Instructor (1990) articles from August 2003

Instructor (1990) archives from August 2003

The gatherer.(Editor's Note)(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... WHEN I WAS TEACHING, THERE WAS a part of me that was always gathering new material, and still is--searching my world for possibilities for my classroom. A part of my brain remained firmly dedicated to my kids even over the summer. No matter...

Summer reading gap.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... Thanks to Instructor for Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen's "Bridging the Summer Reading Gap" (May/June 2003). I really appreciated the information and thoughtful approach, and shared the article with my colleagues. The authors refer...

We love instructor posters.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... In the May 2003 issue, there was no pull-out poster or art lesson. Is this portion of the magazine ending? As a student teacher I am trying to build my classroom supplies and the masterpiece of the month section is worth its weight in gold....

Peer tutoring.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... I'd like to recommend a strategy to Instructor readers that has really helped me in the classroom: Peer tutoring. As a third- and fourth-grade special needs teacher, I have 27 students with widely differing skills and talents. Peer tutoring...

Super science classrooms.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... I was blown away by teacher Steven King's "The Science Kingdom" (March 2003). Our classrooms are uncannily similar. I also have a wasp nest, a Hoberman ball, a stuffed pheasant, a frog clock, kites, and more. Great minds must think...

F-l-e-x-i-b-l-e fun.(News & Trends)(The benefits of yoga for children.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Seven-year-old Tommy Yemc enjoys moving fast when he's playing soccer or pee-wee basketball. But as soon as yoga class starts, he likes to be calm. "I've learned a lot of exercises and poses and my legs are stronger," says Tommy. His favorite...

Homework online.(News & Trends)(Web site posts homework assignments .)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... When Soorena Salari's 8-year-old son kept forgetting to bring home his homework assignments, Salari decided to take charge of the situation. He developed a Web site where teachers at his son's elementary school, in Rancho Cucamonga, California,...

Notable quote.
August 1, 2003... "Where is the wisdom we have/lost in knowledge?/Where is the knowledge we have/ lost in information?

Sing for the animals.(News & Trends)(Teacher creates a musical to promote awareness of homeless animals.)(Brief Article)(Biography)
August 1, 2003... Last spring, a chorus of caterwauling cats took their show on the road. Fifth and sixth graders from St. Stephens Elementary, in Hickory, North Carolina, donned colorful cat costumes, visited area schools, and sang such melodies as "Gotta Spay"...

Turn down the heat!(News & Trends)(New educational website from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... MOTHER EARTH MAY HAVE a rising fever, but how will that affect our own health? A new educational Web site developed by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health tackles this pressing question and others relevant to the environmental...

Best practices checklist.(News & Trends)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... As you develop your own lesson plans this fall, it's helpful to keep in mind best practices that educators have learned are most conducive to successful teaching and learning. According to a study by Zemelman, Daniels & Hyde (1998), learning is...

Ready, set, quiet!(New & noteworthy)
August 1, 2003... We love the new Yacker Tracker[R] from Creative Toys, a unique visual noise meter that's sure to get students' attention, Includes adjustable noise levels and an optional siren. Great for K-8, drama, and hearing-impaired students. $42.95;...

Stuck on you.(New & noteworthy)(Elmers introduces new glue pen.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... These new Glue-All Precision Pens from Elmers make school and craft projects easy and fun. The handy, refillable pens ensure on-the-mark glue placement and very little mess. $1.39; www.elmers.com

Writing on a roll.(New & noteworthy)
August 1, 2003... These fun and colorful story-starter cubes from Learning Resources will spark imaginations, reinforce story elements, and get your students writing in a hurry. $12.95/set of 6; www.learningresources.com

Brilliant pen.(New & noteworthy)(Logitech[R] io[TM] Personal Digital Pen)
August 1, 2003... The Logitech[R] io[TM] Personal Digital Pen is nothing short of amazing! It actually stores up to 40 pages of your writing. Just return the pen to its cradle, and all your notes instantly upload to your PC. Requires special paper. $200;...

Free videos, NEA grants & more.(Contests, Giveaways & Grants)
August 1, 2003... Contests 4th Annual Organic School Garden Contest Schools or individual classes can enter The Rodale Institute's garden contest. Grade level: K-12 Deadline: October 31, 2003 How it works: Students and their teachers...

