Presents several pages of ideas for games that build children's skills in the following areas: reasoning, communication, encoding/decoding, decision making, visual acuity, and cause/effect. (CM)

Teachers can use animals in the classroom to stimulate observation skills and creative thinking. Several learning activities featuring animals are described, and tips are given on selection and care. A reproducible sheet for recording observations is included. (IAH)

Presents three activities to help elementary students make connections across the generations. Activities include: interviewing grandparents about the toys they played with and how they spent their time; collecting grandparents' words of wisdom and putting them into a book; and gathering the many names students call their grandparents to use in a…

The article presents a Native American tale about the moon that teachers can use to open the door to scientific exploration. After discussing facts about the moon, the article offers a reproducible Navajo story and several follow-up hands-on activities designed to pique students' interest. (SM)

This article presents several activities and teaching ideas shared by teachers. One teacher shared how an Egyptian mummy-making activity can be a great hands-on learning through time. Another teacher shared how a bowl filled with popcorn kernels has made it easy for her to get the attention of her students.

Teachers can encourage their elementary students to write by demonstrating writing themselves frequently throughout the day. The paper discusses how teachers can become more comfortable with their own writing in order to use it to teach, then offers suggestions on how to write in class and share it with students. (SM)

Presents strategies to help elementary students be more confident and prepared and score higher on standardized tests. The strategies involve briefly reviewing sample tests to familiarize students with common test formats, then focusing on strategies built into their reading, writing, math, science, and social studies plans. (SM)

Describes three class filmmaking projects which involved techniques such as filming, editing, splicing, animation, and pixilation. (JMB)

This mini-curriculum introduces the basic art concepts of line, shape and form, texture, color and light, space, and design and composition. (SB)

A nature walk composed of five activities to help primary students develop a sense of shape and to interest older pupils in concepts such as symmetry and geometric recursion is described. Other suggestions for indoor activities are offered. (MT)

A milk processing plant is described. Starter and advanced lesson activities using milk for observation are presented. (MT)