The goal of this qualitative case study was to investigate the influence of culturally responsive teaching on the academic engagement of Black third and fourth grade students. For many years, schools have been faced with evidence that shows classrooms and schools are failing to meet the academic needs of students of color, particularly Black…

Background: Over 1 in 3 children in US schools is overweight or obese; thus, most teachers believe physical education and activity are necessary K-12 components. One potential avenue to infuse physical activity (PA) in educational settings is integrating in classrooms based on learning objectives and academic outcomes. In this study, we examined…

This paper draws from a broader research project and reports on a qualitative case study that investigated instructional practices in grades 3-5 Two-Way Immersion (TWI) classrooms where the partner language is Spanish. Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to examine the degree to…

This study explored K-4 teachers and school district curriculum leadership's understanding of and inclination to implement culturally relevant pedagogy as a framework for teaching reading, especially for African American students. This qualitative study sought the potential basis that teachers and educational leaders retain from their experiences…

Dyslexia is a neurologically-based, lifelong condition that affects a person's ability to process language, which in turn can make reading and writing more difficult. Between 10 and 20 percent of all people are dyslexic. Providing appropriate reading instruction and intervention for young children by second grade could reduce the percentage of…

This article describes a fourth grade project involving elementary students, their teachers, elementary preservice teachers, and university faculty. The project focused on a work of juvenile historical fiction, culminating in social studies lessons that were interdisciplinary. This collaboration between educators was made possible by a…

Background: Teacher self-efficacy for teaching nutrition can positively impact student dietary behaviors; however, limited curricular resources and professional development can serve as barriers to the provision of nutrition education in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a food-based, integrative science…

History labs invite students to examine primary and secondary source documents related to an essential question. The sources used in a history lab should represent multiple perspectives so that students are aware of the varying accounts of and opinions about historic events. By being exposed to multiple perspectives, students also learn about…

Cemeteries have traditionally been cast as scary and creepy places in children's literature, as well as in popular television shows and movies. Spooky media images, coupled with exaggerated stories from their friends, might leave young learners wary of cemeteries and with feelings of fear and anxiety. Cemeteries are, however, unique community…

This project describes a fourth-grade unit that integrated science and language arts using the book "The Capture" as a focal point. During the unit, students engaged in science activities and language arts lessons that focused on owls. Students conducted investigations that helped them develop a deeper understanding of the adaptations of…

This study addressed whether prior successes with educational interventions grounded in the theory of successful intelligence could be replicated on a larger scale as the primary basis for instruction in language arts, mathematics, and science. A total of 7,702 4th-grade students in the United States, drawn from 223 elementary school classrooms in…

This document presents the proceedings of the 23nd Annual Research Forum held June 28, 2018, at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Included are the following 12 action research papers: (1) Standards-Based Grading in a Secondary Mathematics Classroom (Michelle Anderson); (2) How the Use of Graphic Novels in Shakespeare…

For this project I worked with twelve of my fourth grade students from a local school in the southwestern part of Stokes County, North Carolina on increasing their vocabulary skills through the development and implementation of seven vocabulary strategies. During the Literature Review I came across the following seven strategies: Prediction;…

The Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) is a model for training, teacher advancement, and instructional strategies. Based on interviews and observations, the four TAP principles were implemented with fidelity during the 2010-11 school year, with one exception--teacher evaluations. Feedback was slow, and teachers had concerns about the reliability of…

IDEAS INCLUDED ARE THE PRODUCT OF AN INTENSIVE WORKSHOP HELD TO STUDY THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION OF EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED CHILDREN. WITH THE EXPECTATION OF IMPROVING EXPRESSION AND STUDY SKILLS, THE PROGRAM OF LANGUAGE ARTS IS INITIATED ON A BROAD LEVEL OF BASICS AND SUPPLEMENTS INCLUDING LANGUAGE EXPRESSION, COMMITTEE WORK, CREATIVE WRITING,…