When it snows, children are permitted to play outside during recess, which causes them to experience a variety of problems with their mittens or gloves. To align instruction with a problem student's experience in every day life, the authors developed and administered a short survey to second graders in an after school program. The authors found…

Explores whether lessons about cultural universals could promote self-efficacy in elementary students. Describes the three study units designed and based on a cultural universal (food, clothing, and shelter). States that five styles of teaching were observed that appear to promote self-efficacy. (CMK)