School-based response to intervention (RTI) teams must gather, organize, chart, and interpret essential instructional information to make effective adjustments to meet the academic needs of struggling learners. Quantified data such as student proficiency scores, rate of progress trends, and achievement gap results provide the foundation for making…

The strength of collaborative learning is in involving students in intellectual problem solving. In a college-level U.S. literature course at East Stroudsburg University (Pennsylvania), traditional lecture and Socratic questioning establishes background; and collaborative learning is used to help students examine the central questions about the…

This annotated bibliography of 39 books is designed to tap the rich resource of children's literature to stimulate discussion of violence and of alternative, peaceful ways to resolve conflict. The most important criterion for selection was that issues of violent and nonviolent conflict resolution are presented so that students can examine the…

This collection of writings by trade book authors, public school teachers, and college-faculty offers support for using children's literature in history education. Divided into three parts, the Introduction asks "Why Teach History to the Young?" (Terrie L. Epstein). Part 1, "The Creative Process," addresses the process of writing and illustrating…

This book helps general and special education teachers empower students in grades K-4 to independently solve problems by teaching them how characters in children's literature books solved similar problems. Students are also taught a problem solving strategy that they can apply to solve problems in any situation. The book contains ready-to-use…

One of the best tools for sharpening students' problem solving skills can be found in the mystery story, which calls for logical thinking, paying attention to detail, and distinguishing between facts and assumptions. Activities that can help to develop problem solving skills are described along with several references to mystery magazines and…

A definition of bibliotherapy, who should conduct it, when and how it can be used, and some limitations are briefly addressed. Identification, catharsis, and insight are described as the three processes taking place in bibliotherapy. A list of techniques for accurately determining the needs of students, basic procedures in conducting…

Reviews work found in the psychology literature on the nine-dot problem and suggests implications of research on insight problems. Insight problems refer to a heterogeneous group of problems that require "flashes of insight" or "leaps of logic" on the part of the solver. (ZWH)

Presents an activity to integrate literature into the mathematics curriculum that is an interesting springboard to problem solving, an opportunity to research famous mathematicians, and a vehicle to enhance the understanding of mathematics concepts. (ASK)

This column discusses five children's books selected to develop math concepts involving problem solving, reasoning, and communication. The books are "Only One" (Marc Harshman); "The Librarian Who Measured the Earth" (Kathryn Lasky); "Counting Jennie" (Helena C. Pittman); "The Search for Delicious" (Natalie Babbitt); and "The Toothpaste…

This companion book to Beyond the Bean Seed: Gardening Activities for Grades K-6 uses children's literature related to gardening, gardeners, designing gardens, multicultural literature, ecology, the environment, and the impact of plants on world economies and politics, to connect gardening in all its aspects to creativity, problem solving,…

Describes a series of literature problems integrated into organic and biochemistry courses which direct students to seek specific information from specific sources. (GS)

Argues that children's books that deal with science concepts can help young children make a distinction between what is real and what is imaginary. Annotates a number of fiction books that can be used for this purpose. (FL)

Research appears to support one major conclusion: problem-solving strategies should be taught. Sections presented are: Why doesn't research tell us what to do? What do we know about problem solving? What can teachers do to help children learn to solve problems? What has recent research affirmed? (MP)

Presents literature-based elementary mathematics activities for the primary and intermediate grades. The activites are adapted from "Math and Literature, K-3," by the author of this article. (SM)