A study tested the effect on children's self-concept of 4 weeks of activities intended to foster self-esteem. Subjects, 20 sixth graders from a low socio-economic background were randomly assigned to experimental and control samples. The experimental sample received training in self-esteem activities, while the control sample did not. Results…

A variety of in-class assignments are included in this guide designed to accompany SPACES, a series of six, half-hour television programs designed to introduce students in the fourth through eighth grades to people and careers in science and technology. Targeted toward Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American minority children, the series…

The teaching module is organized to provide students on the 4-6 grade level with knowledge, skill, and understanding of life roles, settings, and events. Using role-playing and a questionnaire, the five activities in the first of three learning sequences revolve around the awareness of the difference between roles and work, leisure and maintenance…

Provides excerpts from scripts and students' self-reports on their participation in a class project that taught communication skills through playwriting and performing. (RL)

Outlines an activity which introduces students in grades 4-6 to individuals involved in law-related professions. Calls upon students to interview guests during class periods throughout the year. Includes sample questions to guide the interviews. (GEA)

This teacher's guide on the 50 state quarters emitted by the United States Mint includes 6 "teacher-friendly" lesson plans that fit easily into the curriculum for grades 4-6; reproducible student worksheets that coincide with each lesson; "fun" state facts and information on the new quarter designs; and USA map template with…

Spelling is only beneficial when it is connected to reading and writing. Upper elementary and middle grade students have a tremendous need to be heard, and teachers should focus on spelling for the power it holds in communication--people spell to communicate more effectively in writing. To teach spelling separate and apart from writing and reading…

This teaching guide for "Where the Lilies Bloom" provides an introduction, a plot summary, and a conclusion as background information. The guide furnishes questions for discussion which focus on plot, point of view, setting, characters, interpretation and symbolism, ethical questions, and conclusion. (NKA)

Describes how the author used many versions of the Cinderella story as a springboard for a variety of activities in her sixth-grade class, including discussion of fairy tale elements, aspects of story structure, summarizing, and problem-solving activities. (SR)

Discusses Readers Theatre, an instructional activity that combines several effective research-based practices, and leads to increased engagement with literacy even in very resistant readers. Considers the theory and research behind Readers Theatre. Describes the process of choosing and writing texts for performance, and preparing for performances.…

Provides a lesson plan designed to increase student map skills. Objectives are to (1) trace a route on a street map; (2) use symbols for locating skills; and (3) employ mileage scales to determine distance. Includes the procedures and an answer key. (RW)

Provides a lesson to familiarize students in grades four-six with the many ways that artists use the technique of collage. Students observe and discuss ways artists make use of materials other than paint on canvas. Examines how the introduction of foreign materials to a surface affects the illusion of space. (LS)

Describes the Salient Characteristics Analysis Technique (SCAT), used to assist students in comprehending metaphorical text. Describes a sample lesson using a Langston Hughes poem. (SR)

Describes a teaching approach which made connections among reading, writing, English, and world geography, and which encouraged students to transfer learning strategies from one subject to another. (SR)