Presents science activities to help elementary children learn about water resources and home water conservation. A reproducible worksheet is included. (SJL)

Four successful programs to make media centers an extension of every classroom and a focal point for community involvement in schools are described. (MT)

Discusses the value of open-ended, individualized reading units and presents units on Aesop's fables and fairy tales. (JMB)

Teachers from four school systems set up their own computer centers from scratch. Each center is tailored to the needs and resources of the school or schools involved. The centers range from a one-machine operation in the corner of a resource room to a laboratory with 18 microcomputers. (PP)

The author suggests that the substitute teacher prepare a portable collection of materials and lesson plans that can be adapted to each new class. She details the types of materials such a briefcase file should contain. "Sub Center" is a new monthly column for substitute teachers. (SJL)

Designed for elementary school teachers, this article describes the recent eruptions of Mt. St. Helens, provides basic information on volcanos, and gives instructions for making a model volcano in the classroom. Resource materials for students and teachers on volcanos are listed. (SJL)

Presented are two stories--one from a librarian and one from a second grade teacher--of using student interest in stamp collecting to enrich social studies, language arts and other areas of instruction. (KC)

Presented is an annotated bibliography of paperback books. Included are picture books, fiction for middle and upper grades, mystery and adventure stories for reluctant readers, nonfiction, sports, and games and activities. (KC)

Should you have an artist in residence in your school? Yes! Here's how you go about it, what a visiting artist does, and why he is so valuable to you and your kids. (Editor)

A question-and-answer format is used to help teachers understand how children react to and deal with death, including discussions about grief, the death of a classmate, and when to seek professional help. Several resources are included. (CB)

Describes a special St. Patrick's Day exhibit, with games and decorations, designed to get students into the school instructional materials center. (SJL)

Presents a selection of October resources for the elementary grades: a calendar of notable events; a Christopher Columbus game; and a story, a playlet, a song, some poems, and an art activity for Halloween. (SJL)

The information explosion on the solar system has made old notions about space obsolete. This article offers information about the planets and suggests classroom activities and teacher resources. (DF)

Four musical encounters that will really work with your kids. These experimental approaches use junkyard finds to create Bottlephones and Pot Chimes, and suggest some unusual forms of musical notation. (Editor)