Out of the 38 nations studied in the 1999 "Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study" (TIMSS), children in Singapore scored highest in mathematics (National Center for Education Statistics, NCES, 2003). Why do Singapore's children do so well in mathematics? The reasons are undoubtedly complex and involve social aspects.…

This study examined whether children's psychosocial self-evaluations mediated the relationship between general academic self-concept and self-reported depression. Self-evaluations in three psychosocial domains were assessed: General self-worth, intellectual ability, and social acceptance. Results indicated three significant findings. First, a…

This resource packet for social studies instruction for grades 4-6 is intended to enhance the teaching of current events through the use of newspapers. Teacher instructions and pupil pages include activities on the following: (1) Current Events; (2) All About Newspapers; (3) What's in the News?; (4) Test Your Nose for News; (5) Be a Cub Reporter 1…

During the course of a large-scale study of teacher preparation for standardized tests in two low-stakes school districts, the question of whether the attitudes of teachers about standardized tests are a factor in their administration of mandated standardized tests in the classroom was addressed. Third-, fourth-, and sixth-grade teachers (n=178)…

This teaching packet is designed to teach Alaskan students in grades 4-6 about Alaska's seabird populations, the worldwide significance of seabirds, and the environmental conditions to which seabirds are sensitive. The packet includes a curriculum guide (containing a teacher's background story and 12 teaching activities), a separately published…

Sixty fourth, fifth, and sixth grade African American students (37 males and 23 females) at a public school in northeast Mississippi were administered the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking--Figural Form A (TTCT). Subjects were from 9 to 13 years old. The TTCT consists of 3 subtests: (1) picture construction (1 stimulus); (2) picture completion…

The Texas School Survey of Substance Abuse, which has been administered twice, and which covered grades seven through twelve, was expanded for the 1990 survey to encompass grades four to six. The students were surveyed on their use of tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and marijuana. The most widely used substances were alcohol and tobacco, with…

Designed for science students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, the activities in this unit illustrate principles and problems related to biomass as a form of energy. (The word biomass is used to describe all solid material of animal or vegetable origin from which energy may be extracted.) Twelve student activities using art, economics,…

The second of a three-volume set, this career education instructional manual for grades 4-6 was developed primarily by teachers. The broad goals of the teaching units are to provide each student with an awareness of the various career fields in the world of work and to instill in each individual the worthiness of work. Based on fifteen…

One of four curriculum guides designed to aid teachers of grades K-9 in implementing a balanced, dynamic traffic safety program, this level C guide contains materials for teachers of grades 4-6. Four units in pedestrian, bicycle, school bus, and passenger safety are presented, and minicycle and optional farm vehicle safety units are introduced.…

The Program for Learning in Accordance with Needs (PLAN) is characterized by a completely individualized pattern of organization. It employs multiple textbooks and materials which cross grade level lines, subject matter area lines, and teacher-pupil lines. It places particular emphasis on a high concentration of modern mathematics content. The…

To evaluate the effects of the public-television series on nutrition, Mulligan Stew, a survey was conducted of 4,332 4th, 5th and 6th-grade students in four areas of Missouri. Children were asked if they had voluntarily watched the program and pre- and post-tested for nutrition knowledge. Comparisons were also made between teacher-reinforced…

The elementary INFOE (Information Needed For Occupational Exploration) program is a means of adding career concepts and an occupational information system to a K-14 career information program. The teacher's guide, designed for the elementary grades (4-6), contains units covering introductory activities to 15 career clusters and general information…

The purpose of this study was to determine the nature of the supervisory functions that both teachers and principals of "open space" elementary schools in the Edmonton Public School System consider desirable in order to improve classroom instruction. A 77-item questionnaire was sent to the principals as well as to the 4th, 5th, and 6th…

This is one of a series of reports on the National Longitudinal Study of Mathematical Abilities (NLSMA). This report presents a sequence of analyses that explore the relationships between mathematics achievement and three sets of variables: pupil, teacher, and school for students in grades four and six, (NLSMA Reports Nos. 1, 4, 7, and 9 provide…