A teacher recounts his work with an unmotivated sixth-grader who did not work up to his potential. Admission to an academically talented program not only provided him with opportunities to explore beyond the basics presented in his regular classroom, but also helped him to improve performance overall. (CB)

The authors of this article, 4th grade and 6th grade teachers at Castle Rock Elementary School in Colorado, describe their efforts to engage their students in learning. Morgan recounts a math lesson in which he confirmed that 4th graders sometimes need extensive preparation and support to translate their impressive insights into the written word.…

A study of fifth and sixth grade public school students in Israel suggests that grades and other norm-referenced methods are less effective than task-involving evaluation methods in enhancing student performance, interest, and motivation. This article consists of two commentaries on the findings, with suggestions for implementing task-involving…

Even though Joel lived a continent away, many sixth-graders at a Title I school in California could easily identify with his life of poverty. Their empathy motivated them to launch an ambitious charitable project, which, Mr. Mitchell argues, had far greater educational value than the relentless test preparation that is standard fare in most…

A personal account of teaching creative writing to elementary school students, with information on what the teacher learned about teaching, what classroom techniques she used, and how the students reacted to creative writing and writing for publication. (RL)

Describes how one sixth-grade language arts class joined a computer network where students could exchange writing about topics they selected for themselves. Shows how students' excitement grew and how their writing skills improved naturally. (SR)

Describes a creative approach to including Nora, a student with cerebral palsy, in an outdoor adventure--a hilly, seven-mile trek through Eastern Oregon's Ponderosa pine forests. With teachers' and classmates' help, Nora practiced on a simulated horse and saddle, overcame her fear of heights, and eagerly joined classmates on horseback. (MLH)

Suggests a classroom newspaper provides an excellent vehicle for teaching writing to students of various ability levels, allows students to direct their writing to a specific audience, and increases motivation (because recognition through publication is very reinforcing). All students, including students with disabilities, can benefit from the…

Describes activities at the Frost Lake (Minnesota) Magnet School of Technology that relate to global concepts including interdependence, economics, and cultural change. Projects in sixth-grade and second-grade classes are explained, and benefits of an integrated approach are discussed, including student motivation and the use of higher order…

A 3-month unit on folktales with two sixth-grade classes proved to be a highly motivating means of developing critical reading skills. Lessons, which generally occupied from four to six class periods each, involved four steps: (1) the teacher stated the skills to be learned and told students what was planned for the reading period each day; (2)…