Instructor (1990) articles from May 2003

Instructor (1990) archives from May 2003

Six books, one summer. (Editor's Note).
May 1, 2003... Six books: That's all it takes. Studies show that when a child reads as few as six appropriately grade-leveled books, he or she is likely to fend off summer reading loss and maintain the reading gains made during the previous school year. Not...

Letters.
May 1, 2003... Two Healthy Views I'D LIKE TO COMMEND you for publishing Denise Willi's thought-provoking "Special Report: Kids' Health" (March 2003). The follow-up ideas for teachers will benefit our young ones now and in the future. Over the many years...

Correction.
May 1, 2003... An article in the September 2002 issue of Instructor on reaching out to immigrant parents ("Speaking Their Language") incorrectly mentioned the Glencarlyn Elementary School, which is no longer in operation. A mention of teacher-parent meetings...

Banking on learning. (News & Trends).
May 1, 2003... At the Elmwood Elementary School in Monsey, New York, fifth grader Alison Pirozzolo and her fellow classmates are eager to create business plans, develop products, get a bank loan, start a business, and turn a profit. "Running a business...

Celebrities' favorite books. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Singer Faith Hill and NFL star Marshall Faulk may have different talents, but they share a favorite childhood book: Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss. Here are some other celebrities' favorite childhood books: * Tim Allen, actor: Curious...

Ride & read. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Children taking the public city buses in Rochester, New York, can have a good read on their ride, thanks to the local Books on Buses program. Racks filled with children's books have been installed on all 250 of the city's public buses. The...

Putumayo world music activity kits. (Giveaways).
May 1, 2003... Exclusive to Instructor readers! Putumayo Kids is giving away their world music multicultural activity kits to 10 lucky teachers. The World Playground and Latin Playground activity kits each feature a CD with child-friendly world music and an...

Free trial of Headsprout Basics. (Giveaways).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... For a limited time, Instructor readers can enroll their students in a free trial of the Headsprout Reading Basics online reading program. This program is designed for non-readers and beginning readers, and tracks their progress over time....

The common good grants. (Grants).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The Newman's Own company, which donates all of its after-tax profits to charity, is currently accepting grant proposals for 2003. Areas of giving include children, education, the arts, and environmental causes. Deadline: July 1, 2003 ...

Help Us Help grants. (Grants).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Oracle Corp.'s Help Us Help Foundation is a nonprofit organization that donates computer equipment and software to K-12 public schools and youth organizations in economically-challenged communities. To be eligible for a grant, a school must...

Toss & Spell. (New & Noteworthy).
May 1, 2003... This new carnival-themed game helps younger students build letter-recognition and reading skills in a fun and playful way. Kids roll the colored cubes and form words from the letters. Game includes 3D pop-up board, letter cubes, and prize...

Power house. (New & Noteworthy).
May 1, 2003... Students can harness the power of the sun and wind with this new alternative--energy model house science kit. Reusable kit includes equipment, materials, and a 96-page color guide to building the house, plus 70 other energy experiments. $150;...

Classroom creativity. (New & Noteworthy).
May 1, 2003... Create colorful die-cut shapes quickly and easily with Ellison's new Sizzix Personal Die-Cutting System. This portable system works with hundreds of available dies for creating teaching aids, and for scrapbooking in the classroom. $79.99; dies...

Phonics laptop. (New & Noteworthy).
May 1, 2003... Strengthen children's phonics skills with the new TLJ Phonics Laptop. Eight fun-filled learning activities-all guided by a friendly, interactive voice-teach letters, numbers, and words, and strengthen listening and comprehension abilities....

Grade books made easy. (Electronic Learning).
May 1, 2003... What an overwhelming task it can be to track and record student progress on report cards. But using a handheld device or a grade-keeping software program can make this management task faster, easier, and more accurate. Microsoft Excel is...

Bridging the summer reading gap.
May 1, 2003... June is fast approaching--you can feel the heat of summer in the hallways. Days are longer, attention spans are growing shorter, and everyone is ready for a break. Teachers are planning for their vacation time. Children are ready to shrug off...

