• Journaling (5 tips)
• Young Playwrights (1 tip)
• Topic/Idea Generators (6 tips)
• Letter Writing (4 tips)
• Poetry (1 tip)
• Student Autobiographies (1 tip)
• Learning Parts of Speech (9 tips)
• Writing from Literature (1 tip)
• Writing Across the Curriculum (7 tips)
• Handwriting Skills (4 tips)
• Interviewing (3 tips)
• Good Writing Habits (8 tips)

Journaling

Postcard Prompts

From Mary Comstock, an adult ESL teacher at Alhambra Community Adult School in Alhambra, California:

"I get postcards whenever I travel and use them as a warm up when I'm doing small group reading. Students look up the words they don't know and the group explains the postcard to the class. After the postcards have been discussed, I put them on the bulletin board for my students to use as prompts for their journals. Their writing is typed and duplicated to use as a LEA (Language Experience Approach) reading book for the class."

Kindergarten Journaling

From Jess Tucker, a kindergarten teacher at Huddleston Elementary:

"Kindergarten journal writing can be a challenge! To stimulate both interest and writing skills, I have my students build the structure of their own design during center time. Then I have them draw their work in their journal and, skills permitting, write a sentence about it. Their work is 'saved' when centers are put away and the students have a record of all they have made."

Morning Journaling - Kindergarten

From Lisa M. Radtke, a kindergarten teacher at La Causa, Inc. (a partnership school) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

"I manage the morning rush of information by having my students do their journals first thing in the morning, after signing in. This works really well, we always have time for journaling, and are never rushed. It is a change from end of the day journaling, but the students are still as eager to write. While the students are journaling I can speak with parents, collect homework, take attendance, and attend to any other issues. On days when I am not as in demand I can sit down with students and transcribe stories for them."

Morning Journaling - High School

From Kathleen Nega, a ninth through twelfth grade French teacher at Gateway High School in Monroeville, Pennsylvania:

"Every day as students come into the room, they immediately attend to writing a journal entry that is on the overhead projector. One student in each class has the responsibility of distributing and collecting the journals every day. This activity permits me to take roll, talk to students about individual problems, and to give a mind-set to the classroom activities for the day. Journal entries may involve use of new vocabulary or key questions. This activity can be used in any class as a warm-up activity or preparation for class activities."

Journaling about Bear

From Sandra Thomas, a kindergarten teacher at Irving Elementary School in Pueblo, Colorado:

"I purchase a stuffed bear and parent volunteers make take-home cloth bags for Bear. Students take Bear for one night and are told to keep Bear safe, clean, and fed pretend bear food. A writing journal is included to document the 'sleep-over adventure.' The following day when Bear is returned the student sits in our special miniature recliner chair holding Bear. When the student's adventure with Bear is read there is such enjoyment by the entire class and also by the student getting to hear his/her very own story from the journal. I then ask the students if they would like to add anything that was not included in the story. I reinforce the concept of writing and reading of the story and oral sharing to students. This is one of their favorite times of the day. Anticipation is at an all-time high when a name is drawn at the end of the activity to take Bear home next."

Young Playwrights

Writing a Play

From Mary Ann Herring, a third grade teacher at the Missouri School for the Deaf in Fulton, Missouri:

"I divide my class into two groups and give each group the assignment of creating a short play. I tell them they must use all the props in a bag I give them. The groups have 15 minutes to think of their play. At the end of that time, each group presents their play to the rest of the class."

Topic/Idea Generators

Let It Snow

From Wendy Rios, a language arts teacher at Eastern Avenue/Perry Alternative School in Davenport, Iowa:

"My students were quite excited about our first measurable snowfall. In order to capture that excitement, I scattered window clings of snowflakes and snowmen on my easel dry erase board with the title "Let it Snow'. I read several poems about snow to the students and we brainstormed words that could be used to describe snow. Words that told how snow looks, feels, falls, etc were written on the board. The students then wrote snow stories, descriptive paragraphs or poems about snow. They enjoyed the visual aid and came up with quite original writings. I plan on using the window clings again as they are inexpensive and can be found on a variety of themes."

Prop Writing Prompt

From Bobbie Brister, an English teacher at Socorro High School in El Paso, Texas:

"Here's a good writing prompt to use for almost any reading: 'Imagine that you are prop master for a play based on the piece we just read. What props would you bring on stage? Whose prop would it be and why is it important to the play?' Props must be explained and examples might need to be given. Kids love doing this as it gives them the opportunity to be creative."

Writing Tip

From Margie Steinberg, a seventh grade communications teacher at Roosevelt Middle School in Mason City, Iowa:

"Many teachers say they have problems getting students to write. Sometimes students have difficulties coming up with ideas. I tell my students to write about what they know. I find that when they do, their writing is the best because they have made a personal connection. I give my students '5 Line Themes' at the beginning of the class period. On an overhead, I tell students to write five lines using the word you chose as a subject. Then, I list five words such as imagination, success, failure, responsibility, and video. The words do not need any connection with each other. After giving the students a few minutes to write, I ask them to share."

Power Writing

From Margie Steinberg, a seventh grade communications teacher at Roosevelt Middle School in Mason City, Iowa:

"I ask students to choose one of two words from an overhead. I time them for one minute and ask that they quickly jot down any words that they can associate with the given word. At the end of the time, I ask them to count up the number of words they have and write the number in the margin. This procedure is repeated three or four times. Students find that they are challenged to think and write quickly so they write more each time. This activity gives students ideas on which they can expand later as we look for pieces to publish."

Story Map

From Erik Nielsen, a fifth grade teacher at Crooked River Elementary School in Casco, Maine:

"Many students have difficulty coming up with writing topics. A memory nudge idea I use to great success is called a 'Story Map.' I model this for my students by drawing a bird's eye view of a place that holds many memories. I usually choose our summer family cottage on a local lake. As I draw this map I label various events that have happened to me over the years there. As I label each one I tell the students a little bit about what happened there. When I am done I have five or six areas labeled and by that point the students want to hear about each one in detail. I tell them that I have written stories about some of these places and will read to them later so they can see how I progressed from a simple idea to a story. Now it is their turn. Some draw neighborhoods, some draw a floor plan of a house, and some draw a yard. This labeled map then goes into their rough draft folder where they can take it out and remember all over again the time that..."

The Eyeballs Have It

From Linda Hollingshead, a teacher of students with severe needs at Johnson Elementary School in Montrose, Colorado:

"I use the eye balls that you can get on the straws from Taco Bell at Halloween in several ways after taking them out of the straw. I cut construction paper or tag board to make a book. The students cut holes in the sheets the size of the eyes and glue the eyes on the inside [back] cover so they show [through] on each page. Then they write stories using the eyes as the center point to draw a picture around each set of eyes. I have found this is great for creative writing and idea generating for the lower level student. I also paint numbers on the eyes and play math games with them and roll them as with marbles."

Letter Writing

Notes of Thanks

From Ruby Jewel Smith, a computer applications teacher at Bryan Station High School in Lexington, Kentucky:

"It's sometimes difficult for high school students to express love and appreciation to the adults in their lives so I developed an assignment to help. Just before Thanksgiving, I instruct my students to write an expression of thanks to a parent, guardian, or other adult caregiver. The expression can be in the form of a letter, poem, card or other form of their preference. The only requirement is that the content has to be in their own words. They are encouraged to use graphics and a variety of fonts to compliment their choice of expression. Finally, a portion of the grade requires students to present the 'Note of Thanks' to the adult and have them acknowledge receipt. Some parents write notes to their children in response to the expression. Other students share their parents' responses to the assignment with the class. This assignment can be done for any or even no occasion!"

Sharing with Soldiers and Sailors

From Christy Goodney, a US history teacher at Dripping Springs High School:

"Just before the holidays, I had my students collect and mail out generic 'Happy Holiday' cards to soldiers in the Navy and Army. They signed and wrote a note in the cards but no personal information was given. We then sent a package of cards to 'Any Soldier' for the soldier to share with his/her friends. We found the mailing addresses on the Naval Fleet official web site. Some of my kids wanted to send more cards so I took the cards to our local VA hospital for the staff to distribute. The staff was thrilled beyond belief that a group of high school kids were so considerate and caring. We used the school mailing address as our return address and have already received several letters from the sailors. This is a project that can be done at any time of the year, even for no 'holiday' reason. It's a great feeling to pass on good cheer to those who protect our freedom. Write to:

Any Soldier --- Germany
Eco 51st Inf (LRS) (ABN)
CMR 440
Apo AE 09175

Letters to the Editor

From Shelly Clausen, a high school teacher:

"My writing students send letters to the editor which we submit to local city papers, larger publications and even our high school newspaper. Each quarter, at least four students are published and usually many more! The seriousness with which this assignment is done is amazing as they have a real audience and love to see their names in print!"

Letters to and from Students

From Dr. Barbara J. Rosso, a second grade teacher at Oakdale Elementary School in Rock Hill, South Carolina:

"To encourage any age student to communicate in writing, I have a small rural mailbox in my classroom in which the children can 'mail' a letter to me. The letters can be about anything, for example: a problem, what they like or don't like about school, a happy note. At the end of the day I check to see if the mailbox flag is up, indicating that I have mail. I answer all mail that night and give each correspondent a special delivery letter the next morning. I usually ask a question in my letter that prompts further writing on the child's part. I also recycle fronts of greeting cards and note cards to respond to children. They love receiving a personal note from their teacher."

Poetry

Poetry Reading

From Jan Fogel, a literature teacher at De Pere High School in De Pere, Wisconsin:

"I never mention the word poetry when I start this unit. We start with prescription poetry. Everyone must write their name, two adjectives, two adverbs and then their name again. Everyone is a poet as they have written a poem that is uniquely theirs. Next, we write about family members, we find poetry in the library that high school students can relate to, we study poetic musical lyrics and then we move into the classics of Frost, Whitman, Emerson and others. After the students have gained a real understanding of poetry, we set up the library with refreshments, candles, and a microphone to have our own poetry reading. All of my students get the chance to read some of their poetry, and I invite some music students to join in the fun. Our poetry reading really excites my students. Poetry becomes palatable and enjoyable."

Student Autobiographies

Writing about Self

From Richard Poole, a language arts teacher at Hines Middle School in Newport News, Virginia:

"I like to tell my students something about me the first day of school. I make a list of 20 things about me including age, where I went to school, where I have lived, etc. This becomes my prewriting. I also bring in a picture of me when I was in sixth grade. I then ask them to write 30 facts about their lives. Their assignment is to go home and write a personal narrative with a picture for them to share with the class if they like. I read them all. This helps me to remember names and know something about my students. I post the essays and pictures for back to school night for parents to see their child's work."

