Instructor (1990) articles from August 2002

Instructor (1990) archives from August 2002

Every classroom tells a story. (Editor's Note).(Editorial)
August 1, 2002... ELEMENTARY SCHOOLROOMS from coast to coast have instantly recognizable features in common: construction-paper, word walls, acrostic name poems, baskets of books labeled by genre and author, banners proclaiming positive affirmations. Yet every...

Desk I.D. (The Ellison Educator).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Students will enjoy creating boxes that tell a little bit about themselves. The box with the slit closure is perfect for holding a die-cut that relates to a student's interests. On the box sides, students can talk about some of their hobbies or...

Magnetic job chart. (The Ellison Educator).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Use a large magnetic board to create a colorful and easy-to-reference classroom job chart. Die-cut a magnet to represent each of the classroom jobs. Print out the names of the students on colored paper and fasten to the board with the magnet....

Weekly class schedule. (The Ellison Educator).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Prepare your classroom with a bulletin board that will help students remember their daily/weekly schedules. Decorate the extra large hands with watches and clocks that indicate each subject in a visual way with the day and time included. Each...

Best-Ever Bulletin Boards. (Giveaways and Grants).(Ruth Ann Silvers, winner of the 2001 BestEver Bulletin Boards Contest)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Instructor and Ellison are pleased to announce Ruth Ann Silvers, a third grade teacher at Greeneview North Elementary School in Jamestown, Ohio, the winner of the "2001 BestEver Bulletin Boards Contest." Silvers will be awarded an Ellison...

Draw me peace. (Giveaways and Grants).(peace art by children)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is sponsoring an art contest to promote peace. Children ages four to seven are asked to draw or paint an original, six-picture story illustrating one or more of these...

Fiskars ShapeCutter[TM]. (Giveaways and Grants).
August 1, 2002... Fiskars, in cooperation with Instructor, is holding a sweepstakes for a new ShapeCutter(TM) cutting machine. One lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive a ShapeCutter(TM) Starter Set, which contains the machine, four sets of...

Jurassic Park online. (Giveaways and Grants).(Dino Lab)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Jurassic Park Institute, a science-based Web site focused on dinosaurs, recently launched "Dino Lab," an online education program meeting National Education Science Standards. The site offers a free online encyclopedia, activities and games,...

American music grants. (Grants).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The National Music Foundation's American Music Education Initiative is awarding grants of $500 to K-12 teachers with unique lesson plans that utilize American music. The lessons can be in music or in any other academic subject, and can cover...

NEC Products available at deep discounts. (Grants).(school supplies)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The SMARTer Kids Foundation is offering $65 million in grants to help K-12 educators purchase NEC visual presentation products for their schools. Successful applicants will be able to purchase qualifying NEC supplies--including projectors and...

Letters.(Column)
August 1, 2002... Reading to Learn I want to say thank you so much for your article "The Myth: Learn to Read/Read to Learn," by Laura Robb (May/June 2002). I agree with Ms. Robb that children are capable of learning during their early years. I am...

Teacher tips: how do you get students to care about the neatness of their desks and the classroom? (Your Voices).
August 1, 2002... Role model I try to be a role model by keeping my own desk neat. I also try to have students clean their desks at the end of the month. Finally, I created room on shelves for workbooks so students have to care for only small amounts of...

Classroom organizing tips from... Roe Wrubel.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... "Teaching third grade is about moving kids toward independence," says Roe Wrubel, of Manhattan's P.S. 89. Here are some of the ways Roe sets up her classroom--from the entryway to the walls-to achieve this goal. Meeting Area as Teaching...

How to build your own web page. (Electronic Learning).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The thought of creating a Web page filled with the latest information about what's happening in the classroom sends many teachers running quickly in the opposite direction--far from the computer. But fear not. Building a Web page is so much...

Inspiration to begin.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Dear Teachers, Welcome to the 2002-2003 school year. I hope the summer months brought you well-deserved rest, and that you are returning to school rejuvenated, eager to accept new challenges and make a difference in the lives of the...

Courage to teach.(teacher's opinions)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Teaching is a profession that demands a collaboration of mind, heart, and spirit. As Sam Intrator writes in his book Stories of The Courage to Teach, teachers "shape the world of the classroom by the activities they plan, the focus they attend...

Web pages rescue. (Solar System Class Project).(parents in the classroom through the internet)
August 1, 2002... Making contact with parents to share important information about the classroom has always been a challenge. Teachers often don't have access to telephones during the school day, parents aren't at home to receive calls, and everyone is busy...

August scrapbook: August's sunny days and firefly-lit nights mark the end of summertime fun and the beginning of back-to-school excitement!(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... QUICK FACTS * The eighth month of the year and has 31 days. * Name Origin: Augustus mensis (Latin) * When Augustus Caesar reformed the Roman calendar in 46 B.C., he renamed August after himself! WATCH FOR THESE DATES! ...