A fresh look at series books: ever-popular, series books can open the door to a lifetime of reading.
May 1, 2003... What were your favorite books growing up? Chances are, there is a series book on your list. When Jim Trelease, author of The Read Aloud Handbook (Penguin, 2001), asked 2,887 teachers to name their childhood favorites, the one most often...

Madame Esme's motivating secrets.(Esme Raji Codell)
May 1, 2003... In her best-selling memoir, Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year, Esme Raji Codell took us inside her fifth grade classroom in Chicago's inner city and showed us the hardships, the joys, and the power of literature to change lives....

Am I teaching the right grade?
May 1, 2003... PART ONE OF TWO Effective teachers all share some common traits, such as high standards for student performance, effective classroom management, and in-depth content knowledge. But these teachers can differ in some important ways,...

May/June activities: from our readers.
May 1, 2003... Windows on the Sky To complement our study of weather and the atmosphere, my fourth graders like to make "windows on the sky." We each fold a 6" x 6" square of oak tag and carefully cut a 2" x 2" square in the center. Then we cut paint...

Every word counts in Haiku. (Poetry Workshop).
May 1, 2003... beautiful haiku--like tender drops of nature in a tiny box A mere 17 syllables in length, haiku is one of the world's smallest works of art. But don't be misled by its miniature size. This deceptively simple verse is packed with emotional...

Summer safety on wheels.
May 1, 2003... Whether children prefer bicycles, skateboards, scooters, or roller blades, safety should always come first. Use these cross-curricular ideas to emphasize safe practices for students' warm-weather wheel activities. Hands-On Signals ...

A letter to families about safety to go. (Instructor Reproducible).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Dear Families, Wheels and warm weather go hand-in-hand. But before you head outdoors to enjoy your favorite wheeling-around activities, use this quick resource to make sure you're geared up and set to roll into a safe, smooth summer. GEAR...

Hard-Working stuffed animals.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Soft. Snuggly. Adorable. Stuffed animals are all of these, but can serve a much larger role in the classroom. Collect them over the summer! Mascot in Residence Dexter the Dragon is the school mascot, and has lots of jobs around the...

We are moving on up.(celebrate all your students have accomplished throughout the school year)
May 1, 2003... Make the most of those final summery days with your class by celebrating all that your students have accomplished throughout the school year. Here is a collection of fun finishers, wrapping-up ideas, and sweet stepping-up ceremonies. ...

Enter the world of Harry Potter: kids pen their own Hogwarts adventures. (Create-A-Book).
May 1, 2003... Take advantage of students' excitement over the next installment of J. K. Rowling's popular series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (due out on June 21 from Scholastic), with our mini-book reproducible on page 48. Set the Scene...

Migrating monarchs. (Cyberhunt Reproducible).(monarch butterflies)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Which butterfly weighs less than a paper clip and can travel 50-80 miles a day? A monarch! Soar across the Web to learn more about these "kings" of the insect world, starting at www.scholastic.com/cyberhuntkids Questions 1 A monarch...

All in the family. (Booktalk).
May 1, 2003... Explore what it means to be part of a family, from the littlest to the oldest. HOME AT LAST By Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Felipe Davalos. Lee & Low, 2002; 32 pages; $16.95 (Cr. 2-5). After moving to the United States...

Laugh out louds. (Books About).
May 1, 2003... Here are 15 of my all-time favorite funniest fall-off-your-chair-laughing books, from classics to current howlers, all to tickle your funny bone. Bark, George By Jules Feiffer. HarperCollins, 1999 (Cr. PreK-1). Dog George's mother...

Sneakers, sweater, and a warm heart. (End of the Day).(Fred Rogers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Children of all ages lost a beloved neighbor when Fred Rogers died in February. The gentle TV host, who invited viewers to board the trolley to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, encouraged children's imaginations. Though he is no longer with...