MIDDLE SCHOOL TIPS

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SLANT Strategy
From Nancy Garland (ngarland@everestkc.net), a teacher at Indian Woods Middle School:
"At the beginning of each semester (I teach semester classes) I teach a University of Kansas strategy called SLANT.
S - SIT UP STRAIGHT
L - LEAN FORWARD (writing position)
A - ACTIVATE YOUR THINKING
N - NOTE IMPORTANT POINTS
T - TRACK THE TALKER (Keep your eyes on whomever is doing the informing)
I tell the students that this strategy will serve them throughout life - especially in high school and college.  After the teaching process, I only have to say 'Slant' and the students respond appropriately.  It works like magic for me."

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Cemetery Studies
From Linda Prather, traveler@who.net, an eighth grade teacher in Kentucky:
"We are going to do what? That used to be the first thing out of my students' mouths when I told them that we'd be going on a field trip to the cemetery. Now it has become a looked forward to tradition for my students. Even students from my past classes have begged me to take them there again. Check out http://www.angelfire.com/ky2/cemetery to find cemetery lesson plans in all subject matters."

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The Goof Jar
From Laura Trabucco (lauras_t@yahoo.com), an eighth grade algebra teacher at Chernery School in Belmont Massachusetts:
"This is a wonderful method to keep students focused even on the details of lessons, an understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that it's okay and acceptable to make mistakes because that is how we learn. The Goof Jar is a wonderful thing. Everyone makes mistakes, especially me. Lots of them. You need to keep an eye on me. Here is how it works. During class, I make a mistake. You politely raise your hand and say, 'Oh Ms. Trabucco...you made a goof.' And I'll say, 'Oh?' You show me where. If  I did make a mistake, I have to put a penny in the goof jar. However, if I did not make a mistake, you put a nickel in the jar. Throughout the school year, I will keep a tally of the Goofs for each class. Whichever class has the most Goofs per quarter, will be treated to brownies. They happen to be particularly deliciously chocolatey and yummy. At the end of the year, I will donate the money to a good cause. The class has donated to the Thanksgiving Fund and the 9/11 Fund."

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Grading Notebooks
From: Nancy Long  (longtime@tampabay.rr.com), a language arts teacher at Dunedin Highland Middle School in Dunedin, Florida:
"I used to spend days grading my students' notebooks. A few years ago, I designed a rubric, which breaks down the notebook grade into classifications and specifies the maximum number of points each classification is worth, totaling 100 points. My classifications are: Pages (Are the pages there? If a page is missing, points are deducted, depending on how many pages are in the notebook.) 60 points; Organization (Are the pages in the right order? Minus 1 point for each page out of order.) 15 points; Table of Contents (Is each item listed? Minus 1 point for each page not listed.) 10 points; Progress Sheet (Students are required to keep track of their homework and test grades on a sheet I give them at the beginning of each grading period. Is each homework or test grade listed? Minus 1 point for each assignment or grade not listed.) 10 points; Labels (Is the name of the assignment on the paper? Minus 1 point for each missing label.) 5 points.

About a week before notebooks are due, I give each student a copy of the rubric. On the day notebooks are due, I either put 2 students together or deal a deck of cards to put students in pairs. (I do not let them choose partners.) They grade each other's notebooks using the rubric. They also use the classroom table of contents and progress sheet, which are posted on chart paper and updated daily throughout the grading period. I walk them through the procedure the first time we grade notebooks, but after the first grading period, the students get the hang of it, and I just walk around and supervise. I collect the rubrics and record the notebook grades. It has saved me a tremendous amount of time. We update the  table of contents and progress sheet continually, students are required to bring their notebooks to class everyday, and students know a couple of weeks in advance of when notebooks are due, so students' notebooks should be organized at all times. Therefore, a student whose notebook is unorganized and not ready to grade on the day they're due receives a zero.."