Great ideas to start the year from our readers.(Column)
August 1, 2002... Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) Poems Have students compose sweet cinquains about watermelons! As a teaser, display a sign that reads, "What is a Citrullus vulgaris?" Ask students to guess, or assign it as a research question. The next...

First African American in space. (The August Times).(Guion S. Bluford )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... August 30, 1983--Philadelphia-born U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Guion S. Bluford on this day became the first African-American to travel into space. He was a specialist on the space shuttle Challenger, which spent six clays in orbit around...

First U.S. census. (The August Times).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... August 1, 1790--The U.S. finished its first census, or count of all its people, on this day, just over a year after George Washington was elected president. Back then, there were only 4 million citizens in 16 states. Now there are more than 281...

Women win vote. (The August Times).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... August 26, 1920--After more than 70 years of struggle, U.S. women on this day finally won the right to vote, as the 19th Amendment was added to the Constitution. Until this time, women could not vote in any election. This special law made it...

The Wizard of Oz world premiere. (The August Times).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... August 15, 1939--On this day, The Wizard of Oz opened in Hollywood. Huge crowds surrounded the theater to see the famous people attending the show. In 1956, it debuted on television--to 45 million viewers!

Birth of the internet. (The August Times).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... August 1, 1990--On this day, British physicist Tim Berners-Lee, who was looking for an easy way to share information with other scientists, first suggested what became the World Wide Web. A computer programmer from Belgium, Robert Cailliau,...

Romare Bearden. (Masterpiece of the Month).(collage artist)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Meet the Artist * Romare Bearden (1911-1988) was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He moved to New York City when he was three years old and grew up there in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance. Many of his family members were musicians and...

A kids's neighborhood college: How do first graders create a whole new neighborhood? With a Romare Bearden inspired group collage!(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Michael Bruno's first-grade class at New York's Brooklyn Friends School created this fabulous cityscape collage with the help of artist Christy Hale. in a project that encourages both individual and cooperative work, students make observations...

Langston Hughes. (Poetry Workshop).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... One of the most influential poets in American literature, Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was also a playwright, a professor, and a journalist. He came to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. The poem "City" is about the rhythms...

The first hour: establishing morning routines that work is the key to getting off to a good start from the very first hour. (Back-to-School Kit).(teaching tips)
August 1, 2002... GREAT WAYS WITH MORNING GEETINGS Mornings can be the most hectic part of the day--you try to meet the varying needs of students as they arrive. At the same time you often have last-minute preparations to do before the day begins. Yet making...

The first day: help build classroom community spirit with caring and comfort-building activities from teachers like you. (Back-to-School Kit).
August 1, 2002... I'm Puzzled Learning names helps children feel recognized and build connections with one another. Here's a great hands-on way to help students learn to read and spell their new classmates' names. Print each child's name on a sentence...

The first week: focus on cooperation and communication this first week to build a great foundation for a successful year. (Back-to-School Kit).(tips for teachers)
August 1, 2002... TEACHING COOPERATION Emphasizing cooperation and social responsibility can make a big difference in how your students approach small-group and buddy learning. We're All Connected Use this super circle game to help your students see...

Building bridges of friendship: with this cross-curricular unit, children build skills as they connect with a class of new friends.
August 1, 2002... Before You Begin Introduce your bridges of friendship unit by inviting students to bring in photographs, books, and magazine clippings that represent friendship to them. Ask them to brainstorm about what makes a good friendship: i.e., "A...

Alexis O'Neill. (Meet the Author).(includes reprint of The Recess Queen)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Writing a Story That Sings When a good story is read aloud, it delights and surprises the listener. The words feel good in the reader's mouth and sing in the listeners ear. When I write picture books, I try to write for the ear. I imagine...

Seven must-see sites. (Web Sitings).(web sites for teachers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Get organized for the upcoming school year and engage your students with these helpful and fascinating links. BIGCHALK www.bigchalk.com Any Web-savvy teacher will tell you that bigchalk is a site like no other. Pages specifically...

Rock on! (Cyber Hunt Teacher's Guide).(quiz on rocks and minerals)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... They are the building blocks of our planet, but we rarely think about the rooks and minerals that we see every day. Visit www.scholastic.com/instructor to start your Web hunt for the facts. Write your answers below or on a separate sheet of...

Hello School!: A Classroom Full of Poems. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... HELLO SCHOOL!: A CLASSROOM FULL OF POEMS By Dee Lillegard; illustrated by Don Carter. Knopf, 2001; 28 pages; $14.95 (PreK-2). Thirty-eight rhyming poems highlight the objects students take for granted at school--from supplies to...