Learning Parts of Speech

Teaching Parts of Speech

From Patricia B. Gill, a secondary level at Virginia Randolph Special Education Center in Richmond, Virginia:

"I make three columns on the board entitled People, Places, Things and ask the kids for nouns to put under the headings as I write them. We continue with the list as students take turns sitting at the computer typing in the words. We use a large font size so two words fill one line. When we have a list with enough common and proper nouns, we spell check them and print the list on yellow paper. We continue the process with adjectives and print the list on bright yellow paper as adjectives 'brighten' nouns. We print verbs on blue paper and adverbs on bright blue paper. Propositions are printed on green paper. When we're finished, I laminate the pages and cut the words apart. Each part of speech is put into its own storage container. I ask the students to randomly choose a couple of words from each part of speech and create sentences. They work in small groups to make creative sentences and can trade in some of their words for others if they have trouble. They can also add any words they like. I give bonus points or prizes for the most creative sentences, the longest, etc. The students write their sentences down on paper and go back for more words. I find this activity helps with spelling, sentence structure and creativity. The groups choose their favorite sentences to read to the class."

Vocal Punctuation

From Judy Zelenda, a third grade teacher at Schuyler Grade School in Schuyler, Nebraska:

"I use vocal sounds to teach commas and other punctuation to my students. When they read a sentence from their book they have to click their tongue where they would put in a comma. When they do written work, they click their tongues throughout their writing. Other sounds can be chosen for periods, question marks and explanation points."

Newspaper Noun Activity

From Janet Olson, a seventh grade English and reading teacher at Tipton-Rosemark Academy in Millington, Tennessee:

"My students enjoy newspaper activity days. When I teach nouns, they work in groups to find the different types of nouns (common, proper, collective, compound) in the newspaper, cut them out and tape them on a large piece of construction paper divided into sections. I give points for each noun found in each category. The group that finds the most nouns in each category wins a prize. I take off points for the groups who do not clean up properly. I could not go over as many examples and non-examples as the groups do themselves. They discuss and argue over their notes and chapter explanations to make sure they find the right type of nouns. Everyone learns about nouns and has a great time."

Grammatical Paper Balls

From Julie Keller, a writing teacher at Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio:

"Who would have thought a paper ball fight would be a useful technique for reviewing grammar? Have the students write one of the four types of sentences (imperative, declarative, interrogative and exclamatory) on a piece of paper and crumble it into a ball. Before starting this activity, be sure to create safe guidelines that everyone understands. Then, have a well-structured paper ball fight for a minute or two. At the end of the fight, all the students must have a paper ball at their desk. They need to come up with five examples of the type of sentence that is written on their crumpled paper."

Teaching Parts of Speech

From Patricia Gill, a special education teacher at Douglas Wilder Middle School in Richmond, Virginia:

"To help the students with their writing, I have the children brainstorm for different parts of speech. I start by asking them to name nouns reminding them of proper and common nouns. As they call them out, I write them on the board and a student enters them on the word processor. We repeat this process for verbs, pronouns, adverbs and adjectives. I print their brainstorming ideas on colored paper, laminate them and cut them out. Each part of speech is printed on a different color paper. Adjectives are a brighter shade of the same color as nouns and adverbs are a brighter shade of the same color as verbs because these words 'brighten up' or modify. I put each part of speech into a container. The students draw words to create sentences. I start with one noun and one verb sentences and then get more difficult from there. The students must use all the words that they draw but they can add their own words to the sentences. I give prizes for the sentences that are the most creative. Sometimes the students work in small groups where each student is responsible for a different part of speech. This activity helps with sentence structure and gives the students ideas for short stories."

Teaching Alliteration

From Renee Heiss, a seventh grade English teacher at Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School in Columbus, New Jersey:

"I use Metric Day as an opportunity to teach alliteration. I distribute a chart to my students that has the letters M-E-T-R-I-C written across the top. Down the sides, I write the words adjective, noun, verb and adverb. The students have to think of words corresponding to the parts of speech and the assigned letter. When they complete their individual charts, we create cooperative sentences using each of the assigned letters in order to illustrate alliteration."

Love Those Verbs

From Ana I. Alicea, a tenth and eleventh grade English teacher at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School in Levittown, Puerto Rico:

"As an enrichment activity, I reviewed and taught the regular and irregular verbs to high school students by having them listen carefully to a cassette with a mix of love ballads from the 70's, 80's and 90's. They wrote a list of regular and irregular verbs which they heard."

Amazing Adjectives

From Barbara Hudnall, an eighth grade language arts teacher at United Middle School in Armagh, Pennsylvania:

"To reinforce adjective use, I place the following line on the board: 'I'm a rip-roaring, hand clapping, faithful, ______, ______, _______, United fan!' The instructions are to place as many words that students can think of to describe their 'fan'atic behavior. To put them in the mood I insert a 'Jock Jams' tape in the cassette player. Students are to imagine they are at a pep rally. Well, before long, I have the next door math teacher dancing over to my classroom, lots of smiles, some impromptu YMCA moves, and lots of adjectives!"

What's My Noun?

From Lydia Marlow, a teacher in Independence, Missouri:

"I have a game that I play with two to four teams. Each team writes five nouns for a member of the other team to describe with up to five adjectives. I can increase or decrease the number of nouns, depending on the level of the students. The guessing student's team must guess the noun, with the number of nouns guessed correctly determining who wins. The teacher must referee to be sure no verbs or adverbs are thrown in."

Nouns and Verbs

From Barbara Hyler and Patti Barns, a learning disabilities specialist and a fourth grade teacher at Bettie Weaver Elementary School in Midlothian, Virginia:

"These songs were created to teach a fourth grade collaborative language arts class. We enhance our appearance with anything we can find in the music teacher's storage closet. The top hats and sequin bow ties are among our favorite costumes. The song and costumes all make for a memorable lesson and provide the added benefit of a multi-sensory approach needed for the L.D. children."

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Noun
(To the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")
by Mrs. Barns' & Mrs. Hyler's 4th Graders

Twinkle, twinkle, little nouns,
I can see you all around.
Naming persons, places, and things,
Makes me want to smile and sing.
Twinkle, twinkle, little nouns
I can see you all around.

Verbies
(Sung to the tune of "Suwannee")

Verbies
how I love ya
how I love ya

My action verbies
I'd give the world to see
Those action verbies smilin' back at me
I love 'em

Verbies
Tellin' what those nouns are doin'
My action verbies

In sentences, they do all the work and
bring all those nouns to life.

Irregular Plural Nouns with a Bit of Holiday Spirit!

From Barbara Hyler and Patti Barns, a learning disabilities specialist and a fourth grade teacher at Bettie Weaver Elementary School in Midlothian, Virginia:

"This song was created to teach a fourth grade collaborative language arts class. We enhance our appearance with anything we can find in the music teacher's storage closet. The top hats and sequin bow ties are among our favorite costumes. The song and costumes all make for a memorable lesson and provide the added benefit of a multi-sensory approach needed for the L.D. children.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
A very noisy song to sing.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Two tapping feet,
And a very noisy song to sing.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Three laughing children,
Two tapping feet,
And a very noisy song to sing.

...Four hammering men...
...Five stirring women...
...Six geese a-honking...
...Seven mice a-squeaking...
...Eight reindeer playing...
...Nine teeth a-chattering...
...Ten fish a-bubbling...
...Eleven sheep a-baaing...
...Twelve moose a-calling...

Writing from Literature

Mythological Characters

From Jan Reid, a tenth grade English teacher at John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington, North Carolina:

"One of the most successful projects I've used to teach world literature and expand students' knowledge involves characters from Greek and Roman mythology. I ask students to choose one character from an indexed list. Our librarians pull every book connected with Greek and Roman mythology from the shelves and reserve them for our use. When we go to the library, students write a biography of that character, find a myth, retell it to the class, and dress in costume or create a poster to symbolize their character. I make the due date October 31 and photograph each student's oral presentation. They love performing, dressing in costume, being photographed, and telling the story of their character. When I asked students to rate this project in terms of difficulty and enjoyment, they rated it moderately difficult (finding information on the more obscure characters was not easy) and high in personal enjoyment.

I was especially pleased that many of the students could connect vocabulary words such as narcissistic, insomnia, cereal and tantalize with the Greek and Roman mythological figures. I also feel that I have given them exposure to the stories that should be a part of their literary and cultural heritage. Now, when we talk about allusions in literature, they know the myths which inspired them."

Writing Across the Curriculum

Creative Research Papers

From Ernest Beachey, a language arts teacher at Clearwater High School in Clearwater, Kansas:

"When my students write research papers, they do so with a unique twist. Tired of reading mundane topics, I revamped the assignment. Now, each student must research a year in history. In order to avoid information that's already on our minds, the year must be sixteen years ago or earlier and only one student may choose that year. The student is then given specific tasks to complete; for example, he/she must find five features of the people of that year. These features might be what foods they ate, modes of transportation used, fashions of the year, and so on. In all, the student has to find a wide array of facts, which must then be incorporated into an original first person short story. The story must have a plot with a climax and a conclusion, and must be properly documented. Thus, our research papers have become creative products that require use of the imagination along with practice of rigorous research methods. The result has been greater satisfaction and sense of ownership for the students and much more enjoyable reading for the instructor."

The Present

From Kevin Buchman, a fifth grade teacher at Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio:

"Here's a great writing activity for the holidays that reviews the four basic types of writing styles. My students write one expository paragraph explaining how to wrap a present. They write one descriptive paragraph describing what the present looks like after it's been wrapped and they write one narrative paragraph describing what will happen to the present. The final paragraph is a persuasive paragraph explaining why the present is the best present given."

Students Explain Their Learning

From Virginia Hamilton, a fourth grade math teacher at Longleaf Elementary School in Melbourne, Florida:

"Our county stresses writing across the curriculum. Each of my students makes a 'Math Chat' booklet and designs a cover with mathematical pictures. Once we have learned a concept such as perimeter, I give them a prompt. For example: 'Mike maintains a garden 50 by 30 feet. What is the perimeter of the garden?' Students make a picture (drawing a rectangle and labeling the sides) and write a step-by-step description explaining how they solved the problem, using the appropriate terminology (length and width and numbers). Student work is assessed using a rubric. The students enjoy this different means of assessment. They see growth in all areas. This also helps their fifth grade teachers, since students have practice with what's required on the fifth-grade state assessment."

Studying State Symbols

From John Pitrelli, a fourth grade inclusion teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"In social studies, my students study our state's symbols. The students are given minimal information on the symbols so in order to expand our knowledge, students do their own research (primarily using the Internet) and write mini reports along with drawings of the symbols. The reports are then shared with the class and later displayed. Our final activity is to create a new state seal. We pretend that the Governor has appointed us to do this duty. Each student is given a piece of art paper with a double circle already printed on it. They do a rough draft and then copy it onto a clean sheet. I proudly display all of our newly designed state seals in the hallway for everyone to enjoy."

Math Story Problems

From Marge Iafigliola, a third and fourth grade remedial reading and math teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"The book, The Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, is a great tool to use for a math and writing activity. It is an entertaining story about a student who finds a math problem in everything she does at home and school. After I read the story to my class, they complete a log that contains all of the math problems the main character has to solve during her day. Next our class writes their own version of The Math Curse. Students choose a partner and each pair selects a period of the day on which to write. They use their imagination to create a math story problem that the character of the book encounters during their selected portion of the day. After they proofread and illustrate their problems, they are bound together as a class book. Each pair of students present their story problem to the class and their classmates try to solve the problem. Later the book is displayed at the Young Author's Tea."

