Elementary Education Commons^™

Teaching Poetry Writing In The Primary Grades, Staci Cramer-Wilkinson

Graduate Research Papers

This project examines the use of poetry to teach writing and the impact this instruction has on the primary classroom. The purpose of this project is to explore poetry instruction, examine how it has traditionally been taught, and provide professional development to classroom teachers that focuses on the effective use of poetry instruction in the classroom. The professional development sessions include Power Point presentations, small and large group discussions, and practical classroom application. Benefits and challenges of poetry instruction are also provided.

Instruction And Direction Of A Process Drama At Valley View Elementary School, Mindy Curtis

Master of Theater Production Graduate Projects

This project entailed the selection, research, structuring, implementation, documentation, and post-production analysis of an original theatrical work created through process drama at Valley View Elementary School. Documentation includes research, structure, implementation, and evaluation of the process for the Valley View Elementary School music program.

Ua94/7/3 Student / Alumni Personal Papers Training School Marion Adams, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Marion Adams and collected by him during his years at WKU Training School and College High. The collection includes school books, correspondence and report cards.

Ua1c11/8 - Sarah Richardson Photograph Collection, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Collection of Training School and College High photographs pulled from UA94.7.1 Sarah Richardson Papers.

Fifth Grade Student Learning And Interest In The American Revolution Through Reading Graphic Novels Compared To Reading Biography Or Other Nonfiction Books, Kari Bosma

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine student recall of facts, along with enjoyment of reading and interest in the topic when using graphic novels as compared to illustrated nonfiction prose in social studies content area reading. Twenty-two fifth grade students (13 f, 9 m) in a public school in a Midwestern state participated in the study. Half of the students read about the Boston Massacre and Patrick Henry through graphic novels and read about Paul Revere and the Boston Tea Party with illustrated nonfiction texts, with the other half doing the opposite. The mean number of correct ideas …

The Role Of The Teacher Librarian Engaged In Collaboration With A Classroom Teacher During Implementation Of A Pilot Iowa Core Curriculum Unit, Mary Beth Janssen

Graduate Research Papers

This action research study was a mixed methods investigation of a previously taught Native American unit modified to include Iowa Core Curriculum (ICC) content and 21^st Century Learning standards, planned and implemented via a collaborative effort between a rural school district K-12 teacher librarian (TL) and a 5^th grade classroom social studies teacher. The two research questions being investigated asked what TL-led collaborative looks like during implementation of an ICC unit and who benefits from an ICC unit led by a TL in collaborative with a classroom teacher written interview, field notes of the TL and classroom teacher, …

Martin, Anna Katherine (Flege), 1902-1976 (Sc 1841), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 1841. Diary kept from 1 January 1923 to 14 August 1923 by Anna Katherine Flege, Grant County, Kentucky. She relates details of her life as a teacher in the one-room Round Top School. She also comments about the weather, her family and home life, and her participation in community social and religious activities.

Forest City: The City On The Hill, Teresa Pietsch

Graduate Research Papers

Studying the local community helps students learn more about the place they live. It helps them comprehend the past, perform in the present, and predict the future. Understanding its history and people builds a sense of pride and belonging. Currently, the local community is studied by the third grade at Forest City Elementary. Teaching and learning about the community requires careful selection and presentation of materials. Students learn through narratives, primary sources, cultural universals, and the interaction between new sources of information and prior experiences. Unfortunately, information about the community of Forest City is lacking. Material is not easily accessible …

Piano Study And Gender Associations: A Query Into The Perceptions Of Children Ages Five To Fourteen, Richard C. Winfree

Music Theses & Dissertations

From its inception, male composers and performers such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Cliburn, and Kempffhad dominated piano performance. Recent research suggests, however, that the piano has been designated with a feminine gender stereotype. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of public school children ages five to fourteen years old relative to gender association and piano study to determine if a gender stereotype existed and at what age, if any, the stereotype stabilized.

