Reports on a study of 200 lesson plans developed by student teachers. Found that lessons based on the Teach-Practice-Apply Model had fewer objectives and more fully developed lessons than those based on a conventional model of lesson development. Calls for additional research to examine the effects of lesson planning on student achievement. (CFR)

Indicates the importance of preparing prospective teachers who will be elementary science teachers with different methods. Presents the theoretical and practical rationale for developing a constructivist-based elementary science methods course. Discusses the impact student knowledge and understanding of science and student attitudes has on…

Alternative teaching strategies such as cooperative group work should be followed by cooperative assessment strategies. Teachers of teachers use various teaching models but may fail to also model a similar variety of assessment strategies. When the emphasis is on cooperative learning, especially with an issues-oriented approach, then the…

The planning phase of the Hartford Effective Schools Initiative (HESI) is described and evaluated in this report. Data were gathered from interviews held with 21 teachers (7 from each of 3 elementary schools), paraprofessionals, building administrators, the project coordinator and building leader participating in the project, and 6…

Outlines an instructional unit on the geography of Mexico, organizing daily lesson plans around geographic themes. The five themes of geography are location, place, relationships, movement, and regions. Each lesson plan includes objectives, materials, activities utilizing different learning strategies, and closure. (MJP)

The summer institute phase of the Hartford Effective Schools Initiative is evaluated in this report. Part 1 includes (1) an overview of training content; (2) a section on trainers' methods, assessing strengths and weaknesses; (3) participants' responses to training based on observations by the evaluation staff and informal interviews with…