Offers practical suggestions for implementing the National Council of Mathematics Teachers' (NCTM) Standards related to classroom discourse. Presents examples of discourse from various mathematics classrooms. (ASK)

Discusses the importance of setting standards, motivating students, and using relevant instructional materials and innovative teaching techniques if second language study is to be enjoyable for the student. Examples are restricted to French but can be adapted for any language. (EKN)

This lesson contains materials for the U.S. Navy Museum's "Ships to the Sea" program. The program is appropriate for students in grades 2-4 and was designed in accordance with local and national social studies standards. The materials introduce students to the world of ship technology and naval terminology. The lesson is presented in…

In 1998, Virginia's Quality Indicators and Core Standards provided a new measure for documenting educational gains for adults who are, according to the Performance Standard for Measure 3, "pursuing learning projects based on their individual goals and/or objectives." These adults are considered "project learners." Their…

This instructional packet is intended to help classroom instructors introduce fascinating quandaries rarely featured in history textbooks about the ancient and medieval eras. Most of the 13 lesson plans require only 1 or 2 class periods to complete, permitting the teacher to enhance the presentation of a particular unit without fear of devoting…

It is not necessary for students to learn about numbers and number operations before effectively using calculators; rather that such understanding and skill follows naturally from appropriate access to technology. Students using calculators and computers demonstrate improved attitudes toward mathematics, increased confidence in their problem…

MathFINDER brings over 1,100 lessons from 30 of the best mathematics curricula and is designed to implement all National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards in seconds using the most complete database of lessons linked to the Standards. The user can match lessons with Standards instantly, print them out, and use them immediately in…

This summary reviews the rationale for defining English language arts standards for K-12 students and the perspective on language learning that informs them. After presenting 2 of the 12 standards and discussing them briefly, the summary provides a vignette to illustrate how the standards might be manifested in a classroom setting. (RS)

Foreign Currency Exchange is the largest business in the world. The New York Institute of Finance estimates that somewhere around 1.5 trillion dollars changes hands every 24 hours. The trading of international currencies has made overnight millionaires. No other marketplace in the world can give a person more significant opportunity to make money…

This unit of study for grades K-2 focuses on counting coins and coin equivalencies up to 50 cents, making use of a literature connection. The unit provides key words; recommends subject areas and approximate length of time; poses an essential question or problem; provides a unit introduction; notes four individual lessons ((1) For Sale!; (2)…

This guide provides a variety of tools that can help educators, building staff, or school districts decide how to include environmental education in their curriculum. Chapter 1 identifies important environmental education concepts. Chapter 2 describes different general approaches and the advantages of each. Two models and the key components of…

This curriculum guide for a PBS 2-part, 180-minute video, "In Search of the Oregon Trail" (narrated by Stacy Keach), provides information to help teachers develop lesson plans. The guide is comprised of 12 lessons incorporating 31 video chapters. Curriculum areas include history, geography, economics, sociology, ethnic studies, civics…

Five approaches to grading student tests are described and their advantages and limitations are examined. It is suggested that the fifth approach, which takes into account the general ability level of the class and applies predetermined percentages to determine the number of students receiving each grade, is the most rational approach. (JMD)

Dispells five myths in mathematics education related to the standards and reform efforts. Contains 19 references. (ASK)

This guide to Wisconsin's academic standards for environmental education describes the process and development of state environmental standards. Designed for administrators, school board members, and teachers, the guide explains the purpose and goals of creating standards and contains a brief history of environmental education in Wisconsin. The…