The U.S. Department of Education in early January of 2006 sent out the first installment--more than $250 million--in education aid to states affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, just days after President Bush signed the measure into law. The $1.6 billion relief package has drawn fire from some education groups because it provides aid not just…

Nearly four months after Hurricane Katrina laid waste to their hometown, Jonathan and Shelley Midura are packing up the family's van and heading back from this Washington suburb to New Orleans. They just have to figure out where their three children will go to school. In this article the family shares their thoughts and feelings on changing…

Experts have long suggested that re-establishing routines, particularly school routines, can be therapeutic for children who have experienced upheaval in their home lives. This article briefly describes an 8th grader's experience with this, after losing her home to Hurricane Katrina and having her life moved to suburban Washington.

As students have returned to Alice M. Harte Elementary School, they have found their old school far from the way they left it on the last school day before Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the city. The building may look much the same as it did on August 26, 2006 but half the faces here are new--from principals to teachers to students. The…

As federal aid for students uprooted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita begins making its way to cash-strapped school districts, many educators are worried that the money Congress allocated will fall well short of their costs. Since the hurricanes damaged hundreds of schools in the Gulf Coast region and initially dispersed nearly 375,000 students,…

Young children are just beginning to develop an understanding of time. In the preschool and kindergarten years children often have difficulty understanding the difference between yesterday, today and tomorrow, much less Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. This article offers tips that teachers may use to make these abstract concepts less confusing: (1)…

This article describes how a teacher changed all his plans to teach the hurricane. When the Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, kids become naturally curious and seek answers in an event this big. The author suggests the use of tragedies to help them grow as students and as citizens.

Winter, like all seasons, adds a new sense of mystery and discovery to the world of young children. It is the time when they can study snowflakes, find icicles, or observe the birds that share their yards. This article presents ideas and suggestions on how to plan a playscape. A playscape is a man-made seasonal playground for young children. It…

This book contains simple experiments through which students explore air and its properties. Some of the topics discussed include alternative energy, bacteria, carbon dioxide, motion, weather, and flight. Experiments include: blowing a balloon up in a bottle; seeing air in water; making a lunch-bag kite, weather vanes, and paper glider;…

A Minneapolis/St. Paul telephone survey revealed that most people interviewed relied on radio weather reports for weather information, that the amount of weather information retained from radio and television forecasts was minimal, and that most people were satisfied with television weather reports. (GW)

Discusses the various inclement weather conditions (and regional biases toward them) contributing to administrators' decisions to close school for the day or for part of the day. Considers childcare problems and safety considerations. An inset offers closing advice for parents. (MLH)

The educational potential of time-lapse video sequences and weather data obtained using a conventional microcomputer are considered in the light of recent advances in both fields. Illustrates how videos and microcomputers can be used to study clouds in meteorology classes. (RM)

Discusses the nature and effects of the El Nino/Southern Oscillation phenomenon. Indicates that new understanding of the phenomenon from current data will provide a global view of climate that has never before been within reach. (JN)

The author contends that falling barometric pressure hampers the flow of blood throughout the nervous system, thus encouraging maladaptive behavior in some neurologically impaired children. Among guidelines offered are to create a calm environment and to check the barometer frequently during the day. (CL)