The views of Piaget, Ausubel, and Bruner have been used to present an integrated view of biology lesson construction and to assist teachers in the design and development of tools and strategies to improve their teaching. The structure of an integrated model for biology lesson construction and an example of a biolesson using the metaparadigmatic…

This article considers educational implications of a child with cancer, including incidence, telling the child about his/her disease, school reentry, what classmates want to know, counseling the child with cancer, handling the issue of death, and staff issues. A lesson plan on childhood cancer for elementary students is also included. (DB)

Portuguese researchers studied secondary teachers' conceptions of teaching physics. Subjects examined vignettes describing various plans for physics lessons, then reflected on the situations. Researchers analyzed subjects' pedagogical arguments and delimited types of science teaching conceptions. Most subjects appeared to work according to a…

Describes "Theatre Sports," a type of improvisational theater that actively involves the audience. Presents a beginning workshop that explains the basic skills of improvisation (group cohesion and trust, movement, pantomime, spontaneity, offers and blocking, characterization and status, narrative, and endowment) and explains how to play…

Outlines a drama lesson, based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, designed to develop characterization through the use of role playing. (PRA)

Introduces a computer lesson for use with elementary ESL students when they first arrive at school to help them feel more comfortable in their new surroundings. Describes how the lesson introduces students to simple vocabulary they can use in everyday situations along with the corresponding written words. (MG)

An experimental microteaching technique is discussed that uses a variety of components: modeling, lesson planning, teaching, and conferencing. Experiences with a group of trainees are reported. Evaluation checklists are included. (Contains 17 references.) (LB)

Reviews the teaching method called "Directed Reading-Thinking Activity" and shows how it might be employed in mathematics instruction. Expands the concept to include directed reading and thinking. Provides practical lesson plans and classroom methods which utilize these teaching concepts. (HB)

Teach for America, the recent private reincarnation of the 1960s Teacher Corps, sends college graduates to teach for two years in understaffed schools. One TFA participant warns those planning President Clinton's national service program that eight weeks of training is insufficient to train competent teachers. Unless teachers are smartly selected,…

Describes a project to collect, organize, and analyze petitions to state legislatures and county courts concerning race, slavery, and free blacks in the South between 1776 and 1867. Presents a lesson plan designed to incorporate these, and similar documents, into middle-, and high-school history classes. Includes a sample document. (DSK)

Presents a variety of problems for elementary and secondary school students that focus on probability. Activities involving coins, M & M candies, and the game show "Let's Make a Deal," are described, and Web sites for the activities are listed as well as sites for lesson plans. (LRW)

Evaluated classroom assessment practices of preservice teachers who had completed coursework in educational measurement. Review of 65 student teachers' lesson plans indicated that student teachers did not follow many assessment practices recommended during their coursework. No lesson plans contained all of the criteria deemed necessary for…

Advises new substitute teachers to be prepared, tote emergency activity folders, dress professionally (but wear flamingo earrings), be early, figure out the game plan, communicate expectations to students, enforce consequences, have a gimmick to reward cooperation, relish the teachable moment, leave the room tidy, and believe in themselves. (MLH)

About half of regular secondary students make no consistent effort to learn. Intrinsic appeals are applicable to any lesson in any subject at any level. These include novelty, anticipation, security, challenge, completion (of logically connected project segments), application of learned skills, feedback, identification (via possession, belonging,…

As the Internet becomes increasingly commercialized, the K-12 world will need to follow higher education's lead and define who owns a wealth of instructional information. Some companies are actively seeking to purchase teacher-created work. Teachers generally own what they create, but district policies should be in place. (MLH)