Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Environmental Awareness Curriculum For First Grade, Dianna Lynn Whitley

All Graduate Projects

An environmental curriculum was created to increase student's awareness about their environment. The purpose was to provide students with knowledge and skills to participate in environmental issues. Three sub-topics were researched, Waste Management, Water Pollution and Water Conservation. Lessons were developed for all three areas to implement in a first grade classroom. The lessons are diverse and will meet the needs of all learning styles.

Integrating The Primary Grades Curriculum Using A Science Activity Handbook For A Classroom Pet, Sue Wilson

All Graduate Projects

An integrated activity handbook for a guinea pig, a classroom or home pet, has been developed to aid teachers in incorporating science into the elementary classroom. Studies indicate the importance of science education for young children. This integrated approach has been found to be a means to connect various academic areas such as science, reading, and mathematics. The Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements contain many elements, features, and forms that can be met in the materials and activities in this project. Research and literature regarding science education were explored.

A Model Mathematics Problem Solving Curriculum For Randle Elementary School In Randle, Washington In The White Pass School District, Randy A. Torrey

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design and develop a model fifth grade mathematics curriculum, in alignment with Washington State Essential Academic Leaming Requirements, for the White Pass School District in Washington. To accomplish this purpose, a review of cun-ent research and literature was conducted and used to develop unit and lesson plans for a model problem solving mathematics curriculum. The results support the hypothesis that mathematic concepts are better understood when problem solving skills are used. Implications for using problem solving skills in a mathematics cuniculum are discussed.

A Handbook For First Grade Children's Literature: A Teacher's Guide To Pre-Reading Comprehension Strategies For The Second Language Learner, Tiffany Lynn Wise

All Graduate Projects

Relevant literature pertaining to reading, reading comprehension, comprehension evaluation, characteristics of readers, findings regarding strategy instruction and its use on comprehension, and specific pre-reading strategies was studied. The need for second language learners to receive comprehension strategies in order to develop schemata, activate prior knowledge, and develop meaning for unknown vocabulary was noted. Teaching specific reading strategies to increase the second language learner's comprehension of a text was emphasized. A handbook of pre-reading strategies to be used with first grade learners was created for teacher use. The handbook outlines each pre-reading strategy, its purpose, and the procedure to follow when …

Promoting Literacy Through Literature And Content-Based Radings In The Secondary English-As-A-Second-Language Classroom In Conjunction With The In Contact 1 Curriculum: A Handbook For Educators, Tanya Lynn Adamson

All Graduate Projects

The use of literature and content-based readings in the secondary ESL classroom was researched. The research suggests that providing second language learners with meaningful readings that provide for comprehensible input will build schema and background knowledge that will help them to be successful in their content area classes. A handbook for educators was created to supplement the existing curriculum, as well as to show readers that this type of supplemental reading handbook can be created by anyone to be used with any type of ESL curriculum. This handbook contains both literature and content-based resources that coincide with the themes and …

The Integration Of Music Education Strategies Into The Regular First Grade Elementary Classroom, Gloria Jane Frueh

All Graduate Projects

A handbook of activities for teaching music in an elementary first grade classroom was developed for use by first grade regular classroom teachers. A review of current educational research implicates music as being a valued discipline in early educational development of children. A number of public schools do not have a music specialist. If music education is to be part of the school's curriculum, it will have to be taught by the regular classroom teacher. Using the National Standards for Music Education and this handbook as a guide, teachers can address the nine music education fundamentals. Integration and assessment strategies …

Integrating Literature Into The Science And Social Studies Curricula: A Curriculum Guide For Grade Two, Jennifer M. Donald

All Graduate Projects

The adoption of the Open Court reading program in conjunction with the Washington Read's Grant was the initial idea for this project. The integration of science and social studies themes was researched, and found to be beneficial in the teaching of those content areas. A handbook for second grade educators was created to integrate the adopted science and social studies topics with the newly adopted reading curriculum at Vale Elementary in Cashmere, Washington. This handbook contains a scope and sequence, literature libraries for three reading achievement levels, the benchmarks and essential learning's for the designated topics, and suggested activities for …

A Secondary Multicultural Discipline Based Art Education General Art Education, Rex Randall Deloney

All Graduate Projects

With the growing number of multicultural populations in Washington State schools, there is a need to provide all students with an understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures. The goal of the Discipline Based Art Education is to enhance understanding of other cultures through the study of art. This project was developed to foster multicultural awareness among students and to help them better understand themselves, their communities, and the world in which they live. Through a multicultural discipline based art education curriculum, students will be able to see themselves and the personal connections they have with what is being taught in …

The Role Of The Administrator In Instructional Technology Policy, Philip T.K. Daniel, Jason P. Nance

UF Law Faculty Publications

In response to national and state reform movements, and in an attempt to strengthen preparation standards for teachers and students, accreditation boards have prepared performance indicators in the area of technology. Such standards call for the full integration of technology in school curricula, formal coursework and professional development workshops for teachers, and an understanding on the part of teachers and students alike as to the legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of technology. The thesis of this research is that it is essential that school administrators be involved in all levels of planning and integrating technology into school curricula …

Implementing Student-Led Conferences, Allyson Forney

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the effects of conducting student-led conferences. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with conducting student-led conferences were discussed. Guidelines were presented for teachers to conduct effective student-led conferences. Conclusions were drawn from the literature, and recommendations were made for the future implementation of student-led conferences.

