Four child-crafted book projects help promote students' holiday spirit. The projects, all based on a simple accordion fold, resemble cards but open to reveal more than just a greeting, allowing students to think and write about what the holiday means to them. Projects include a poetry book, a rhyming book, and a memory book. (SM)

This book offers an entire year of journaling ideas--some serious, some "silly," but all tied to the calendar year. In fact, the book's sections are the months of the year. Each idea in the book comes with a fact-filled introduction and aims to prove that writing does not have to be boring or dull. As a special feature, many entries in…

The lead of a story is the beginning, and yet it can be the end if the reader is not entranced immediately. This lesson examines types of leads in prominent children's literature and asks grade 3 to 5 students to try their own hand at writing leads. During the two 40-minute lessons, students will: discuss their reactions to the leads from the…

Uses the children's book, "The Rajah's Rice: A Mathematical Folktale from India," as the basis for grade-four activities involving doubling and powers of two. (MKR)

This lesson supports third- through fifth-grade students' exploration of multiple online sources to gather information about the life of a well-known explorer, Christopher Columbus. During the two 50- to 60-minute sessions, students will: use prewriting (a K-W-L chart) to prepare for research; use prior knowledge to extend the depth of inquiry;…

Designed to help teachers empower students to become thinkers, writers, and especially authors, this book helps teachers develop a writer's mindset in grades 2-6 students. It supports and guides teachers from the week before school through the spring Young Author's Conference that recognizes writing achievement. Chapters in the book are: (1) Kids…

Identifies writing projects, children's literature, role-playing activities, and community resources that teachers can use in instructing young children about the Bill of Rights. Reminds teachers not to be overzealous in presenting the subject. Suggests that guest speakers and field trips are likely to have a greater impact upon students than most…

Presents results of a project examining the effects of writing to learn in elementary social studies. Explains that the research explored journal writing activities as a means of improving social studies achievement, writing fluency, and communication. Concludes that journal writing does increase writing fluency and learning retention. (DK)

Social Studies teachers need to emphasize reading instruction across the curriculum; they can consider 11 selected methods to assist pupil progress in reading social studies content. Recommendations include introducing new words from the reading; initiating peer reading and tutoring; having an aid read orally; tape recording the selection to be…

This book is designed to provide teachers with numerous ideas about how to infuse mathematics and writing into their classroom in creative and challenging ways and to encourage students to visualize, speak, and write about math. The activities described here can help students communicate mathematically and realize that there is more to math than…

The "Writing Buddies" program is designed to allow students from one grade level to write, edit, publish, share, and celebrate their success with peers from another grade level. Students also benefit from the strengths of two teachers and parent volunteers. The role of the teacher is to provide the atmosphere conducive to writing, and to…

This book presents strategies for teaching the personal narrative, feature article, how-to article, and persuasive letter, and for teaching fiction and reflective thinking and writing. It includes definitions, lesson plans, originals for transparencies and photocopies, and sample student writing. The first four sections are: Teaching the Personal…

Encouraging interactive learning and motivating K-5 students, this book presents step-by-step directions, drawings, black line masters, and photographs for 48 thematic classroom projects that use everyday items. The first chapter discusses the history of the "bag ladies." The second chapter describes how to gather, make, and store classroom…

Aiming to bring a new sense of adventure to teaching and learning by focusing on the lives of historical figures, artists, and scientists, this book is a "how-to" for teaching the most important lesson of all: becoming human. Each chapter includes several "Actions" designed to bring the human aspect of various disciplines center stage while…

There are many kinds of writing activities for pupils. Pupils need to develop proficiency for a variety of types of writing, such as creative writing and poetry, writing in journals, writing about personal experiences, writing an outline, writing an opinion, writing on how something should be done, writing and problem solving, writing to inform,…