Noting that students who learn strategies to make and complete analogies benefit in many ways, the introduction to this workbook for grades six through eight defines analogies as comparisons between seemingly unrelated items. It notes that comparing an unfamiliar item to an item that is more familiar increases understanding. In addition, the…

Intended to serve an instrumental purpose for middle-grade teachers, this paper presents brief annotations of eight novels of interest to middle grade students and more elaborate comments and teaching activities for two well-known novels. The eight novels are "How to Eat Fried Worms" (Thomas Rockwell); "Number the Stars" (Lois Lowry); "Cousins"…

This staff development handbook is intended to help teachers and other professionals prepare, design, and lead staff development programs for middle school educators interested in augmenting their curriculums with service. Designed to be used as a comprehensive guide to planning and delivering staff development training, the book suggests a…

Reports the lessons a high school English teacher learned when she switched to teaching in a middle school. (JL)

Describes the common stressors experienced by middle school administrators, outlines the primary reactions to such situations, and suggests, in light of research on adaptation to stress, methods of coping well. Available from the National Association of Middle School Administrators, G-10 Aderhold Hall, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30603;…

Six activities for use in teaching English to middle school students. (DD)

Tells a story written by a sixth-grade student to illustrate the various kinds of numbers encountered in elementary arithmetic. (MKR)

Presents a way to design lesson plans that takes into account four modes of communication (oral, written, visual, and kinesthetic) and four audiences (self, partner, small group, and whole class) and that allows for reflection based on the NCTM Standards. (MKR)

"Teaching Ten to Fourteen Year Olds," by Chris Stevenson, describes the author's odyssey as a teacher. Although scholarly and well researched, the book is filled with stories and anecdotes. Many of the teaching strategies are explained in detail. (MLF)

Presents a game designed to help middle school students think about geometric properties and the relationships among them. (ASK)

Introduces an activity designed to develop statistical concepts such as the distribution for a set of data, various interpretations of the mean for a set of data, the limitation of the mean for distinguishing distributions, variation in data, variation in data from the mean, and the MAD as a measure of variation in data from the mean. (ASK)

Presents a process for reflecting that a school community of elementary teachers can organize and adapt to suit their own needs in teaching mathematics. Shares what can be learned by participating in this process together. (ASK)

This paper provides an extensive literature review concerning at-risk students and their needs, identifies the essential components necessary for effective at-risk programming, and describes successful at-risk programs and recommendations for administrators and teachers at the middle- and high-school levels. The literature review presents research…

Designed for use by students in grades 5 through 9, this annotated bibliography of nearly 600 titles of fiction and nonfiction also serves as a resource for teachers, librarians, and parents in search of titles that might catch the attention of junior high and middle school students. The book presents annotations of books published in 1991 or…

This multimedia kit provides information and materials for teaching nutrition to middle school students (grades 7 and 8). The kit supports schools' efforts to make school meals healthier and more appealing to students. The materials provide information about the relationships between food, nutrition, growth, and health. The kit speaks directly to…