The driving question for this brief is based on the most common question that teachers, principals, school leaders, coaches, and grant writers ask the Buck Institute for Education (BIE) about Project Based Learning (PBL): What evidence exists that shows the impact of Project Based Learning on student learning in core content areas? Research shows…

Literacy practices have changed over the past several years to incorporate modes of representation much broader than language alone, in which the textual is also related to the visual, the audio, the spatial, etc. This book focuses on research and instructional practices necessary for integrating an expanded view of literacy in the classroom that…

The Center on Standards, Alignment, Instruction, and Learning (C-SAIL), examines how college- and career-readiness (CCR) standards are implemented, if they improve student learning, and what instructional tools measure and support their implementation. This brief presents findings from C-SAIL's Implementation Study, which uses interview and survey…

This annotated bibliography surveys key resources and research related specifically to language learning and literacy. It focuses on resources that will be valuable to teaching professionals and researchers who specialize in the areas of foreign and second language teaching, language arts and first and second language literacy. Significant…

Investigating the origins of place names provides pupils with a wealth of language arts experiences in vocabularly, research, and writing. Activities based on place names are suggested. (MT)

Eight reproducible pages are offered for teachers to use as a summer send-off package which contains activities extending from a child's backyard to outer space. A list of books for summer reading is included. (MT)

Ways to perk up language arts instruction include skits, choral readings, and full-length plays. Ideas for putting a show together, from making the curtain to having a cast party, are covered. Two readings, a skit, and a play are appended. (MT)

A primary/intermediate starter unit which explores circus life and history is presented. Activities range from constructing a circus time line beginning in ancient Rome to research on the treatment of animals by circuses. (MT)

This article contains ideas for turning a language arts center into an imaginary underwater playground. Activities involving poems, riddles, and word play are suggested, as are questions to investigate and art projects. (MT)

A language arts unit on the shape "round" is described. Useful materials, references, and activities are suggested. (MT)

This Tasmanian handbook for teachers describes a handwriting program that helps children develop a technique that enables them to easily produce a legible and fluent personal handwriting style. An initial overview of the program is followed by sections that focus on activities for development of handwriting skills, the process of planning the…

Many questions are on the minds of middle school teachers, principals, and curriculum leaders as they respond to a growing pressure to produce better educated students. Some of the questions are the following: Which language arts curriculum will sustain the interest of middle grades students? How can educators be certain the curriculum meets state…

Discusses two six-week projects for high school students involving qualitative and quantitative research methods to integrate mathematics and English. Students use descriptive statistics and prose to present findings about (1) their school space and (2) daily life for American troops in the Gulf War. (KMC)

The teaching activity presented in this paper focuses on giving students in grades four through seven a headstart on future computer classes, and provides a practical way for students to use language and logic. The paper presents a step-by-step lesson in flowcharting, including discussions of the special purposes for various shapes in a chart,…

Class-made scrapbooks with mounted photographs (taken by the teacher) of hearing-impaired preschool students in previous learning activities were used to encourage students' language development and improve their communication skills. Suggestions for teachers regarding supplies and equipment and hints for taking good pictures are offered. (CB)