Instructor (1990) articles from April 2003

Instructor (1990) archives from April 2003

A "peace" of cake. (Editor's Note).(Brief Article)(Column)
April 1, 2003... One year during the early 1970s, my third graders enthusiastically proclaimed that "peace" would be our class motto. We festooned a colorful peace banner across the classroom door, discussed the word and its meaning, and wrote in our Peace...

Our history in Space. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... To commemorate a century of aviation in the U.S., this year's Space Day, to be held May 1, explores the history of aviation and aerospace in our nation. The Space Day 2003 theme, "Celebrating the Future of Flight," encompasses various programs...

An Internet safety superhero. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... There's a new superhero to keep children safe on the Internet, and he's a mean, green, Web site-safety machine, He's Dewie the Turtle! This kid-friendly cartoon mascot is part of a new Internet privacy and security initiative developed by the...

PBS series on race. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The issue of race has always been a complex and divisive one in the U.S., and is deeply woven into the fabric of American life. Throughout history, scientists, philosophers, educators, and others have made assumptions about people based on...

Kindergartners suspended. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In the Cleveland, Ohio, public school system, any student who hits a teacher may be suspended, even if the student is in kindergarten. Though school officials say kindergartners make up a small percentage of the students suspended in the...

Power of literacy. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Imagine what your life would he like if you couldn't read. As many teachers are painfully aware, millions of students and adults across the nation are illiterate. But there are efforts to help struggling readers to get on the road to literacy....

Out of pocket spending. (News & Trends).
April 1, 2003... Out of Pocket $pending K-12 teachers spend an average of $400 a year of their own money on materials and supplies. For example, 58 percent of teachers surveyed include activity books in their purchases. ACTIVITY BOOKS 58%...

All-American Teachers. (Contests).
April 1, 2003... USA Today is accepting nominations for its annual All-USA Teacher Team, which honors 20 teachers from across the U.S. Anyone can nominate a K-12 teacher by sending in a written example of the teacher's accomplishments. A $2,500 award will be...

Young Heroes award. (Contests).
April 1, 2003... If you know a kid aged 8-18 who has shown leadership, courage, and generosity by creating a non-school-related project that has benefited his or her community, living creatures, or the environment, nominate that student for the Gloria Barron...

Scoop of the USA contest. (Contests).
April 1, 2003... Dreyer's/Edy's Grand Ice Cream celebrates it's 75th birthday with a challenge to kids ages 8-14 to invent an ice cream flavor that reflects the uniqueness of America. Kids should submit essays describing how their ice cream flavors show the...

Learning Wrap-Ups giveaway. (Giveaways).
April 1, 2003... Exclusive to Instructor readers! Learning Wrap-Ups, a self-correcting, hands-on learning tool, is giving two lucky teachers their choice of either a math resource kit or a math classroom kit, The resource kit includes six sets each of addition,...

Free Laptops for teachers. (Giveaways).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Need a computer? Register with the Teacher Laptop Foundation to get one. This national non-profit organization wants to give teachers laptops to help them enhance student learning with computers in the classroom. Winning teachers are selected...

Adopt-a-classroom program. (Grants).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Public-school teachers in need of classroom supplies can register to have their classroom "adopted." Once a classroom is adopted by a sponsor, a $500 credit will be given to the teacher to purchase school materials. To apply: Visit www.adopta...

SMARTer Kids grants.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The SMARTer Kids Foundation is offering $40 million in grants to help schools purchase a variety of SMART whiteboard equipment. Schools can apply to receive discounts of 20 to 70 percent from SMART. To apply: Visit...

A Bug's--eye view. (New & Noteworthy).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Your students will go buggy when they discover the wonder of ladybug metamorphosis. Insect Lore's new Ladybug Land habitat allows children to witness up-close the life cycle of the Pink Spotted ladybug. Students will marvel as they watch the...