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Grouping Students
From Dona Dean Lovell (Dona2John@aol.com), a retired teacher:
"When I taught seventh-grade English I tried, as often as possible, to arrange my students in groups of five...rows, circles, groups. I named the groups Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. During discussions or question times I would begin with the row that matched the day of the week. Sometimes we went through several rows; sometimes we might not make it through one. Sometimes we missed a day because of weather, assemblies, or in-service. Everyone knew his or her day would come. Everyone had the 'right to pass'. If someone was truly at a loss when their turn came, the student in front or behind them could offer a 'clue'. I felt that this helped me get everyone to participate and the risk of skipping students was less."  

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Classroom Secretary
From Mellanay Auman (mpauman@comcast.net), a eighth grade language arts teacher at Townsend Middle School in Tuscon, Arizona:
"As a middle school teacher, I am always trying to get students to take leadership positions in class. In order to keep accurate records, I assign a student to be 'secretary' of the week. That student must take down notes in our class notebook, write down homework assignments, record what pages we are reading, and help students who are returning from an absence. This process has really cut down with the "What did I miss, Miss?' from returning students. We have a running record of what transpired, what goals we met, where we left off while watching a video, etc. Since I teach five classes of the same subject, looking at the class notebook also helps me 'see' what we've covered in each class. Students earn extra credit points for being a secretary and they really look forward to being the 'co-teacher' for a week. New students are easily transitioned into our procedures because they have a weekly buddy to help them 'catch the flow' of the classroom. I have also used the class notebooks as another tool to help wayward students take responsibility for what was really assigned. Since I have used this method, no student has ever said, 'But Miss, you didn't tell us that in this class...maybe you did it in another period."

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Math Nets
From Rich Buccigrossi (rabrab@cinci.rr.com), a seventh grade teacher at North Middle School in Cincinnati, Ohio:
"Math teachers can make their own nets (such as unfolded cubes and prisms) with the border options in Microsoft Excel. I set the Row height = 16, Col width = 2 to make nets that can be cut out and folded into cubes."

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Immediate Feedback
From Susan Dreyfus (susandreyfus@hotmail.com), a creative writing teacher at A. Maceo Walker Middle School in Memphis, Tennessee:
"I have a tip for all of us who are over loaded with grading. In order keep the paper work at a manageable level; I grade one class per day. In other words, I take up papers from first period on Monday, second period on Tuesday, etc. This has kept me up to date, and my students get almost immediate feedback!"

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Holiday Writing
From Alison Murphy (bellmurphy@yahoo.com), a sixth grade language arts teacher at Medford Memorial Middle School in Medford, New Jersey:
"I have a great writing activity for the week before winter break that can be used for any holiday celebrated around that time.  My kids love listening to and reading stories from the popular Chicken Soup series.  So, I explain to them that they are going to make their own books designed to be a holiday gift for a family member.  The book is titled Chicken Soup for the Holiday Soul, and the students make a cover just like the Chicken Soup books, a table of contents, and a dedication page.  Stories that I have them include are:  Best Holiday Gift I Received, Best Holiday Gift I Ever Gave, Favorite Holiday Family Tradition, What the Holidays Mean to Me, and so on.  I also have the students include some fun poetry, like acrostics about Christmas, winter, or a dreidel.  Students also have fun making silly lists like Top 10 Best Things to Get in Your Holiday Stocking.  The kids have a great time decorating and writing these stories, and the best part about these gifts is that they are from the heart and free."

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Clapping for Attention
From Titus O. Peck (peckto@milwaukee.k12.wi.us), a music and band teacher at Milwaukee Education Center Middle School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
"When it gets extremely loud in class, I make up clapping patterns to get my students' attention. I clap some rhythms which the students repeat. When I clap a certain rhythm, however, they respond by clapping a different rhythm I have taught them.  I always get their full attention using this method."

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Tests as Opportunities
From Harvey Smerilson (smeril@ocps.k12.fl.us), an eighth grade math and honors algebra teacher at Discovery Middle School in Orlando, Florida:
"I noticed that some students get up tight at the mention of a test or quiz. To overcome this, I simply tell the kids, 'We don't have test or quizzes. You will have silver opportunities to show me your knowledge of the subject. We also have golden opportunities and even a platinum opportunity at the end of the semester.' The kids enjoy the terminology and have even taken it to other teachers who now do the same thing. Students who dreaded tests now look forward to sharing their knowledge with me."

