Darlene Said:

Project ideas for a special education class?

We Answered:

There are so many different things you can do! Teaching with projects, especially interdisciplinary ones, can be fun and exciting.

You might try choosing a novel and having assignments related to it. For example, How to Eat Fried Worms. Students can create a worm garden, calculate how much materials are needed for it, write letters to businesses asking for the materials and why they want them, observe the worms and create a daily log about them, and complete many creative writing assignments about worms. For social studies research what other cultures eat, and for math they can create graphs for how fast the worms grow, and measure the worms. And don't forget how worms fit into the food cycle. You can end the unit with the movie and gummy worms.

There are so many great books out there, and you can always use books on tape if students have a hard time reading them - check your local library for more.

Go with whatever topic the students are interested in and create assignments around it. Since Christmas is coming up, consider the book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Students can turn the book into a play, create scenery, calculate the cost of materials needed to build the sets, study Christmas in other countries, other holidays in December, and more. Students can also create a holdiay meal including shopping (using grocery store flyers), which can include budgeting skills, make a guest list (living or dead and why they'd invite that person) table decorations, etc. You could actually cook a meal, too. There is also a movie to go along with this book with Loretta Swit from MASH. There are so many possiblities!

If you're going to cook consider the cook book Gross Grub. It's really funny and gross with fun and easy things to make, perfect for boys.

Some authors have also come out with cookbooks to go along with their novels. There's one that's a companion to Roald Dahl's novel - kids make Mr. Twit from The Twits (another great book with lots of possibilties) and all sorts of things with different levels of difficulty.

Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook is a great source for books kids like. So is www.bn.com, the Barnes and Noble web site. Reading is so important, especially for kids with problems. If you can incorporate it and make it fun, the kids will learn so much more!

Rodney Said:

Teaching with projects?

We Answered:

I think it's a good idea to get a project plan together instead of what some of the other writers said, leaving it open ended...not good with low motivated students.

cooking is great.

How about art/math: a snowman project can teach fractions. One half the lump of clay is used for the "big" part of the snowman. One fourth the lump of clay is used for the "middle". One eighth the lump of clay is used for the "small" part, etc.

Make a movie where students teach a concept. They write the script and act/demonstrate.

Work on persuasive writing by illustrating and narrating a movie that trys to convince their audience.

If you could have and authentic audience ( ie post movies on website) it would increase their level of motivation.

Write a rap song about a curricular topic.

Sounds like your kids will have fun.....go for it!

Brad Said:

Parents, I need your 5-8th graders opinions on math!?

We Answered:

I'll answer them. I'll email you :)

Judith Said:

Is it possible to take high school courses in middle school?

We Answered:

I would consider talking to your counselor and seeing what he/she has to say about it. Maybe you could talk to them about taking classes at a local college for high school credit. You could also enroll in after school programs that help meet your needs. But for the most part I think that you should take things slow. I mean, your already taking Geo/Trig, so in high school you will oviously be far advanced than most kids. You should really take it easy and relax while you have the chance because it will fly by and before you know it you will be in high school and will have to worry about the Sat and college applications.
Your doing a great job so far. Keep it up!

Melanie Said:

Survey for math fair project...?

We Answered:

1~12
2~7
3~2
4~middle of 3
5~social studies
6~yes youngest
7~no......well i dnt
8~mostly
9~depends usually lead
10~yes i do
11~a little
12~i try to
13~i tend to be
14~yes i am
15~yes ill admit it
16~it depends on what im writing usually i do
17~yes at times
18~no i dnt
19~yes very good student
20~yes i dnt mind sharin
21~no im not perfect an dnt rlly try im all i can be
22~nobody understands me