Discusses techniques and lessons used to assist students in reading with a writer's eye, observing the world with a writer's eye, and developing the craft of writing, including the writer's notebook; grabber leads; show, not tell; unforgettable language; and voice. Notes that developing a community of writers is essential to the successful use of…

Offers a project developed as an outgrowth of sixth-grade students' study of ancient Greece in history, English, drama, and art classes. Explains that the students created sculptures inspired by Greek sculpture that represented student perceptions of the activities and emotions found in the Ulysses myth. (CMK)

For many children, especially those with reading difficulties, a motor-kinesthetic learning activity may be an effective tool to teach complex concepts. With this in mind, the authors developed and tested a game designed to teach fourth- to sixth-grade children some basic principles of nervous system function by allowing the children themselves to…

Reading "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" aloud to her sixth-grade students inspired this author to create a mathematics activity based on budgeting for school supplies for Hogwarts School. In that lesson, each student was assigned a name from the Hogwarts School roster and allotted a different dollar amount for his/her budget. Students…

This article discusses how soap bubbles can be used to teach scientific principles such as phases of matter and the reflection of light. The study of soap bubbles addresses the National Science Education Standards for grades 5-8 related to the properties and changes of properties in matter. The exercises suggested here can be flexible in terms of…

Intended to supplement the textbook series "Houghton Mifflin English Grammar and Composition" and to offer students and classroom teachers in the secondary schools a review of research writing, this guide outlines a step-by-step process allowing for thorough student comprehension and comfort with the application of basic research and…

Presents a lesson on John F. Peto's 1904/1906 painting "A Closet Door." The lesson is intended to introduce students in grades four through six to still life painting. (JDH)

Described is an art activity in which sixth graders were asked to draw something that they hear. The children created aural pictures that were truly inventive personal interpretations. (RM)

This book provides a resource for mathematics teachers to understanding the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) standards and implementing these standards in their teaching. Five standards are overviewed: (1) number and operation; (2) algebra; (3) geometry; (4) measurement; and (5) data analysis and probability. Lesson plans are…

The fundamental idea of "Oral English" Books I and II is "appeal to the ear." In many books on oral English, both the eye and the ear are appealed to at the same time. In this book the first appeal is to the ear alone. Contents include 24 fifth-grade lessons; 23 sixth-grade lessons; 30 seventh-grade lessons; and 40 eighth-grade…

Describes a short course in German taught by student teachers to sixth graders and junior high school students. It is stated that this program bridges the gap between theory learned at the university and practical experience gained in the public school, and should increase the benefits of student teaching. (EJS)

Describes how the author used many versions of the Cinderella story as a springboard for a variety of activities in her sixth-grade class, including discussion of fairy tale elements, aspects of story structure, summarizing, and problem-solving activities. (SR)

Describes how a middle-school teacher used "Charlotte's Web" in Reader's Theatre and in a writing workshop. Describes how the book was used as a writing model for dialog and for examining literary devices. (SR)

Discusses examples of the detailed explanations that students offered in response to a written, open-ended geometry task, especially the ways in which students communicated their knowledge. Illustrates how different students may select different methods of communication such as using text, diagrams, or mathematical symbols to display their…

Provides a lesson to familiarize students in grades four-six with the many ways that artists use the technique of collage. Students observe and discuss ways artists make use of materials other than paint on canvas. Examines how the introduction of foreign materials to a surface affects the illusion of space. (LS)