A longitudinal study of 248 students followed from sixth to eighth grade was conducted to examine their perceptions of pedagogical caring in relation to their motivation to achieve positive social and academic outcomes. Perceived caring from teachers predicted motivational outcomes. Implications for understanding links between teacher behavior and…

This study examined time issues raised by sixth- and seventh-grade teachers field testing a National Science Foundation-sponsored investigation-centered mathematics curriculum for middle grades students. Teacher surveys indicated numerous time issues associated with teaching in the spirit of the current mathematics education reform movement and…

Discusses interviews of third- and sixth-grade students and their teachers regarding their perceptions of what makes a student a successful responder in classroom interaction. Findings reveal that students designated by their teachers as "effective responders" could articulate behavioral and content features of effect response, whereas…

Presents an activity in which students create presidential prints using a technique called linoleum printmaking. Discusses the process for creating the prints in detail and states that the students also do research about the president whom they selected. Includes a list of learning objectives and presidential facts. (CMK)

Interviews with elementary students before and after tests in three subjects investigated how grade level and subject affected students' ability to predict test scores. Results found a significant grade-subject area interaction for predictions prior to testing. Posttest predictions differed only slightly from pretest. Prediction accuracy was…

Outlines how a museum visit and the Looking/Learning article, "Painting: Neo-Impressionism," ("School Arts," September 1989) were used to inspire sixth grade students to make their own Neo-Impressionist works. Comments on the diversity of the students' techniques in attempting to blend color visually. (KM)

Describes a tutoring system using a computer network between sixth graders and Master of Arts in Teaching candidates. Notes each student and teacher had access to a computer at home and at school. Develops the tutoring model and discusses the outcomes of the first year. (MVL)

Describes a prototype for the use of local area network (LAN) technology in a sixth grade earth science curriculum. Classroom activities that focus on cooperative small group learning are discussed, coordinated investigations as a framework for scientific activities in the classroom are explained, and possible future work with LAN environments is…

Reports a study on how listening affects student comprehension of new social studies material. Describes the experimental and control groups that were tested after treatment in order to determine degree of listening awareness and content knowledge. Implication made from findings is that listening instruction can enhance comprehension of content.…

Types of strategies used by (n=36) fourth-, sixth-, and eighth-grade students solving comparison of area tasks were identified and classified. Most students used a direct comparison strategy to compare areas. Use of a part-whole strategy increased with the introduction of fractional terms and symbols. (23 references) (MKR)

Relations of social-goal pursuit to social acceptance by teachers and peers, prosocial and irresponsible classroom behavior, and perceived support from teachers and peers were examined for 475 sixth and seventh graders. Findings reflected, in part, significant relationships between social-goal pursuit and displays of social behavior. (SLD)

Describes implementation of a whole-language approach in a middle school that has a majority of students for whom English is a second language. The transitional English program for sixth graders used high-interest, high-action novels in combination with a writing program and portfolios. (SLD)

The incidence, correlates, and effects of mathematics anxiety were studied for 154 Japanese children in grades 5 and 6. Factor analysis identified four dimensions of mathematics anxiety, and a number of relationships between achievement test scores and grades, gender, and class were also identified. (SLD)

Presents an eight-step plan for implementing technology integration. Describes a sixth-grade social studies class that used hypermedia software to complete a research project about the Renaissance. Discusses software selection, teaching computer skills, and the CD-ROM map project. Benefits include positive group interaction, self-expression, and…

Presents a two-month historical research project for use in a sixth grade social studies class. Includes student use of artifacts, photographs, news clippings, maps, and oral histories obtained by interviews. Suggests that children compile a chronological history of their community to analyze, organize, and record what they have learned. (DK)