Steps for teachers to follow in improving reading comprehension among students are presented. Three main levels of reading are identified and basic reading skills necessary for a mature reader are outlined. (Author/DB)

Murals created by Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros embody a time of change in Mexico. The murals they created were intended to educate an illiterate population. Today these murals embody national pride. The goal of this curriculum project is rooted in learning about the history, culture, and art of Mexico. The project…

This two day lesson plan for middle school students examines Marco Polo's travels and trade during the Middle Ages. The unit consists of four activities: (1) journal entry/brainstorming; (2) lecture on trade items of the Middle Ages and Marco Polo; (3) simulation of Marco Polo's Journey; and (4) a writing assignment. It provides step-by-step…

Students focus on people who make a difference. The unit features men and women whose achievements have had a direct or indirect influence in the students' lives. These individuals include heroes from long ago and the recent past along with people who are currently active in the local community. The unit is crafted around biographies. It aims to…

Two investigators developed a Web-based teambuilding instructional and activities module to improve the collaboration skills of team members involved in online collaboration. This module was formatively evaluated using 24 graduate students who were enrolled in an online course that assigned two online team projects during the Fall 2000 semester.…

This paper outlines a large urban community college's first attempt at implementing a common book program, in which all members of a campus read a designated work of literature. An overview is provided of the first-year experience, along with ideas for overcoming obstacles, involving faculty and staff, and obtaining sponsors. The paper gives the…

This American Association of Physics Teachers/Physics Teaching Resource Agents (APPT/PTRA) spiral-bound manual features labs and demos physics teachers can use to give students hands-on opportunities to learn about impulse and momentum. "Make-and-take activities" include AAPT Apparatus Contest winners "An Air Impulse Rocket," "A Fan Driven…

There are many kinds of writing activities for pupils. Pupils need to develop proficiency for a variety of types of writing, such as creative writing and poetry, writing in journals, writing about personal experiences, writing an outline, writing an opinion, writing on how something should be done, writing and problem solving, writing to inform,…

This study describes a program for students in the target 4th, 7th, and 8th grades who exhibit low achievement in writing. This low achievement affects behaviors, attitudes, and peer interactions. Discipline referrals, district assessments, and teacher written assessments substantiate this dilemma. Probable cause for lack of writing skills has…

Based on Mark Twain's novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that identifying and thinking about a key quotation or symbol in a novel can help a reader extract greater meaning from the work; and that a paper analyzing literature should follow a logical organization. The…

Based on "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," this lesson plan presents activities in which students work collaboratively to evaluate four stages in the life of Malcolm X, each corresponding to a different name he used; consider how each name Malcolm X used reflected that period in his life; and draw conclusions in a written essay about how his life…

The Seattle Art Museum's (SAM's) My Art Gallery Web site was born out of an actual experiment in the galleries of the museum itself. The project was called "Growing Up With Art" and was funded by a four-year grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. SAM invited sixth-grade classes from local schools into the museum to curate two exhibitions…

The program of studies for a reading elective course for avid or potentially avid readers at the junior high school level contained in this guide represents an attempt to address problems experienced by young adult readers. The program would provide time for them to read, and it would allow students the opportunity to value reading whether it be…

This action research project addressed the problem of missing assignments among fourth- and fifth-graders at a school in northern Illinois. In order to document the extent to which students lacked responsibility for turning in daily assignments, the teacher-researchers kept track of missing assignments for each student and grade book records for 6…

This book is designed for teachers who are looking for approaches to make the teaching of writing fresh. The book offers suggestions for writing that are appropriate across the curriculum and for students in Grades K-12. It contains ideas for enlivening students' writing experiences, including an innovative use of the "helping circle." It advises…