Instructor (1990) articles from January 2002

Instructor (1990) archives from January 2002

Inspired by the arts. (Editor's Note).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Warren is not the top student in his sixth grade class at Steelton Elementary School. He's not an avid reader. He doesn't participate much during math and other lessons. But during the five weeks when Penn State University professors...

PBS series about the brain. (What's The Buzz?).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The human brain was once believed to mature early in life and then become static, ceasing its growth and development. Not so. Instead, the brain--our body's most complex organ--has the remarkable ability to adapt and renew itself as we age,...

Little known about asia. (What's The Buzz?).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The National Commission on Asia in the Schools says K-12 students in the U.S. know too little about Asia despite the continent's significance in U.S. history and in economic matters. According to its report, entitled "Asia in the Schools:...

Gains from all-day K. (What's The Buzz?).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Academically at-risk children who attended a daylong kindergarten program were reading at higher levels by the end of the school year than their peers who were enrolled in half-day kindergarten, according to a study by the Montgomery County,...

Big Bronze Bunny. (What's The Buzz?).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Fourth, fifth, and sixth graders at the Oakwood Elementary School, in Peoria, Arizona, recently welcomed a new "pet" into their neighborhood--a six-foot tall bronze rabbit named J.R. Little Spring. The rabbit was created by artist Michele...

Free valentine kit. (What's The Buzz?).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... You can celebrate love across generations with a free Valentine's Activity Kit, part of the national Something to Remember Me By legacy project. The K-8 kit includes intergenerational and community-building activities, a plan for developing a...

Ellison award. (Grants & Contests).
January 1, 2002... The Ellison company will award $5,000 to a school or nonprofit organization that sponsors a unique community-outreach program and uses Ellison equipment as part of the program. Last year's winner developed learning aids for community programs...

Innovation generation award. (Grants & Contests).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Ever look at a compost pile and think of a heat source for low-income people? Eighth grader Mike Schottenstein and three of his classmates did. Their innovative idea won them a first place award in the annual Bayer/National Science Foundation...

Kids who care scholarships. (Grants & Contests).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Most sixth graders look forward to recess or the end of the school day so they can spend some free time playing and relaxing. Bekah Fletcher gives up that free time to act as friend, mentor, and assistant to special needs students who require...

GeoSafari talking globe traveller. (Amazing Games).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Kidology/Educational Insights, 2000; $49.95. To order, go to www.Amazingtoystore.com This talking electronic game, designed for one or two players, challenges students to answer world geography questions. It has a built-in spinning globe...

Logical journey of the Zoombinis. (Amazing Games).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Broderbund, 1998; $69.95 (School Edition)..To order, go to www.learningcompanyschool.com In this exciting CD-ROM logic game, your students practice important reasoning skills as they help little blue creatures known as the Zoombinis...

Seeking History: Teaching with primary sources in graders 4-6. (Incredible Books).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... By Monica Edinger (Heinemann, 2000) $22. To order, go to www.heinemann.com When students use primary sources, such as letters, documents, and photographs from a particular era, their curiosity is aroused. They are apt to absorb and retain...

Creating a year-long theme: A teacher's journey. (Incredible Books).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... By Ann Litzler Coyne (Englefield and Arnold Publishing, 2000); $16.95. To order, go to www.eapublishing.com This is a wonderful book to use as a resource for either a multi- or single-age classroom. It describes, in detail, how to put...

The Power of poems: Teaching the joy of writing poetry. (Incredible Books).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... By Margriet Ruurs (Maupin House Publishing, 2000); $14.95. To order, go to www.maupinhouse.com The Power of Poems is a step-by-step teaching tool to aid young writers in the craft of writing poetry. As a teacher, I see many students who...

His mood has changed. (Help!).(problem students)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Problem: One of my students, Eric, used to be easy-going, focused, and excited about learning. Lately, however he looks sullen, his homework is late, he angers easily, and his mind often wanders. In fact, his entire demeanor troubles me. I've...

