This paper suggests that emerging adolescents in middle schools will do better in social studies if activities are encouraged that develop and maintain student interest. Goal centered, interesting learning opportunities are a must in the social studies curriculum. Middle school students need ample opportunities to engage in problem solving.…

The Urban Mathematics Collaborative (UMC) project has the goal of contributing to the improvement of mathematics education in the inner-city schools by identifying models to enhance the professional lives of teachers and encouraging the entry of high school mathematics teachers into a larger mathematics community including mathematicians from…

This curriculum guide contains materials for use in implementing a two-level course in electrical occupations that is designed for students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Addressed in the course are the following topics: safety; technical communications; mathematics; tools and equipment; testing and measurement; electrical and…

Materials in this social studies curriculum guide are designed for use by Michigan intermediate grade teachers in conjunction with the publication "Essential Performance Objectives for Social Studies." Content is divided into three sections. (1) An introduction focuses on improving classroom dynamics; it includes a discussion of: social studies…

The evaluation report by Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (Columbus, Indiana) describes findings concerning what works and what does not work in the Academic Challenge Program, a gifted and talented education program at the elementary and middle school levels. A corollary purpose of the report is to share the evaluation plan itself,…

This kit includes a variety of instructional materials designed to teach language arts, science, mathematics and social studies while integrating soil and water conservation concepts into the intermediate-level classroom. The activities included in the student study manual are intended to be used to: (1) introduce a topic prior to using the…

A needs assessment that utilized questionnaires and an interview showed that fifth grade students at the practicum site were not able to use reference materials appropriately. Target groups for the practicum were the fifth grade students and teachers. Constructivist methods were used to increase students' knowledge of using reference materials and…

This paper describes a student teacher's experience in a school-university partnership and investigates the converging influences of the school and the university on the student teacher. The study examined the experience of a student teacher in the Puget Sound Professional Development Center Middle School Preservice Teacher Education Program, a…

Concerns about middle level education began early in this century and will continue to be discussed by researchers and observers well into the next century. This digest examines the evolving characteristics and goals of middle level education, especially in terms of the most recent statements of purpose by major organizations in the field. Noting…

This study sought to demonstrate that Michigan middle-grades schools can become more effective learning environments for young adolescents. A total of 224 Michigan schools participated in a teacher and administrator survey, 101 of which also conducted student surveys, reaching over 45,600 students in the fifth to ninth grades. Part 1, "Early…

The concept of caring, especially when applied to adolescents, is often overlooked in education, perhaps due to the belief that parents are their primary nurturers or that adolescents do not require nurturing. This literature review examines periodicals, documents, books, and a television broadcast, all produced between 1990 and 1996, that deal…

This task force report is designed to focus attention on the young adolescent learner and provide direction for developing appropriate and meaningful social studies instruction for the middle school. Schools at the middle level characteristically focus on the unique developmental needs of young adolescents. A number of these needs are listed, in…

The "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics" (1989) provides a vision and a framework for revising and strengthening the K-12 mathematics curriculum in North American schools and for evaluating both the mathematics curriculum and students' progress. The document not only addresses what mathematics students should…

This paper contains a unit of six career awareness lessons for use by elementary guidance counselors with fourth grade students. Prepared to be used with fourth graders in a middle class small community elementary school in Wisconsin, the unit is based on developmental needs that have been identified for this age group. It is intended to be both…

This report presents results from four 1999 Urban Systemic Initiative (USI) school district surveys. The Survey of Enacted Curriculum is the study component of a grant from the National Science Foundation to examine how reform works in USI districts. The study explores the impact of USI programs on student achievement and the learning…