Benchmarking is an important strategy for comparing the size of fractions. In addition, knowing whether a given fraction is greater or less than a particular benchmark (e.g., one-half) can support students with accurately locating the fraction on a number line. This article offers a game-based activity that engages students in discussions around…

This Study Snapshot highlights key findings from a study that examines full-day kindergarten (FDK) implementation in Oregon. The evidence base on FDK is generally positive for short-term effects and unclear for longer-term effects, with some prior research associating FDK with gains in student outcomes such as grade 3 math and reading standardized…

This report presents third grade English language learner students' 2012-2013 STAAR and TELPAS results and provides a comparison by program type.

In observation of Earth Day, third-grade students were invited to examine what they contribute to the landfill and learn new ways they could help protect the environment. In this lesson, students collected, evaluated, and displayed data comparing the trash generated by home-lunch versus school-lunch students. Students interpreted their findings…

This article reports on a study that investigated how teachers from the same urban elementary school serving a low- to medium-income student population interpreted, negotiated, and resisted a district-wide mandate requiring them to implement the Open Court Reading program. Interviews and informal observations revealed that there were profound…

The purpose of this article is to describe a strategy called the Poetry Academy used to boost reading skills in elementary school students. The Poetry Academy paired struggling readers with a community volunteer to read poetry on a weekly schedule to practice fluency, work on word recognition abilities, and build confidence. A research study took…

In this article, the author developed an activity called "The Polar Insulation Investigation." This activity builds on students' natural interest in "things polar" and introduces them to animal adaptations in a unique way. The aim of the exploration is to determine the role of animal coverings (e.g., blubber, fur, and feathers) and to see which is…

The Colorado Basic Literacy Law, enacted in 1996, requires that school districts report the number and percentage of students who are reading at or above grade level in grade 3, are on individualized literacy plans, or improve their reading achievement by two or more grade levels in a single year. The law requires the use of multiple indicators or…

A six week study determined whether carefully chosen children's literature, as an ancillary component to the social studies curriculum, is more beneficial to students than teaching strictly from the social studies textbook. The study's null hypothesis states there is no difference between using the textbook and supplemental children's literature…

Drama can be influential when combined with some subjects in the classroom. Social studies can be hard for students because it asks students to learn abstract subjects. It was felt that students would gain more understanding of the discipline of social studies if they interacted with the content. When students take an active role in learning, they…

During the 1979-80 school year, California public school students in grades 3, 6 and 12 were tested in the basic skills of reading, written expression, and mathematics. Complete statewide results of this California Assessment Program (CAP) are presented, including the following features that have become standard: (1) detailed findings including…

The results of standardized norm-referenced achievement tests via the state mandated California Assessment Program (CAP) and the Districtwide Testing Program for the 1979-80 school year are summarized. California Assessment Program tests were administered statewide to all third, sixth and twelfth grade students. The nationally standardized…

During the 1974-75 school year, all second and third grade pupils in California were tested in reading achievement, and all pupils in grades 6 and 12 were tested in the basic skills of reading, written expression, and mathematics. The Reading Test: Second and Third Grades was the instrument used to assess reading achievement; it was developed…

This article describes Project Athena, a Javits program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and developed through the Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary. Project Athena seeks to find ways to help impoverished children develop advanced skills in reading comprehension, literary analysis, and persuasive writing. Its…