Playfulness is important; it creates an alternative space where emotional, cognitive and social dimensions can be explored and tested. This highly practical book explores the endless possibilities of using playful, creative and interactive activities to meaningfully engage with children with multiple learning difficulties or autistic spectrum…

The construction of the double dactyl form of poetry, the value of creating double dactyls as a learning experience, and guidelines for instructing students in writing double dactyls are discussed. (RW)

Presents a listing of historical books for elementary school students by author Jean Fritz; includes a poster and a calendar with daily class activities to teach students about famous historical figures. (SM)

Presents ideas to help elementary educators teach their students thinking skills through word splashes (collages of words and pictures that help students think and make connections). A student page offers a word splash activity. (SM)

Presents suggestions for bringing reading and writing to life in the classroom and helping students develop a lifelong love of both. Includes creating a refrigerator door for displaying student work, using digital notebooks, establishing a publishing center, holding lunch-bunch meetings, binding students' writing into class collections, reading…

Presents 50 hands-on, amusing math activities to inspire elementary students to enjoy learning such math concepts as estimation, linear measurement, weight, volume, time, and temperature. Each activity is typed on a 5x7 index card and has an answer sheet. Following a minilesson, each student receives a card activity to complete. (SM)

Describes how teachers can make the most of authors' presentations to elementary students by taking necessary steps before, during, and after the visit and planning the day. The article also provides an eight-step presenter's guide for authors that can be photocopied and sent to authors before the school visit. (SM)

Presents activities to help elementary students learn to interpret history. Using the voyage of Columbus, students can learn how history is written, what a historian's job is, and why it is important to analyze more than one point of view. The activities also teach students to understand historical symbols. (SM)

Presents math activities, problems, and games for teaching elementary students to recognize the world's natural symmetry and understand the mathematical qualities it represents; suggests activities with construction paper, blocks, and calculators. Instructions for using the calculator to create palindromes are included. (SM)

Presents an inexpensive class activity to teach elementary students about light reflection off various surfaces. The activity involves aluminum foil, waxed paper, magazine pages, newspapers, overhead transparency film, construction paper, fabric, and a hand lens. A student page includes questions to make students think about reflection. (SM)

Presents a group of 24 innovative social studies activities from teachers nationwide designed to bring the world to the classroom. The article is part of a package of 100 creative ideas for keeping elementary students enthused about learning in language arts, math, science, and social studies. (SM)

Presents suggestions for using children's literature to explore elementary science topics and create literature-based science activities. The article describes books that alphabetically tour the world's fruits and vegetables, describe the world through a blind grandfather's eyes, illustrate more than 600 animals and their sounds, and teach animal…

This book offers countless practical ideas for student activities in the areas of literature, reading, writing, and thematic units, from the exploration of ghostly themes, to the writing of resumes for heroes, to devising yearbook entries or Web pages for famous literary characters. The book provides the middle school or secondary school classroom…

Presents three drawing/writing activities for primary grades: telling picture stories, attaching words to picture stories, and (for older primary students), interpreting writing through art. (SM)

Presents nine video activities for use in physical education. Teachers can use video to get to know students, provide otherwise unavailable information, document funding needs, familiarize newcomers with the school, and train students. Student applications include individualized or group feedback, video research, video commercials or skits, and…