The Multicultural Teaching Portfolio, Matt Kaplan

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

This essay explores the rationale for building a multicultural portfolio and offers strategies for documenting and reflecting on multicultural teaching and learning.

Adventure Education And Learning Communities: Linking Classroom Learning With Everyday Life, Andrew J. Bobilya, Lynn D. Akey

Academic Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Improving After-School Programs : A Literature Review, Harriet A. Davis

Graduate Research Papers

The desire and need for after-school programs in the United States is steadily increasing especially for low- to moderate-income children and adolescents. Studies show after-school program participants watch less television and spend more time in academic activities and enrichment lessons (Posner and Vandell 1994). As a result, these programs are extremely beneficial to children who participate in them. After-school programs also provide a safe haven for countless children who need adult supervision at the end of the regular school day.

The following analysis is a compilation of information derived from scholarly journals, books, organizations participating in after-school programs, Internet sources, …

Music And Software Piracy : Issues And Solutions For Music Teachers And Media Intensive Educators, Chad Criswell

Graduate Research Papers

The rampant piracy of digital materials is not just a problem for the individual home user. In today's world it is increasingly a concern for educators and their school district as a whole. Many recent court actions have been brought against school districts based the illegal use of unlicensed software and other copyrighted materials. This project presents the issues of music and software piracy and the legalities of the United States Copyright Act. It presents common examples for use in the music or media intensive classroom, as well as legal usage requirements including the payment of royalties and purchase of …

Middle School Art And The Internet, John F. Bueltel

Graduate Research Papers

This graduate project focuses on the efforts of one middle school art teacher to integrate the Internet into the middle school art curriculum at one middle school in Iowa. Classrooms with Internet access increased to 63 percent in 2000 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2000) with similar numbers of school age children ( 65 percent) having Internet access in their homes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001). Art teachers have been reluctant to embrace this technology (Matthews, 1997) even though many art education resources exist on the Internet. The Internet can provide a vast resource of artwork from web sites published by …

Vocabulary : A Building Block In Reading, Lisa L. Capper

Graduate Research Papers

From all of my reading and research, I learned that vocabulary is an essential part of teaching. In all of the curriculum areas, knowledge of vocabulary is important. With word understanding, comprehension grows and so does the student's knowledge.

Vocabulary development activities not only include many opportunities for students to be actively involved with reading a variety of books, but, through vocabulary instruction, the teacher directly teaches important words and strategies to help students understand what they are reading. Through the use of a variety of strategies I observed how different strategies can help students learn and grow in their …

Adult Distance Learners In Distance Education : A Literature Review, Yu Cao

Graduate Research Papers

Distance education is a current reality creating new opportunities and challenges for educational institutions, offering students expanded choices in where, when, how and from whom they learn, and making education accessible to a large population, especially for adult learners. This paper intends to present and discuss some of the most current research on the issues which influence adult distance learners' learning process. And help the school administrators, distance course designers and distance instructors to truly understand adult distance learners and their learning needs; design an effective and efficient learning environment and experience; facilitate adult learners' learning, provide learners' support to …

Creating A User Friendly Website For The Boys & Girls Clubs Of Black Hawk County, Kimberly M. Carter

Graduate Research Papers

Website design can be overwhelming for many viewers. Many times viewers discontinue using sites, because it.is not easy to navigate through the site. In creating the website for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Black Hawk County, user-friendliness was the focal point of the project. The Chief Professional Officer along with the staff at the Boys & Girls Clubs assisted with the development of a website by providing information that was to be included on the site. To ensure a professional look the designer relied on the four basic principles of design: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. The design simplicity …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Team-Teaching Involving General And Special Education Teachers In Early Childhood Programs, Lesley Janelle Ehlers

Graduate Research Papers

This paper examined the effects of team teaching in early childhood programs. Variations of team teaching were described. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with team teaching were also discussed. Guidelines were presented for educators concerning the successful implementation of team teaching. Conclusions were drawn from the literature and recommendations were made for educators interested in team teaching.

Teaching Literacy In Kindergarten, Dawnette Diane Leslie

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined ways of teaching literacy in the kindergarten. Benefits and problems associated with teaching reading in kindergarten were discussed. Guidelines were presented for teachers implementing literacy instruction in kindergartens. Conclusions were drawn from the literature and recommendations were made for teaching reading to kindergarten students.