Games in an Instant. (New & Noteworthy).
April 1, 2003... Help kids build essential skills with the super-fun, ready-to-go Instant File-Folder Learning Games series. Each title comes complete with full-color game board, cut-out game pieces, and an attached, resealable storage pouch. $4.95;...

Heart's D'Zire. (New & Noteworthy).(Palm Computing Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Palm's new Zire handheld is easy to learn and easy to use. Available coursework management software lets teachers keep track of students' grades and test scores, and easily download (or upload) grades to and from a personal computer. Education...

Count on Learning. (New & Noteworthy).(Learning Resources)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Bring money and basic math skills to life with the new Teaching Cash Register from Learning Resources. Students can practice coin identification, addition, subtraction, and place value as they play four featured games that increase in...

Keep on Track. (New & Noteworthy).(School Zone Interactive)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... School Zone's award-winning e-workbooks creatively guide kids through focused learning objectives in specific skill sets. Each CD can be used alone or with a conventional workbook, included. On-Track Software; $19.99; www.schoolzone.com

Mastery in a flash. (New & Noteworthy).(Flashmaster)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... This easy-to-use alternative to traditional flashoards helps kids master math facts. Visual and audio prompts help make learning easier. Quantity discounts available; education price $30; www.flashmaster.com

On the mat. (New & Noteworthy).(Painless Learning)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Bound to become a classroom favorite, these durable and attractive mats help children learn new skills, painlessly. Plus, each of the 43 designs includes write-on/wipe-off activities. Painless Learning; $3; 718-474-5120

Come inside. (New & Notewothy).(Scholastic Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Want to teach poetry with confidence and passion to middle-schoolers? Paul Janeczko's Opening a Door (2003) will show you how. Includes reproducibles! $15.95; www.scholastic.com

Universal math . (New & Noteworthy).(Wildridge Education )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Students can study the connections between astronomy, math, physics, history, and mythology with Wildridge Education's Math & the Cosmos software. Perfect for seventh and eighth graders, the CD combines a challenging textbook with interactive,...

Handling a rude student. (Advice on).
April 1, 2003... Mary Rose, Lake Sybelia Elementary, FL, Grade 4 There is a very thin line between standing firm on one's expectations and becoming part of the problem because of one's inflexibility. I've found that the trick is to stand on that line by...

Easy colorful graphs: digital spreadsheets can make a math lesson fun, interactive, and educational. (Electronic Learning).(related article included)
April 1, 2003... Most teachers use graphs and charts regularly in their teaching, and not just with math. In some classrooms, graphs are large and colorful depictions of objects students have counted. In other classrooms, they might display the results of...

Marilyn Burns demystifies long division.
April 1, 2003... Q My students really have difficulty getting the steps involved in long division. Any advice?--Tamara Henry, Fresno, CA MARILYN ANSWERS: Let's face it. Long division is not easy to learn. Fat one thing, it is the first mathematical...

From tangerines to algorithms.(related article included)
April 1, 2003... "I can't imagine teaching math without manipulatives," says Louise Fiori, a teacher at Stanford Middle School in Long Beach, California. It's no secret that early elementary teachers across the country consider manipulative materials a godsend...

Math out loud! Heard the word? Talking and writing about math boosts understanding in a big way.
April 1, 2003... Allan had been in the United States for less than a year. A nonnative speaker, he was hesitant to speak up in my math class, although his math abilities were good. While Allan knew the basics of working through a problem, he was unable to...

This year's poetry stars: meet the students and teachers who made Instructor's fourth annual poetry contest shine. (Announcing).
April 1, 2003... Just as the charcoal skies and bone-chilling cold of late winter were really starting to get to me, I was asked to help judge Instructor s Fourth Annual Poetry Contest. Zing! My mood lifted, brightened by each entry that crossed my desk, sang...