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Disappearing Pencils
From Susan Reid (sreid@midsouth.rr.com), an algebra teacher at Olive Branch Middle School in Olive Branch, Mississippi: 
"I require my students to use pencils in my math classes instead of ink pens. When a student forgets to bring a pencil, I no longer have to go through the problem of finding one to lend him because I keep a huge coffee can of pencils at the back of the room. No, I don't buy them! I just asked the custodian to pick up pencils from around the school and save them for me. He just dumps them in the can a couple of days a week. It is always full! I do put my name on them with a permanent marker, and yes they do disappear, but I have so many that it really isn't a problem." 

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Special Students
From Wendi Slone (jslone1@email.msn.com), an education student at Tennessee State University:
"I have a tip to help students see just how special everyone truly is on the
inside and out. Have every student decorate the outside of a small brown paper sack with the things they love, hobbies, etc. Then, ask the students to place a clue inside the bag about something no one in the class would know by looking at them. After everyone is finished, the students go around the room and try to guess whose bags they are. After the students have tried to guess, everyone gets a chance to explain their bag to the class. Students are able to see what they have in common with their classmates. This is a good icebreaker for the beginning of the school year." 

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Studying for Quizzes
From Connie (cmcmorris@newberry.k12.sc.us), a seventh grade science teacher in Newberry, South Carolina:
"I find that many students do not yet have a grasp of how to study for quizzes. I purchase highlighters and write specific words that will be included in the next quiz on the board. Students are instructed to highlight the words or phrases every time they see them in their notes. This procedure helps both students and parents study for what will be on the quiz."

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Baseball Review
From Victor Meadows (Shorts149@aol.com), an eighth grade American studies teacher at Appomattox Middle School in Appomattox, Virginia:
"This game works well with my students when reviewing material prior to a test. I bought a baseball game with four Velcro balls and a wall hanging (ground out, homerun, etc.). When we are ready to review, I divide my class into two teams that are balanced by high, medium and low student abilities. Each team selects a captain and scorekeeper. I put all vocabulary words on index cards along with several homerun, single, double, triple and pop fly cards. I place sheets of paper on the floor in the shape of a baseball diamond (1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base and home plate). I flip a coin to see which team is at bat first. Each student is given a randomly selected card from the stack one at a time as they bat. If they can tell me what the vocabulary word is, they can throw the four balls at the wall hanging. If a student gets a homerun card, a point is added to that team's score. If the student gets a single, he/she stands on the paper for 1st base, etc. The students love this game. I also give a treat to the winning team. This game is great for review!"

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Building Motivation
From David Kahoun, (kahound@perry-lake.k12.oh.us), a math teacher at Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio:
"To build motivation in the challenging classroom, try using individualized positive comments to each student in front of the rest of the class. Identify the student's strengths and attributes that make that student stand out form the rest. Also, give some positive recommendations to the students to help build upon their achievement and success. Through this activity students become anxious to hear their positive qualities and are very attentive to know what they can improve on to reach their fullest potential. Some forethought must be taken in order to make this activity meaningful to each student. This truly is a motivator for all students!"

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Individual White Boards
From Les Baumgarner (lbaumgarner@adelphia.net), a student achievement facilitator at Pecan Grove School in Yuma, Arizona:
"Individual white boards can be used for obtaining feedback from students.
You can make inexpensive individual white boards by using Formica sheets available from home improvement or hardware stores. Cut the large sheets of Formica into 9-inch by 12-inch or 12-inch by 18-inch sheets. In the classroom, these sheets can be written on with erasable markers to get feedback from students. They can be used to close a lesson or to monitor student understanding of what you have taught. They save paper, and are a way in which the students can have a new way to express ideas."

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Math and Management
From Mary Fischer (marymac@hillsborough.k12.nj.us), a resource teacher at Auten Road Intermediate School in Hillsborough, New Jersey:
"I use a checkbook system for my classroom management. It ultimately serves more than one purpose. We review basic addition and subtraction without tedious worksheets; it keeps the practice ongoing, it teaches some real world skills, and encourages responsibility. Students get their own check registers, and are awarded points daily(usually 5). Points are given for: coming to class prepared with materials, having completed homework, keeping a positive attitude and attempting work. If points are lost, it is recorded in the comments line. For ex: -1 HW for incomplete homework. Once every two weeks, students may go to my 'store' to purchase pencils, erasers, homework passes, extra computer time or lunch with the teacher by writing a check to me. At that point, registers may also be sent home for parents to see the record of student performance!"

