Kids learn by doing, which, experts agree, is the only real way to teach citizenship. This article presents election-year activities that stress action. These activities will show students what it means to be a good citizen. (Contains 6 online resources.)

The author describes a project in which students studying the Middle Ages were taught in terms of process rather than by juggling historical facts. Ten learning centers tackled important phases of medieval social life, religious groups, military organization, government and the economy. (Author)

Instructions are given for creating earth dyes in the classroom. These dyes be used in the teaching of social studies, science, and art. A chart listing sources of natural dyes is offered. (DF)

Presents new ideas for using buttons, beans, and beads as teaching manipulatives for elementary school children. The ideas include a button scavenger hunt, a button count, a cup puppet bean game, a numbers guessing game with beans in jars, and a bead stringing activity. (SM)

Outdoor learning activities often cause problems in class control. Organizing children into game-playing activities that emphasize ecological and biological themes helps reinforce learning with play. Several activities are described. (DF)

Describes a novel way of teaching basic architecture using the analogy of the children's own anatomy. Program developed by two architects. (SS)

Describes a miniscience unit on frogs for elementary grades that teaches students about how frogs develop from tadpoles and how frogs need water during their entire life cycle. Students learn such skills as observation, collecting, and recording data. Provides addresses for ordering resources for teachers and students. (SM)

A social studies wax museum can teach elementary students facts as they celebrate Halloween. A primary activity has students determine historic scenes to include in the wax museum, practice their poses, and put on a Halloween show. An intermediate activity has students research historic events, interpret information, create backdrops and props,…

Describes independent and group research activities for the classroom focusing on the properties of air. (SS)

Suggests math activities for elementary students that are designed to strengthen problem-solving, computation, and calculator skills by revolving around the real-life situation of a picnic. The article suggests designing a class project to plan and carry out a class picnic, stressing the use of mathematics and calculators. (SM)

Presents two elementary school activities to help students learn about autumn. The activities use autumn leaves to teach that each type of tree has its own distinctive type of leaf. One activity involves tracing, drawing, and writing about leaves; the other involves making a quilt using leaf designs. (SM)

Presents hand-on, standards-based activities in language arts, math, science, and social studies, including a daily almanac; bookmark buddies; word palettes; bowling for numbers; math thought teasers; plant puzzles; fingerprint fun; a travel bureau; and an end-of-the-year bulletin board of people involved in interesting activities. Reproducible…

Presents two hands-on mathematics activities for teaching K -3 students to experience fractions on a tactile level. The first uses chocolates to demonstrate that fractions can be part of a whole, can be part of a set, and are equal parts. The second has students design a classroom fraction museum with fraction exhibits designed and presented by…