Research shows that enriching learning experiences such as learning communities, service-learning, undergraduate research, internships, and senior culminating experiences -- collectively known as High-Impact Practices (HIPs) -- are positively associated with student engagement; deep, and integrated learning; and personal and educational gains for…

"Children as Researchers in Primary Schools" is an innovative and unique resource for practitioners supporting children to become "real world" researchers in the primary classroom. It will supply you with the skills and ideas you need to implement a "children as researchers" framework in your school that can be adapted for different ages and…

This middle school unit of study on archaeology is designed so that students become part of the process of historical discovery. The unit aims to bring history alive by revealing parallels between everyday life in ancient times and everyday life today. Students are asked to investigate and interpret artifacts from their own lives and homes.…

This book explains how to develop a research workshop, demonstrating how children's interests and questions can become the central focus of the curriculum and offering dozens of techniques for organizing the classroom and the school day to support student research. The book also provides guidelines for finding a wide range of resources, fostering…

Taking into consideration the motivational needs of different students, the book discusses both internal and external motivators such as attaining a sense of achievement or leadership versus earning a physical reward such as candy or a field trip. These and other motivating factors are then incorporated into discussions of how to create productive…

This guide offers an easy introduction to social studies teachers wanting to challenge their students with creative media by bringing the past to life. The 14-step guide shows teachers and students the techniques needed for researching, scripting, and editing a historical documentary. Using a video camera and computer software, students can…

The three guides in the new Information Literacy Toolkit Series can help school library media specialists and teachers to promote and teach information literacy skills to young library users and to: collaborate in curriculum planning so that students will develop a cohesive skill set; teach the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that…

This book presents a collection of essays on building collaborative communities in which democratic principles of education may be recognized, focusing on learning and teaching through inquiry. After (1) "The Development of a Community of Inquirers" (Gordon Wells), there are three parts. Part 1, "Inquiries in the Elementary…

Grounded in the premise that students can learn about the world, nurture the impulse to care about others, and still meet required educational standards, this book outlines a middle school curriculum in which students can learn to identify with, investigate, and then act on social issues. It offers teachers the following resources: an extended…

The I-Search is an inquiry-based process that compels students to move away from the traditional research report format in which they restate old information, empowering them and bringing out their curiosity and love of learning while laying a foundation for building a community of lifelong learners. Using the I-Search process, children move from…

This book describes what happens when cyber-savvy students enter classrooms wired to the Internet. It offers a preview of challenges teachers will face as they become connected to the Internet. Information comes from 6 months spent observing an 8th- grade class at Cityview School, a 4-8 school that was wired to the Internet. Participants were 34…

Collected in this book are 27 accounts of men, women, and children from the northern and southern United States who lived, fought, and survived the U.S. Civil War. The book leads students on a journey through the Civil War era, offering a well-rounded understanding of this four year period. All characters in the book are real, and the stories are…

This book contains multicultural "treasure hunts" designed for use by teachers and librarians working with grades five through eight to: develop students' awareness of cultures other than their own; promote student research that requires using books other than an encyclopedia; provide students with annotated reference lists that may be used for…

For students, the study of the Holocaust encourages discussion about prejudice and justice, shame and dignity, hopelessness and faith, and engages them in debate about the moral and ethical behavior of humankind. Introducing students to the personal narrative, fiction, and poetry allows them to hear a narrative voice recount the facts of this…

Addressed to teachers from upper elementary to adult level as well as to writers, this book gives teachers and students an entirely new way to learn about American history--by reexperiencing it from the vantage point of the imaginative writer. The book maintains that students will thus gain both a deeper understanding of the issues and conflicts…