Describes "Wildlife and Plants of the World," a multivolume encyclopedia set for third to seventh grades that is a basic science resource, and explains how it can be used by teachers and library media specialists to structure assignments that allow students to practice standard access skills that will transfer to other information resources. (LRW)

Twenty-four first-graders who were taught reading skills using the "Language Basics: Elementary" program, which incorporates the Orton-Gillingham-based Alphabetic Phonics Method, made statistically significant gains in phonological awareness, decoding, and reading comprehension. Thirty-two controls taught with the Houghton-Mifflin Basal…

Discusses findings of six recent studies on the impact of school libraries on student performance. The findings concern: (1) school library development; (2) leadership and collaboration activities that foster information literacy; and (3) the use of instructional technology to extend the reach of the library program beyond the walls of the school…

This discussion of the importance of library-administered readership promotion campaigns in the traditionally oral societies of Nigeria discusses influential familial, social, cultural, and economic factors that need to be considered in establishing reading programs for rural communities. The role of state library boards, staffing and financial…

A sample of 236 elementary-level Black, Hispanic, and Anglo pupils, referred or nonreferred for learning disabilities, were assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised and the Kaufman-Assessment Battery for Children cognitive and achievement scales. Results showed that referral status, ethnicity, and language proficiency…

Twenty learning-handicapped and 20 nonhandicapped intermediate-grade children worked on a mathematics problem-solving task on a microcomputer. Their social and instructional interactions were compared as group configuration (individual, homogeneous dyad, and heterogeneous dyad) and task difficulty changed. The computer's effect on the conversation…

Looks at the lives of two well-known writers to explore how diverse experiences produce literate adults. Discusses Agatha Christie and Jack London who used reading and writing to earn a living and to gain international reputations. (MG)

Engages students in writing their autobiographies through the Family Heritage Booklet, a student-compiled family history social studies project, designed for Texas seventh graders. Includes objectives, materials, and procedures. Contains letter to parents seeking their knowledge on family history. Suggests project boosts student self-esteem and…

Presents a two-day lesson from the Alberta (Canada) Education Curriculum for upper elementary or middle school students designed to explore ethical decisions when confronted with value conflicts. Outlines goals, materials, and procedures. Indicates instructional objectives are analysis of conflicts in terms of moral and ethical values; and…

This paper describes how computers were employed by workshop participants, the commercial materials used, some of the experiments performed using computer interfaces, and the effect of computer interfacing on the science laboratory. Increased student interest through the study of open-ended experiments is discussed. (CW)

Uses of calculators to teach the concept of exponents are described. Topics covered on activity sheets include powers of two, number systems, and powers as repeated multiplication. Cooperative learning is emphasized. (KR)

Examines an 1876 letter from a missionary to Ferdinand V. Hayden in the context of the U.S. government's policy of instituting religious education and training for Native Americans. Provides a photocopy of the letter and outlines class activities designed to help students analyze the document. (DB)

Describes a study that examined the use of children's books in a public library and a school library to determine whether there were differences in types and subjects of books circulated, and whether a relationship existed between the school district curriculum and circulation of nonfiction subjects. The implications for cooperative collection…

Describes study that investigated the roles of locus of control and learner control over sequencing of content and the ability of undergraduate students to locate and retain information in computer-based instruction. The correlation of grade point average with accuracy of retrieval and retention is also explored. (41 references) (LRW)

Describes a study that examined the effect of computer programing experience on the mathematical problem solving achievement of high school students. The variables studied are discussed, including gender, ability, socioeconomic status, prior math experience, and access to a home computer, and a path analysis model is explained. (34 references)…