The IEP organizer, a device for collating the individualized educational programs of all students in a class, eliminates the need for writing daily lesson plans. Construction and use guidelines are given. (CL)

The authors present a scheme for teaching primary grade students about graphing. (SJL)

The author advocates translating some of the best practices from gifted education back into general education and suggests an approach combining J. Renzulli's enrichment model for gifted education and F. Williams' approach to promoting better education for most students. (CL)

Presents seven writing lessons for elementary students: choosing effective words; writing similes; writing paragraphs; writing descriptions; letter writing; comparing and contrasting; and understanding point of view. Some of the lessons have unusual themes, such as pizza, pickles, and hoboes. (SJL)

Introduces a lesson plan on the role of the acorn and its complex community of biotic relationships between animal and fungal organisms. Introduces students to ecological concepts through acorn investigations including dissection of acorns and exploring the organisms' interaction web. (YDS)

In their article in the same "Educational Leadership" issue, Berg and Clough reached erroneous conclusions about the Hunter lesson design by pulling sentences out of context to support their viewpoint. The instructional elements advanced in "Mastery Teaching" amply allow for higher level thinking, building on student interests,…

This article identifies two approaches to teaching specific thinking skills, presents a sample lesson plan, and includes as an example a "Thinking Skills Worksheet" that outlines an approach to teaching the thinking skills of comparing and contrasting. (IAH)

Describes an eight-step four-week assignment for teaching theater students about blocking and stage directions. Outlines each assignment in detail and provides questions for the students at each stage--from choosing the excerpt or play to staging and directing. (PRA)

Outlines a basic approach to "Readers Theatre," the communication of literature in a theatrical context. Contains the exercises "Sardines Today!" which promotes awareness of poetic setting, and "Dress Up Day!" which presents an opportunity to explore the role of suggestive costuming. (PRA)

Explains the use of learning-hierarchy analysis in inferring hierarchical structures in expert performance, gives an example of a modified learning-hierarchy analysis of expert performance in teacher planning, and recommends that advice-strategies be derived from hierarchical analyses of expertise to provide instructional guidance to novices. (29…

Outlines the components of a Montessori lesson plan. Includes discussion of the activity's purpose, prior experience, needed materials, points of interest, presentation, control of error, and variations or extensions of the activity. (KB)

Explains the use of instant lessons to quickly create an instructional module. Highlights include content for each type of knowledge needed; what makes a lesson complete; how to develop lesson elements, including motivation; and how to effectively combine lesson elements. (LRW)

Presents a pathfinder to help elementary school teachers connect to the Internet. Includes basics of the Internet; links to other helpful Web sites; lesson plans ready to use in the classroom; sites with resources for teachers to create their own lesson plans; North Carolina resources; and print resources. (LRW)

Describes a writing assignment based on a teacher-created scenario in which students discover a box (when visiting their grandmother's sister) containing a number of strange items including a written proposal for marriage. (TB)

This activity explores two types of plastic molding and allows students to make their own plastic bottles. (MKR)