"The class clown is driving me bonkers! A boy in my third-grade class loves to joke in the middle of math. Now the rest of the class is joining in. What should I do?".(Can You Help?)
August 1, 2003... Use a Reminder Prompt. For some children humor is a great social strength, but they need to learn how and when to use it. I had a child who was so highly energetic that he'd fall out of his seat. His antics would often get laughs from his...

Marilyn Burns on ways to challenge all students.
August 1, 2003... Q I find word problems cause difficulty for my students with reading difficulties. What are some techniques to help students?--Janie Humphrey, Reno, NV MARILYN ANSWERS: For students who have difficulty with word problems, reverse the...

Start with a personal story: Regie Routman talks about responsibility, community, and trust--from the first day on.(Tips for teachers.)
August 1, 2003... There is nothing quite like the start of a new school year for renewing one's belief that every student can learn. As a teacher and writer who conducts week-long residencies in schools around the country, I have had the privilege of...

Everyday rules that really work! This practical six-point plan for establishing rules and routines offers sure steps toward an orderly and productive classroom.
August 1, 2003... 1 Model the Behavior You Want to See From the first day, lay the foundation for a successful year by letting students know what behavior you expect. Modeling classroom routines takes time, but it's time well spent! By creating a sense of...

Great beginnings: from the opening bell on, nine teachers share their best secrets.
August 1, 2003... Willie Lee Beeman Elementary School, New Haven, VT Grade(s) I teach: 5/6 multi-age Years taught: 5 Type of school: Small, rural school (162 students) The first few weeks: I spend a lot of time on building classroom community,...

Tattle "tails".(Activities From Our Readers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... When I began teaching first grade, I had an overabundance of tattletales in my class. To solve the problem, I cut different animal tails out of cardboard and wrote a student's name on each. If a student wants to tattle, they have to relinquish...

Phone home.(Activities From Our Readers)(Tips for teachers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Starting at the beginning of the school year, I call one family per week to announce a success. This generates a joy and goodwill that makes classroom management easier. I always try to call first the families of children who seem to be the...

Quickie organizing tips.(Activities From Our Readers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Stick With Reading Craft sticks marked with students' names and color-coded for proficiency let you call on kids equitably, and instantly gear questions to the right level. Learning Ledgers Carbon copy receipt books let you track...

Classical class.(Activities From Our Readers)(using music to set classroom mood)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Every day, my seventh-and eighth-grade students enter the classroom as classical music is playing from my computer's CD player. The students automatically go to their desks to work quietly while I take attendance, collect homework, check...

Help wanted.(Activities From Our Readers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Distributing classroom jobs to my third graders has been easy since I started our "Classroom Classifieds." During the first week of school, I introduce and list some available jobs, such as Errand Runner, Room Inspector, Floor Supervisor,...

Daily review.(Activities From Our Readers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... During the last 20 minutes of the day, I invite my fourth, fifth, and sixth graders to fill out a "Daily Review" form (see Reproducible at right). Students reflect on the day's learning and successes, as well as what they look forward to the...

Mood lighting.(Activities From Our Readers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Honest talk about feeling "bad" shows students how they can cope with their bad days. In my art classroom for grades one through five, I use an orange crayon-shaped night light to signal a headache or a "crabby mood" to students. On these days,...

Safety nets.(Activities From Our Readers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Like most public schools, we have a challenging time meeting students' needs due to funding, and it is often difficult to find volunteers with an adequate educational background who can accommodate our schedule. Our solution came through a...

My neighborhood my world: communities are brimming with vitality and diversity--find out more about yours with these hands-on activities.(Activities)
August 1, 2003... Who's Who Diagram Book Students can learn more about the people that keep a neighborhood running smoothly by creating a class book. Together, list community jobs, such as firefighter, mail carrier, grocery store owner, and doctor. If...

Superhero zero: from 10 to 1,000 to 1,000,000 and beyond, the round little number that seems like "nothing" packs a lot of power.(Activities)
August 1, 2003... Grocery Store Estimation How important is it to get the zero in the correct place when adding up a grocery list? Invite students and their parents to save some grocery cashier receipts for a few weeks, or bring in a few on your own. Enlarge...

The big cheese (and other idioms): these creative lessons on expressive language will "sell like hotcakes" with your students.(Activities)
August 1, 2003... Idiom Games Idioms are common, everyday expressions with figurative meanings. When taken literally, idioms don't make much sense, but they do offer great opportunities for creative thinking, humor, and word play. Kick off with the Idioms...

