Poetry is an important ingredient in the elementary school curriculum both for its intrinsic qualities and as a vehicle for other subject matter. Rhythm, rhyme, word choice and relationships are best seen and felt by children listening to poetry and, in later elementary school, reading poetry themselves. Children can be motivated to write too,…

Written by four teams of doctoral students at Ball State University, the scenarios presented describe a hypothetical sequence of events, procedures, or new patterns involving the English curriculum of the future. The scenarios are: I. An English Curriculum for the Year 2000; II. MED-85, a Humanistic Communications Scenario; III. A.D. Two Double-O…

This book, a project of the Montana Arts Council Poets and Writers in the School program, is a collection of poems written by students in elementary and secondary schools of Montana. In addition to the poems, the book contains an essay on motivating and guiding students to write creatively, a list of resources for creative-writing teachers, an…

An organic approach to the teaching of reading emphasizes the selection of vocabulary from the experiential background of the child. (JH)

Considers creative writing a vital component of an effective language arts program for children in grades four, five, and six. Discusses the content, activities, and evaluation of a creative writing curriculum. (RL)

Shows how a teacher used student curiosity and imagination in helping students to develop lifelike characters and to collaborate on writing short stories. Provides samples of the sketches and stories. (RL)

Presents two teaching methods that lend structure to the teaching of poetry writing. (MAI)

Use "West Side Story" or another of the many Broadway musicals that lend themselves to classroom activities to take your students off the beaten path of routine learning. (Author)

Older and younger students take turns writing creatively and collaborate on building skills and friendships. (Editor)

Two women's study of writing by women in the 20th century found unexpectedly bitter and persistent anxiety and female-male conflict and a common theme of confinement and suppression of emotions and thoughts. (MSE)

A comparison of the story-writing abilities of learning-disabled (N=47), low-achieving (N=15), and normal-achieving (N=19) third-, fifth-, and seventh-graders revealed age- and learning capacity-related differences in the categories of story, primitive story, action sequence, descriptive, and expressive skills. (Author/CB)

Poets Ray Young Bear (Mesquakie), James Mitsui (Japanese American), James McAuley (Irish-American), Alex Kuo (Chinese-America) and Elizabeth Cook-Lynn (Sioux) participated in this forum on the legacy of culture and the creative process. Genres, culture, and definitions of ethnicity were discussed; and an audience participation question-and-answer…

The creative process and developmental stages of writing Haiku are illustrated with examples in the theme areas of beauty, humor, desolation, and companionship. Also noted are the use of rhyming, alliteration, personification, and action, along with the value of poetry writing in learning self-discipline and achieving a healthy mental state. (JDD)

Discusses two books, "The Young Unicorns" (M. L'Engle) and "M.C. Higgins, The Great" (V. Hamilton), that give honest portrayals of life. Suggests each will stimulate preadolescents to examine their own lives. (ARH)