Education Commons^™

An Extended Literature Base For An Integrated Unit: Forest Regions Of The United States, Barbara R. Wild

Graduate Research Papers

An example of extending literature-based language arts to an integrated social studies and science unit is presented in this paper. Justification for this type of learning environment is given by citing professional literature. Specific benefits to students are explained. The teacher and student roles in this unit are defined. Teacher-directed activities, literature groups, and student-selected center activities all work together to provide a learning environment in which students are engaged in learning, take responsibility for their learning, and find meaningful uses for language tasks--written and spoken.

The Technology Coordinators' Web Site Project, Jason Allen Vetter

Graduate Research Papers

Technology in the schools has been a major push in Iowa schools for the past ten years. Our state legislature has given each school district within the state money to purchase technology for their district (R. Herdliska, personal communication, February, 1999). With this money, districts have been forced to look for help in purchasing this computing equipment. Sometimes they look outside for help and hire people who have been in the business world to meet this need. Sometimes they are forced to look within their building to teachers and staff members who have a "niche" with technology to meet this …

Exploring Social Justice With Third Graders Through The Works Of Mildred D. Taylor, Elaine M. Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

We need to learn the history of the civilizations that have given us the framework for all of what we teach and learn. We must learn more specifically about the Americas and the European oppression, slavery, the Civil War in the United States, and the American Dream with liberty and justice for all. Still, perhaps the most significant learning, our change of heart, happens just one person at a time. It happens by developing those relationships of mutual care and concern.

For us, the voices came from [author] Mildred D. Taylor and from Nina [a student]. For social justice to …

Children's Perceptions Of Older Adults : Past And Present, Mary Kathryn Hatcher Jones

Graduate Research Papers

This study compared more recent research findings, 1990s to present, with the results of earlier research studies, 1970s and 1980s, to determine whether children's perceptions of older adults have changed. Factors that contribute to and inhibit children's positive perceptions of older adults were identified. Guidelines for facilitating children's positive perceptions of older adults were suggested, and conclusions were drawn from the literature. Recommendations were made for further study of children's perceptions of older adults.

Establishing Genuine Parent/Teacher Partnerships : A Home Visit Approach, Kimberly Jo Foy

Graduate Research Papers

This article is based on a teacher's personal experience with home visits and the feedback she received from parents. The home visits allowed the teacher to have a holistic view of students and their families. Quotes from an on-going journal convey a deepened relationship between the teacher and her parents. The goals of the home visits were to gain a deeper understanding of the children as readers, and communicate the child's developmental progress to the parents. Another goal was to understand parent perceptions toward home visitations, and build a parent/teacher partnership based on mutual respect. The results section of the …

An Instructional Development Project In Grade Two : The Theme Of Friendship, Trudy L. Lainson

Graduate Research Papers

The theme of friendship was extended through quality literature experiences and related expressive activities to second grade children at the beginning of the school year. The primary goals were to involve children in the language processes and to develop a community of friendly learners. Teacher-directed and student-initiated activities were provided. The student-initiated activities were presented as options through literature-based learning centers. The goals of the centers included ways to make friends and to be a friend, an understanding that friends can be of all ages, involvement in pals, ways to cope with difficulties encountered in friendships and to recognize each …

Concerns Based Adoption Of Instructional Technologies For Learning For Russian Pre-Service Early Childhood Education Students : A Pilot Study, Garth D. Cornish

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in concerns toward the use of instructional media for pre-service Russian elementary education teachers. Participants were a combination of 16 second- and third-year students in the early childhood department of Herzen Pedagogical University located in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) was used to gather data for the study. A pre-test was administered before a specially designed series of seminars and workshops on instructional technologies for learning were conducted. Post-test results were gathered at the conclusion of the seminars and workshops. Findings indicated that awareness levels of …

Reading Recovery And Its Issues, Carole L. Neary

Graduate Research Papers

The Reading Recovery Program, an intervention program for young school children who are literacy delayed, and the in-service program for teachers who will deliver the program are described. Teachers' views of the in-service program, the cost of the program, and an analysis of the program's effectiveness are presented.

