Engaging students in elementary science is often done within the confines of the classroom. Citizen science projects, however, bring students, families, teachers, and communities together to help scientists with their research. Students become active participants in real research, use their three-dimensional understanding of science, and…

Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22. Teachers often commemorate Earth Day with their classes by planting trees, discussing important conservation topics (such as recycling or preventing pollution), and encouraging students to take care of planet Earth. To promote observance of Earth Day in an intermediate elementary school classroom, this…

The activity described in this article engages students in learning about proper meat storage procedures by using the Internet. They apply their knowledge practically through creation of a pamphlet to be displayed in their kitchen at home and a follow-up report on their parents' kitchen procedures; they may also participate in a classic food…

The WWC practice guide "Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade" presents a set of evidence-based practices that teachers and other educators can use to successfully teach reading comprehension to young readers. The guide, developed by a panel of experts, presents a set of evidence-based practices that teachers…

The curriculum guides for foreign language and intercultural education programs in United States dependents schools overseas provide instructional ideas designed to promote learning about the language and culture of the host nation. The series, covering kindergarten through eighth grade, was written by host nation teachers, classroom teachers, and…

Describes a project where the author worked with students twice a week to observe and document types of collaboration that took place during writing workshops. Presents evidence to identify types of collaboration. Discusses these observations and delineates classroom components that allow these interactions to take place. Considers types of…

Shares the authors' thinking about building classroom community and the importance of offering students choices within grade 2-3 urban classrooms. Discusses how an atmosphere of caring where students feel safe taking risks is the result of deliberate planning by teachers who realize that learning is indeed social in nature. (SG)

One of a series of social studies curriculum guides, this publication outlines a third grade course on communities. Material is presented in two parts. Part 1, an overview of the program, contains an introduction, a statement of philosophy, an outline of elementary level scope and sequence, a description of Michigan mandated essential skill and…

Intended for third and fourth grade classes in southern Oregon, this lesson plan uses historic cemeteries to implement a current social studies curriculum. The premise of the lesson plan is that, as places where history, landscape, the natural world, art, and the community meet, cemeteries make rich resources for classroom study. The lesson plan…

The unit focuses on the lifestyles of two social groups in East Africa: the traditional nomadic Masai and the traditional agrarian Kikuyu. The activities engage students in an exploration of the dynamic interactions between these people and the animals that share the same land. Activities include: (1) "Houses"; (2) "Elephants";…

This activity guide, developed to provide hands-on environmental education activities geared to Kerr Lake State Recreation Area in North Carolina, is targeted for grades 3, 4, and 5 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Three types of activities are…

Describes one teacher's inclusion of the Morning Meeting concept in her third-grade classroom and relates student success in standardized testing to its implementation. Provides detailed information on Morning Meeting including its structure, rationale, and influence; includes an argument for immediate implementation. Concludes by asserting that…

A practicum was developed to increase the frequency of recreational reading and improve students' attitudes towards reading. Subjects were 22 third grade students. Literacy activities incorporated included: daily recreational reading periods either with a buddy or alone, reading to children daily, incorporating children's books into content area…

"Wildlife needs a Place to Live" is a part of a series of materials in the Wildlife Education Service for Kansas youth series. The goal of the program is to provide information about wildlife and to establish in children an awareness and appreciation of wildlife. A booklet for children and a teacher's guide are included. The booklet was…

Describes software tools designed to help students investigate relationships among representations of rational numbers that emphasize the part-whole model of a rational number. (KHR)