Element Relationships

From Linda Moccio, a sixth grade teacher of emotionally disabled students at Bailey Bridge Middle School in Chesterfield, Virginia:

"When I teach the elements and the periodic table, I incorporate writing across the curriculum. I have students choose one element that they're interested in and research it. After they've finished the research, they must then find another element that is compatible with theirs. Finally the students write a love letter from their element to the compatible element, which includes all the attributes of the student's element, why the two elements would make a good couple, and a picture of the two elements. The kids really seem to get into this project."

Social Studies/Writing

From Robyn M. Covino, a fifth grade teacher at Big Cypress Elementary School in Naples, Florida:

"This year I began a new social studies/map skills/language arts project with our class. Students design an island of their choice, name it, and include: key, scale, longitude and latitude, compass rose, cities, land forms, bodies of water, and nearest continent. Then, they write a 100-word essay about their island and include: climate, population, vegetation, animals, interesting things of their choice. I use a checklist to evaluate the essay and map factors."

Handwriting Skills

Cursive Playdough

From Mary Ann Herring, a third grade teacher at Mo. School for the Deaf in Missouri:

"My students are really motivated when I teach cursive writing because we form each letter with playdough before we write it on paper. I require that the playdough be in one continuous snake to make the letter so that the students see the proper direction that each letter is formed. Also, I group the letters by shape. For example, I start with i, t, then l and e."

Teaching Kids to Crochet

From Janet Keohane, a teacher at Lincoln Elementary in Beach, North Dakota:

"Every year I teach my students to crochet using the four basic stitches. It develops the dexterity of their fingers and improves their handwriting. I teach them during the noon break or before school. The only time that they are allowed to crochet during school is when I am reading a novel to them after lunch. It thrills me to look up form my book and know that they are listening to every word, yet learning a lifelong skill. They've made wonderful scarves and an afghan. Boys seem to enjoy it just as much as girls!"

Correcting Handwriting

From Kathy Gaji, a second grade teacher at Brookside Elementary School in Binghamton, New York:

"My class is learning to write in cursive. I found a page of the lower and upper case cursive alphabet written on paper of the same size that the students use. I copied this onto transparencies so that each two children have one to share. As they practice learning individual letters they can pause from time to time and put this transparency over their own cursive writing to see how it compares. It's a more immediate and less subjective corrective tool than my comments to them about their handwriting. They ask me to pass the transparencies out if I forget!"

Evaporating "Ee's"

From Christine Hites, a kindergarten teacher at Perry Elementary in Perry, Ohio:

"I incorporate some science concepts into my reading readiness lessons and give students some tactile experiences before having them practice printing letters with pencils. They dip their finger in water and practice forming the letter 'Ee' on individual chalkboards. As the water dries, we discuss what happened to it. They are introduced to the word and the meaning of evaporation. We review this concept when we make 'Disappearing Dd's' and 'Invisible Ii's'."

Interviewing

Interviewing Business People

From Anonymous:

"To help my students understand the importance of basic skills in the workplace, I have them interview parents, tradesmen, business people, teachers and other professionals. Through these interviews my students learn that history, writing, reading, science and math are all essential skills needed in the real world. The history of the industry they might be employed in is connected to and part of our nation's history. Knowing how to effectively use spoken and written language can make or break a person in the world of work. Being able to read and comprehend is important for understanding manuals and other technical material. Literature creates the power to observe and to think critically which is vital in business at all levels. Science is the background for understanding how and why things work. Basic math skills are vital to all parts of the real world. Money, measurement, distance and time are skills one uses every day in life. Other subjects such as art and music all contribute to these basic skills. Pointing out the importance of school subjects encourages students to master things they don't necessarily want to study."

Student Stories

From Pat Fiedler, a business teacher at Orange Park High School in Orange Park, Florida:

"I help parents connect with their child's school experience by having the students do reports on themselves called, IT'S MY STORY AND I'M STICKING TO IT. The students are required to write their favorite story about themselves, interview their parents, a brother/sister and a friend. The interviewees dictate their favorite stories about the student. The participants are asked to keep the stories positive and uplifting. The students later write these stories in the form of a report. They keep the original along with the polished copy. I love reading the finished products!"

Feature Stories

From Thomas Whary, a creative writing teacher at Shamokin Area Junior-Senior High School in Coal ownship, Pennsylvania:

"As part of a unit on writing feature stories, I have my students practice interviewing by working in groups of three. Student A interviews student B, B interviews C, and C interviews A on activities and interests. They must prepare at least five questions and get direct quotes for answers. The students then write short feature stories, which include the quotes, and read them to the class. The students enjoy hearing the stories about their classmates. After this exercise, the students interview people outside of class and write longer feature stories. Some of the best writing is given to the editor of the local newspaper for consideration for publication."

Good Writing Habits

Writing Sticks

From Christy Crahan, a first grade teacher at Verdugo Woodlands School in Glendale, California:

"I use ice cream sticks to aid children in writing sentences. I give everyone a stick with their name written on the left side for directionality. I make a green dot for 'GO' following the child's name to remind the children to begin a sentence with a capital letter. On the right hand side, I make a red dot for 'STOP' to remind the children to put a period at the end of a sentence. I call this 'Green Light, Red Light'. The students can use the sticks for spacing between words as they're just the right dimension."

Motivating Dialogue

From Laraine Reisner, a fourth grade teacher at Encino Elementary in Los Angeles, California:

"To motivate my students to write dialogue, I use old calendar pictures of puppies, kittens and other animals which I've backed and laminated. Most of the pictures are pairs of animals. I let the students work with a partner and write a dialogue to match the picture that they receive. They really enjoy pretending they are that animal and come up with some clever lines. We orally share their work and make up a bulletin board for all to enjoy."

Can We Talk?

From Patricia Pason, a fifth grade teacher at Spring Creek Elementary in Spring Creek, Nevada:

"One of the hardest things for my students to understand is the old rule about changing paragraphs when a new speaker talks. After having a few lessons that go over the rules of writing dialogue, I have the students pair together. Each person draws a portrait of their partner from the shoulders up. This makes for a lot of giggles at the time, but the students do seem to try their best to capture a true likeness of their partners. Once this is done, the students mount these creations on a large sized piece of construction paper with a sheet of notebook paper that will be used for their dialogue. They write a conversation to go with this project with each person writing their own words. Each time it's their turn to speak, they must start a new line of the paper indenting as they go. This makes for a cute display for open house or conferences."

Cartoon Dialogues

From Karen Russell, a third grade teacher at Willett School in Davis, California:

"To help children learn how to write with dialogue, I choose four frame cartoons with dialogue bubbles. For beginners, I make sure that the cartoon speakers alternate. I make and use a transparency of the cartoon and make a paper copy for the kids with lines below it. I model for them how to write a brief introduction that includes the setting and maybe something about what they see happening. We write the dialogue for each speaker's bubbles and write a conclusion sentence or two at the end. After a few cartoons, they become very capable of using correct punctuation and adding in description to take the place of the pictures in the cartoon. They can then incorporate these skills into their own stories."

Noisy Writing

From a first grade teacher:

"I came up with an easy way to help young writers remember to start each sentence with a capital letter and to use punctuation at the end. During their writing time they can make noise! They may beep when they put a period and then clap their hands above their heads to remind themselves to make the next letter a capital. At first everyone did it and it was fun but it also worked! Now the ones who are continuing to do this don't even bother the others. It's become a normal part of our day."

Hot Dog Party

From Ursula White, a third grade teacher at Hartly Elementary School in Dover, Delaware:

"I have a hot dog party to reinforce the six traits of writing. The hot dog represents ideas. The students' ideas must be plump, juicy and fill of spices. The bun represents organization. The tip of the bun is the beginning, the crease of the bun is the middle and the bottom of the bun is the ending. Without the bun, the story and the hot dog would roll around aimlessly. The condiments represent voice. As our hot dogs are dressed in our own unique way, each child has a unique voice that they bring to their writing. The chips represent sentence fluency. No two chips are alike as are no two sentences alike. The soda represents word choice. Students' stories must have energetic verbs and descriptive words to create the visual images the reader needs. Like the soda, the story must be alive with fizz! The hot dog party itself represents conventions. This ties it all together. Students realize they must edit their work for spelling, punctuation, paragraphing and grammar mistakes. Students really understand the qualities of good writing when presented in this fun party fashion."

COPS Rap

From Marsha Heineke, a Title I literacy teacher at East Memorial Elementary in Greeley, Colorado who works mainly with fourth and fifth graders:

"During one of my college classes, we had a discussion about using proper capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in elementary school. Christene Sanchez and Michael Fern shared an acronym they use at their school called COPS, which stands for Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, and Spelling. To extend the use of this, I wrote a rap that was done by four of our local policeman two weeks ago during an assembly. We made 2 feet x 4 feet banners to carry around during the rap. Now the banners are posted up around the school as a constant reminder to students to remember their COPS in writing. Here's the rap song:

Cops, cops here for you
On the streets and in the classroom, too!

Capital letters start a name,
A special place or thing. Make it a game
Form it clear, if it is small,
If it's big, make it tall.
This is very important for you to do
Using capital letters are a good clue.

Cops, cops here for you
On the streets and in the classroom, too!

We've got style. We've got grace.
Every word has its place.
Keep it in line, keep it straight.
Organization is first rate.
If it sound good, you're going the right way.
Do your best and say what you may.

Cops, cops here for you
On the streets and in the classroom, too!

Punctuation is good to do
Or how will we know your sentence is through?
A comma, a period, a mark or two,
If it isn't expressive, then we'll be blue.
Use your brain to show you're smart
And end each sentence with a mark.

Cops, cops here for you
On the streets and in the classroom, too!

Spelling, yuuuuuuuuuck what a reach.
It's so hard, come on, teach!
There's so many places for us to go
To help our spelling improve and grow
Spelling is important for us to be good.
To do our best like we know we should."

Writing Good Details

From Ricardo Taylor, a teacher at Beaver Falls Middle School in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania:

"I use a six-day activity to help students see the importance of using good details in writing.

Day One: students draw a picture of a monster, unusual animal or funny face. They show no one the drawings which I collect.

Day Two: I return the drawings and students list, on a 5X8 lined note card, as many details as they can that would help someone else draw the same picture. I stress using good adjectives and drawing in sequence. I collect the cards and pictures (with the student name on both).

Day Three: I pair up students into partners who exchange their details card. I keep the drawings until later. Each partner tries to duplicate the original drawing, using only the details card. They may not ask me or their partner any questions. When this drawing is done, they put their name and '2' at the bottom, indicating they are the second person to draw this picture.

Day Four: I staple both pictures to a large piece of paper, along with the details card. Now is the moment the students have been waiting for as artist 2 gets to look at the original. What a riot! I now have them write a friendly letter to the original artist and give their opinion of the details they were given. They must use compliments as well as constructive criticism. We address envelopes and include an inside address on the letter. We use row and seat number as the street address.

Day Five: I deliver the pictures and mail to the original artist to see how well their details worked. Another letter is written to artist 2 to indicate what the original artist thought of how the details were followed and how artist 2 could improve.

Day Six: Partners meet on this day. Finally they design a piece of a classroom quilt that I will later put on the wall. Each team gets a square of white paper as their piece of the quilt. I ask them to put their names as well as a special design that tells something about them and sharing ideas."