M.C. Escher. (Masterpiece of the Month).(related article included)
April 1, 2003... Meet the Artist Born on June 17, 1898, in Leeuwarden in the Netherlands, Maurits Comelis Escher struggled with his school studies, especially math. But he loved art class, where he learned to make linoleum cut prints. Though Escher didn't...

Create tessellations like M.C. Escher. (Art Workshop).
April 1, 2003... Mary Bussman's fourth- and fifth-grade students at Ohlone Elementary School in Palo Alto, California, really know how to put the pieces together! Inspired by the striking work of M.C. Escher, the students turned math into art as they...

Recycling: it's for the birds! Easy spring activities, just in time for earth day!(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... From Bottle to Birdbath Create this easy-to-assemble birdbath using an empty, two-liter soda bottle and a recycled food tub, such as a large margarine container. Use a nail to make a hole in the bottom of the bottle, then fill with water....

Poetry journals: making poetry scrapbooks allows students to enjoy their work for years to come as they publish their own poems, reflect on inspiring verses by favorite poets, and record classroom poetry exercises. (Scrapbooking in the Classroom).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Booklet Have students transcribe a poem or the lyrics to a favorite song. Inside, kids can journal their responses. * Cut-out Shapes Add texture and fun to journals using die-cut or hand-made shapes. Here, a journaller writes about the T....

Vocabulary s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s: new ways to learn new words.
April 1, 2003... ABC Books Are your students slow to use the dictionary? Try writing and compiling your own class dictionaries! At the end of a study unit in science, social studies, or another subject area, alphabetically list key words from the unit on chart...

Picture book math: read-alouds are great springboards to super math learning.
April 1, 2003... How Much Is a Million? By David M. Schwartz (Lothrop, Lee, 1985). Along with Marvelosissimo, the Mathematical Magician, kids and their pets explore just how big a million and a billion are. ACTIVITY After reading the book, invite...

Wonderful world of whales! Swim into super-sized learning with these giants of the deep.
April 1, 2003... To begin your study, draw a large whale on chart paper and record some facts that children know about whales. Then dive into the following activities! Breaching Whale Masterpieces A whale doesn't just swim--it performs amazing...

Pitch-perfect baseball science: get in the swing of spring with these activities of discovery.
April 1, 2003... * Super Ball Challenge Invite students to use the scientific method to design and build their own super balls! Begin by cutting open a baseball and showing students a cross-section of the cork core surrounded by rubber, woolen yarn, and...

The Brave Little Seamstress. (Fine Folktales).(Book Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... By Mary Pope Osborne; illustrated by Giselle Potter. Atheneum, 2002; 32 pages; $16. (Gr. 2-6). As she did with Kate and the Beanstalk (Atheneum, 2000), Mary Pope Osborne has turned the main character of a German tale, "The Brave Little...

How the Fisherman Tricked the Genie: A Tale within a Tale within a Tale. (Fine Folktales).(Book Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... By Kitoba Sunami, illustrated by Amiko Hirao. Atheneum, 2002; 40 pages; $16. (Or. 2-6). When a genie threatens to kill the poor fisherman who has rescued him from a brass bottle in the Arabian Sea, the fisherman tells him three interconnected...

Epossumondas. (Fine Folktales).(Book Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... By Coleen Salley; illustrated by Janet Stevens. Harcourt, 2002; 32 pages; $16. (Gr. PreK-2). Every time sweet little parootie, Epossumondas, visits his Auntie, she gives him something to take home, and each time he carries it home the...

Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story.(Book Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... By Tomie dePaola. Putnam, 2002; 32 pages; $16.99 (Gr. 1-6). Soon after the birth of her daughter, Adela dies, leaving her merchant husband to care for their child, Adelita, with the help of a devoted housekeeper, Esperanza. Adelita's father...

This is the House that Hack Built.(Book Review)
April 1, 2003... By Simms Taback. Putnam, 2002; 32 pages; $15.99 (Gr. PreK-1). The collage illustrations are frantic and fun in this lively version of the classic children's nursery rhyme, first published in 1755. Children will recall and chant the...