A Fine, Fine School. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... A FINE, FINE SCHOOL By Sharon Creech; illustrated by Harry Bliss. HarperCollins, 2001; 32 pages; $15.95 (K-5). Principal Keene decides that more school means better school, adding Saturdays, then Sundays, then holidays and finally......

The Great Show-and-Tell Disaster. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... THE GREAT SHOW-AND-TELL DISASTER By Mike Reiss; illustrated by Mike Cressy. Price Stem Sloan, 2001; 32 pages; $13.99 (Gr. 1-4). When Ned uses bits and pieces of garbage and duct tape to create a Mix-up Ray for show-and-tell, he gains...

Junie B., First Grader at Last! (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... JUNIE B., FIRST GRADER AT LAST! By Barbara Park; illustrated by Denise Brunkus. Random House, 2001; 76 pages; $11.99 hardcover; $3.99 paperback (Gr. 1-4). Those who enjoyed Junie B.'s wild kindergarten escapades will be glad to see she...

Score One for the Sloths. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... SCORE ONE FOR THE SLOTHS By Helen Lester; illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. Houghton Muffin, 2001; 32 pages; $15 (PreK-2). At Sleepy Valley Sloth School, the students yawn, snore and take three-hour lunches at the slotheteria. When Sparky...

Sailing Home: A Story of a Childhood at Sea. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... SAILING HOME: A STORY OF A CHILDHOOD AT SEA By Gloria Rand; illustrated by Ted Rand. North-South, 2001; 32 pages; $15.95 (Gr. 1-5). Narrator Matilda reminisces about her childhood spent sailing the world with her siblings and parents...

Mr. Lincoln's Way. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... MR. LINCOLN'S WAY By Patricia Polacco. Philomel, 2001; 32 pages; $16.99 (Gr. 2-6). African-American principal Mr. Lincoln is adored by his students for the depth of his involvement: He takes sixth graders on nature walks, conducts tea...

The Gold-Threaded Dress. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... THE GOLD-THREADED DRESS. By Carolyn Marsden. Candlewick, 2002; 73 pages; $13.99 (Gr. 2-4). Fourth grader Oy is teased by classmate Frankie about her almond-shaped eyes, and excluded from classmate Liliandra's secret clubhouse meetings....

Loser. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... LOSER. By Jerry Spinelli. HarperCollins, 2002; 218 pages; $15.99 (Gr. 4-8). In school, Donald Zinkoff just smiles, even when kids steal his hat and twist his wrist. He's sloppy and clumsy and throws up a lot. From second to sixth...

The Secret School. (Judy Freeman's Booktalk: Back-to-School Books).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... THE SECRET SCHOOL. By Avi. Harcourt, 2001; 160 pages; $16 (Gr. 3-6). When the teacher at a one-room schoolhouse must leave suddenly just weeks before the end of the 1925 term, 4-year-old Ida is devastated. Without school in session,...

Books about... the summer vacation.(Brief Article)(Bibliography)
August 1, 2002... WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION Before assigning that favorite first-day-of-school essay, share stories of summer adventures with your class. PICTURE BOOKS & POETRY Gina By Bernard Waber. Houghton Muffin, 1995 (Gr. 1-3). There are...

A cute job? teaching kindergarten is more than milk and cookies--it's lessons for life. (End of the Day).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... A strange thing happened to me the other day. A few blocks from school I was meeting friends for coffee and a woman at a nearby table overheard me talking about my work. "That's soooooo cute," she said, waving her friend over. "He's a...

Arts & Crafts.
August 1, 2002... WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START the new school year. All of us at Instructor are excited to share with our readers our first Arts and Crafts supplement--a fabulous back-to-school bonus! Thanks to Crayola[R] for their sponsorship, and to the many...

Back to school Arts & Crafts: school's in! set students' minds and fingers in motion with the wonderful welcome-back crafts.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Bus Buddies Students will get a chance to meet and greet their new classmates as they fill in the bus windows with pictures of their new buddies. For this project, you'll need three 1-1/4" wood circles, yellow and black construction...

Fabulous fall fun: bring the rich colors of autumn into your classroom with festive folk art!(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Bag-o'-Lanterns This clever craft will get a glowing review when students use their lanterns for counting practice or to set up and solve simple math problems. 1. Slip a bag over your hand and evenly paint it orange. Let dry. For...

Cornucopia of crafts: your students will enjoy these fresh, fun approaches to harvest craft making, just in time for Thanksgiving.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Newsprint Pilgrims Dress up your Thanksgiving bulletin boards with Pilgrim friends! For each pair you'll need newspaper, Reproducible (opposite), gel pen, black and white construction paper, markers, scissors, and glue. Give each child a...

Sweet celebrations: get ready for the holiday season with crafts your students can share with friends and family.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Peppermint Candies Turn your classroom into the "Land of Sweets" with these festive ceiling decorations. For each decoration, you will need two dessert-size paper plates, red markers or paint, pink plastic wrap or cellophane, and...