• Different Ways of Learning (6 tips)
• Games and Incentives (9 tips)
• Review and Memorization (5 tips)

Different Ways of Learning

Screen Saver Spelling

From Lindsey Knutzen,, a first grade teacher at Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School in Tumwater, Washington:

"To reinforce spelling or vocabulary words each week, I put them on my desktop screen saver. When the students glance at my computer they see their words in yet another context! I change the font and the colors each week to keep their interest."

Finding Misspelled Words

From Anonymous:

"My students had weak spelling skills. Whenever I asked them to hand in the final draft of an essay using spelling words, there would still be mistakes. In the past, I corrected the misspelled words and handed them back but I don't anymore. Now I tell my students how many words they misspelled and they have to find the mistakes themselves. This forces the students to study the words more carefully."

Students Create Spelling Sentences

From Judi Schiff, a third grade teacher at Randolph Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia:

"Part of my weekly spelling homework assignment is to have my students write a sentence for each spelling word. When I give my spelling tests, I say the word, use it in a sentence and repeat the word. Recently, I began selecting sentences from the students' homework. I either tell them or they have to guess who wrote the sentence. They love it! This encourages the students to be even more creative when doing their homework. This idea is simple to implement and it gives the children a feeling of ownership."

Learning Styles and Vocabulary

From Pamela Hunter, an English teacher at Southwick Tolland Regional High School in Southwick, Massachusetts:

"A colleague, Lisa Stapleton, and I have been enjoying success in integrating different learning styles in teaching vocabulary. I have had the students draw pictures to represent the idea of a vocabulary word or parts of the word. I usually assign two words to a pair of students so they can generate ideas together and so that less able artists are not left to their own devices. Usually the students also write a caption, not using the vocabulary word. The students present their pictures and the class guesses which word is being illustrated. It is great review, a chance to work with a partner and involves visual and spatial learners. For kinesthetic learners, we have used charades, having them act out the word, or a combination of words, for their team. The students have been very positive about 'seeing' the vocabulary list in a more tangible or visual way, and have actually been using the words more in their writing."

The "Er Sisters" and "Oy Boys"

From Joan Starnes, a Title I teacher in Bulls Gap, Tennessee:

"To help reinforce the er, ir, and ur sounds I have each child cut out paper dolls. They are holding hands and are labeled the 'Er Sisters.' They color them and put the sound on each doll's shirt. They then paste them on a sheet of paper and under each doll write words using the corresponding sounds. Example: under 'er' they write teacher, flower, nerd etc. I also do this with the 'oi' and 'oy.' I call them the 'Oy' Boys. I have found the students remember the sounds after these activities and often refer to the 'er sisters' and the 'oy boys.'"

Variety Reinforces Learning

From Rae E. Immenschuh, a learning disabilities teacher at Union Grove Grade School in Union Grove, Wisconsin:

"I never have [my students] practice with their mouths alone - unless they plan to be in a spell down. Second, we never write a word the same way twice when practicing. I don't mean we deliberately make mistakes; we use different types and means of writing. Writing instruments can vary - pencil, crayon, pen, glue, pipe cleaners. The kids will come up with many more! I have the children use all capitals, or print, then cursive; we get even more daring, creating block letters, cloud-like letters, robotic letters, and 'snakey' letters. I introduce Morse Code, Braille, the Number Code, and the one based on the Cat and Rat symbol. Each year my groups have invented 'secret' codes of their own to use and add to our list. Because it's easier to go back and look at the original, the chance of picking up an error and replicating it is nearly eliminated, learning codes is fun, and the added attention to details appears to make the sequence of letters stick in the memory more securely.

Finally, when we need a stretch break, instead of just doing exercises we do a take-off of the YMCA song and actions. Either I lead and they follow my actions, or I pick a student to start (and they pick who follows them). The leader chooses a word. The group, following the actions of the leader, acts out the word with whole-body letters while singing the letters to the YMCA melody. Two or three words is usually about right for a break, and it's a fun way to get the kinks out and the letters in!"

Games and Incentives

Adding Machine Scrolls

From Janet Keohane, a fifth-sixth grade teacher in Beach, North Dakota:

"I involve my students in an ongoing contest to see who can find the most nouns, adjectives, words with four syllables, etc. from a list of words. I have them number and write their findings on a piece of adding machine tape that can be easily rolled into a scroll and attached with a paper clip to keep it in place. When winners are decided on the final day, I hang everyone's strip from the ceiling. The adding machine tape makes a great display of students' work and they enjoy the change of pace from using regular notebook paper."

Spelling Test Bingo

From Vickie Hugo, a fourth grade teacher at Buttonwillow School in Buttonwillow, California:

"My class plays Spelling Test Bingo. I created a blank Bingo board and made copies. The students number the boxes as they pick where to write the words. After all the words are given, they may fill in the other blanks with doubles of the words used. We exchange papers and correct them. If a word is misspelled, it's rewritten correctly. Then the papers are returned and the fun begins. I write the words on small pieces of paper and place them in a hat. As I pull out a word, the Bingo game starts. When a student gets Bingo, that student must stand up and spell out all the words correctly in order to win the game. I give out small prizes to the winners. My class loves this game and it's a great help to those that need to review for the test."

Concentration Vocabulary Review

"I have a shoe bag that has several pockets. I staple a numbered index card to each pocket. Inside each pocket is a vocabulary word or a definition from social studies, science or language arts. I divide the class into two teams. The first student looks for a match by calling out two numbers. If it is a match, that team receives one point. If it's not a match, the other team goes, trying to remember where the words and the definitions are. The game is over when all the matches have been made."

Vocabulary Frisbee

"This game could work with any subject that requires knowing vocabulary words. I have the students define all the words needed in the chapter and then put the students into groups of three or four. I give each group two to four of the chapter's vocabulary words. The definition for the words is pre-written on white paper plates. I sail a definition to one of the groups and they check to see if it belongs to their words. If it does, they keep the plate. If it is not one of their words, they toss it to another group. As soon as one group has all the definitions to their words, they are declared the winning team and they read their group's words and definitions for all to hear. I continue in this manner until all the words are matched with their definition. I give out second, third and fourth place prizes. Any small token prize or points for each team's members makes it more fun for the students. There's always laughing and learning going on for this one. I usually follow up with a quiz on the words the next day."

Students Give Spelling Tests

From Sandy Crellin, a seventh grade learning support teacher at Annville-Cleona Middle School in Annville, Pennsylvania:

"My students take turns giving the weekly spelling test to the class. I draw their names from a hat to determine who will be the spelling test reader. This responsibility makes sure that all students can read the words and use them in a sentence and it helps them become more comfortable speaking in front of a group. The kids consider it a treat because the proctor gets an automatic 100% on the test that week."

Words of the Week

From Carolyn Lingenfelter, a seventh and eighth grade language arts teacher at Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio:

"At the beginning of each week, my students head a sheet of paper with the title 'Words of the Week'. Everyday I put a new word on the overhead projector. They copy it onto their sheet and we take several minutes to talk about the definition and practice using the word in sentences. I call on students to share their sentences and the word's part of speech with the class. We also discuss the origin of the word and other related words. The students, who answer correctly when called upon, earn a bonus point on their Daily Performance Chart. With this incentive, 'Words of the Week' has become a popular activity and the expanded word power is showing up in the drafts my students write for their portfolios."

Spelling Race

"This game helps even the lowest spellers learn their words each week. I divide the class into two teams, trying to pair the spelling ability equally. I call a spelling word and one member from each team tries to spell the word correctly, FIRST. The first student with the correct spelling who also kneels on one knee wins a point. Points may also be given to the opposing team if students argue with the judge, make fun of other students, or call out the answers. You'd be surprised at the number of good sports this produces. The game sure beats writing words 5 times each and it really promotes good study habits if it's played more than once a week."

Getting Students' Attention

"Using vocabulary from the week's lesson, I bar the door with my body. No one may enter before the tardy bell unless she/he can define, explain or give an example of what I am asking. If a student gives a correct answer, in s/he goes. Others must wait. Soon there is a group at the door, so if two or three give correct answers at the same time, I let them in. I use this once every seven to 10 days. At first there are unbelieving looks - you have to know something to get in ??? Always there is someone who responds: 'Forget it. I'll just leave.' S/he has always come back.

After a few times blocking the door, it is fun to see the happy complaining faces and hear the words, 'Oh no. Here we go again.' When the bell rings, all enter. However, I shout into the room. 'Everybody in here stand up if you want a chance for an extra credit point.' The standing students watch and make sure all the others (who came in at the bell without answering correctly) sit. Next, we decide heads or tails. I flip a coin. If it comes up correct, all the standing students rush to the board and write their names. (I make sure there is plenty of chalk.) I have one of them copy all the names for me. On the next test, all on the list get an extra point. I am always amazed how the chance to get one extra point motivates."

Food and Spelling

"At the end of each grading period, I use a spelling list of food words. I put the words on the board on Monday and give an assignment that uses 15 of the 25 words. The assignment is due on Friday when students take the test. After the spelling test we eat the list. In order to eat students must earn a C on the test. If they do not, they keep taking the words they miss until they earn a C. The lists and assignments include: pizza (assignment: an artistic pizza or Italian food creation), sandwiches (create a menu for a sandwich shop), ethnic food (create an artistic creation for tacos, stir fry, etc.), cookies (compare/contrast Oreos and Chips Ahoy), candy (guessing game of candy bar pieces), and ice cream (design the ideal ice cream sundae).

There are several different ways to eat the list: order pizza from a local provider with students ordering in advance and paying for one or two slices; students bring an ingredient for sandwiches and we create subs; the family/ consumer science classes make fixings for tacos and each student pays for a share of ingredients; each student brings five of favorite cookies; each student brings a favorite candy bar which is cut for the guessing game; and each student brings an ingredient for making ice cream sundaes. This method almost always ensures that students study for the tests because middle school students do love to eat. Bon appetit!"

Review and Memorization

Word Boards

From Jackie Ruppel, an English teacher at Lake City High School in Lake City, Michigan:

"I receive words of the day from Wordsmith and Word du Jour which are both free email services. I print them out and back them with colorful construction paper to make great bulletin board displays. I staple them on the board in unusual ways such as at an angle or upside down. The kids get a kick out of reading them and they're learning in the process. Wordsmith and Word du Jour also contain a sample sentence or two using the word of the day so my kids get spelling, pronunciation, definition and usage all in one simple form. The bulletin board grows as more words are added. My word board expands onto the wall around it thanks to a little masking tape rolled on the back."

Word of the Week

From Karen Lanier, a sixth grade language arts teacher at Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio:

"Each week, I write an unusual vocabulary word on a large index card or strip. I then show the word to the class, pronounce it, and we discuss possible meanings for the word. I choose a small group of students to meet with me in the hallway to discuss the real meaning of the word. It is the challenge of the group to come up with a short skit that shows the meaning of this word. After just a minute or two, the group of students re-enters the classroom and demonstrates or acts out their word. The students are responsible for teaching this word to the rest of the class. This promotes class discussions on the origin of words, word usage and meaning and encourages class participation. Each word is then hung in the classroom for display and reviewed periodically for meaning, pronunciation, etc. Students are then encouraged to use these words in their classroom writing assignments."