Head, Body, Legs: A Story From Liberia. (More Fine Folktales).(Book Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Review)
April 1, 2003... Head, Body, Legs: A Story From Liberia By Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert. Henry Holt, 2002 (Cr. PreK-3). This whimsical African pourquoi and creation tale explains how people came to be and the importance of cooperation. JUDY...

Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin: An Irish Tale. (More Fine Folktales).(Book Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Review)
April 1, 2003... Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin: An Irish Tale By Jessica Souhami. Henry Holt, 2002 (Gr. K-A). This delightful tall-tale comedy about two legendary Celtic heroes, illustrated with cheerful cut-and-tom paper collage, shows that "Big is...

Can You Guess My Name? Traditional Tales Around the World. (More Fine Folktales).(Book Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Review)
April 1, 2003... Can You Guess My Name? Traditional Tales Around the World By Judy Sierra, illustrated by Stefano Vitale. Clarion, 2002 (Cr. PreK-2). For each of five European folktales--"The Three Pigs," "The Bremen Town Musicians," "Rumpelstiltskin,"...

Yonder Mountain: A Cherokee Legend. (More Fine Folktales).(Book Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Review)
April 1, 2003... Yonder Mountain: A Cherokee Legend By Robert H. Bushyhead and Kay Thorpe Bannon. Cavendish, 2002 (Gr. K-6). To find a worthy successor, elderly Chief Sky instructs three young men to climb to the top of a great nearby mountain and bring...

Favorite Poem Project. (Powerful and Playfull Poetry).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... www.favoritepoem.org Robert Pinsky, a recent United States poet laureate, started the Favorite Poem Project because he believed strongly that poetry, especially when spoken out loud, "connects us with our deep roots [and] our...

Giggle poetry. (Powerful and Playful Poetry).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... www.gigglepoetry.com And now for something completely silly. Here your students will discover a wild mix of poems by kids--some really witty, some just goofy--and a fun chance to read 'em and rate 'em. Be forewarned, however: The jokes in...

Online poetry classroom. (Powerful and Playful Poetry).(Academy of American Poets)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... www.onlinepoetryclassroom.org Give yourself plenty of time to browse here, because this site is loaded. Run by The Academy of American Poets, it's one of the most extensive teacher-centered sites out there. Not only does it include more...

E-verse. (Powerful and Playful Poetry).(Milkweed Editions)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... www.milkweed.org/3_1.html E-verse delivers "a new poem--current or classic" to brighten up your inbox every Monday. It's a free service of Milkweed Editions, a nonprofit literary press that believes literature is a "transformative art...

Poetry in Motion. (Powerful and Playful Poetry).
April 1, 2003... Paul Janeczko www.poetrysociety.org/motion This Web site documents the Poetry in Motion program, which was developed in 1992 by the Poetry Society of America and the New York City Transit Authority with the distinctly poetic dream of...

A student with vision: by taking on life "with both hands," David showed me that there was nothing to fear. (End of the Day).(a blind student in the fourth-grade class)
April 1, 2003... Retinitis pigmentosa. It sounded scary. It's basically the deterioration of a person's eyesight over time. For me, it meant I would have a blind student in my fourth-grade class. I was terrified. I had taken for granted being able to show...

Grow with poetry: Instructor's 4th annual poetry contest winners.(Brief Article)(Poem)
April 1, 2003... Grow With Poetry: Instructor's 4th Annual Poetry Contest Winners The Growing Flower A pink and yellow rose starts as a tiny seed. Then it grows; Its stem pops up and then a leaf, very green. And then a bud like a...

Escher symmetry drawing.(Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher (1898-1972) is best known for his drawings of fantastic visual illusions that seem to bend the laws of perspective, as well as for his intricate patterns of interlocking birds, frogs lizards, and other...