Community-based learning (CBL) is a structured approach to learning and teaching that connects meaningful community experience with intellectual development, personal growth, and active citizenship. Enthusiasm for CBL is emerging in Australia and elsewhere because it is seen as the following: strategy for whole-school reform, especially in…

This report summarizes a qualitative study that examined girls in six middle schools representing a range of geographic locations and settings as well as the racial and ethnic mix found in schools across the United States. The schools were all involved in educational reform efforts. The report examines how girls negotiate middle school and gauges…

This book brings together, under the term "whole learning," ideas from the language-arts-based whole language movement and work in middle schools with multidisciplinary, problem-centered, integrative approaches. The book contains 15 chapters, most written by teachers about their experiences with implementing whole learning curricula. The…

Casting students in grades 5 through 12 in the roles of reporters, lawyers, and detectives at the scene of a crime, this interdisciplinary activity involves participants in the intrigue and drama of crime investigation. Using a hands-on, step-by-step approach, students work in teams to investigate a crime and solve a mystery. Through role-playing…

Addressing the needs of English language learners, remedial readers, avid readers, gifted readers, dormant readers, reluctant readers, and readers in content areas, this book's goal is to help middle school teachers connect their students to reading. The book offers multiple lists of trade books that different types of middle school readers enjoy;…

In contrast to the primary grades when children are learning to read, students in grades 4 through 12 are expected to learn content as they read, yet they may still struggle with reading basics. This book provides a realistic and systematic process for improving reading and writing while enhancing content knowledge and skills. Based on proven…

Technology's impact on society is growing everyday. The need to include technology education as core material for all students has been recognized by educators around the world. This book is a practical guide to using the problem-solving approaches integral to the design process in order to integrate technology education into all subject areas for…

This notebook is a compilation of 53 lesson plans for grades 6-12, written by various authors and focusing on the integration of technology into the curriculum. Lesson plans include topics such as online catalog searching, electronic encyclopedias, CD-ROM databases, exploring the Internet, creating a computer slide show, desktop publishing, and…

This volume provides recent research findings on important topics related to the still-expanding middle school movement. They are divided into seven parts, addressing teaching/learning, curriculum, teacher education, social context, organization, leaderships, and issues and future directions. Following an introduction to middle level education…

A new teacher confronted the reading and writing needs of 22 fifth-graders in a small South Texas community that is home to Mexican American migrant laborers. The children, many of them Spanish language-dominant, were performing significantly below grade-level norms; many did not read or write at all. In 1 year, these students were reading and…

Developed as a reference tool for teachers, administrators, researchers, parents, and others interested in middle level education, this annotated bibliography of 1,757 entries focuses on practical aspects of middle level education and on research related to adolescence and middle level practices. Following an introduction and discussion of…

This handbook details 28 specific learning strategies for diverse groups of middle school students, each cast as a prescription applicable for students whose diagnosis reveals certain "conditions" such as particular learning styles or high or low reading skills. Reproducible pages accompany most of the strategies. Following are the activities: (1)…