The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to compare the effect elementary music and visual arts lessons had on third through sixth grade standardized mathematics test scores. Inferential statistics were used to compare the differences between test scores of students who took in-school, elementary, music instruction during the…

This article describes an integrated, 10-day unit that was designed using the sport education model in physical education. English language arts and social responsibility were integrated into a unit of table tennis in fifth-grade physical education. The student roles were adapted to best fit the needs of the unit. Through the integration of three…

Objective: This article presents the Journey of Hope (JoH), a school-based intervention for children who have experienced a collective trauma such as a natural disaster. Through the use of group work, the JoH focuses on building coping skills and enhancing protective factors to help children recover. Method: This quasi-experimental research…

In the last few years, peer programs have grown in popularity around the country, supported by a growing body of research and the rewards of seeing teenagers' lives changed. Elementary peer programs, with their different set of typical issues, schedule demands, and personnel availability, are certainly different from their middle- and high-school…

Firearms in the home are associated with increased injury risk, especially when loaded and unlocked. In this study, 5,010 fifth-graders and their caregivers in three U.S. metropolitan areas participated in the 2004-2006 Healthy Passages study on adolescent health. Firearm ownership and storage patterns were examined by four self-reported…

Entering middle school can cause apprehension for young adolescents who face many cognitive, physical, social, and emotional changes. A quantitative, descriptive study was designed to identify and explain the concerns of rising sixth graders (n = 225) regarding their transition to the middle grades. Survey data were analyzed with regard to gender,…

Research among adults has demonstrated concurrent and prospective negative associations between TV viewing and mental health, yet little research has examined these associations among African American and Latino youth or examined the role of children's involvement with TV and parental mediation of TV viewing via coviewing. The purpose of the…

University-based Extension specialists often face the dilemma of scheduling time for both teaching and outreach activities. Service learning projects that give hands-on experience in the application of classroom activities while giving back to the community can bridge this gap. A demonstration forest and service learning techniques were used to…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between academic optimism (AO) and elementary reading achievement (RA). Design/methodology/approach: Using correlation and hierarchical linear regression, the authors examined school-level effects of AO on fifth grade reading achievement in 29 elementary schools in Alabama.…

The purpose of the research was to determine the effects of academic optimism on student academic achievement through measuring the individual and collective effects of academic emphasis, collective efficacy, and faculty trust in clients. Data for this study were obtained from the School Academic Optimism Scale and the reading section of the…

Seeking to improve teaching and learning and to narrow gaps between students of high and low socioeconomic status, many school districts in the United States are implementing one-to-one laptop programs. In this comparative case study, we examine one-to-one laptop programs in Colorado, California, and Alabama, all of which deployed low-cost netbook…

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors impacting participation in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) for elementary school students in southeast Alabama. Methods: Focus groups were used to gather qualitative data from southeastern Alabama public school fourth and fifth grade students and their parents. Six student…

This research analyzed the teacher-directed instruction against the effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction at a subject school in Alabama for 5th grade science and mathematics. The Alabama school changed the science and mathematics curriculum for a period of 3 years and in the process became an Alabama Math, Science and Technology (AMSTI)…

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a non-traditional strength training program will impact the health-related fitness of youth. Researchers hypothesized that the strengthening program would positively affect the fitness outcomes. Participant physical education classes incorporated strengthening exercises three days…

The present study (n = 761, 58.1% female) examined whether or not individual learner variables (gender, ethnicity, SES) contribute to differences in mathematics performance as measured by test score and mathematics grade for fifth and sixth grade mathematics students in Alabama. Multiple regression analysis revealed that gender and SES show…