To achieve this purpose, two surveys were created and implemented by the researcher. The first survey was administered to 879 students in …

Visual Perceptions: A Study Of How Children Can Learn Through Pictures, Melody L. Gustas

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to team teach a third grade unit on Bettendorf city history using the minimal resources that are available to teachers. The focus was to increase assessment scores of students who were exposed to current up-to-date photographs of their city. The hypothesis for this research was: If third grade students are taught using current up-to-date photographs of their city then they will be more likely to remember places and landmarks that they study.

The students were divided into two groups. Both groups received the same lessons on Bettendorf history in their classroom. One group then …

Same-Sex Marriage And Public School Curricula: Preserving Parental Rights To Direct The Education Of Their Children, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Recreational Technology And Its Impact On The Learning Development Of Children Ages 4-8: A Meta-Analysis For The 21st Century Cl, Joey Templeton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on technology (specifically video games and interactive software games) and their effects on the cognitive development of children ages 4-8. The research will be conducted as a meta-analysis combining research and theory in order to determine if the educational approach to this age group needs to change/adapt to learners who have been affected by this technology. I will focus upon both the physical and mental aspects of their development and present a comprehensive review of current educational theory and practice. By examining current curriculum goals and cross-referencing them to research conducted in fields other than education (i.e. …

The German And American Educational Systems Compared (1985-2004), Christian Becker

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Becoming A Better Me : An Examination Of Character Education At The Elementary Level, Lori D. Dobbin

Graduate Research Papers

The first day of school can be a difficult adjustment for many students. Some . students struggle with new settings and new rules. Each student enters the classroom with personal morals and values. These morals and character traits greatly influence the student's academic and social progress. This paper reviews character building and its unique ability to alter the perception of the student's world. The paper looks at the deficits of character and introduces possible solutions to restoring character in elementary-aged children. A closer look at the history of character education lays the foundation for a better understanding of character.

Mosaic: Exploring Patterns In Literature: Volume 2: Virtual Voyages, Institute For The Development Of Gifted Education, Ricks Center For Gifted Children, University Of Denver

Ricks Curriculum Units Series

Virtual Voyages is an integrated thematic unit developed to weave together the academic strands of geography and literature into a single curriculum that fosters appreciation, awareness, and understanding of cultures around the world. The individualized research format meets the needs of gifted students to work within a particular area of passion, to work at an individualized pace, and to work with depth and breadth on projects that especially engage their interests.

Using Music As A Classroom Tool, Gail Foreman

All Graduate Projects

The main focus of the project was to develop resources that will use music as a tool to improve literacy and support learning in third grade self contained classrooms. Research provides strong data connecting the relationship of music to academic achievement, language arts and improved test scores. This project provides prototype lesson plans that support grade level expectations and uses t4e Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements as a basis for the concepts being taught. A unit of lesson plans was developed that integrates music into the language arts. Worksheets, graphic organizers and a music book list were developed as …

Is Teaching History Reasonable, Worthwhile, And Beneficial In The Elementary Grades?, Jill Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

The literature review paper provided reassures the reader that in fact it is beneficial and most importantly, vital to teach historical knowledge to students. Through extensive research, multiple studies confirmed the importance of history instruction in the elementary classroom accompanied with worthwhile, meaningful lessons that allow the students to truly analyze, explore, and internalize the material.

In attempt to provide a quality education for all American students, we must take the following steps: implementing and analyzing more research in regards to history instruction in the elementary classroom; ensure that all educators have an adequate wealth of background knowledge in the …

Mosaic: Exploring Patterns In Literature: Volume 1: Faerie Tales, Institute For The Development Of Gifted Education, Ricks Center For Gifted Children, University Of Denver

Ricks Curriculum Units Series

This curriculum was born from a true love of the magic of words and the passion that gifted students display for exploring the wondrous world of fantasy. The reading was designed to highlight the elements of traditional faerie tales in stories that engage students and inspire them to create their own miraculous stories. Each literature project was specially created to motivate students to demonstrate in-depth understanding of these specific novels and to facilitate their perception of the elements of faerie tales as a distinct genre. The writer's guide directs students through the steps of composing an original faerie tale.

