Many teachers bring caterpillars into their class for their students to see the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly. This is exciting and educational, but more can be done using Monarchs across the curriculum. This article describes an integrated butterfly unit for students in grades four to six that starts with identifying the Monarch…

"How much popcorn will our classroom hold?" This intriguing question sparked a terrific integrated science and math exploration that the author conducted with fifth-and sixth-grade students. In the process of finding the classroom's volume, students developed science-process skills (e.g., developing a plan, measurement, collecting and interpreting…

Kids today are growing up with televisions, movies, videos and DVDs, so it's logical to assume that this type of media could be motivating and used to great effect in the classroom. But at what point should film and other visual media be used? Are there times in the inquiry process when showing a film or incorporating other visual media is more…

For many children, especially those with reading difficulties, a motor-kinesthetic learning activity may be an effective tool to teach complex concepts. With this in mind, the authors developed and tested a game designed to teach fourth- to sixth-grade children some basic principles of nervous system function by allowing the children themselves to…

Reading "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" aloud to her sixth-grade students inspired this author to create a mathematics activity based on budgeting for school supplies for Hogwarts School. In that lesson, each student was assigned a name from the Hogwarts School roster and allotted a different dollar amount for his/her budget. Students…

One of the most basic concepts related to force and motion is Newton's first law, which essentially states, "An object at rest tends to remain at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force. An object in motion in a straight line tends to remain in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." Judging by the time and space…

Describes the use of a unit on arthropods as a device for helping children develop an awareness and appreciation of the living environment. (PEB)

A program for sixth graders to participate in a study of outer space utilizing individualized learning experiences and small group experiences. (EB)

Virtual experiments, data logging, the Internet--these are just a few of the ways technology is changing the classroom environment today, ushering in new learning opportunities for students and new ways for teachers to present knowledge. Compared to a decade or two ago, teaching is becoming a different profession. The role of the teacher is moving…

To develop scientific literacy in today's global era, however, it is important that students learn about interactions within the Earth's systems worldwide. A unit exploring El Nino and La Nina-phenomena that can result in extreme weather events in locations all around the world-can help bridge this gap and broaden students awareness of global…

Reported is a study designed to determine the effectiveness of two methods of teaching the metric system using only metric measurements and teaching students conversion procedures. (MR)

Sixth grade students with cooperative direction of departmentalized reading and science teachers develop questions for research papers and activity projects during aerospace science unit. Student initiative and self-direction and teacher guidance are emphasized in the individualized reading instruction and small group science activities. (JM)

A study done based on the premise that classroom groups can help students develop their intellectual thinking and potential, especially their skills in critical thinking. Students were paired according to similar I.Q. scores. (EB)

Students are usually quick to draw conclusions about their surroundings. Their generalizations, however, are often based on a single experience or even a story recounted by a friend. An individual's ability to reason inductively improves as he gains more experience in the world. The ability to draw broad conclusions also improves with an…

Describes an experiment, conducted by sixth-grade students, with mice that demonstrates the importance of a balanced diet. (JR)