Spelling Review

From Jeffrey Yanke, a fourth and fifth grade teacher at 37th Street School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

"When I review for a spelling test I put the class in groups of four. I mix all levels together and give each group member a number (one to four). I have popcicle sticks in a can with those four numbers and draw one after having pronounced one of our spelling words. The students who have that number come to the board and write the word. The winner is the first one who correctly spells the word legibly on the board. I then give that team a point. This makes sure they help each other know the word because they don't know who is going to be called on next. The winning team gets a treat."

Word Wall

From Bev Adams, a fifth grade special day teacher at El Descanso School in Camarillo, California:

"I have a word wall of all the spelling words we've had throughout the year. I write the words on eight inch sentence strips on card stock weight paper. I color code lists for my different spelling different groups by using colored word cards. Throughout the year I add to the list, keeping all the words in alphabetical order. I attach the words to each other using Velcro and then hang them from plastic coat hangers hanging on ceiling hooks. I fold one long sentence strip over the coat hanger and put four Velcro strips on that sentence strip so I can hang two strings of word cards on each hanger. I start the year with one hanger with the first spelling list divided onto the two strings. Each week I add the new words in alphabetical order. When the strings get too long, I add another hanger. By the end of the year I have about eight hangers with all the spelling words from the year. The students use them for easy reference and I know which words each group had. We also use this word list for spelling bees by having the spellers stand with the word wall behind them."

Word of the Week

From Judy Bonfilio, a fifth grade teacher at Claudia Landeen School in Stockton, California:

"Maybe this has been around for ages but it works terrifically for me. It's called WORD OF THE WEEK. Each student takes a turn choosing a word from the dictionary on Monday morning - a word he/she does not know but understands the definition once she/he reads it. This becomes the Word of the Week, and it is posted immediately on an 8 x 3 inch card. Half-sheets of paper are passed to each student and before Friday, all students must write the word, define it, show its part of speech and pronunciation, write a sentence using it, as well as illustrate it in color. These are submitted to the 'chooser' on Friday and taken home to be 'evaluated.' I have made up a checklist to keep track of who does it and who does not, but they are ungraded. The evaluating student takes the role of teacher and is encouraged to make positive comments or indicate omitted parts on each paper, then record these on the checklist, to be returned on Monday. The card is transferred to an ever-growing string of them around the classroom, and students feel an amazing ownership of the words as they collect there. There is an incidental acquisition of vocabulary going on, just for fun. I always remind students that if you use a word three times, you 'own' it."

• Map Skills (8 tips)
• Government and Politics (4 tips)
• Occupations (1 tip)
• Past and Present (4 tips)

Map Skills

Teacher Visit

From Marlene Hermes, a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Whitman Elementary School in Littleton, Colorado:

"In order to make a writing assignment on how to give sequential directions meaningful to my students, I send a letter home to parents asking them to provide their child with a map showing how to get from their house to the school. The map must include the street names. In class, the students write a paragraph giving me directions on how I can drive my car from our school to their house. I inform the students that anyone who does a terrific job will have their name put into a jar and I will actually visit them at home. I randomly select two students from the jar, prearrange a visit and drive to their house using their directions. It's amazing the difference this incentive makes in motivating the students to give me a well-written paragraph."

Bedroom Maps

From Stella Bock, a third grade teacher:

"In order to reinforce map skills, my students write a detailed description of their bedrooms including shapes, sizes, colors and directional relationships between objects in their rooms. After a few lessons on maps, keys and symbols the students create an aerial view map of their room. I display the bedroom maps on the bulletin board and include a zip lock bag with the children's descriptions in the middle. There are only numbers that I can identify on the descriptions so the students don't know who wrote them. During free time, the children can take out a description and try to match it to a map on the board. If the work was done accurately, the challenge shouldn't be too difficult."

Geography Dictionaries

From Daniel Edwards, a teacher at Wilson Jr. High School in El Centro, California:

"In an effort to help my students learn geography vocabulary terms, I have them create their own Illustrated Geography Dictionary. Students find pictures in magazines that illustrate their geography vocabulary terms. National Geographic Magazines work very well for this. They clip out the pictures, paste one picture onto a sheet of paper and write the term with its definition under the illustration. If students cannot find an illustration of a term in a magazine, they may draw the geographic feature instead. I usually assign 20-25 terms in order to receive an A on this project. Those that know a second language can also include the foreign term in their dictionaries."

Alley Cat Directions

From Michael Szewczyk, a fourth grade teacher at Berkeley Terrace School in Irvington, New Jersey:

"My students and I identify the cardinal direction of east based on the position of the sun during early morning. Once east has been established in the classroom, south, west and north can be located by making a right angle turn for each respective direction. Next, I play the song The Alley Cat and teach the students the dance steps that go along with it. After a series of specific left and right moves, there is a prominent pause in the instrumental music for which the students make a hard right angle turn and then clap. While the students clap, they also call out he cardinal direction they are facing. This helps reinforce and remind students of the worldly reality of cardinal directions. The students love the novelty of learning through music and movement. The same procedure can be applied and appreciated when reviewing the intermediate directions."

Mystery Map

From Allison Smith, a speech and language pathologist for Perry Public Schools in Perry, Ohio:

"To teach communication skills, I split my classroom in half and create a mystery map. The students in each group choose a place in the school to write directions to for the other group to follow. Each student in the group creates a direction and together we write it on a piece of butcher paper. Throughout the experience, I encourage the students to visualize their directions by closing their eyes. After the directions are complete, the groups exchange them. Each student is responsible for reading a direction and repeating it to the group while the others listen and work together to discover the mystery destination. Afterward, the groups return to the classroom and we discuss how well we followed the directions and where each group ended up. This is a really fun way to work on listening skills."

Beach Ball Toss

From Carol Berlin, a third grade teacher at Charlotte A. Dunning School in Framingham, Massachusetts:

"To give the students a sense of the proportions of the earth that are land and water, we toss a beach ball that's decorated as the globe. These are available inexpensively. As they catch the ball, they must report whether their hands land on earth or on water. I keep track of it on the board. After every child has a turn, we tally up the results. Surprisingly, this works successfully. As an extension, the student can call out the name of the continent on which their hand lands."

Floor Maps

From Sharon Morgan, a second grade teacher at South Penn Elementary School in Cumberland, Maryland:

"Our social studies curriculum requires us to reach a unit on Africa so that our children become aware of the needs of people throughout the world. To assist with geography skills, I use a projector to trace the outline of Africa and the countries onto a white bedsheet. I use fabric paint to paint each country and then cut the map out. I place the map on the floor on a blue bedsheet that represents the oceans. I cover the map with a heavy plastic so the children can walk on it as we work. We place labels for directions on the map as well as country names, paper and plastic animals, yarn for the equator and tropic regions and pictures of natural resources on the continent. This activity really keeps the children focused and excited each day."

Improving Geography Quizzes

From Don Schulte, a teacher at Pattonville High School in Maryland Heights, Missouri:

"I use post-it notes for quizzing students on geographical locations. I start by writing large numbers on the post-it notes then; I stick the numbers on maps that I have on my walls. The students must identify the locations from the numbers. The post-it notes are great because I can easily change the numbers to different locations on the maps. The quiz that I give to one class is not the same quiz that I give to the next class. Make-up quizzes are not the same twenty states the students had on their test the day before. Students can no longer find out from their friends what cities, rivers, countries, etc. to learn because it constantly changes."

Government and Politics

A Kid Friendly Pledge

From Michael Szewczyk, a fourth grade teacher at Berkeley Terrace School in Irvington, New Jersey:

"Each morning, public school students have to stand and salute the flag by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. After my students complete the Pledge in its standard form, we repeat it in a kid friendly style that is more understandable and meaningful for them. The following is the student version that we created together."

"I promise my faithfulness to the banner of the United States of America and to our government for which it stands, one country under God, for which we will stick together, and freedom and fairness for all."

How to Make an American Flag

From Jennifer Guzik, a first grade teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"As a way to honor president's day, my first grade class creates their own homemade American flag. This flag is made using a full flat white bed sheet and red, white & blue Crayola Tempera paint. Before beginning the project, wash and iron the sheet. Find a large area on the floor where this flag can be kept for three days without being moved. First, line the floor with some kind of paper (not newspaper) or cardboard to keep paint from getting on the carpet or floor. Then tape down the flag over the paper or cardboard to the floor stretching it out eliminating most of the wrinkles. The flag should be as smooth as possible. Once finished taping the sheet to the floor, measure the length between the stripes.

"With a tape measure or a yardstick, measure and mark a pencil line about every 6 inches. There should be a total of 12 marks from the top of the sheet to the bottom. Then from the marks, draw straight lines across the entire length of the flag creating the 13 stripes. Then draw a vertical line from the top of flag to the seventh stripe to make the square for the star area. This is about 45 X 51 inches from the left corner of the flag. Using masking tape, place tape on this vertical line and on the horizontal line back to the left edge of the flag. This will create a box for the star area. Taping the lines will keep blue paint from getting into the stripe area. With teacher guidance, the students can paint the star area all blue. Sponge brushes work best, avoid using paintbrushes. Let this dry overnight. The next day, you can peel the tape off of the star area and you should have a perfect box with straight lines.

"The students will create the stripes using their hands as stamps. Individually place the students' hands in red paint. Make sure the entire hand is covered in red paint, not too heavy on the paint. Then take the child's hand and place it on the stripe. The first stripe is red. Make sure the child spreads his/her fingers far apart. Have the student make three or four handprints in a row. Continue with all the students. Remember to keep the handprints very close to one another as well as keep the handprints going in the same direction. Also, stay in between the lines. Remember to skip every other stripe making the red/white pattern. Then let the flag dry overnight. If the pencil lines are apparent the next day, a large pink eraser will erase the lines. The next day have the students create the stars using white paint. The students can use their index fingers to draw on the stars. You can also use a star sponge if you prefer. Make sure to include all 50 stars. A suggestion would be to mark the place of each star forming vertical lines in the star area. Then let it dry again overnight. Remove the tape and hang for display. I would suggest using pins to hold this flag up; the flag tends to be heavy from the paint.'

(See the finished products.)

Political Ice Breaker

From Connie Bowler, a school nurse at Perry High School in Perry, Ohio:

"I collect a variety of old buttons and bumper stickers from various elections. I select the ones that pertain to the topic that I want to discuss and put them in a paper bag. I ask a student to draw one out at a time. Old political buttons can be used to generate discussion on what the political leaders contributed or discuss how their decisions affect us today. Buttons on health orientated topics can lead into a discussion on a variety of topics."

Political Groups

From Jodi Wortman, a third grade teacher at Harry S. Truman School in Kansas City, Missouri:

"I seat my students in groups and each group votes on a name that is a state capital. One student in the group is the governor and the rest of the citizens are state representatives. I am the president and live in Washington, D.C. Each group does a collective report on their state and presents it to the class. Statehoods last approximately three weeks before the group becomes another state. This is a fun and meaningful way to present states and their capitals."