Questioning the Answers: Probe kids' thinking about test questions and answers to teach key strategies and help boost their scores. (TestWise).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... One reason children may have difficulty understanding how to improve their work on norm-referenced tests is that they never have a chance to see what they did right and what they did wrong. Nor do they have a chance to explain the reasons for...

Great stories in history. (BookTalk).(children's books; includes related activities)(Children's Review)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Children's literature expert Judy Freeman introduces a host of fascinating heroes from the year's best new historical titles. PRIMARY GOIN' SOMEPLACE SPECIAL By Patricia C. McKissack; illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Atheneum, 2001;...

Learning with Jazz: The rich rhythms and stories in music ignite kids to read, write, sing, and soar!
January 1, 2002... Walk through the halls of Washington Rose Elementary School in Long Island, New York, and you find yourself enveloped by the sights and sounds of jazz. Pictures of famous jazz artists and time lines chronicling the evolution of jazz adorn the...

From scribbles to stories: Inspire great story ideas by having students start out with a few simple sketches.
January 1, 2002... Drawing pictures comes as naturally to many children as spilling milk and having pillow fights. On the other hand, writing a story can be much more difficult for them. As a professional author and illustrator, I can relate to those...

Belonging to the group: Help students feel included, connected, and valued.
January 1, 2002... Human beings are born dependent. In order for a baby to survive and thrive, it needs the constant support of other humans. Yet, as we grow, we do not gradually become independent of others; rather, we become interdependent. In the course of our...

Presidential wax museum. (Ready to Use).
January 1, 2002... Animate your unit on Presidents with a presidential museum! A few weeks before Presidents' Day, ask each student to choose a U.S. president and research his life and work, focusing on five to ten interesting facts. Bring the bios to life in...

Candy counts. (Ready to Use).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Sweeten up your math lesson for Valentine's Day with a clear plastic bag of cinnamon heart candy. Ask the class to estimate how many hearts they think are in the entire bag. Record each child's name with his or her answer on a bar graph. Then...

Snowman S'more math. (Ready to Use).(connecting math and literature)
January 1, 2002... Enjoy these tasty treats as you connect math and literature. Begin by reading Midnight Snowman, by Caroline Feller Bauer (Atheneum, 1987), and talk about how to build a snowman. Then surprise students with a chance to build s'more snow...

Kaleidoscope science: Dazzling lessons explore how color can trick the eye--and the brain.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Name That Color * Explore the fascinating connection between colors and words in this psychology experiment. Pair off students and give each pair 10 white index cards. On the front of the first 5 index cards, have students use colored pencils...

Vincent Van Gogh. (Masterpiece of the Month).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Meet the Artist * One of the best-known and most beloved artists of all time, Netherlands-born Vincent Van Gogh came to painting late in life. In 1886, when he was 33, he settled in Paris, France, where he was influenced by the art of the...

The Polar bear cub. (Poetry Workshop).
January 1, 2002... Judith Nicholls' "Polar Cub" is a wonderful wintry poem to share with your students. In it, the poet invites the cub to come out of its cave and explore in the white snow, just as teachers invite children to explore words and ideas in poetry....

Kids make a difference!(Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by joining the Kindness and Justice Challenge)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by joining the Kindness and Justice Challenge Your students can honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by joining the Kindness and Justice Challenge, a leadership program that encourages students...

If I were president: Usher your students into the oval office with our patriotic president's day activities -- plus a bonus White House reproducible! (Theme Unit).
January 1, 2002... Presidential Poster Gallery Creating a gallery of presidential profiles is a great way to begin learning about the presidency. Provide research-starters for your students such as Our Country's Presidents, by Ann Bausam, and Scholastic...

Animated Panda helps first graders learn to read. (Electronic Learning).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Imagine a friendly, animated panda that speaks one-on-one with children, guiding them as they strengthen their reading skills. At-risk first graders in Philadelphia and Houston know such a panda well. They are participating in the IBM...

Fast help for new teachers. (Electronic Learning).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Teachers Network (www.teachersnetwork.org), a nonprofit organization for teachers, is now offering a New Teacher Helpline. New teachers can post a question to one of six mentor teachers, each with a different specialty. Answers are guaranteed...

