Instructor (1990) articles from April 2004

Instructor (1990) archives from April 2004

Meeting the standards.(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... ARTICLE PAGE MATHEMATICS GRADES Marilyn Burns: 16 Uses discussions with teachers and other K-8 10 Big Math students to understand problems; Explains Ideas to...

Fostering independence.(students' independence)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... "EVERYTHING IN MY CLASSROOM and everything I do has the goal of empowering my kids and moving them toward independence," commented one of the teachers I spoke with recently. In many classrooms like hers, an overarching goal is to help...

Correction, please!(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2004... Your otherwise wonderful (and much appreciated) mention of the No Name-Calling Week Coalition in the March issue indicated that our resource kit was free to educators. Please tell your readers that much as we'd like to, we can't afford to give...

Three cheers for multicultural views in the classroom.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... * AFTER HEARING of it from your Booktalk column, I read Coolies, by Yin, in my classroom. The author is a second-generation Chinese American who gave my students a new perspective on the importance of the Chinese contribution to the...

What's Big, Red, and soft?(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... After reading the story of Clifford The Big Red Dog with my second-grade students, I asked parents to prepare a red, big pillow in the shape of a dog and soft enough to lay your head on. I had parents wrap their child's Clifford pillow and...

50 years later: Brown v. Board of Education.(News & Trends)
April 1, 2004... Even though a brand new elementary school sat just blocks from her home, its doors were closed to third grader Linda Brown--Sumner Elementary was for whites only, and Linda was black. So she was forced to trudge more than a mile along dangerous...

Read to your puppy.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Elementary-school students in Broward County, Florida, are learning that dogs aren't just good pets, they are also good listeners. A few floppy-eared canines are even helping students improve their reading skills as part of a joint program...

Recycling cycles.(News & Trends; bicycles)(Florence A. Smith Elementary School No. 2)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Mention recycling and most people think bottles and cans. But students at Florence A. Smith Elementary School No. 2, in Oceanside, New York are practicing a new way of living green. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A group of about 30 fifth- and...

Less gym, more weight.(News in Brief; elementary students)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Gym class used to be a daily event in schools, but today many elementary- and middle-school students are lucky if they work up a sweat once a week. Over the past 10 to 15 years, physical education classes have steadily declined in...

A summer soiree.(News in Brief)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... On July 18-20, 2004, join a stellar team of teachers and writing gurus for the "Writers at Work" conference at The Sun Vailey Resort in Idaho. Enjoy this stunning natural location while learning how to spur your student writers on to success!...

The 2004 Presidential Teaching Award.(Contests)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The National Science Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2004 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Deadline: May 3, 2004 How it works: To nominate a K-6 teacher, or to learn more about the...

Math problem of the week.(Contests)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... This contest, perfect for a few minutes of free time, encourages students at every ability level to put their problem-solving skills to use. New "Elementary Brain Teaser" and "Middle School Madness" contests each week guarantee to keep your...

Cheerios spoonfuls of stories writing contest.(Contests)
April 1, 2004... Cheerios is sponsoring a writing contest for kids as part of its broader campaign to support children's literacy. Ages: 8-10 Deadline: September 17, 2004 How it works: Stories must begin with this sentence: "The most amazing thing...

AlphaSmart teacher4teacher lesson plan contest.(Contests)
April 1, 2004... This new contest is designed to support teachers who are using the company's mobile devices and to share great teaching ideas that will successfully integrate them into the curriculum. Deadline: Ongoing How it works: Each month,...

Free poetry poster and bookmarks.(Giveaways)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Free to teachers: Celebrate National Poetry Month and Young People's Poetry Week (April 12-18, 2004), with a free classroom kit from Harcourt Children's Books. The kit features a full-color poster from a new book by Kristine O'Connell George...

Read to feed teaching materials.(Giveaways)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Free to teachers: Your class can help feed hungry people from around the world by taking part in Heifer International's motivational reading program. Visit the Web site to learn more and order the free poster, video, and lesson plans. How...

See & Feel Writing Tablets.(Giveaways)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Free to teachers: For a limited time Mead is giving away free samples of its fantastic See & Feel[TM] Writing Tablets, which feature helpful raised lines to guide students as they write. Grades: K-3 How to get it: Register at...

Rainforest teaching materials.(Giveaways)(web based curriculum for teaching children)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Free to Teachers: This new, Web-based curriculum teaches children science fundamentals by way of the Rainforest Alliance's current conservation projects. Lesson plans and stories are free for download and other free materials are available to...

Curriculum Associates funding connection.(Grants)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Through a new initiative designed to help educators find and secure funding, Curriculum Associates is now sponsoring a corporate grant program, free grant workshops for schools, and an online resource for grant seekers. Deadline: Open ...

Horace Mann Be Cool to Your School Sweepstakes.(Grants)
April 1, 2004... Win $10,000 for your favorite nonprofit school-affiliated organization and $10,000 for yourself by entering Horace Mann's Be Cool to Your School Sweepstakes. Deadline: April 15, 2004 To apply: Call Horace Mann's customer service...

Home Depot Foundation.(Grants)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Home Depot Foundation awards $5,000-$25,000 grants to programs that serve at-risk youth, among other groups. The funds may not be used for religious purposes, athletic events, indirect costs, advertising, capital campaigns, or scholarships....