Occupations

Class History Book

From Joanne Goodrich, a fifth grade teacher at Deadwood Elementary School in Deadwood, South Dakota:

"I bring in the newspaper from home everyday until I have six days worth. I divide my class into groups and ask them to find an article with an international dateline, another state's dateline and a dateline from our state. They staple these on an 8 x 11 piece of paper. Each group briefly tells the rest of the class about their articles. I fill in information and we file them. Each month I redistribute the month's pages and we narrow the articles down to the best six. We post these on the board and the students vote on which ones to keep. At the end of the school year we'll have twelve news pages for a class history book."

Past and Present

Pioneer vs. Modern Schools

From John Pitrelli, a fourth grade teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"My students study pioneer school life and compare it to modern day education. The students do computer research and create an original poster showing the comparisons between modern and pioneer days. Before they draw the poster, we brainstorm and site comparisons they found in their research. They fold their poster paper into eight sections and illustrate four of their favorite comparisons. We display the completed projects in the hallway."

Class History Book

From Joanne Goodrich, a fifth grade teacher at Deadwood Elementary School in Deadwood, South Dakota:

"I bring in the newspaper from home everyday until I have six days worth. I divide my class into groups and ask them to find an article with an international dateline, another state's dateline and a dateline from our state. They staple these on an 8 x 11 piece of paper. Each group briefly tells the rest of the class about their articles. I fill in information and we file them. Each month I redistribute the month's pages and we narrow the articles down to the best six. We post these on the board and the students vote on which ones to keep. At the end of the school year we'll have twelve news pages for a class history book."

Computer Timelines

From Doug Bloom, a fourth grade teacher at North Branch Main Street School in North Branch, Minnesota:

"Part of our curriculum in the fourth grade is to learn to read and to interpret timelines. At the beginning of the school year, students make their own timeline in the computer lab that will be used throughout the year. Whenever a big event happens in our community, our state, our country, or our world, the students add the event to their timeline. We do this before we start a keyboarding lesson. At the end of the year, the students will print out their timeline and have a record of the events that took place while they were in the fourth grade."

Current Events

From Tamara Roberts, a third grade teacher at Perry Local Schools in Perry, Ohio:

"In order to keep my 'current events' current in my classroom, I assign the student of the week the job of clipping local, state, national and world news articles for our news bulletin board. When they come to school on Monday with pictures of themselves and their favorite items to share, they also have current events to share with the classroom".

• Experiments and Simulations (10 tips)
• Integrated Science Activities (2 tips)
• Health and Nutrition (6 tips)
• Diagramming Skills (2 tips)
• Classroom Pets (2 tips)
• Enriching the Curriculum (9 tips)

Experiments and Simulations

Chemistry Moles

From Wayne Miller, a chemistry teacher at Mount Ararat High School in Topsham, Maine:

"Here's a tip for chemistry teachers wanting to get their students interested in the measurement unit mole (6x10^23 particles). Every year as I begin the unit dealing with moles, I hand out a pattern for sewing a basic mole, encouraging students to use their imagination in creating a unique mole to share with classmates. We have seen Supermole", "Batmole", "Groucho Mole", "Hula mole", "Road-kill mole", " Moley the Goalie" and dozens of other original ideas. The moles are worth extra credit on the unit test, but the students are more interested in entering their moles in the "Mole Farm" at our annual science fair, where voting for the most popular mole takes place."

Percentage of Water

From Golda Condron, a fourth grade teacher at Ochoco Elementary School in Prineville, Oregon:

"Here's an activity that I use when we discuss the percentages of water and land on the earth and when we discuss water content of the human body and the foods we eat. I bring in a slice of bread, a carrot, an apple, popped popcorn, a potato, celery, an orange and a banana. We make a 7-column chart to record our data. The column headings include food, estimated and actual fresh weight, estimated and actual dried weight, difference and percentage of water. We estimate, weigh, slice, dry and re-weigh each food. Lastly, We graph the fresh and dried weights on a bar or line graph and the students write a summary of their findings."

Exoskeletons

From Darlene Smith, an inclusion specialist at Amelia Elementary School in Amelia, Ohio:

"I teach my students about exoskeletons with raw shrimp. I split my class into four groups so I only need to get about six shrimp. The students examine the headless shrimp's legs, exoskeleton and body then they carefully pull off the exoskeleton and examine the interior."

Stinging Celled Animals

From Darlene Smith, an inclusion specialist at Amelia Elementary School in Amelia, Ohio:

"This experiment requires balloons and yarn. Give students a balloon and ask them to blow it up and tie off the end. Give them a 5-12 inch piece of yarn and ask them to tie it to the end. When the students hold the balloon (animal) by the top and let the stinging cells (yarn) hang down, they can sweep the stinging cells across their arms. Their arms will become paralyzed for consumption. If the students turn the balloon upside down, the yarn will fall down to show the knot which is a good example of what the mouth looks like on a stinging celled animal."

Important Household Compounds

From Elena Maldonado-Vargas, a chemistry teacher at The University of Puerto Rico High School in San Juan, Puerto Rico:

"When I teach compounds in chemistry, I make stations in my lab where students work with different household products. They make a list of all the compounds in common products such as toothpaste, soap, ketchup, mayonnaise, soup, spaghetti and aspirin. Then, they make a presentation on the compounds they know and the elements they can identify. Most students are surprised when they find out that sulfur soap exists, toothpaste has sodium hydroxide and the compound in vanilla gives it its characteristic odor. The students learn to appreciate the role and importance that chemistry plays in every day life."

Circuits in Physics

From Peter Pasero, a physics and chemistry teacher at Newton Community High School in Newton, Illinois:

"When my students do electrical experiments in physics, the wires and electrical components of the circuits slide all over the place, making it difficult for my students and me to compare the circuits the students assemble with the really neat-looking diagrams in the manual or on the board. So I give each student group a piece of masking tape. They tear it into smaller pieces to hold the wires down in some semblance of the diagrams, making it easier for them and for me, when I check problems."

Volcanic Plate Movement

From Haley Hinthorn, a newly certified teacher from Independence, Kansas:

"When I discuss plate movement in my volcano unit, I do a hands-on activity that gives the students visuals and a tasty treat. I give each child a piece of wax paper with a tablespoon of frosting on it and a graham cracker. The students break their graham crackers into segments. They put two segments on the frosting and move them like the plates of a volcano move. After the discussion, let the kids eat their plates. The students love this lesson and it adds variety and visuals to a sometimes complicated lesson."

Miniature Bungee Jumping and Physics

From Bill Hill, a high school math and physics teacher at Casey County High School in Liberty, Kentucky:

"I have found a good use for those stretchable name tag cords that are used at most conferences these days. It is easy to make two holes on opposite sides, near the top, of a pill bottle. I then push the metal tips of the cord through the holes (from the inside). The tips pivot so they will not pull back through the hole, but I make sure by placing a small piece of tape around the outside neck of the bottle once I have the cord in position. Now I use nickels (about 5.5 grams each) to simulate different weights of bungee jumpers and collect data with the Calculator Based Laboratory (CBL) Motion Detector and graphing calculator. I usually tape an index card to the bottom of the bottle to give the motion detector a nice target. I have my students find the equilibrium height and then do a drop to find the maximum fall distance and recoil height for each mass."

Crime Lab Science

From Jim Hurley, a chemistry and physics teacher at Waverly-Shell Rock High School in Waverly, Iowa:

"n my many years of teaching chemistry and physics, I observed that the laboratory investigations that created the most enthusiasm were those that cast the student in the role of crime lab analyst. Rather than lockstep procedures to verify expected outcomes, I present experiments as criminal case descriptions which require careful evidence analysis. Questions like 'Was the anesthesia administered in too great a concentration?' or 'Does the index of refraction of the glass chip imbedded in the robbery suspect's shoe match the glass from a broken store window?' frame experimentation in a real world context. This approach became so popular that I now teach four sections a year of a class titled 'Criminalistics--Introductory Forensic Science.' I have also assisted teachers regionally in establishing crime lab courses. English instructors are particularly enthusiastic about this approach and often initiate cross-curriculum mystery writing units."

Insect Collection

From Joe Moore, a vocational agriculture teacher in Verona, Missouri:

"I have my students do an insect collection as part of an entomology unit. They are required to collect insects (no more that two individuals of the same species) and group them according to order. They also must mount each insect with a pin and a small label on each pin giving the location of capture, climate (or ecosystem, i.e. grassy area, wet marshy area, dry w/sparse vegetation, in a tree canopy, etc.), and give the common and scientific name for that individual insect. I use a rubric to evaluate. I have my students do a minimum of 5 orders with at least 20 species represented. I count for quality as well as quantity. This activity could be adapted in that students could study population densities of certain types of insects that are sensitive to climate and temperature changes. My students find this activity challenging but enjoyable."

Fish Raising Project

From Carol Robb, a teacher at Alvord High School:

"Here's a great field study or service learning project for biology students. Check with your local fly fishing clubs or the Federation of Fly Fishers, and see if there is a local equivalent to California's Trout in the Classroom program. Students receive the aquarium and chillers from the local fly fishing club; the State Dept. of Fish and Game provides the eggs. Trout are raised and studied until they are big enough to be released in a local stream designated by Fish and Game. We've done it at my high school for several years and the kids love it."

Integrated Science Activities

Advertising the Elements

From Elena Maldonado-Vargas, a chemistry teacher at The University of Puerto Rico High School in San Juan, Puerto Rico:

"When studying the Periodic Table, my students make a newspaper or a television advertisement for an element. Each group must show how the properties of the elements are useful to human beings. They can sell their product by using comedy, drama, rap or poems. This activity gives meaning to studying the Periodic Table."

Linking Drama to Chemistry

From Susan Smith, a chemistry teacher at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California:

"I always encourage my students to see our school drama productions. This semester they are putting on a production of Winnie the Pooh. If a student wishes to receive extra credit in my class, they must not only submit their admission ticket, but also a two-page report on the chemistry of honey. It's a fun integration and I have received some wonderful papers. The students who do this are astounded at the hidden secrets of honey."

Health and Nutrition

Four Stars for School Lunch

From Karen Lovell, a child nutrition teacher at Virgil I. Grissom High School in Huntsville, Alabama:

"National School Lunch Week is October 11th-15th. To celebrate this, my students plan and carry out a menu for the school. We plan and analyze menus using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Food Guide Pyramid and do research on the American School Food Service Association web site, http://www.asfsa.org. After the students have sufficiently learned about nutritious meals, they break into groups and plan a week's worth of menus. They can only use food items on the school purchasing form and the foods they choose must meet the federal regulations of being a reimbursable meal, have nutritious integrity and be cost effective. The Child Nutrition Program chooses menus from the groups for School Lunch Week and actually serves them in the cafeteria. The planners' photos are posted on the bulletin board outside the serving area along with the menu and the groups' themes."

From Clare Delano, a fourth grade teacher:

"In September, we define a 'good' breakfast and talk about how important it is to start our day. Each morning I ask how many students had a 'good' breakfast and we make a line graph to show how many 'good' breakfasts the class ate. Every student is allowed to miss one good breakfast a month. There is a reward at the end of the month for every one who did not miss two good breakfasts. I bring the class breakfast (bagels, cream cheese, butter and juice or milk) one morning a month. This has really unified the class, taught the students the value of a good breakfast and nutrition, and they have learned to line graph along the way."