Music That Teaches, Susan L. Carroll

Graduate Research Papers

Not many materials for librarians are available in a participatory form. Most materials are available for presentation. But research has shown that affective learning, which allows students to participate, has had a positive effect on young children learning their basic skills. This research project will be used for participation. The research project used the standards, benchmarks, and objectives found in library curricula for kindergarten through third graders. These standards were the basis of the lyrics to the songs. Music was composed to complement the lyrics and a songbook was designed which included these songs, illustrations, and suggestions for activities to …

Educational Decision-Making, Gender, And The Question Of Sustainable Development In Rural Kenya, Nathan Ziegler

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Australia: An Integrated Curriculum Unit, Grades 2-4, 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 …

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 …

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 …

Using Literature And Language Arts To Teach The American Revolution To Fifth Grade Students, Tara L. Affholter

All Graduate Projects

Teachers who combine language arts with social studies are not only able to teach content, but can also integrate literary elements and comprehension as well, while using literature groups. Students who were taught using novels, with various writing tasks to complete, lectures, and projects made great gains in social studies content, reading writing and communication skills.

Developing Reading Skills Through The Use Of Music, Toni Baffaro Hobbs

All Graduate Projects

Music is a powerful language that can enhance a classroom. This project was designed to support early literacy by using music. Songs were chosen and activities designed to supplement a beginning reading program. A compact disc of the songs was created to use in conjunction with the activities. It is hoped that the utilization of singing and reading together will not only help children learn to read but also foster a love for reading.

Bridging Connections Between Teachers' Racial Identities And Their Teaching Practices, Sandras M. Barnes

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how three Black female teachers and three White female teachers of kindergarten, first grade, and eighth grade understand the connections between their racial identity and their teaching practices . Specifically, it sought to understand how they experience their first awareness of racial difference and the influence their family, community, and school had on their construct of race. Also, how their preparation to teach reinforced, expanded, altered, or demystified their understanding of racial differences as a means to teach all children . The study used a phenomenologically based, lived experienced methodology to interview …

Portrayal Of Character Pillars Defined By Character Counts! In Children’S Bestselling Literature 1950-1999, Stephanie J. Stocks

Graduate Research Papers

Becoming a person of character is an individual responsibility, yet society uses institutions and media to help guide future generations to obtain virtues and moral values. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the pillars of character depicted in children's literature published in the United States from 1950-1999 reflect the renewal in character education programs for schoolchildren.

A content analysis was used to analyze twenty-five best-selling children's picture books from 1950-1999 that were randomly selected to be in the sample population. This researcher looked for positive and negative instances of the six pillars, trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, …

The Mathematics Of Sound: Integrating Music Into A Math Curriculum, Shawn William Meacham

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop prototype lesson plans that connects and integrates musical and mathematical concepts at the 5th grade level. Both musical and mathematical concepts can be enhanced when studying the correlation between the two subjects. This project will provide lesson plans and activities using the Washington State Essential Academic Leaming Requirements as a basis for the concepts being taught. The goal of the project is to inspire teachers to use integration throughout the curriculum. An integrated curriculum develops and supports the coherence of ideas and concepts taught within our schools. By fostering our natural instinct …

A Model Music Curriculum For Elementary-Level Students In Taiwan, Mei-Fang Ho

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a model music curriculum for elementary-level students in Taiwan. With the current music curriculum utilized recently in Taiwan, this project will help the elementary-level students to develop their music potentials. In addition, teachers can educate students according to their level oflearning at different periods of time. To accomplish this purpose, a review ofrelated literature was conducted. Additionally, selected materials were obtained and adapted for use.

Teacher Reflection In A School Committed To Student Reflection, Debra Richardson Smith

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of three veteran teachers in an elementary school in which there was an explicit commitment to fostering children's reflection about their own learning.