is the basis for an educational game that is used as a vehicle for class-size instruction that can provide general review, review of recently taught topics, or introduction of new material. Teachers of students of any age are encouraged to consider use of this approach. (MP)

A lesson for a sixth grade class that came out of an article in a Sunday newspaper is described. The instruction centered around an experiment in probability that was seen to provide an opportunity to add to pupil intuitive understanding of some basic notions. The lesson was viewed as worthwhile. (Author/MP)

The frequency with which games must be used in order to help students maintain multiplication skills is the subject of this study. (MP)

Presents a play for sixth graders which emphasizes the importance of school to educational goals. The play is a fantasy in which a middle school student and a superhero companion tour the world of careers. Follow-up activities are suggested. (JAC)

Describes an approach to writing instruction in which students write in journals each day and the teacher responds in writing to each student entry. Tells the positive effects that the ongoing writing dialogues have on students' writing and personal development. (ET)

Efforts directed to emphasizing problem solving and using the immediate environment to create problem situations are described. Teachers are urged to incorporate problem-solving activities in their instruction. (MP)

This guide is one in a series of four resource guides specifically designed for those interested in aviation education. Activities and lessons that can be used in a variety of content areas and grade levels are featured. Grades 4-6 are the focus of this guide, which is organized under the broad topics of properties of air, lighter than air flight,…

Based on the notion that children will rewrite willingly if given a definite purpose, three alternatives for revision connect the necessity of revision to the students' acceptance and desire to revise. The first alternative is to have the children revise their original story format, where the basic storyline remains the same, but the ideas,…

Presents research findings regarding motivation's role in music education. Explains that students in grades five through eight provided reactions to a fictitious band student's experience with failure. Reports that many respondents believed that the student would perform better, try harder, and receive the teacher's and fellow students' support in…

Describes a Canadian study attempting to relate the motivating power of interest to children's writing performance by supplementing background knowledge with topic relevant information. Reports that children with tutorial support on high interest subjects performed no better than others. Concludes that the motivational power of interesting topics…

A middle school student helper teacher program based on some cooperative learning tenants provided alternative instruction to sixth grade instrumental students in music lessons that would have been severely curtailed due to budget reductions and increasing enrollment. Students were grouped on like instruments and divided into subgroups by ability.…

Examines teaching methods in elementary social studies classrooms. Interviews fifth and sixth grade students regarding their perceptions of social studies. Finds instruction relies heavily on textbooks. Shows half of the students dislike social studies. Includes students' verbatim comments. Designs teaching approaches based on students' preference…

Presents a case study of the library media program at Old High Elementary School, Bentonville, Arkansas, which uses production of audiovisual materials to build extrinsic motivation into reading programs for grades five and six and special education classes. Five measurement techniques used to evaluate the program's effectiveness are also…