Describes how sixth graders wrote and illustrated picture books to help make abstract and difficult concepts in science (in this case, the elements of chemistry) more understandable for themselves and for younger children. Describes the steps of research, modeling, developing a plan of action, drafting, final revision and editing, and publishing…

Describes a school program in which two sixth-grade science classes researched, created, and put together an ocean museum targeted at kindergarten through eighth graders who are geographically distanced from the ocean. Details the process for investigating topical areas, organizing teams of students, researching, writing, creating displays, and…

Uses the example of a fourth-grade class working to have the firefly declared as Pennsylvania's state insect to highlight the effectiveness of dynamic social studies in elementary school. Discusses how dynamic social studies maintains a balance between seriousness and fun by offering a blend of variety, active involvement, and excitement while…

Proposes new directions for K-6 social studies, including a curriculum model focused on key concepts, questions to guide student inquiry, and civic action projects. Summarizes informal feedback from elementary students, pre- and inservice teachers, and social studies education professors revealing consensus about the need for a new framework and…

This article describes how teachers combined schoolwide enrichment and differentiated instruction models to design a fifth-grade fantasy literature unit. Small groups explored novels to learn the germane content and genre characteristics and then regrouped to refine and apply what was learned to a variety of open-ended problems. (Contains…

Reports on a study that examines the experiences of six teachers at three schools in learning about and beginning to implement or enhance project-based learning in their middle school science classrooms using a variety of resources available on the Internet. Contains 25 references. (DDR)

Discusses oral history as a means to connect national events with the lives of individual people. Relates the information from student oral term paper interviews, focusing on topics such as the Vietnam War, the Great Depression, civil rights and school integration, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. (CMK)

Describes an art project that allows seventh and eighth grade students to participate in the "Middfest" in Middletown, Ohio, that honors a different country each year. Explains that the students created 10 feet high paintings of Greek philosophers for the Middfest focus on Greece. (CMK)

This article focuses on the relevance of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education for science knowledge and content standards for the preK-12 student population. The article includes: (1) a summary of key concepts; (2) a description of the science curriculum standards for K-3 in the United States; and (3) an example of an in-depth…

Notes that summer school has been affected by current curricular reform and high stakes testing. Describes an innovative summer school program, created through transformational teacher leadership, that developed a new vision for integrated curriculum--one that revolved around rebuilding a boat. Presents implications for both an integrated academic…

A project to help teachers use technology to enhance learning is tied to the Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial, to bring a sense of adventure to learning. Four examples of projects along the Montana section of the expedition's trail show how outdoor, experiential learning is enhanced by the use of global positioning systems, digital cameras,…

An Oregon high school offered an interdisciplinary history/science course on the Lewis and Clark Expedition that focuses on experiential learning and student projects. Camping and field trips helped make the material relevant as the course moved from a study of the primordial Pacific Northwest, through the Native American period, to what has…

Focuses on an undergraduate course, "Outside Politics: How Minorities Play the Political Game". Describes how to create a foundation for active and collaborative learning and to promote critical thinking, discussion, and writing through reading assignments. Discusses the use of debates and role playing, autobiographies and videos, and…

Focuses on the use of a service learning project within the course, "The Politics of International Relations", in which the students worked with a refugee resettlement in a nongovernmental organization. Discusses the concepts that the service experience enabled the students to grasp, how the project encouraged global citizenship, and an assessment…

Describes a study unit focusing on the book, "A Street through Time" (Anne Millard). Explains that the unit incorporates small group work within learning centers and daily class discussions. Outlines the student activities and individual projects within the learning center. (CMK)