The effects of manipulating the connective words "because" and "after" on fifth graders' reading comprehension was examined. The results provide no support for the notion that sentence length is related to comprehensibility or that implicit connectives are more difficult to comprehend. (HOD)

The mastery learning methods developed by Ethna Reid at the Exemplary Center for Reading Instruction (ECRI) in Utah have been adopted by a fifth grade class in Allentown, New Jersey. This article briefly explains some of the techniques used in ECRI instruction. (SJL)

Reports the results of an interest survey given to children in four fifth and sixth grade classrooms to determine if the sex differences in interest reported by earlier researchers were still in effect. Found that differences in reading material preferences between males and females still existed. (FL)

Both first and fifth graders made larger donations to unselfish recipients. Fifth graders made larger donations than first graders, and their donations most closely matched the expectations of best friends among significant others. (RL)

A new series of instructional television programs designed for fifth and sixth grades, will reinforce basic skills while helping students learn to solve real-world problems. (Author/MLF)

Describing an outdoor oriented reading program designed for children (grade 5) with reading difficulties, this article presents 8 sample reading lessons for an alternative reading program. (JC)

Explores responses of 10 fifth graders to the dialog of a play. Creates 12 speech act interruption points and asks children to write predictions for the character's line. Examines these for conversational cooperativity. Finds children's oral explanations for their predictions revealed two major interpretive stances--an interactive focus and a…

Describes how the author, a fifth-grade teacher, found the desire, the inspiration, and continuing motivation and rewards to break out of her traditional teaching practices and implement the Reading Workshop in her class. (SR)

In September 1994, a large eastern school system opened a professional development school in cooperation with a local university's college of education. A survey of teachers and elementary school students concerning perceived changes between the 1994/95 school year and the previous year showed that teachers' excitement had not spread to their…

How certain ability-related academic self-perceptions are organized in the self-systems of fifth graders was studied with 190 children who completed questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis indicates that children differentiate their ability-related perceptions in ways that current models of academic self-perceptions cannot account for fully.…

Reports on a two-year study designed to investigate how a Web-Based Integrated Science Environment (WISE) project called "Plants in Space" featuring classroom investigations enabled 5th grade students to increase their understanding of plant growth and development. Investigates two versions of the curriculum and considers how understanding of the…

A study involving 633 Grade five Chinese students in Hong Kong found significant sex and popularity group differences in peer-nominated creativity and popularity group differences in teacher-rated creativity. Overall, peer status and perceived creativity were highly related. Students perceived boys as more creative than girls. (DB)

Explores the effects of football (soccer) in the social construction of hegemonic masculine practices among a group of Year 6 English junior school boys. Argues that football (soccer) acts as a model for the boys in which they utilize the game as a means of constructing, negotiating, and performing their masculinity. (CMK)

Explored the claim that performance assessments foster a more positive motivational orientation for students than supplied-response assessments when used in the classroom. Fifth graders in three science classrooms were exposed to three types of assessment. Surveys investigated students' attitudes toward science, goal orientation, and cognitive…

Uses question-and-answer relationships (QARs) to help students identify the purposes of various multiple-choice questions. Shares how the authors taught fifth-grade students to use the QAR framework as they attacked charts, tables, figures, and other graphics. Details the sequence of their instruction and describes the success that they had using…