The purpose of this quantitative study was to provide school district leaders and policymakers information of the impact grade configuration had on academic performance using math and ELA ILEARN scores over a three-year period. The study included data from 585 schools that were classified into four groups: Elementary Setting, Intermediate Setting,…

Educators have long recognized that parental and community supports are important underpinnings for children's success in school. With respect to the teaching of writing, however, little research has been conducted to provide evidence of effective practices teachers use to involve parents and communities. As part of a national Canadian study of…

In 1993 Lake Agassiz School in North Dakota received a Knight Foundation grant so teachers and students could participate in a program to learn how to create an opera. The program instructed teachers on how students could maximize their understanding about producing an opera. The school formed a partnership with the Metropolitan Opera Guild of New…

The effect of family involvement in mathematics homework on student achievement was studied (N=74). Different levels of prompting for family involvement were used with three sixth-grade classes of the same instructor. Involvement and achievement were measured. Findings indicate that the prompted groups were more involved; this level did not…

Designed to increase sixth-grade students' leisure time reading, this practicum study investigated the effectiveness of a computerized independent reading contest. An existing word processing program was modified to encourage the sixth-grade students to read. A list of 25 books was developed. Students used the computer program to respond to…

The purposes of this study were (1) to determine to what extent sixth grade children from two North Carolina counties were learning economic concepts as a result of their teachers' inservice activity and general preparedness; and (2) to identify what socio-economic, demographic, and attitudinal factors might contribute to a child's knowledge of…

Evaluated classroom guidance unit on preparation for examinations that combined study skills training and counseling support in structured or leader-directed format in group setting. Failing sixth graders (N=47) participated in either the experimental program or no-treatment control program. Experimental students were found to have significantly…

Describes a reading program for gifted middle school readers designed to increase critical reading ability and student appreciation of literary technique and broaden understanding of sophisticated vocabulary. (MLF)

This paper summarizes research relevant to the Austin Independent School District's proposal to move sixth graders from an elementary school (K-6 or K,4-6) to a middle school (6-8) grade grouping. A summary of the evolution of middle-grade education is presented. Three areas affected by grade organization are discussed: academic achievement,…

Role playing is part of a violence-prevention program for sixth graders in Richmond (Virginia) Public Schools called Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP). The district includes nine middle schools with about 2,000 students; 95% are African Americans. The program stresses personal responsibility, respect for others, and a peaceful future…

Describes how a teacher new to social studies created a social studies curriculum that was real, authentic, and interesting by teaching social studies through language arts with current events as the framework. (SR)

Investigated relationship between anxiety and self-esteem of a group of middle school children, many of whom were Black. Findings from 53 sixth and seventh graders support hypothesis that there would be significant inverse relationship between measures of anxiety (state and trait) and measures of self-esteem of preadolescent students. (NB)

Describes the effects of Camp DETOUR, an adventure experience program for sixth-grade students at a Georgia middle school. Program goals were improvement of student self-esteem as a component of drug abuse prevention and improvement of student behavior. The program was shown to have positive effects on student self-esteem. This result may deter…

Provides examples of student work on a problem which shows that students solve problems in several different ways. Discusses challenges to the teacher that might result from problems such as these. (ASK)

The two volumes included here, one for grade 6 and one for grade 7, contain series of brief math exercises, generally consisting of three to six numerical problems and one word problem. The grade 7 exercises are somewhat longer than the grade 6 exercises. Designed for use in a middle school French immersion program, the materials are entirely in…