Grolier Student Encyclopedia.(Just for Our Readers)
April 1, 2004... YOU CAN WIN: The Grolier Student Encyclopedia, a fantastic resource guaranteed to help grade 3-6 students learn reference skills and improve literacy. DEADLINE: June 30, 2004 TO ENTER: Send your contact information to Instructor's...

10 big math ideas.
April 1, 2004... Several years ago, Michael, one of my third graders, wrote this in his journal: "I never used to look forward to math. All we did was add and subtract. Now I like it more. We work together in class, and we still learn math but in a better way."...

Poems to teach by: poetry helps us to dream bigger, aspire to greater things, and value the joy in teaching.
April 1, 2004... Like most teachers I know, I move through the world foraging, borrowing, and accumulating that which will have utility in my classes and application to my students. Everything is potential fodder for my work. My file cabinets bulge with my...

Helping kids think and work on their own.
April 1, 2004... Nearly every teacher has students who can solve math problems successfully in class, but then get scores on state assessments that don't reflect their understanding. Some freeze up at test time, others open their test booklets and impulsively...

April activities from our readers.
April 1, 2004... Crop Circle Geometry I motivate my sixth graders to learn geometry and measurement with a Mystery Crop Circles game. After they learn the formulas for determining diameter, radius, circumference, and area (which we display on large posters), I...

How to paint like Georgia O'Keeffe.(Art Workshop)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Georgia O'Keeffe created her beautiful, detailed paintings by closely observing the world around her. Here third graders at Concord Road Elementary, in Ardsley, New York, follow her lead to make their own inspired works of art-while boosting...

Masterpiece poster & lesson: Georgia O'Keeffe.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Painter Georgia O'Keeffe lived to be nearly 100 years old. One of the most original members of the American avant-garde movement in the 1920s, O'Keeffe had a long and prolific career, working as an artist until well into her 90s. ...

Waxing poetic: instructor's 5th annual Poetry Contest winners.(Poem)
April 1, 2004... MI PEQUENA LAGARTIJA MY LITTLE LIZARD Yo tenia una lagartija, I had a little lizard, Fea, fea, fria, fria. Ugly, ugly, cold, cold. La tenia en la mochila I had it in my backpack Y se me fue...

Waxing poetic: our 2004 Poetry Contest winners.
April 1, 2004... OK, it's official: Early spring is my favorite time of year. Why? It marks the return of mellower weather and crocuses and even a bird or two to populate the greening trees. It also marks the arrival of the annual Instructor Poetry Contest,...

Origami math: "unfold" learning with hands-on fun.(Activities)
April 1, 2004... The art of origami is truly hands-on learning. As students use their fine motor skills to fold and crease paper into fun shapes and structures, they build skills involving spatial reasoning, following precise directions in sequence, fractions,...

Wonderful whale!(Instructor Reproducible)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Math Vocabulary * Quadrilateral: Any figure that has four sides. * Square: A quadrilateral that has four right angles (90 degrees) and four congruent sides. The shape you start with for the whale is a square. You turn it on its point...

Fabulous frog!(Instructor Reproducible)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Math Vocabulary * Rectangle: A quadrilateral that has four right angles (90 degrees). In step 1, you create two rectangles by folding the paper in half. * Right Triangle: A triangle with a right angle. * Isosceles Right Triangle:...

Zap! How electricity works: spark students' interest in science with easy, safe, and fun classroom-ready experiments.(Activities)
April 1, 2004... Understanding Electricity Imagine for a moment life without electricity--no lights, no television, no microwave popcorn! Even though we use electricity every day, it is a mystery to many students and adults. In simplest terms, electricity is...

Learning about the equator: give a warm welcome to spring by inviting your students to study some of the hottest places on Earth--the tropical rainforests, diverse cultures, and bustling cities along the 25,000 mile-long equator.(Activities)
April 1, 2004... Getting Started Did you know that the rainforests along the equator are home to more than half of the world's plant and animal species? Use this fascinating fact as a fun introduction to your unit. First, share several informational texts about...

Venus flytrap.(Cyberhunt Activities)
April 1, 2004... Invite students to learn about the weirdest and wildest plants on earth with our interactive hunt at www.scholastic.com/cyberhuntkids. Before you begin, distribute the CyberHunt Reproducible, page 58. Then try these Web-based activities. ...

The Venus flytrap and other weird and wild plants.(Interactive Cyberhunt)
April 1, 2004... WWW.SCHOLASTIC.COM/CYBERHUNTKIDS Have you ever heard of a plant that eats meat? In fact, carnivorous plants like these aren't just found in science fiction movies--they actually exist! Learn more online, starting at...

Math games.(WebSitings)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... These sites, packed with fun interactive games and downloadable worksheets, will give students the problem-solving practice they need to succeed. KING'S LIST OF ONLINE MATH ACTIVITIES www.k111.k12.il.us/king/math.htm Start your...

New fantasy.(BookTalk)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... These terrific fantasy titles will open up new worlds to your enthusiastic and reluctant readers alike. DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS! (Gr. PreK-1) By Mo Willems. Hyperion, 2003; 36 pages; $12.99. In this Caldecott Honor book,...

Benji becomes a reader: just when I had given up hope, one of my kindergartners had a reading revelation that he knew would come all along.(End of the Day)
April 1, 2004... On the first day of school, Benji's mother stood in the doorway of my classroom. Her mother, Benji's grandmother, stood a few feet behind. Both women looked at me nervously, hesitant to come in. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "We never learned...