This study investigated the effects of gameplaying on fifth-graders' maths performance and attitudes. One hundred twenty five fifth graders were recruited and assigned to a cooperative Teams-Games-Tournament (TGT), interpersonal competitive or no gameplaying condition. A state standards-based maths exam and an inventory on attitudes towards maths…

This study was designed to determine whether children's knowledge and ability to solve problems about parenting and caregiving could be promoted by means of a school-based curriculum. The study took place over 2 years and involved 138 fifth graders the first year and 217 fifth and sixth graders the second. Subjects were divided into treatment and…

Two related studies are reported about the (lack of) activation of real-world knowledge in elementary school students' understanding and solution of school arithmetic word problems. In the first study a set of word problems was collectively administered to 75 fifth-graders during a typical mathematics lesson. Half of the problems were standard…

Detailing a collaboration between an elementary school teacher and a middle school teacher, this book is about making connections--connections that make learning meaningful for students and teachers. The book describes how the teachers worked to bridge the gap between content area subjects and the gap in their understanding of each other's…

The aims of concept-oriented reading instruction (CORI) are to increase motivation, strategies, and conceptual learning. To attain these aims, CORI classrooms are: conceptually oriented, observational, collaborative, and personalized, emphasizing strategies of searching, comprehending, integrating, and composing for audiences of peers. Two…

This paper summarizes and discusses the findings from interviews of 10 fifth graders conducted before and after each of their six U.S. history units. Special reference is made to potential curricular and instructional implications from the findings. The 10 students began the year with little historical knowledge and they displayed numerous…

This report describes a study that examined changes in literacy engagement during one year of Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI), a new approach to teaching reading, writing, and science. Literacy engagement was defined as the integration of intrinsic motivations, cognitive strategies, and conceptual learning from text. To promote…

This document describes an art mentorship program that was developed and implemented by an experienced art teacher as behavioral intervention for deviant fifth grade students. A target group of nine fifth grade public elementary school students was established for this practicum. Each targeted student mentor was paired with a primary special…

This paper focuses on two questions: (1) Can visual arts be an effective way for students to express what they have learned in social studies?; and (2) Can creative activity improve motivation, participation, attitude, and enhance learning in social studies? The sample for study was drawn from 75 fifth-graders in 3 classes in a school located in a…

Ecosystem management is an integrated approach to managing Florida's biological and physical environments designed to maintain, protect, and improve the state's natural, managed, and human communities. This document contains activities designed for 4th-5th grade students that meet the guidelines of Florida's K-12 Science Framework to better…

This teachers guide contains information and activities to provide 5th-grade students with a hands-on experience with air, land, and water pollution in Illinois. This booklet incorporates previous documents entitled: "Water the Liquid of Life,""The Land We Depend On," and "The Air We Breathe." The materials are…

This book is intended to be used as a guide to develop a performance-based curriculum based on language arts standards recommended by the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association. The book helps teachers take their students beyond knowledge and basic skills by teaching them to be accountable for showing…

At issue in this study was the extent to which large numbers of classroom teachers were able to implement research-based materials with a minimum of inservice education. Also at issue was whether students of these teachers were able to develop the rich mental images for fractions similar to the ones students from previous Rational Number Project…

This activity guide, developed to provide environmental education through a series of hands-on activities geared to Medoc Mountain State Park in North Carolina, is targeted for grades 4, 5, and 6 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Three types of…

In an attempt to determine the level of questioning according to Bloom's taxonomy, generated by test items that accompany selected fifth-grade science textbooks, an analysis of the tests provided by three of the most commonly used elementary science textbooks was completed. Additionally this analysis examined the extent to which each series…