This paper examines an increase in upper elementary class sizes in California associated with the K-3 class size reduction program. I also use the variation in fourth and fifth grade class size generated by idiosyncratic first and second grade reductions required to meet program rules to identify a negative impact of larger class sizes on…

The Change Writers project was born in the Title I schools of Elk Grove, California, when Gail Desler, a technology integration specialist, became motivated to open up the district's mandated "Open Court" curriculum to better serve intermediate-grade students. Through writing, technology, and imagination, a larger conversation was…

Simple but innovative strategies that fourth-grade California teachers can use for building student knowledge of California geography while reinforcing map skills throughout a typical fourth-grade state studies curriculum are presented. (RM)

Researchers examined the effect of writing in response to simple and complex pictures on students' narrative writing. Findings indicated that fourth graders use different composing behavior and produce different written products than do sixth graders, writing more coherently/cohesively for complex than for simple tasks. (SM)

Fourth grade students in a multicultural art program studied the art of California Indians in cooperation with the social studies program. A survey was conducted to identify the students' responses to learning about the art of another culture. (AM)

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments were made. In 1994, TSA was expanded to include non-public school students. The 1994 reading assessment considered students' proficiency in situations that involved…

This unit focuses on California's growth as an agricultural and industrial power in the 20th century and includes the impact of key people and key historic events. The unit is divided into 4 overlapping topics and should take 10 weeks to implement. Students examine how California became a power by tracing the transformation of the California…

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments were made. In 1992, the NAEP Program included an expanded TSA in fourth-grade reading. The 1992 reading assessment considered students' performance in situations that…

California was considered a special prize by the United States years before its acquisition. Its harbors opened to East Asian trade, and its fertile valleys beckoned settlers to make the great trek west. In 1845, Captain John C. Fremont took a surveying party into Mexican-held California. Following a war of skirmishes and battles with Mexico, the…

A description of tule houses used by California Indians led a class of fourth graders to discuss the social and moral expenses of our modern housing and way of life, and to recognize the value of other peoples' choices. (TD)

Understanding the geography of the state is the key to understanding the history of California. From the beginnings of the first early settlements of indigenous peoples, the terrain and resources of California have always influenced how people arrived and where they settled in the state. Having a knowledge of the physical setting of California is…

Examines a program for newly arrived, non-English-speaking immigrant children in a California city. Findings from a fourth-grade class demonstrate how a nurturing setting, culturally flexible teaching approach, linguistic and cultural validation, and a valued spatial environment contribute to newcomer students' success. (SLD)

In this California state curriculum model for grade 4, "California: A Changing State," students study the history and development of California from earliest times to the present. The curriculum emphasizes the role of immigration, the development of California's economy, agriculture and infrastructure, its geography and the contributions…

Research has been conducted which develops case studies on how to engage scientists in partnerships with teachers. Studies have focused on the Internet and the World Wide Web as potential conduits of research results to the classroom, particularly if scientists and teachers were involved in joint creation of Internet-based curriculum and lesson…

In this unit, fourth graders study the indigenous people of California and the state's four geographic regions. Looking at the indigenous people of California geographically allows students to see the relationship between the environment and the American Indian culture. Historical empathy is fostered as students observe the interdependence of…