There are racial/ethnic disparities associated with school punishment practices and academic progress. In addition, research suggests that urban schools have stricter school punishment practices and higher grade retention rates. What remains unknown, however, is the relationship between race/ethnicity, school punishment practices, and retention…

In a study with ninth-grade mathematics students on learning the concept of variance, students experienced either direct instruction (DI) or productive failure (PF), wherein they were first asked to generate a quantitative index for variance without any guidance before receiving DI on the concept. Whereas DI students relied only on the canonical…

The problem of school dropouts and at-risk students has many causes. No one cause can be seen clearly as the dominant factor in a child leaving school and the possibility of that student not finishing his high school career. This program addressed the problems of at-risk students with poor social and academic skills. The literature reviewed…

This report is an examination of recommended and actual school-based guidance policies, programs, and practices for young adolescents. The information is drawn from Canadian and international publications, and from a survey of guidance and career education programs for grades 7-8 in Ontario boards of education and schools, called The 1990 Ontario…

This report describes procedures to develop and implement a program to reduce ninth grade failure rates at a high school of 1,200 students in the center of a western city of 100,000. It is noted that grading data collected at the middle school and the high school levels have indicated that the number of failing grades increased substantially as…

Investigated seventh- and ninth-graders' school context, motivation, and behavior during transition to high school. Found more positive motivational contexts in ninth than seventh grade. Found that seventh-grade discipline referrals, doubts about the economic value of education, and negative expectations of peers and teachers discriminated between…

This study of student groups working with the Chelsea Bank computer simulation concentrates on the extent to which students are involved in activities related to the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) categories and to knowledge about work place practices. Studying students using the Chelsea Bank simulations offers the…

The link between instruction in middle school science and assessment in ninth grade science in a small rural midwestern school district was investigated. Science students, in middle school grades 6-8 (917) and their 13 science teachers responded to surveys used to characterize science learning opportunities in the middle school classes. Ninth…

This paper describes a 2-year collaborative action research project in which the focus was to investigate the effects of the use of "Hands-On Equations" mathematics manipulatives in an algebra class on students' confidence, interest in, and ability to solve and retain understanding of algebraic equations. The first phase centered on documenting…

This California state curriculum model for grade 9 about Cesar Chavez explains that grade 9 is an elective year for social studies courses and that one of the electives is a course about contemporary California. It suggests that students in schools offering this course could study the role of Chavez in 20th century California and his legacy. A…

In recent years, over 1,000 middle schools of varying grade level organization have been established in 49 States. From an intensive study of materials published between 1961 and 1968 (listed in an appended bibliography), a basic rationale has been developed for the momentum of this trend. The new concept of the middle school (grades 6-8) is…

Developed to assist classroom teachers in implementing the Grades 8 and 9 Integrated Occupational Language Arts program, this teacher resource manual is intended for use as a practical planning and instructional tool and has been designed for a minimum of 150 hours of instruction at each grade level. It contains: further information about the…

GRADES OR AGES: Grades 6-9. SUBJECT MATTER: English. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The guide has three main sections dealing with language, literature, and composition with the following sub-sections: 1) language--introduction, grade 6, grade 7, grade 8, grade 9, chronology, bibliography, spelling, listening skills; 2) literature--overview…

Analyzes the structure and skill level of the tasks in the practical activities prescribed in eight process-oriented integrated science textbooks for Caribbean students in grades seven through nine. Results indicate that most of the tasks are structured and deductive in approach. Contains 42 references. (DDR)

Objectives of the study were (1) to develop and implement an alternative work experience program for a middle school; (2) to test the effect of the program on attitudes toward school, career maturity, and vocational interests of the students; and (3) to provide information and procedures for a model work experience program. Western Kentucky…