Presented is a variety of tips for parents and teachers for exploring the outdoors with children. Activities are grouped according to appropriateness to the four seasons. Ideas presented relate to role playing, games, group problems, values, pollution, arts and crafts, science, record keeping, music, and classroom nature. (SA)

Presents a general step-by-step description of how classroom games for science can be developed. Examples from the slim chance game from the Health Activities Project of the University of California at Berkeley are included. (HM)

Presents six ideas to improve public libraries' summer reading programs. Highlights include creating Web sites; marketing directly to parents rather than to schools through direct mail and collaborative promotion; statewide cooperative programs; the use of teen volunteers; scratch-off game cards; and off-site programs. (LRW)

Giving students a chance to associate numbers with subjects can be useful in speeding their location of desired print or nonprint materials and helping students feel independent when browsing. A matching game for helping students learn the Dewey numbers is presented. Instructions for the library media specialist or teacher, instructions for…

A year-long study of an innovative approach to mathematics, which emphasized in-depth problem solving and achievement of automaticity through math games, found such methods to be viable for students with average and above average academic abilities, but students with learning disabilities or at-risk students need much greater assistance if they…

Describes the library instruction program for first year students at Simmons College that incorporated active learning strategies into the two-semester course. Highlights include collaboration with faculty; self-guided tours; the use of games; marketing strategies; workshops for information literacy and research skills; and evaluation and…

Proposes a teaching strategy to teach ecological concepts and terminology through the use of games and simulations. Includes examples from physiological ecology, population ecology, and ecosystem ecology. (Author/SOE)

Discusses the importance of the strategic use of lesson time to impart learning to students of English as a Second Language. The article touches on the definition of teaching, wasting time in the classroom, overuse of English or of the mother tongue, and interaction patterns in the classroom. (one reference) (CK)

Describes the function game, or input-output game, and its benefits. One person is the computer and thinks of a rule. Classmates give input values and the computer gives the corresponding output. The object is to guess the rule. Benefits include the use of mental mathematics, problem solving, communication opportunities, and fostering key ideas,…

Studied the process of implementing a cooperative games program in kindergarten settings. Children's responsiveness was dependent on the enthusiasm of the teachers who implemented the program. (BG)

Described is research which considers the appropriateness of using games in the mathematics classroom. The methodology of the study, the game used in the study, and the results of the study are presented. Games were found to be a beneficial addition to the learning environment. (CW)

Measures the effectiveness of a medically oriented educational game in increasing knowledge and decreasing young children's fears regarding common medical procedures. Paired t-tests indicated a significant increase in children's knowledge of health care concepts and decrease in fear of medical procedures after the game was played. (BB)

Describes a game that illustrates the effects of pricing on profit. Students compete against each other in an imaginary industry and become familiar with decision-making processes. Depicts the gameboard, how to make it, and how to use it. (GG)

Describes two simulations for practicing arithmetic skills: "Calculators," simulating the management of a store with a calculator, and "MECC 'Sell' Series," simulating profit-making with different levels of difficulty from grade two to eight. Provides hints for classroom use. (YP)

Describes a kangaroo simulation which can be adapted for use with radio tracking activities for other animals. Outlines procedures and information to help implement the activity. Provides a map of Australia, calculations, and sample kangaroo movement data. (RT)