Elementary teachers often unwittingly contribute to inequitable classroom environments. As part of a senior project, education majors at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, observed a fifth-grade class at a Guilford County school and solicited students' responses to two case studies involving gender equity issues. Kids enumerated…

Examined fifth-grade teachers' grouping practices for hands-on science instruction. Found that teachers tended to form heterogeneous groups in relation to the composition of their classrooms, whereas students tended to form homogeneous groups with respect to gender, ethnicity, and achievement. Some classroom compositions severely constrained…

Presents a quasi-experimental study conducted among younger immersion students that focused on determining whether an area of French vocabulary identified as problematic for these students can be successfully learned via increased exposure to such vocabulary in interesting reading material supplemented with associated analytic language activities.…

Describes a study that investigated whether an advance organizer could facilitate learning in a computer simulation environment using HyperCard. It examined the differential effectiveness of an advance organizer across three different grade levels--fifth, sixth, and seventh. Analyses of data showed significant differences between the organizer and…

Discusses a study involving the use of Spanish keywords to acquire English vocabulary by Hispanic students of English as a Second Language (ESL). Results indicate that the keyword method produces superior recall and comprehension immediately and after one week and that this method is readily adaptable to ESL classrooms. (39 references) (Author/CK)

Presents various strategies for effective classroom teaching, including giving appropriate questions to adult students of English as a Second Language; discussing the physical attributes of the US flag and of the flags of students' native countries; using the characteristics of fruits to teach students to present characteristics in an organized…

Describes development and implementation of "Rube-o-Rama," a videoconferencing project conducted during the fall of 2001 between graduate students at Purdue University (Indiana) and a classroom of fifth grade students in Indianapolis (Indiana) that had Rube Goldberg as the encompassing topic. (MES)

Analyzed three fifth-grade textbook series and the teachers' editions for the distribution of artistic forms of representation and the social studies content with which those representations were associated. Found that visual art was the primary representational form and was used as evidence for students to perceive and respond to when studying…

Using three complementary motivation theories, analyzes the difficulties of a student who had been termed a "resistant reader." Lists 12 questions, emanating from three theories, to guide the analysis of factors contributing to the child's avoidance of reading. Each question is accompanied by strategies to encourage reading. Labels the…

Described is an activity where base-10 blocks are used to develop students' skills in reading, writing, and visualizing large numbers. An activity sheet that helps students with decimal points is included. (KR)

The meaning-making strategies of 12 Mexican-American fifth grade students (5 males and 7 females), for whom English was a second language, were studied. Subjects' understanding and recall of Spanish and English texts were studied. Focus was on determining how reading strategies in both languages and knowledge sources relate to understanding. (SLD)

Mothers who were more sympathetic and better perspective takers had girls who reported more sympathy and negative affect and less happiness after exposure to needy others. Mothers who reported more distress had girls who reported less negative affect and more happiness after exposure. (RH)

A fifth grade teacher describes ways to curtail tattling in the classroom by teaching students to express themselves in writing. When a problem arises, students are encouraged to write notes explaining their side of the story. The teacher reads the notes, talks with the students involved, and handles things accordingly. (SM)

Examined correlates of social withdrawal in childhood. Data from peers, teachers, and students in grade two and again in grades four and five revealed two subtypes of social isolation, passive-anxious and active-immature. While active-immature type was infrequent and unstable, passive-anxious type was stable across grades and predictive of…

Discusses gender differences in student attitudes toward computers and examines software characteristics that may affect gender equity. A study is described that was conducted to examine the computer's potential to teach basic geography concepts to fourth and fifth grade students, as well as to explore possible gender differences. (19 references)…