New year cheer: ring in the New Year with crafts that celebrate the snow, bring a message of peace, and inspire dreams of the future.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... New Year's Peace Candles Lighting lanterns, lamps, or candles for peace during New Year's celebrations is a tradition in many countries such as China, India, and Ireland. Give this tradition a personal twist by asking students to make...

Wonderful winter arts: chase away the cold with these creative crafts.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Gung Hay Fat Choy! (Happy New Year!) The Chinese dragon is a sacred animal that symbolizes strength and goodness. Celebrate Chinese New Year in style with a vibrant mixed-media dragon! For each dragon segment you'll need a cardboard...

Spring into spring: welcome a fresh spring season with crafts featuring egg-carton insects, scratch-and-sniff art, and recycled trash robots.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Build an Insect Scuttle into spring with a study of insect anatomy! Although insects come in thousands of varieties, all share these basics: three body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), six segmented legs, and exoskeletons. Now kids can build...

Summer's on the way! as days lengthen and brighten, celebrate by making super star pinatas, according journals, and venetian-blind paintings.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Cinco de Mayo Star Pinatas Cinco de Mayo, the fifth of May, is celebrated as a national holiday by the Mexican people. It is observed with festivals, dances, and lively mariachi music. Students will enjoy making traditional Cinco de Mayo...

Colorful literacy skill building.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Lessons that integrate reading, writing and art spark children's imaginations, enhance comprehension, and motivate students to draw upon what they've read. Pique their interest and add personal relevance as students create and illustrate...

Colorful science lessons.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Science comes to life when children explore scientific principles and transform abstract ideas into tangible models or illustrate scientific realities. When your class is studying the life sciences, Earth science or physical science, creating...

Colorful social studies lessons.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... In today's troubled world, it is more important than ever for students to understand other cultures and learn to respect diversity. Lessons from the past come alive when students demonstrate their learnings visually. Find the step-by-step...

Colorful math lessons.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Numerical concepts are best learned with hands-on experience. Make math meaningful for students as they create tangible objects to color, count, calculate, and classify. Number operations, quantification, measurements and patterns become...

Colorful celebrations.(art education projects based on holidays)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Seasonal shifts and holidays provide timely reasons to celebrate change and cultures. Integrating art into celebrations serves many purposes, including festive decorating, gift giving, multicultural awareness, and teaching about others'...

Join the Crayola.com Educator Community...(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Have you been to Creativity Central? It's an interactive experience designed especially for creative learning. Just visit www.crayola.com to find thousands of ideas, including lesson plans, colorful crafts, e-games: for students, e-cards that...

What is Crayola dream-makers? (Dream-Makers).(art education program)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... * A program that encourages kindergarten through 6th grade children's creative development and learning, while providing opportunities for national recognition and exhibition of outstanding student artwork. * Recognized by the U.S....

Kid-made Picasso faces.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... When instructor asked for teachers and kids who were ready to try their own Picasso-inspired portraits, two classrooms on different sides of the continent took up the challenge! Students at Jerry Potts Elementary in Calgary, Alberta, and at...

Perspective painting: using Van Gogh's bedroom at Arles as a model, Joni Gray's fourth graders learn about perspective - and more.
August 1, 2002... This group of budding fourth-grade artists in Baldwinsville, New York began their study of Van Gogh by investigating his art and life on the computer. They practiced painting still lifes then learned techniques for drawing in perspective...

Kid-created Mondrian.
August 1, 2002... 1. Mr. Ellis gathers the children at circle time to share examples of Mondrian's work. The children talk about the shapes and colors. Children can make modern art masterpieces with everyday classroom supplies. Using construction paper,...

Hoot, hoot, hooray! all about Owls.(owl-related school activities)
August 1, 2002... Students will hoot over these owl-related activities and become all the wiser about our fascinating feathered friends! Observe, Wonder, Learn Display a variety of owl pictures, books, and other resources around your classroom. Good...

Fairy tale 'Zines: using fairy tales as inspiration and subject, kids can write and illustrate their own popular-style magazines.
August 1, 2002... Once upon a time there was a way to teach fairy tales that integrated writing with other subjects. It was perfect for learners at all grade levels and resulted in a magazine as a final product. Best of all, the students who took part in the...

Old records, new art!(art project using vinyl records)
August 1, 2002... What do a snow-board, a party hat, a saw blade, and Old Glory have in common? They were all made from old records! Inspired by a project at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, sixth-grade students at the Brookwood School in...

Say cheese, please! cross-curricular activities that put back-to-school smiles in the spotlight.(snapshots as teaching tools)
August 1, 2002... Snapshots of your new students are great for labeling cubbies and for using in a community-building bulletin board display. But don't stop there. You can use those same snapshots as teaching tools in language arts, math, science, and more. Here...