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Naming Canes 
From Deborah Carswell (carswed@ocps.k12.fl.us), a teacher at Piedmont Lakes
Middle School in Apopka, Florida:
"Since the holidays are approaching, I purchased a box of gourmet candy canes for my class. I mixed them up and gave one to everyone. After a brief taste test, the students wrote a descriptive paragraph describing the flavor and created a new name for the candy cane. For example, peppermint was renamed 'Christmas Snow' and cinnamon was called 'Santa's Hat'. They finished their candy canes while they wrote and I played holiday music in the background."

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Breakfast Club
From Kathy Dekmar(kfdekmar@ptd.net), 7th Grade Introduction to American Studies teacher in Parsippany, NJ:
"Research has proven that many middle school students have weak study skills. They study in isolation and have no feedback if there pre-test answers are on track. I started a Breakfast Club many years ago that invite my students to come in early on the day of a test to study with me and their other teammates (I team teach with 4 other teachers). The students bring in breakfast items to share: juice, donuts, bagels, cream cheese, muffins etc. For 1/2 hour the students exchange ideas and questions in a relaxed atmosphere. It reinforces the concepts and themes that will be on that day's test and I am available for any last minute clarifications. It has proven to be a wonderful way to get students to share study skill habits, reduce test stress, raise confidence, build friendships and raise overall averages. When I began this, on an average about 10 students made the early morning pilgrimage for each Breakfast Club, now 65% of the team comes. The classroom gets crowded, but the quality and level of educational discussion is worth it!"

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Descriptive Writing
From Jacqueline Wildermuth (jackiemwild@webtv.net):
"I hand out a small lunch-type paper bag into which a common household item has been placed (measuring cup, apple, bar of soap, etc.) to each student. Without letting other students see what is in his or her bag students examine the items. Their writing task involves describing the  object in one or two paragraphs using as many as the five senses as possible. I have students read their assignments and others try to guess what the object is."

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Class Note 
From Christopher Myers (MyersC@colheights.k12.mn.us): 
"I like to leave a note for the class when I am absent. On a transparency, I leave the class a letter describing why I am absent, what the plan is for class, and a quick reminder of my expectations. I also include some specifics such as sitting in their assigned seats, my policy on food and gum, and any other things that a class may attempt when I'm not there. This note works really well when a class has a reputation for trickery."

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Hurricane Season
From Luz E. Cardona Perez (Luan13@prtc.net), 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 family in order to prevent a possible disaster during a severe storm or hurricane."

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Behavior Referrals
From Heather Burger (hmassimini@mail.mcps.org), a sixth grade math and science teacher at Blacksburg Middle School in Blacksburg, Virginia:
"I use several techniques when students are disruptive in the classroom.  I make it a learning experience for the students reminding them that they need to raise their hands, stay in their seats, etc. If a student still has a problem, I whisper a conversation about the behavior and show only the student the behavior slip. I tell the student the referral is filled out and ready to be given to the principal. I leave it upside down on the student's desk and tell the student that if there are no more problems, he/she can rip it up and throw it away after class. This lets them have control of their behavior. For other situations, I take the student out
in the hallway and bring a referral slip to show that I mean business. If I am going to write up a student, we discuss why and strategies that can be taken so it will not happen again. The student fills out the referral himself listing the discipline problem and the action taken. 'Action taken' could be a conference, a call home, lunch or after school detention or a meeting with the principal who chooses the student's consequence. Students usually choose after school detention with me and at the end of the detention, we conference with the parent who picks up the student about why there was a detention and how to avoid it next time."

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Team Folders
From Susan Kielb (kielb@aaps.k12.mi.us), a math and life science teacher at Tappan Middle School in Ann Arbor, Michigan:
"I learned a system from a wonderful mentor many years ago that serves me well. I never spend class time handing back papers, I never lose papers, and handing in papers is quick and a team effort. The system also covers getting work back to absent students, and even getting messages and make-up work to students returning from an absence. My students are seated with, and work in teams of four. This team changes every 4 1/2 weeks or so. The team shares two lab tables that are pushed together. 

