This study was conducted to compare upper elementary school children's attitudes toward physical activity, by grade level and gender across six attitude scale subdomains in order to assist physical education teachers in planning programs designed to foster positive attitudes toward physical activity. Subjects (N=429) were 243 girls and 186 boys in…

This thesis reports on a study of the use of first and second languages among students of a Spanish immersion program. Eight fifth- and sixth-graders with varying levels of Spanish proficiency participated in the study. Data were collected through student verbal reports, questionnaire-based interviews, classroom observations, and background…

Designed for music educators instructing grades 4 through 8 in string instruments, this Mesa (Arizona) public schools guide presents information on the string curriculum, orchestras, and practicing. The goals and objectives for string instruments delineate grade levels and how student skills will be verified. Following 17 curriculum goal tests,…

This report is the first of four that stem from a study of The Impact of Approved Induction Programs on Student Learning (IAIPSL), conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and funded by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). The IAIPSL study began in July 2002 and continued through April 2004. The purpose of the study is…

A study examined the beliefs of parents in relation to their responsibilities and the school's responsibilities in the area of teaching reading. Parent interviews were conducted with three sets of parents of children receiving remedial instruction and two sets of parents of gifted children, all in fifth grade. All parents were from a rural area…

Maintaining that Japan is a strong ally and important trading partner of the United States, this publication contains a guide to teaching about Japan for students in grades three through six. This guide combines the construction of a culture box with integrated learning activities to help students better understand Japanese life. Third-grade…

Recent reading research has identified three reader variables involved in fluent reading: automatic word identification, contextual word identification, and text phrasing. To confirm the validity of these variables in the reading process, to test reading models employing them in an integrated and interactive manner, and to identify developmental…

Three questions concerning the Binary Search Method (BSM) of computerized adaptive testing were studied: (1) whether it provided a reliable and valid estimation of examinee ability; (2) its effect on examinee attitudes toward computerized adaptive testing and conventional paper-and-pencil testing; and (3) the relationship between item response…

The guide, written in Spanish, comprises the fifth grade unit of a career education curriculum developed for migrant students. The unit focuses on 11 occupations in manufacturing, marketing, and distribution: union representative, welder, machinist, assembly worker, textile designer, chemist, buyer, sales representative, accountant, commercial…

This curriculum guide presents materials for teaching about Central America and emphasizes the concepts of environment, culture, interdependence, and citizenship. The guide is designed to integrate the study of geographic, economic, historic, political, and social features of Central American nations. The major theme of the document deals with how…

This guide begins with a series of questions and answers that introduce Pennsylvania's Educational Quality Assessment (EQA) Inventory as a 188- to 190-item multiple-choice test for grades 5, 8, and 11. Items are selected from a 400-item bank using matrix sampling procedures. Test results are analyzed at the school level; no individual student…

The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of the Theory of Planned Behavior for predicting the behavioral intentions of teachers enrolled in the Institute in Physical Science. The study investigated three determinants of teachers' behavioral intentions set forth in the theory of planned behavior, namely attitude toward the behavior,…

The Institute in Physical Science was developed to address the need for updated information and training in physics, chemistry, and technology among elementary and secondary teachers of physical science. Four major objectives were addressed: (1) improve teachers' understanding of fundamental concepts in physics and chemistry; (2) improve fifth-…

The social studies curriculum for grade 5 in Manitoba, Canada, is presented. A purpose of the program is to introduce students to some aspects of Canadian life today. Students examine their relationship to the environment and society. Emphasis is on helping students understand what their own area is like, how it is related to other areas of…

Written in both English and French, this newsletter discusses how politics should be taught to elementary students. There are three major failings in the teaching of politics to elementary students: (1) concentration on the formal institutions of government and failure to teach about the concepts that underlie politics, e.g., power, authority, and…