The Future Of Educational Technology, Barbara F. Erlandson

Graduate Research Papers

Presents an overview of the role of educational technology. Inadequate teacher training, minimal technical support, limited money and time are seen as barriers to successful integration. The research involving each barrier is discussed, and suggestions are made for overcoming these barriers. The importance of classroom teacher is investigated. The current uses of educational technology are discussed as well as suggestions for the successful future use of educational technology. Concludes that technology will be partnered with education; the issue to be resolved by individual schools will be how to best use it to improve the educational process.

Nf99-367 Adult Western Corn Rootworm Insecticide Resistance In Nebraska, Robert Wright, Lance Meinke, Blair Siegfried

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebFact discusses insecticide resistance by adult western corn rootworms in Nebraska.

G99-1389 Cultural Practices To Improve Weed Control In Winter Wheat, Gail A. Wicks, Alex Martin, Drew J. Lyon

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide explains the influence of cultural practices on weeds in winter wheat. Precipitation and temperature greatly influence crop and weed growth in the semiarid areas of the central Great Plains. Precipitation in Nebraska varies from 14 to 24 inches where fallow is practiced. The purpose of fallow is to control weeds and, when not cropping a field, to store water and stabilize winter wheat fields. With good prewheat-fallow techniques, sufficient soil moisture is usually available to establish winter wheat. Peak rainfall occurs in May and June during the pollination and grain-filling period of winter wheat. The latter part of …

G99-1385 Common Stalk Rot Diseases Of Corn, James Stack

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Corn stalk rot diseases occur every year in every field to some extent. This NebGuide discusses the symptoms, impacts and management of these diseases.

Corn is grown throughout Nebraska on over 8 million acres of land; approximately 5 million acres are irrigated. Seed corn, field corn and specialty corns (e.g., high oil, high amylose and white corn) comprise the three main corn production systems. Field corn is grown on the most acreage. Whether grown in an irrigated or dryland production system, all corn hybrids are susceptible to a variety of stalk rot diseases. These diseases occur every year in every …

Nf99-396 Prevention And Control Of Cercospora Needle Blight Disease In Junipers And Cedars, Steven D. Rasmussen, John G. Duplissis

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebFact discusses methods to prevent and control cercospora needle blight disease in junipers and cedars.

Ec99-1877 Damping Off, Root Rots, And Vascular Disorders Of Soybean, Loren J. Giesler

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Soybeans are grown on nearly 4 million acres in Nebraska and are threatened by several diseases, soil-borne fungal diseases being the most common (for growers in the Midwest). Early season damping off and root rots often are followed by premature death, which in many instances is attributed to fungal infections earlier in the growing season causing root and cortical rots and vascular disorders.

This extension circular discusses these diseases, their symptoms and control.

Internet Project Involving Elementary Students And Pre-Service Teachers, Helen Westcott

Graduate Research Papers

This paper describes a project designed to help pre-service teachers use technology effectively in their future classrooms. The project provided the opportunity for pre-service elementary teachers to communicate with 2nd grade students via e-mail and the ICN, an interactive television communication network. The 2 groups of students collaborated to create a web site and HyperStudio presentations featuring children's literature. The project enhanced the motivation of 2nd grade students to read and to write. The pre-service teachers reported that the project helped them gain new technology skills and a better understanding of the students they would be teaching in the future.

A Literature-Based Extension Of A Basal Reading Unit, Julie J. Holdsworth-Nagal

Graduate Research Papers

A unit on friendship in the basal reader was extended to include many literature experiences and teacher-directed and student-initiated activities for children in second grade. Quality pieces of literature from different genres served as the unit's basis. Many different expressive activities that extended the literature experiences were offered through learning centers, both sustaining and specific to the unit. Children worked in the centers individually, in pairs, and in small groups. Whole group sharing time at the end of daily center sessions was provided.

The print-rich environment with many opportunities for engaging in the language processes led to quality comprehension-composition connections. …

Winter : A Literature-Based Unit For Kindergarten, Amy L. Murray

Graduate Research Papers

A literature-based program in a classroom can provide many opportunities for children to engage in the language 'process. As a result, children's thinking-language abilities are extended and their enthusiasm for involvement in classroom learning experiences is enhanced. Literature experiences representative of the different genres add dimensions to the study of themes and topics.

A literature base and related expressive activity for the topic of winter in kindergarten is presented in this article. The subtopics of the unit include seasonal changes, weather, outdoor activities, clothing and changes in animal behavior. Teacher-directed and student-initiated activities through learning centers are presented.