Promoting Word Recognition Through Parent Workshops, Michelle Lynn Reicks

Graduate Research Papers

Awareness about the powerful influence of the family on children's literacy development has gained national prominence in recent years. Improved consistency between home and school can be reached by teaching the parent about literacy learning in order to reach the child. However, parent involvement can be difficult, especially when their children are considered to be at-risk of having reading delays. To encourage parent involvement through parent workshops can improve literacy development at home, based on the assumption that improving the literacy skills of parents results in better educational experiences for their children.

Raising Cultural Awareness In The Elementary Classroom Through African-American Children's Literature, Kirsten Seebeck

Graduate Research Papers

This research project topic was selected because of the need for raised cultural awareness in elementary classrooms, as indicated in current research findings. I chose African-American literature because in this region of the United States, Iowa in particular, the classrooms tend to be largely homogenous. Children who are from African-American descent find themselves to be in the minority in their classroom settings.

These children are not seeing many other children like themselves in their school community. It is therefore important that they see themselves in the literature shared within this community, in order to help them to relate to their …

The Production Of A School District Video For Promotional Purposes, Rodney R. Zehr

Graduate Research Papers

Video production for educational purposes is becoming more popular in American schools today because of the advancement of technology. With the development of digital cameras, digital video, and various forms of digital-editing software for the computer, American schools can now tap into a new and growing form of media that will continue to grow in popularity as technology continues to advance in the future. 1 The video project for the Mason City Community School District in Mason City, Iowa was initiated as a graduate project through the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. This project was started because …

Motivation And Mandatory Standardized Testing: Utilizing The School Counselor As Consultant, Liaison, Trainer, And Advocate, Trent Taylor

Graduate Research Papers

Since the publication of "A Nation at Risk" in 1983, the emphasis on using standardized testing has dramatically increased (Burke & Lombardi, 1998). Political candidates at all levels are using the issues of accountability and testing in campaign advertisements and as focal points to attack opponents. Today, hundreds of thousands of achievement and aptitude tests are administered each year in educational settings (Hood & Johnson, 1997).

Removing Dust Bunnies And Expensive Paperweights From The Classroom : Effective Staff Development In Educational Technology, Margaret F. Krzywicki

Graduate Research Papers

With major funding directed toward putting technology in the classroom and training students to be tomorrow's workers, there needs to be an effective technology staff development program in place for the teachers. Developers of staff development programs need to include the learning style of adult learners (andragogy), instead of pedagogy. Successful staff development for the teachers must include innovation, release time, and quality equipment. The learning styles of adult learners should be foremost in the development of courses and workshops. Staff development is more than just the technical side of the technology. It should provide teachers with the tools to …

A Social Studies/Science Technology Project Manual For Upper Elementary Educators In The Dubuque Community School District, Jenny M. Kress

Graduate Research Papers

In the last five years, the Dubuque Community School District's technology infrastructure has grown tenfold. With the implementation of a district-wide networked computer system also came growing expectations for classroom teachers to provide technological opportunities for students (Dubuque Community School District, 2001). With the administration's eagerness to bring Dubuque's students into the information world, teachers have not been provided with any technology curriculum or manuals on how to incorporate computer projects into their lessons. This graduate research project was developed to give the classroom teacher a means to provide these technological opportunities in a very systematic and step-by-step manner. The …

Stories Of Re-Reading: Inviting Students To Reflect On Their Emotional Responses To Fiction, Brenda Daly

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Although most literature courses teach students to focus on textual analysis, this essay argues that students should be given opportunities for exploring their emotional responses to the text.

James Moffett’S Lit Crit And Holy Writ, Charles Suhor

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

In one of Moffett's final presentations, he traced parallels between literary criticism and the study of scripture from various traditions. He explained the development of his Points of View spectrum as a response to his high school teaching experiences and presented an updated version of the spectrum.

Millennium Moments: An Integrated Literature Unit, Institute For The Development Of Gifted Education, Ricks Center For Gifted Children, University Of Denver

Ricks Curriculum Units Series

As we begin the new millennium, with its recent challenges and complexities, many educators are looking back to the twentieth century as a rich source of subject matter for their students to investigate. Further, most state standards call for an exploration of "modern" history. Certainly, there are numerous curricular materials that provide historical summaries of the century. Indeed, Millennium Moments is best used in conjunction with resources that chronicle modern world history and provide contextual information. It is our hope that this interdisciplinary unit will serve to engage students firsthand in the discoveries, personalities, accomplishments, and cultural events of the …

Ocean: An Integrated Curriculum Unit, Institute For The Development Of Gifted Education, Ricks Center For Gifted Children, University Of Denver

Ricks Curriculum Units Series

An integrated curriculum is an instructional approach that connects the disciplines to an underlying theme or topic. Immersing students in an integrated-thematic unit provides the backdrop for experiences to occur across the disciplines. Shaping coursework around integrated themes is especially appropriate for gifted students, however using an integrated-thematic curriculum is appropriate for all learners as it develops students' abilities to make connections, to solve problems by looking at multiple perspectives, and to integrate information from different fields of experience. An integrated-thematic curriculum permits students to be active participants in their own learning as they design their own explorations and take …