Instructor readers get on board: announcing the winners of our "share-your-best bulletin-boards contest".
August 1, 2003... Snapshots & Sound Bites: Students got more mileage out of fire-safety speakers by incorporating photos and memorable quotes into their bulletin board. 3-D Design: Kids filled a three-story apartment-constructed from a large carton--with...

Classroom inventions.(Cyberhunt Activities)(Instructions for teachers.)
August 1, 2003... Super Invention Timeline www.ideafinder.com/history/timeline.htm What was life like 25 years ago? 50? 75? Invite students to explore these questions and more with a supersized inventions timeline. After marking out decades across a wall,...

Starting school: on the first day of school, some children are eager, some are anxious, but all will relish settling in with a good story that mirrors their school experiences.(Booktalk)(The Little School Bus)(Countdown to Kindergarten)(Sweet Briar Goes to School)(Elizabeti's School)(Give Maggie a Chance)(Read Anything Good Lately)(Clever Lollipop)(First Day in Grapes)(Almost Late to School and More School Poems)(Dork on the Run)(Sahara Special)(Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems)(Great books and creative activities to go along with them.)(Children's Review)(Book Review)(Brief Review)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... THE LITTLE SCHOOL BUS (Gr. PreK-1) By Carol Roth; illustrated by Pamela Paperone. North-South, 2002; 32 pages; $14.95. Riding on the school bus are a goat in his coat, a pig in a wig, a fox with socks, and more animals, all pulled together...

Author close-up.(Dick King-Smith.)(Brief Article)(Biography)
August 1, 2003... Dick King-Smith, author of Clever Lollipop, can't get enough of pigs. "I don't care if they're little pigs or big pigs, with long snouts or short snouts, with ears that stick up or ears that flop down. I don't mind if they're black or white,...

Lesson plan sites.(Web Sitings)
August 1, 2003... These great links will provide endless lesson plans for any curriculum area. For more sites, visit www.scholastic.com/instructor THE GATEWAY TO EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS (GEM) visit www.scholastic/instructor GEM is a database of more than...

I never asked his name: the voices we choose to hear and the voices we unknowingly silence.(End Of The Day)(Tips for teachers)
August 1, 2003... This is a true story. I wish I could say that the names were changed to protect the innocent. The names were indeed changed, but, sadly, no one was protected. He appeared at the classroom door in the middle of a busy morning. The secretary...

Arts and literature make a perfect match for back-to-school creativity and learning!(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... ARTS AND LITERATURE make a perfect match for back-to-school creativity and learning! In this special supplement to Instructor, sponsored by Crayola, we linked favorite seasonal picture books with complementary crafts to add new and colorful...

First day of school: welcome students with read-alouds and colorful, confidence-building crafts.
August 1, 2003... First-Day Pocket Puppets Read aloud First Day, Hooray! by Nancy Poydar (Holiday House, 1999). Then have children make pocket puppets to share their excitement about the first day of school. For this project, you'll need construction...

Me and my family: celebrate the diverse nature of families with favorite read-alouds and fun new crafts.
August 1, 2003... Family Finger Puppets In Cynthia Rylant's wonderful story The Relatives Came (Little, Brown, 2003), aunts, uncles, and cousins come to visit, filling the house to the rooftop with fun, laughter, and love. After sharing this story, invite...

Making friends, making crafts: fashion friendships and classroom fun with these interactive craft ideas.
August 1, 2003... Friendship Mice After sharing Do You Want to Be My Friend? by Eric Carle (HarperCollins, 1976), help children to break the ice with these cute friend-maker critters. For this project, you'll need felt, wiggle eyes, yarn, pom-poms,...

Amazing artists: read-alouds about great artists can inspire students to create their own masterpieces.
August 1, 2003... Desert Blooms Read aloud My Name Is Georgia: A Portrait by Jeanette Winter (Silver Whistle, 1998), a portrait of the life and art of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe. Then invite your students to create their own enormous, tissue-paper...

Fall is here: use these colorful creations to usher in the crisp, cool celebrations of fall.(Combining these crafts and books will add to any classroom presentation.)
August 1, 2003... Leaf-Print Quilt After walking students through Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins (Scholastic Press, 1998), take them on a walk to collect fallen leaves for this beautiful quilt. For this project, you'll need freshly fallen leaves, 8"...

More read-alouds to share.(Bibliography)
August 1, 2003... Back to School The Classroom at the End of the Hall By Douglas Evans (Front Street, 1996). Strange things are happening in the classroom at the end of the hall. Elizabeti's School By Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen (Lee & Low, 2002). Elizabeti...