Playground Physics is a supplemental middle school science program designed to support embodied learning by enabling students to connect physics concepts to their own playful activities. The purpose of this study was to examine a model for scaling up the Playground Physics program and to determine the program's impact on middle school students'…

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of IXL Math online software in raising student achievement on the New York State Math exam, with special focus on effects by student gender, ethnicity and disability status. The study includes an analysis of the relationship between scale scores and time spent using the IXL system, number…

There are currently mixed findings on the social and academic benefits of youth participation in school sponsored sports, such as football. While some research suggests positive outcomes through increased sense of school belongingness, other studies link participation in football to increased delinquent behavior. Social control theory informed the…

Outcomes associated with an abstinence education intervention were evaluated using a single group design with a 12-month longitudinal follow-up. The intervention group of adolescents ages 12-14 years (N = 427) were enrolled in an 11.5-hour abstinence education intervention offered during the school day. Significant differences were found in the…

This study examined the effects on academic achievement of offering students enrollment in the Promise Academy charter middle school. The school is sponsored by the Harlem Children's Zone[R], which combines reform-minded charter schools with a web of community services designed to provide a positive and supportive social environment outside of…

An effort to implement a schoolwide innovation concerning computer applications begun in the English Department of the Hauppauge Middle School on Long Island, New York, is described. The program was proposed and implemented through a series of meetings, discussions, workshops, and orientations for teachers and administrators. English teachers, who…

This resource monograph updates 1983 and 1984 resource monographs intended as reference tools for New York State school districts considering grade-level reorganization of educational programs for early adolescents. The chapters of this document: (1) summarize contents of the previous monographs; (2) discuss current research and information on…

Fifteen major concepts form the basis of the New York State schools K-12 social studies program. They are: (1) change, (2) choice, (3) citizenship, (4) culture, (5) diversity, (6) empathy, (7) environment, (8) human rights, (9) identity, (10) interdependence, (11) justice, (12) political system, (13) power, (14) scarcity, and (15) technology. The…

The book examines the evolving roles of children as colonial apprentices, indentured servants, slaves, and family workers in the state of New York from the colonial period to the mid-nineteenth century. Activities are suggestions only and can be adapted as needed. The chapters examine the impact of many social forces on childrens' lives and…

A 5-year federally funded substance abuse prevention program targeted 426 high risk middle-school youth from 4 school districts in Nassau County, New York. Combining a child-centered model with a systemic approach, the program's goal was to prevent or delay the onset of alcohol and other drug use. High-risk youth were identified by school…

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…