Growing Pineapples

From Fern Byrd, a third grade teacher at Pleasant Hill School in Grantsville, West Virginia:

"Several years ago my class planted the top from a fresh pineapple that we had eaten. After seven years, that plant grew a pineapple! Those students came back to my class and ate their pineapple. Then, my class at that time, planted the top to that pineapple. Now it's five years later and we have a new pineapple growing! So pineapples do grow in West Virginia!"

Encouraging Healthy Snacks

From Maggie Bensen, a sixth grade teacher at Barre City Middle School in Barre, Vermont:

"When we arrive at school our team focuses our first unit on nutrition. We encourage healthy snacks and provide incentives for those who participate in the monthly program (an extra two-hour recess, volley ball game, movie if weather is inclement, etc.). Students generate a healthy snack list which is sent home to parents. Students chart their snacks daily and tally their progress toward the end of the month. We also purchase apples for the month of September for those students who are unable to bring in a snack - or those who want to save the 'junk food' for lunch. We have generous, local farmers who donate to our endeavor (at our annual welcome back barbecue, fresh corn is always available thanks to Mr. Paquet!) so the lesson is not only hands-on but healthy! Our success has been GREAT the past seven years."

Heart Healthy

From Kathy Brekke, a family and consumer education teacher at Riverbluff Middle School in Stoughton, Wisconsin:

"When studying heart healthy nutrition, two school nurses come to my class to review the importance that normal blood pressure has in a healthy lifestyle. They take the blood pressure of every student in the class while the rest of the class is doing another group activity. If their blood pressure is high, it will be retaken later. This activity is part of our unit on heart healthy living. Students plan a heart healthy meal for their families, using all the information they learned in our study of the effects of a high fat and salt diet. It is a great way for family members to see what wonderful work their young people can do. Great PR!"

Tobacco Awareness

From Lucy DeMaris, a fourth grade bilingual teacher at Palm School in Orosi, California:

"We were asked to spend some time on Tobacco Awareness and I came up with the activity, 'Making a Cigarette' using this short list of poisons emitted when smoking a cigarette:

arsenic (found in rat poisons)
ammonia (used to clean toilet bowls and floors)
carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust)
tar (used in roofing and waterproofing)
nicotine (an addictive drug)

We discuss and ask for descriptions of each to make sure everyone knows what each ingredient is. On an 18" x 24" piece of white construction paper, my students write and illustrate the ingredients list. We discuss each item again, turn the paper over and holding it lengthwise, draw a straight line about 2-4" from one end and a curvy line about the same distance from the other end. We color one end like a burning end and the other like a filter. We then roll the paper with the writing to the inside and tape the roll to resemble a large lighted cigarette. The students could now go home and share with their families what is found in cigarettes. We then have an oral pop quiz and Tobacco Awareness stickers are given to the students for correct answers. If you have a more extensive list of poisons, please share it with me."

Diagramming Skills

5-Minute Diagrams

From Susan Edge, a sixth grade math and science teacher at Hanes Middle School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina:

"Our curriculum includes important diagrams -- parts of a leaf, rock cycle, layers of the sun, etc. As a quick review we do an activity I call 'Five by Five.' The students work in groups of five. When I ring a bell, the first student begins to draw and label the diagram. After one minute I ring the bell again and the first student passes the paper to the next student. Students offer encouragement and helpful hints, but only designated students may work on the diagram during their minute. The process continues for five minutes. The table with the best diagram gets a small prize. This is an effective review. It is quick, non-threatening and fun. For the teacher, it doesn't require any preparation or grading! The technique works for almost any grade or subject matter."

Creative Map Making

From Judy Greenberg, a fourth grade teacher at Tye River Elementary in Nelson County, Virginia:

"Some of Virginia's Standards of Learning cover the knowledge of physical features, regions, directions and the states bordering Virginia. After instruction in these areas, we make physical maps in two different ways. One way is using clay dough on boards. The other way is by decorating T-shirts. We purchase colored T-shirts for each student. Each of our fourth grade classes has a different color. The students trace an outline map of Virginia onto the shirts and then use T-shirt paints to show the differentiations between the three regions. Bordering states and directions are also labeled. These T-shirts reinforce learning, give pride, and also make a great school shirt for a trip. You should see our five classes each with its own color when we arrive in Jamestown for a tour!"

Classroom Pets

Hatching Sea Monkeys

From Rachel Sandhorst, a biology and zoology teacher at East High School:

"I like to hatch sea monkeys with my class and observe them as representatives of crustaceans. They can still be bought in toy stores everywhere. As a class, we watch them grow in their container. We also inspect them through microscopes, comparing and contrasting them with other arthropods. The book that accompanies the sea monkeys explains how one can train them to do certain tricks, which leads to a discussion about the real meaning of these tricks. They were developed in a laboratory so we discuss hybrid breeding and creating new species. Sea monkeys are fun classroom pets!"

Feeding Fish

From Cynthia Bordash, BORDASH@prodigy.net, a sixth grade science teacher at Stanton Middle School in Hammondsville, Ohio:

"Setting up a fish tank provides great enrichment in a classroom. Although I attempt to make the students responsible for feeding the fish, I find they can often be heavy handed in giving the pets just a pinch. My solution was to purchase a pill reminder box that has separate lidded compartments labeled for each day of the week. I fill each day with the exact amount necessary and place it next to the tank. A student helper opens that day's compartment and feeds the fish. I can easily check to see if they've been fed, I'm certain of the amount and every student gets a turn at feeding."

Enriching the Curriculum

Science With Mrs. Frizzle

From Anne Craighead, a second grade teacher at Penn Forest Elementary School in Roanoke, Virginia:

"Here's a tip on how to look like Mrs. Frizzle of the Magic School Bus without having to spend a lot of money on your wardrobe. Cut out designs in felt (like trees showing the four seasons, the water cycle, life cycle of a frog, etc.) and spray bonding glue on the backs. Let the glue set up for at least five minutes. Apply the designs to an old apron and voila, you're Mrs. Frizzle! The designs can be removed and stored on waxed paper so one apron is sufficient for all your science units. The children will love it and will be able to guess what you'll be teaching next."

The Water Cycle

From Michael Szewczyk, a fourth grade teacher at Berkeley Terrace School in Irvington, New Jersey:

"Poetry that rhymes helps readers to remember scientific concepts from September to September. Elementary school children will absorb the water cycle through this memorable word song."

The Water Cycle

Let's take a ride on the water cycle,
The water cycle, the water cycle,
Let's take a ride on the water cycle
And see what goes round and round.

When water gets too hot
it evaporates
Where it chills in the clouds
and it condensates,
If it collects too much,
it precipitates
And flows back into the ground.

Let's take a ride on the water cycle,
The water cycle, the water cycle,
Let's take a ride on the water cycle
And see what goes round and round.

The Ecosystem

From Michael Szewczyk, a fourth grade teacher at Berkeley Terrace School in Irvington, New Jersey:

"In the beginning of the school year, I introduce food chains to the students by having everyone, including myself, recite "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." We all have a good time with that humorous poem. Now that the class is exploring tropical rainforests, our poems have become a little more serious and mysterious like this one that I created in direct connection to one of the pages in our science textbook.

Eek! Eek! The Ecosystem!

The plants eat the sunshine
and the water,
The beetle dines on leaves
beside her daughter,
The furry spider eats both insects
like she ought to,
A boa swallows them in one gulp
for nutrients and water,
And as the chubby snake rests,
a hawk awaits the slaughter.

Moral:

A rainforest rule that helps species survive,
it's better to pray to eat prey
than to pray while being eaten alive.

One thing I remind students is that humans are not in any other animal's food chain. We just have to be careful not to whet a shark's or lion's appetite."

Effects of Deforestation

From Anonymous:

"My class studied the rainforest and decided that we wanted to educate others about how deforestation affects us all. I divided the class into groups, which researched various aspects, such as foods, plants, medicines and characteristics of the rain forest. All children were required to retell what they learned to me and put it in a newsletter format on the computer. We then decided to bake desserts with ingredients from the rain forest, such as coconut, chocolate, vanilla, etc. We had a bake sale, with our huge rain forest mural as a backdrop, and made $75.00, which we used to adopt 2 acres of rain forest from the Nature Conservancy. We are also in the process of putting our research up on our own website, so we accomplished our goal, by informing others of the importance of the rain forest, through our newsletter, website and bake sale. It was a very valuable project."

Counting Birds

From Lois Weber, a retired teacher who works with Linda Daniel's first grade class at Sutherland Elementary in Palm Harbor, Florida:

"Each year Linda Daniel's class participates in the Cornell/Audubon Great Backyard Bird Count. She sends home a copy of Mark Trail, a cartoon that announces the competition, and a 'Might See List' of birds from the Palm Harbor Garden Club. Each student counts birds with their families, draws pictures and writes stories on their experiences. The collaboration of pictures and stories is mailed into the competition. Another bird activity is Project Feeder Watch. Students hang bird feeders in the schoolyard and keep a scrapbook of all the different birds they see. Students also make posters using pictures cut from magazines and newspapers. The students enjoy the activities and can't wait to count birds."

Exploring the Titanic

From Lisa Marvin, a fourth grade teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"My students read Exploring the Titanic by Robert Ballard as part of our oceanography unit. The students are asked to pretend that they were hired to design a brochure advertising the ship's features prior to its voyage. This demonstrates what the students have learned about the structure and the features of the Titanic. After reading several chapters, the students design paper and pencil sketches of their brochures. They include many facts and bits of information about the Titanic. Once they finish their paper draft and proofread it, they create the brochure using Print Shop on the computer. Students can add pictures to their brochures too. We then print them on paper that's specifically designed for brochures and display them."

Science Timelines

From Miriam Wilson, a science teacher at Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio:

"As a way to teach science as an ever-changing body of knowledge, I have the students do a science timeline along side of a personal timeline. They thoroughly enjoy the research we do on the Internet and in the library. They get experience doing searches and using almanacs and other reference books and magazines. The discoveries and changes that have occurred during their lifetimes fascinate them. They are thrilled to share their personal timelines with others because they have the opportunity to show pictures of themselves as they have grown and changed. We hang our science and personal timelines in the hallway and share our findings."

Famous Scientists

From Elena Maldonado-Vargas, a chemistry teacher at University of Puerto Rico High School in San Juan, Puerto Rico:

"I put my students into small groups to select a scientist that contributed to the atomic theory. They must creatively represent the work of these scientists and their contribution. They use music, commercial spots, comedy and dress like the years in which the scientist lived. After the presentation, the small groups formally discuss and use audiovisuals to explain the most important and relevant things their scientist contributed to the atomic theory with the whole class."

Science & Science Fiction

From John J. Fatuzzo, a science teacher at Eric S. Smith Middle School in Ramsey, New Jersey:

"In order to get students hooked on science, I use SciFi video tapes. These classics from the 1950s to the 1990s are used not only to motivate the student, but also to enrich and enhance the curriculum. This approach has interdisciplinary applications and can be adapted to grades 6-12."