Each team has a team 2-pocket folder (a different color for each team) and box of supplies labeled with the same color. The left hand pocket is for handing papers in (or ongoing team work, so if any team member is absent, they are not keeping the team from proceeding), and the right hand pocket is for graded work that needs to be picked up. The pockets are labeled accordingly, and the front of the folder is labeled with the class hour. Student helpers can be trained to gather the folders at the end of the hour and to put them out before class starts. The first team members to arrive for class usually take charge of sorting the graded work and giving this to teammates as they arrive. If students are absent, their work will be kept for them in that right hand pocket until they return."

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Poster Storage System
From Lynn Robertson (Lrobertson@spartanburg4.org), a teacher at Woodruff Middle School in Woodruff, South Carolina:
"I discovered an inexpensive system to store posters. First, take three laminated older poster boards that are no longer useable but are still in good physical shape, or use large pieces of cardboard, and duct-tape them together to resemble a large file folder.(Cut the third poster board into parts to make up the bottom and sides of the file folder.) Then, move a floor-sitting cabinet out from the wall, the width of the bottom of the file folder, and place it into that space sticking out a bit. Next, divide the posters into categories (month, season, topic, etc) and place the entire category in a plastic garbage bag, sealing it with small amounts of tape. 

Make a label for the bag so you know what's in there or make a list of the contents on a separate piece of paper and tape it to the inside door of the cabinet for future reference. The posters are kept in great shape, don't curl up, are out of the way of normal classroom activity and are easily accessed. When removing a bunch of posters at once that might leave too much space in the file folder, fill in the space with crumpled old newspaper to keep the remaining posters from bending or becoming damaged. Since using this filing/storage system, I haven't had to replace posters that are used from one year to the next."

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Organized Lesson Plans
From Midori Wagner (midori@sonic.net), a bilingual teacher at Adele Harrison Middle School in Sonoma, California:
"A more experienced teacher shared this one with me and I found it immensely helpful. Have a binder for each class you teach and place dividers in each one for the days of the week. Have an additional section for Make-Up Work, and Record of Completed Lessons. As you plan your lessons, write on binder paper what your plan is for each day and place it in the appropriate section. If you need any handouts for that lesson, include the masters here. During your prep time on the first day of the week (or the Friday before if you are really organized), copy the needed number of copies for that class, hole punch, and place in that section.
If any students are absent, simply write their names at the top of the handout that is there for them, and place in the Make-Up Work section. At the end of the day, take your masters and your binder paper sketching the day's lesson and place in the section Record of Completed Work. 

You now have a running record of everything you did in order for the year, along with the masters used. If a lesson takes longer than you anticipated, simply bump to the next school day section, and you are ready to go. The advantage of using a whole sheet to write the day's plan on is that you can make notes to yourself regarding what worked, what didn't, how you'd modify next time, etc. You may wish to place the Make-Up Work in a separate binder at the end of the day with dividers clearly labeling each class period. Allow the Make-Up Binder to be available for students to check after returning from an absence. Since all handouts are hole-punched, I can have an additional Work to Correct and Record binder with divisions labeling each class I teach. When collecting work to correct, I can easily pop it into the appropriate binder and section to take home. I find binders MUCH better than files because nothing slips out, and it can always be found."

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Make-Up Work Notebook
From Lois Finney (finneyL01@juno.com), a middle school science teacher in Tennessee:
"Here's a great way to recycle and put responsibility on the students for making up absent work. I highlight the names of my students on the daily absentee sheet we receive in the morning. In the blank area at the top, I list what we did that day (it matches what I put up for students to copy into their agendas), and if there are any worksheets for the day, the lab partner puts the absent student's name on the top and places it behind the sheet. The sheets are placed in a notebook. Each new day's sheet goes on top, so the current date is what they open the notebook and see. Students know they are responsible for checking this notebook at the front of the room and turning the make-up work in within the allowed time. If any students ask me what they need to make up, I just tell them to check the notebook. It's amazing how many times they think they turned in work, to end up finding their name on a sheet in the make-up work notebook!"

