Using William M. Harnett's 1884 oil painting "After the Hunt," this lesson introduces students in grades seven through nine to the style of realism popular in the late nineteenth century. The lesson is also designed to show how art reflects the values of the society in which it was created. (JDH)

This packet assists teachers and students in preparing for the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) Grade 5 and 8 Writing Assessments. Sections of the packet are: Map of the Regional Network for Communications Arts (including local contacts); Calendar of Professional Development Events; Annotated Bibliography of Recommended Resources;…

Describes the author's first teaching year in an eighth-grade literature class in which the students had no interest in the topic. Introduces "authentic talk" to engage the students. Discusses how the students' interest in reading increased as they read and discussed favorite works of children's literature. (SG)

Provides background information about tea in Japan and a description of the tea ceremony used in Japan. Explains that the teabowls of Sasaki Chojiro inspired the project in which students created their own teabowls. States that this project can be used with a study about Japanese history. (CMK)

The corporation is owned and operated by a group of about 45 eighth graders, who make all the executive decisions concerning the sale of hot dogs and other foods at sporting events in the school. (MNS)

Describes a four week collaborative writing unit designed to develop students' sense of audience by producing a magazine to orient fifth grade students to junior high school. Discusses how students developed the idea, conducted interviews, wrote articles, used computers to produce the magazine, and distributed copies of their magazine. (RS)

Presents several class activities for eighth and ninth graders that explore how different readings of a text are constructed, what values each reading supports, and whose interests it serves. Discusses multiple meanings, constructed readings, dominant and resistant readings, and reading character. (SR)

A six-week program of social service and education for eighth graders at Ruffing East Montessori School focuses on aging and connects each pupil with a resident of a local retirement community. Through reading, attending classes, keeping a journal, interviewing, and creative writing, the students develop a greater understanding of and respect for…

Presents an art lesson for eighth-grade students in which they created their own architectural structures. Stresses a strong discipline-based introduction using slide shows of famous buildings, large metropolitan cities, and 35,00 years of homes. Reports the lesson spanned two weeks. Includes a diagram, directions, and specifies materials. (CMK)

Discusses a project that uses nature to teach students about texture. Explains that students collect items from nature with interesting textures, learn about those items, create a collage using those items, and draw the most interesting part of their collages. (CMK)

Discusses the results of the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) of secondary school students on probability and statistics. The most recent results indicate that more attention is being given to data analysis, statistics, and probability, and that student performance on these items is gradually improving compared to the 1990…

Describes an easy and short art activity for seventh- and eighth-grade students called "Strink," a combination of the words string and ink. Explains that students swirl a string covered in ink on paper, locate an image in the ink smear, and create an artwork from the image. (CMK)

Takes the position that the organization and management of successful, progressive language arts programs play a role fundamentally different than the one they play in classrooms that might be called "traditional." Notes that in progressive classrooms, organization and management serve to promote and channel independent student movement, whereas…

Describes a project that was inspired by a previous article in "Arts and Activities" entitled "The Same Old Contour Drawing...Not!" Explains that students learn basic drawing skills by drawing shoes while learning about contour shapes. Lists the needed art materials. (CMK)

This book is intended to be used as a guide to develop a performance-based curriculum based on language arts standards recommended by the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association. The book helps teachers take their students beyond knowledge and basic skills by teaching them to be accountable for showing…