Recycling makes cents. (Electronic Learning).
January 1, 2002... When your school donates used computer cartridges to the Funding Factory's Printer Recycling Program, the Funding Factory will give your school points toward free technology and playground products from companies such as Apple, Canon, and...

Favorite authors online. (Electronic Learning).(Scholastic.com has launched a new Web exclusive: "Authors and Books.")(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Scholastic.com has launched a new Web exclusive: "Authors and Books." This online database includes more than 2,000 children's book titles with extensive teaching resources for each book. Look for the live interviews with Rafe Martin, Jan...

Computer-Savvy teachers shine.
January 1, 2002... COMPUTER-SAVVY TEACHERS SHINE Use computers daily for Use the Internet planning and/or teaching for instruction 1998 47% 33% 1999 69% 54% 2000 ...

Train cars full of facts. (E-Activities).(historychannel. com/exhibits/undergroundrr)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Although the Underground Railroad was not really a series of train cars and cabooses, students can still use this imagery to help them to understand this period in history. To begin, decorate a bulletin board with four or more...

Mapping the routes. (E-Activities).(Underground Railroad)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Students may be surprised to learn that Underground Railroad routes stretched across North America, from deep in the Southeast to California, and then far north into Canada. No matter where students live, it is possible that there was a stop on...

Personal journeys to freedom. (E-Activities).(nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/j1.html or headbone.com/derby/escape/panel104.b.html)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... To give students a sense of what it might have been like to live as a fugitive slave in the 1800s, invite them to take part in a Web simulation, such as the one found at www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/j1.html, or...

Jump start artist (Grades K-3). (Top Software).
January 1, 2002... Knowledge Adventure, Win/Mac, $20, www.jumpstart.com The five engaging activities on this CD playfully present artistic concepts such as line, texture, shape, form and lighting. In a concentration game, correct matches of artistic elements...

The Magic school bus in concert activity center (Grades 1-4). (Top Software).
January 1, 2002... Microsoft Corp., Win/Mac, $19.95, microsoft.com/kids/msb In this pleasant introduction to musical instruments and elements, children explore a pair of scenes that lead to games and short lessons. The activities vary in their depth, fun, and...

Disney's magic artist deluxe (Grades 1-6). (Top Software).
January 1, 2002... Disney Interactive, Win 95/98/ME/ Mac, $29.99, www.disneyinteractive.com Although Disney programs may not be your first choice for the classroom, this particular title offers many terrific activities to inspire creativity. It has the...

Pianomouse meets the great composers (Grades 3-6). (Top Software).
January 1, 2002... Pianomouse.cam, Windows, $19.99, www.pianomouse.com This nifty program introduces the lives and music of eight great composers. Children begin by choosing a composer to study: Bach, Handel, Haydyn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, or...

The Mystery museum (Grades 3-6). (Top Software).
January 1, 2002... Night Kitchen Media, Win/Mac, $39.95, www.whatscookin.com This is no ordinary art museum. Each night, someone in a painting comes to life and goes about messing up the other paintings! Kids must explore the galleries, play games to receive...

Animals in art 1 & 2 (Grades 3-8). (Top Software).
January 1, 2002... Wilton Art Programs, $69.95 each, Win/Mac, www.wiltonart.com Kids and animals are a natural fit, so these CDs are effective in capturing children's interest. The first program showcases animal-themed works of art through the centuries and...

Microsoft Encarta Africana third edition (Grades 5--12). (Top Software).
January 1, 2002... Microsoft Corp., Windows 95, 98, $69.95, www.encarta.msn.com This spectacular program is a great asset for your Black History unit, with 3,000 articles, 2,500 images, as well as video and audio clips. It's also a terrific avenue by which...

