Describes the development of a Young Teens Advisory Board (YTAB) at the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library in Shirley, New York. Reviews the progress the group has made from its formation in 1987 to the present and describes programs and events organized by the YTAB to bring sixth, seventh, and eighth graders into the library. (JMV)

Considers how thinking aloud leads students to improved discussions, better understandings, and more enjoyment of literature. Notes that the think-aloud enables teachers to better assess their students' reading abilities. Concludes that the level of student interest and participation of a class of seventh-graders increased, and their understanding…

This article on using mnemonics with students having learning and behavior problems first offers a case study of a 7th grade student and then describes the letter strategy, the keyword mnemonic method, and the pegword method. Seven steps for implementing mnemonic strategies are offered. An inset reviews the research literature on using mnemonic…

Describes the interdisciplinary approach used by a language arts teacher and a social studies teacher to teach seventh graders about the Great Depression. Discusses how students prepare interviews, radio plays, and newsreels. (SR)

Describes a map-reading unit used in a seventh-grade geography course offered at Jefferson Junior High School in Champaign, Illinois. Suggests that this map study provides many opportunities to make connections among disciplines. Finds that students respond well to the practical format of the unit and to the challenge of working cooperatively. (KO)

Discusses several approaches to creating an effective text, envisioning a specific audience and determining how much detail is appropriate. Provides examples from seventh-grade English classes and a literacy methods course for middle-grade teachers. Considers some broader implications of the framework that educators are beginning to consider as…

Describes how 7th graders learning Spanish at one New York school corresponded with students in Latin America via the Internet to personalize their language-learning experience. Students researched the chosen countries and exchanged electronic mail in Spanish with Latin American students. Guidelines are presented for replicating such a project.…

This article makes a case for special classes for gifted students and answers objections to special classes raised by the middle school movement and the cooperative learning movement. A sample "Celebration of Me" unit taught to gifted seventh graders which involved poetry, literature, personal development, art, music, and physical fitness is…

Describes a skills development program based on research and writing subskills. Includes analyzing questions, devising a form to record information, researching and reporting findings, and supporting a point of view in persuasive essay. Explains that the program through three years of middle school, adding and refining skills each year. Suggests…

Presents a diagnostic teaching unit in general science designed to identify effective learning strategies for seventh-grade students with learning disabilities or behavior disorders. The unit is intended to identify effective strategies for students in reading comprehension, mathematics problem solving, and memory. Detailed instructions for four…