The e-rater® system has been used by ETS for automated essay scoring since 1999. This paper describes a new version of e-rater (v.2.0) that differs from the previous one (v.1.3) with regard to the feature set and model building approach. The paper describes the new version, compares the new and previous versions in terms of performance, and…

The progress of sixth-graders in elementary and middle schools was compared in terms of achievement test scores, attendance, discipline, and grade point average. Three groups of sixth-graders from the Austin schools were examined: (1) 1987-88 sixth-graders for 3 years (grades 6, 7, and 8); (2) 1988-89 sixth-graders for 2 years (grades 6 and 7);…

A critical ingredient for understanding the experiences that students undergo in the transition from elementary school to junior high school is the students' changing perceptions. The Ecological Perspectives for Successful Schooling Practice Junior High School Transition Study tapped the perceptions of students in transition using data from two…

Written in response to requests from local school districts in New York State, this document provides information about the middle grades (grades 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) and the changing nature of students in these grades. The first section reports results of studies on this difficult developmental period that were conducted by three New York school…

This report describes an exemplary Oregon middle school that incorporates a comprehensive program of academic instruction and activity, a community of dedicated staff and involved students, and an orderly environment marked by a businesslike approach to teaching and learning. Outstanding components of Philomath Middle School's climate for learning…

This family life education teaching unit comprises 11 lessons whose primary purpose is to help Latino students, grades 5 through 8, identify cultural pride as a source of self-esteem. Student activities include the following: (1) describe how being part of a cultural group contributes to a sense of uniqueness; (2) identify cultural similarities…

This student workbook is comprised of 11 lessons to help Latino students, grades 5 through 8, develop self-esteem through cultural pride. Each lesson begins with an illustration that reflects the content of the lesson, and an introductory page. The introductory page includes the following: (1) a "dicho," a proverb or saying used to pass…

This guide presents the "minimum teaching essentials" published by the New York City Board of Education for grades 5-9. Subjects covered include: (1) communication arts; (2) English as a second language; (3) foreign language; (4) home economics; (5) industrial arts; (6) library skills; and (7) typewriting. Study skills for these areas…

Part of the Anthropology Curriculum Project, the document contains a programmed text on evolution and a vocabulary pronunciation guide. The unit is intended for use by students in social studies and science courses in the 5th, 6th, and 7th grades. The bulk of the document, the programmed text, is organized in a question answer format. Students are…

This instructional unit contains four classroom lessons dealing with energy for use in grades six and seven. The overall objective is to provide students with a comparative overview of two basic energy concepts: energy is a basic need in all cultures; and energy use affects the way people live. In the lessons, which can easily be integrated into…

The extent to which the use of the Graphics Expression Reading Improvement System (GERIS) improved the reading skills of Title I was investigated. The GERIS program, which combines an eight-step process in language skill development with student-created television productions, was used at two schools during the 1972-73 school year. One hundred…

GRADES OR AGES: K-12. SUBJECT MATTER: Social studies. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The introductory material includes sections on curriculum improvement, new social studies, and scope and sequence. A suggested conceptual framework for the program is presented in the form of a chart, with columns for history, anthropology-sociology,…

The KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Diamond (Daring Individual Achievers Making Outstanding New Dreams) Academy, housed in Cypress Junior High School in Memphis, Tennessee, opened in the summer of 2002. KIPP goals include enhancement of academic achievement and promotion of positive student leadership through an innovative redesign of…

This study reports on CHAMPS, a youth tobacco and prevention program intervention that focused on peer-led educational activities. Nineteen schools implemented a CHAMPS tobacco prevention program in grades 5, 6, and 7. Six schools served as nonintervention comparison sites. Baseline and follow-up questionnaires were completed by 1,412 students.…

This follow-up study examined the role of affective variables in predicting academic achievement among middle school students. In a previous study, C. A. Sink, J. E. Barnett, and J. E. Hixon (1991) found moderate to strong correlations among self-perceived competence scores, teachers' ratings of student competence, and Grade 6 achievement. To…