Adobe photoshop elements (Grades 6-12). (Top Software).
January 1, 2002... Adobe Systems inc., Win ME/2000/Mac, $89, www.adobe.com/products Another pair of powerful art forms with exciting classroom potential are photography and graphic design. This scaled-down, user-friendly version of Photoshop gives students...

iMovie 2 (Grades 2-12). (Top Software).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Apple Computer, $49, Mac OS 9 or better, www.apple.com iMovie 2 is a simple movie editing software package that novices can use to edit their own video footage. Capture video by connecting your school's digital camera to your Mac with a...

AFRO-American Almanac. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www.toptags.com/aama Trivia games, folktales, historical documents, biographies, and more! This almanac will keep your class well-informed about black history. Older students can benefit from receiving a free newsletter about current...

World Book: African American history. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www2.worldbook.com/students/feature_index.asp This site contains a wealth of biographies and historical events related to African-American history, including the history behind Black History Month. Kids can listen to samples of music as...

Africans in America. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/home.html Based on the PBS TV series, this site offers practical guidelines and resources to incorporate black history into your classroom. Each part of the series contains a historical "Narrative," and a "Resource...

AFRO-Americ@. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www.afroam.org/index.html A kid-friendly place to visit! Check out the "Kids Zone" for illustrated folktales perfect for younger students to read aloud. Use these tales as starters for kids to write their own folk stories, or print out the...

COLORU: The people of color school on the internet. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www.saxakali.com/coloru/body.htm Go to school on the Net! These online courses are self-study tutorials designed for people of color. You will find a variety of grade-specific lessons on African history, including African math, folktales,...

History channel exhibit: Black history month. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www.historychannel.com/exhibits/blackhist/proindex.html Tune into the History Channel's Web exhibit on Black History Month. During the months of January and February, consult the "Black History Month TV Schedule" for show times of many...

Education first: Black history activities. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/BHM/AfroAm.html Make Black History Month an essential part of your classroom study. Use this Web site to participate in an interactive "Treasure Hunt" or join a live videoconference with your upper-elementary...

The Encyclopaedia Britannica guide to black history. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... http://blackhistory.eb.com Imagine an interactive encyclopedia at your fingertips just waiting to give you loads of information--Encyclopaedia Britannica does just that. Features include an online interactive study/teacher's guide with...

NAACP. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www.naacp.org See how the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has impacted America's past, what it's doing now, and how its helping shape the future. You can stay current with organization news, take part in their...

National register of historic places: African American history month. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... www.cr.nps.gov/NR/feature/afam Pack your suitcase and climb on board! This site features online photos of historic properties pertinent to people and events from African-American history. Look at a sunken antislavery schooner off the...

NASA QuestChats: Black history month. (Web Sitings).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/special/mlk99 Chat with African-American scientists and engineers from NASA. You can view the archive of chats from 1998 and 1999, or check the schedule to join in on future events. Background text and...

Stamps on black history. (Web Sitings).
January 1, 2002... http://library.thinkquest.org/2667/Stamps.htm This site features a complete list of African-Americans who have been honored with a postage stamp. Explore the "Black History" tour, take a trivia quiz, or get some tips on stamp collecting....

Artful technology: Put creativity-boosting tech tools at your students' fingertips.
January 1, 2002... When Linda Ruel-Flynn looks at a computer, she doesn't just see a monitor, keyboard, and a bunch of wires. She also sees an artistic tool, much as a painter sees a canvas. As an art instructor for first and second graders at Swift River School,...

Murphy in the classroom: One teacher shares lessons proving that if things can go wrong, they will--except when they go right. (End of the Day).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... After teaching for more than 20 years, I've decided that Murphy was right. Here is how I'm sure he would apply his law to the teaching profession: 1. If you come to work feeling achy, you're sneezing, and you're running a high fever, the...

Journey to the North pole. (CyberHunt Teacher's Guide).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Directions: Head online to the northernmost region of the earth and learn about the arctic tundra. You can begin your hunt at www.scholastic.com/instructor Write your answers in the spaces below or on a separate sheet of paper. 1. The...

"Stories in my life".
January 1, 2002... Instructor's 3rd Annual Student Poetry Contest When students write from the heart and share insights, observations, and memories that matter to them, powerful poetry can result. Instructor Magazine invites your students to share their...