This practicum was designed to address the problem of middle school students reacting to and handling conflict situations with violent behavior in an urban environment. These responses affected the well-being and safety of all middle school students at the school. The major goal was for middle school students to increase their awareness of…

Fourth-grade students (83% of whom were identified as "at risk") in an inner-city school in the southeastern United States participated in a hands-on, interdisciplinary unit about the environment for 2 weeks. Lessons covered a wide range of environmental issues such as pollution, rainforest devastation, recycling, and Earth appreciation.…

Teachers are challenged by contradictory demands on curricular time. The social needs children bring to school sometimes collide with basic literacy instruction priorities. This research addressed concerns about television violence via a project that encouraged children to log their television viewing and write in daily journals their perceptions…

Utilizing a consensus decision-making strategy, teachers and an administrator from Parkway Central Middle School (PCMS) (Missouri) selected a two-part mission: (1) to establish an atmosphere where students demonstrate respect for themselves, their peers, and all adults; and (2) to evaluate, revise, develop, and implement a new discipline plan that…

This report details the latest findings from the biennial Maryland Adolescent Survey of the extent and trends in alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among students. To permit comparisons with national findings and trends, the form and content of survey items parallel those of the annual national study "Monitoring the Future," conducted by the…

This book presents an integrative model that teachers at the middle school and high school levels can use to encourage performance breakthroughs for students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. Chapter 1 sets the stage by describing how learning difficulties, attention problems, and adolescence challenge students, and gives…

This bibliography, organized in seven sections, provides a comprehensive overview of Canadian arts education resources useful in the instruction of junior high school students. (1) "Titles and Descriptions" provides information, sources, annotations, and suggested subject integration for alphabetically arranged items. (2) "Community…

This report compiles data on three 5-year federally sponsored dropout prevention programs: ALAS (Achievement for Latinos through Academic Success), the Belief Academy, and Check & Connect. The introduction to the report presents background information on the dropout problem and related issues that face youth with learning and emotional…

This curriculum is designed to increase middle level students' understanding of positive leadership through ethical decision making, and to help them apply knowledge learned to realistic situations. The program objectives are to: (1) provide students with an understanding of the characteristics needed for positive leadership; (2) provide…

Involvement in student activities has many advantages for the middle level student. Such activities promote achievement, citizenship, and service to the community while developing self-esteem, self-confidence, and social cooperation. This book is intended as a tool for middle level schools to motivate, develop, guide, involve, and provide middle…

This set of health education materials for grade 4 includes a teacher's manual, student workbook, activity posters, suggestions for a special event, and a booklet of letters for parents. The materials cover recommended health education content, including personal health, hygiene, family life, substance abuse prevention, injury prevention and…

The Ohio Sixth-grade Proficiency Tests are designed to measure a sixth-grade level of literacy and basic competence. Beginning in March 1996, Ohio sixth graders will take proficiency tests in writing, reading, mathematics, citizenship, and science. Both teachers and administrators have been involved in the test development process, establishing…

A study was conducted to determine the status of Internet access and usage in selected rural schools of northeast Alabama, and to contribute to an ongoing database that describes Internet access and usage in rural schools as a benchmark for future study. A 28-item survey of 107 teachers and media specialists in 18 selected rural schools in…

Using reading and writing to learn, inquire, construct, and examine ideas across the curriculum is central to an integrated curriculum. Too many middle school students do not view writing as a communication process that permeates the curriculum, nor reading as an active, constructivist process whereby various perspectives can be examined and…

This study explored fourth-grade teachers' understanding of mathematical problem solving, an aspect of the Vermont portfolio assessment program that has been largely ignored. Teachers' conceptions of problem solving, their knowledge of problem-solving strategies, their selection and evaluation of problem-solving tasks, and their instructional…