Hurricane Season

From Luz E. Cardona Perez, a science teacher at Ricardo Arroyo Laracuente Bilingual Intermediate School in Dorado, Puerto Rico

"In the beginning of the school year, I introduce hurricanes in Puerto Rico to the students. The class explores weather conditions in the tropic using the Internet. We discuss the research we do on the Internet and complete the research by using the newspaper weather news. The students are asked to complete a family emergency plan during hurricane season. They build a model of their house showing safe and non-safe areas. Most students are surprised when they realize their house might not resist a hurricane. After the presentation, the students share the information with their families in order to prevent a possible disaster during a severe storm or hurricane."

• Reluctant Readers (6 tips)
• Variations on Book Reports (7 tips)
• Bookswaps and Exchanges (2 tips)
• Studying Characters (4 tips)
• Relating Reading to Real Life (3 tips)
• Reading Comprehension (10 tips)
• Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) (3 tips)
• Read Across America Activities (9 tips)
• Readathons/Reading Week (6 tips)
• Guest Readers (2 tips)
• Reading Games (6 tips)
• Integrated Reading Activities (5 tips)
• Reading Exercises (10 tips)

Reluctant Readers

Repeated Readings

From MariLou Anderson, an elementary special education teacher at Grygla Public School in Grygla, Minnesota:

"I have a communication system that works well for children who are experiencing reading difficulties. I present a short book to the student, have the student read it to me, and then send it home in a manila envelope. (I use the recycled envelopes from the office that they save for me.) The student must read the book to an adult at home, have the adult sign the envelope and bring the envelope back to school. The same envelope can be used again and again and it's a good record of what books the student has read. Next, the student reads the book to me again and he/she gets a sticker. Five stickers earns the student time on the computer for learning games. By the time the students read their books to me, they can read them fluently and their self esteem soars!"

Encouraging Oral Reading

From John Shuler, a second grade teacher at Jones Paideia Magnet School in Nashville, Tennessee:

"My students are assigned fifteen to twenty minutes of oral reading each evening as part of their homework. They read to their parents and then list what they've read in a reading log. The kids really get a kick out of the assignment when I tell them to 'read to your dog or cat tonight' or 'record your reading and then play it back'. They not only read more but have fun while doing it."

Shirt Story

From a learning support specialist in Pennsylvania:

"A little reluctant 2nd grade reader that I work with was exceptionally proud of a t-shirt his Mom had brought back for him from a trip. He happily told me all about it with puffed chest so I could see it clearly. He was so enthused that it prompted me to extend his interest by photocopying the shirt and then writing a short story with his ideas. It was simple to lay the shirt on the Xerox machine, adjust the darkness and copy his raccoon shirt. He read his story to his class and handed out copies of his shirt for them to color."

Encouraging Students To Read Aloud

From Terence Drew, a sixth grade bilingual teacher at Stetson Middle School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

"One way to encourage students to read out loud is to send student teams of two, three or four into a corner of the room with a video camera and a reading assignment. At the end of the day, I play three or four minutes of the tape in front of the class. No one knows which minutes will be played. After cycling through the whole class a few times, even some of my less able out loud readers will now volunteer to be taped reading. Choral reading in front of the camera is also something that works for less able readers."

A Purpose to Read

From Tina Schneider, a title reading teacher at Southeast Warren Intermediate School in Lacona, Iowa:

"Through a service learning grant I was able to purchase hard cover story books for my students to read aloud during story time at the local library. Three students read on a Saturday morning once a month. The books are then donated to the library with a special book jacket recognizing the student who selected it. This program has been very motivating and rewarding for my reluctant readers."

Reading Assignment Accountability

From Linda Means Golomb, a third and fourth grade teacher at Cedar Creek School in Canyon County, California:

"In elementary school when students are learning to read, the more practice they can get, the better. I give a nightly reading assignment and provide a parent sign-off sheet in their homework folder in order to document completion of the assignment. Many students - too often the ones who need the extra reading practice the most - simply did not bother to do their nightly reading.

Then I came up with the 'Reading Roundup Chart.' Using the last few inches cut from a white incentive chart I simply color in a square for each reading group which has 100% nightly reading signed each day. Each group has its own color and they watch the progress of their group with much anticipation. The best part is, I don't have to say a word; peer pressure takes over. No one wants to be the person in their reading group that keeps them from 'getting a square.' The first group to fill in its row across the chart (it usually takes a few months) gets to have a pizza lunch with the teacher, or whatever incentive you want to use. Since establishing this 'competition' I have extended it to include not only signed reading but also having their materials for reading (e.g., their book and homework folder). It works like a charm."

Variations on Book Reports

Students Sell Books

From Janet Kominek, a fifth grade teacher at Powell Elementary in North Baltimore, Ohio:

"I require a book report once a month from every student. I like to vary the report format so this month my students will try to sell their book. The students will have two minutes or less to try to persuade others to read it. After everyone has had their two minutes, each student will have a play dollar to buy/vote for the book that they would most like to read. The winner can choose a book from the book order which I will pay for with our class bonus points."

Hanging Book List

From Janet Keohane, a fifth grade teacher:

"Each morning, the students in my class announce the books they finished reading the night before and give brief summaries. They often recommend a book to a friend saying, 'You would enjoy this book because?' I made each child a hanging book list with a sheet of paper hanging from a wooden dowel. As they complete a book, they add it to their list. We staple more paper to the lists as they fill them up. Students can hardly wait to share they have finished another novel. Our class has read about a book a week per child. When the class total reaches one hundred books read, we celebrate with a popcorn party."

Learning From Wisdom Books

From Mark Graler, a fifth grade science and language arts teacher at Columbia Elementary in Kings Mills, Ohio:

"After our class reads about five wisdom books, I divide the class into five groups. I assign one of the books that we've read to each group and they review it with the question, 'What did the author want me to learn from this book?' in mind. The students write down their thoughts. Then, I type their ideas and hang them around the room. The 'wisdom' is written in kid language and everyone has contributed. I find that more students participate in this small group activity than will volunteer to share their thoughts during a large group discussion."

30 Second Book Reports

From Joni Reed, a teacher in the adolescent day treatment program in Jefferson County, Colorado:

"I take the class to the library. All students choose an interesting book, newspaper or magazine on their reading level. We return to the classroom and I set a timer for 10, 20 or 30 minutes, depending on the age and attention span of the class. Everyone (including me) reads quietly until it goes off. I reinforce quiet readers with tangibles or praise but reset the timer if talking/playing persists. Peer pressure will put a stop to disruptive behavior in a hurry since it affects the entire class. When the timer goes off, everyone has thirty seconds to give an oral report on what they read. In order to model what is expected, I go first. We tell the title and author first and then briefly summarize the selection and complete our report with a one-sentence opinion statement."

Point of View Reports

From Margie Morley, an eighth grade reading teacher at Bear Lakes Middle School in West Palm Beach, Florida:

"Many times my students want to do a book report on a book they really enjoyed in 6th grade. I discourage that practice because introducing students to new authors is my priority. However, when I am able to make an exception, I require the student to write a point of view evaluation of the book. The paper has to review the book from the eyes of a sixth grader and then compare and contrast that to the eyes of an eighth grader. Two benchmarks are covered: making the reading/writing connection and demonstrating mastery of comparison/contrast papers. An added bonus is that students learn that re-reading a novel brings new insight. They apply that skill to study skill applications."

Advertising Books with Posters

From Sandi Flowers, an eighth grade reading teacher at Springdale High School in Springdale, Pennsylvania:

"My students will be designing posters 'advertising' their favorite books and why other people should read them. They will be posted in our hall. I have polled our faculty and will be posting a list of everyone's comments about reading and the names of books that have changed their lives. We will also have a list of celebrities' favorite books. I want to send my students the message that successful people are readers."

Making Book Covers

From Sue Kast, a fifth grade teacher at Vintage Hills School in Pleasanton, California:

"We do 'Beautiful Book Covers.' I usually have the students choose a classic book from the school library to read. Often they are aged books that have bare or no covers to them. The students are to change these ugly books into beautiful books by designing book covers for them. They have to make an appropriate cover with title and author displayed. On the inside front flap they summarize the book and do research to learn about the author. This information goes on the inside back flap. The back is used for them to give their personal opinion and rate the book. This is where they give themselves credit for the work done. I have these laminated and the librarian codes the covers. These then become part of our library collection. You have to change the type of book being read from year to year, but students are always pulling them off the shelves to see how much the book was enjoyed by others."

Bookswaps and Exchanges

From Rosann Fox, a library media specialist at Centennial Junior High School in Casper, Wyoming:

"I have a sure fire way to circulate books. Our library media center "purchases" students' used paperbacks for the cover price with fake funny money. After a week of buying, the books are organized by genre and displayed for sale to those who possess the fake funny money. Hint: when advertising this event, make sure that you state you will 'buy' appropriate [age level] books only, or you will get little brothers' or sisters' discards. The kids love it, moms love the cleaner room, and kids get new books to read."

Book Swap with 2-for-1 Coupons

From Sonja Yefsky, a reading specialist at Central Middle School in Parsippany, New Jersey:

"Each year our school holds Drop Everything And Read (Dear) Week. It has become an annual tradition eagerly awaited by students and staff alike. We hold a book swap for students and staff. So that everyone will be prepared for DEAR week, and have a book they enjoy for the evening of March 2 [see Read Across America Activities], students and staff will bring in books that are gently used and age appropriate to be swapped during one period of our school day. We have a contest for which grade level can bring in the most books and offer 2 for l coupons. On day of the swap participants can select as many books as they have coupons. The additional books are donated to an appropriate needy facility."

Studying Characters

Breaking Up Story Dialogue

From Amy Cody, a seventh grade language arts teacher at Walton-Verona High School in Walton, Kentucky:

"A great way to help kids break up a story into its proper format when dialogue is concerned is to use different colored highlighters. Have students highlight one speaker in one color and another speaker in another color, etc. When they finish, they should be able to drop down and indent for each new speaker. The colors will guide them!"

Teaching Quotation Marks

From Carla Herbert, a fourth grade teacher at Howard Wilson School in Leavenworth, Kansas:

"In my class, we read novels out loud. I am usually the narrator during the first semester and the students read what is inside the quotation marks. I talk about how quotation marks tell what the character said. It's a great way to teach how each character has a new paragraph, especially in some books where it does not tell who is speaking. By the second semester, my students are writing stories with conversations."

Friends Around the World

From Kathie Anderson, a first grade teacher at Lowell School in Sioux City, Iowa:

"I do a 'Friends Around the World' theme using the Madeline book series. We begin by giving interesting facts about the author, Ludwig Bemelmans whose wife's name was Madeline, and then we read the first Madeline book. We make a Madeline out of paper and do a character description for her. We make a paper suitcase and talk about what we will need to take with us if we go to France where Madeline lives. We make a passport with our school picture in them, make a ticket, and make clothes, sunglasses and whatever else we would like to put in our suitcase. After learning several facts about France and learning about several landmarks in Paris, we pretend that we are going on a plane trip to France and I show the slides of my own trip there. We also read the Anatole books and sample French cheese. We make a journal of our trip to Paris and put pictures in it that the children draw. At the end of our unit, we have a French breakfast for parents. I make homemade French bread that is a