The role of motivation and collaboration in STEM learning and performance is paramount. A learning community represents an educational approach that can engage students in learning in a motivated, thoughtful, active, and collaborative way. The focus of this article is on the nature of students' interest, attitudes, learning experiences and…

Primary sources in religion and history enable first year university students to connect "content-based" linked courses in the core curriculum. Fifty-four first year university students in three separate pairs of courses worked in teams to present oral critical reports on texts related to the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the…

"Instructional Design: Case Studies in Communities of Practice" documents real-world experiences of instructional designers and staff developers who work in communities of practice. "Instructional Design: Case Studies in Communities of Practice" explains the strategies and heuristics used by instructional designers when working…

This curriculum guide is the second (Series II) in a six-volume set that comprises the Sea Week Curriculum Series developed in Alaska. This second book in the series lends itself to the first-grade level but can be adapted to preschool, secondary, and adult education. Nine units contain 30 activities with worksheets that cover the following…

This document Agency is designed to assist teachers and other school personnel in the planning and teaching of the first grade mathematics course. Contents include: (1) Overview of Grade 1 Mathematics (mission statement, purpose and philosophy, goals, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics,…

This document is designed to assist teachers and other school personnel in the planning and teaching of the second grade mathematics course. Contents include: (1) Overview of Grade 2 Mathematics (mission statement, purpose and philosophy, goals, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics,…

This document is designed to assist teachers and other school personnel in the planning and teaching of the third grade mathematics course. Contents include: (1) Overview of Grade 3 Mathematics (mission statement, purpose and philosophy, goals, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics,…

This document is designed to assist teachers and other school personnel in the planning and teaching of the fourth grade mathematics course. Contents include: (1) Overview of Grade 4 Mathematics (mission statement, purpose and philosophy, goals, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics,…

This digest describes the development of the standard middle school and its impact on rural areas, discusses the original goals of middle schooling, and suggests how rural schools can meet these goals despite their small size. The earliest middle schools were innovative rural junior high schools that enriched their programs with additional…

This activity geared for grades 5-9 involves students in creating museum stations on eight solid waste and energy topics. While working in groups, students present their station topic to other students who are conducting a "museum tour." In doing so participants are encouraged to enhance their reading, writing, public speaking, and artistic skills…

This program presents units of instruction by inter-disciplinary teams of preservice teacher education students showcasing student developed curriculum integration ideas. Lessons integrate the areas of social studies, language arts, business, science, industrial technology, and health. Presented in four sessions, Session 1 includes the following:…

This document presents the working papers from a conference that explored ways for students to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Bill of Rights. The conference provided an opportunity for leaders in law-related education and others interested in the Bicentennial to work together to begin exploring, identifying, sharing, and jointly suggesting…

This curriculum guide accompanies Certified: A Citizen's Step-by-Step Guide to Protecting Vernal Pools which is designed to train volunteers in the process of identifying vernal pool habitat so that as many of these pools as possible can be certified by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. Vernal pools are a kind of…

This interdisciplinary unit focuses on the Indian epic, "The Ramayana," and explores Indian mythology, art forms, and storytelling methods. The unit is designed for middle school students but could be adapted to other levels. This unit could be incorporated with a study of India's land, history and geography. An overview of Indian…

This guide describes a program that turns ordinary show-and-tell time into a theme-related sharing time, or "sharing circle." In this program, each child is assigned a special sharing day once a month, with the sharing days evenly distributed throughout the month and with no more than three children sharing on a particular day. Monthly…