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Students Calculate Scores
From Lorraine Gine (gine1@martin.k12.fl.us), a seventh grade math teacher at Murray Middle School in Stuart, Florida: "Rather than simply read scores out to students after grading homework papers, I teach my students at the beginning of the year how to score them based on an estimate which always leaves them some credit for even trying the assignment. We count up how many problems were on the assignment, and how often that number divides into 100. The answer is used as the number of points off per wrong answer, even if another number would be a better estimate. For example, if we do 21 problems, I ask them how often 21 goes into 100. Even though 21 is closer to 20, and 5 would be the best estimate, the answer to the question would be 4, and therefore we only take 4 points off for incorrect answers. This way, even the child who struggled with the assignment gets 16 points protected for his/her effort. As the year progresses, the kids learn to calculate the value of each question on their assignments by themselves. I offer extra credit points for volunteering to explain to the class the grading scale for the day. It really gets them thinking! They practice their mental division skills, learn about percents, and actually ask for more practice problems if they are concerned about losing too many points for each problem."

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Guess the Perimeter
From Lorraine Gine (gine1@martin.k12.fl.us), a seventh grade math teacher at Murray Middle School in Stuart, Florida:
"I hold a contest to guess the perimeter of my room using a common
household disposable item, such as empty spaghetti boxes. These items must be items that families often use and which come in a 'standard' size. I offer extra credit to students for bringing the item in, and then I tack them end to end along the top of the wall at the ceiling. I create an envelope for guesses and always close the envelope before the 'train' of boxes reaches a pre-determined place in the room. I ask students to date the guess that they enter in case of a tie. (Earlier guesses will be given first place.) The students are reminded daily that perimeter is the total distance around a polygon measured out in equal units. I also use this technique to determine the area of our window or white board covered with A+ quiz/test papers, or the volume of a jar of jellybeans or Twizzler bits. In the latter case, the class containing the best guess gets to share the contents of the jar! My goal is to get my students thinking in the proper dimension for each concept."

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Protecting Computer Work
From Ernest Webby Jr. (rewebby@massed.net), a school librarian at South Junior High School in Brockton, Massachusetts:
"I love to see students print information they discover on the Internet
and spend time typing up reports for their teachers but, I cringe when I
see students take the printed pages and shove them into an overstuffed backpack. I collect used manilla envelopes from the various school offices and offer them to students to protect their printed pages. The kids appreciate them and now ask me for a folder. I also hate to see a student try to use a battered and banged up floppy disk that was carried around in a backpack, pocketbook or pocket so I collect used heavy cardboard mailing envelopes. I cut off the bottom corners of the envelopes the size of the disks to form two sleeves for the floppy disks. Used with a rubber band, the stiff cardboard sleeve forms a protective envelope for the fragile disks. In both cases, the school office personnel are happy to save the items and periodically send them to me."

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Germinating Seeds 
From Susan Allen (peallen@lancnews.infi.net), a science teacher at Landisville Middle School in Landisville, Pennsylvania:
"To germinate seeds for an activity on seed growth, place 1 to 1 1/4 cups of vermiculite in a plastic bag and spray generously with water. Place the seeds you want to germinate in the bag and shake gently to disperse the seeds.(I have two young children who helped with this step so I think it would work well in an elementary setting too.) Place the bag in a warm area and the seeds will begin to sprout within days. As the seeds germinate, the bag will swell with gases and the young plants will also expand the bag as they grow. I did not re-water the bags and we removed seeds as needed for lab activities. When the lab was over I transplanted the seeds to flats and approximately 10-20 percent of the plants survived. This could lead to a discussion on why some made it and some did not. I used bean, pea, radish and corn seeds. I did have some mold growth but was able to remove it and still had seedlings."

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Fun Review
From Jane Oakes (JEOakes@aol.com), a seventh grade home and career skills teacher for Avon Central School District in Avon, New York:
"I staple a fun cover sheet to my students' tests so they stay quiet and seated until everyone is finished. The cover sheet is a word search puzzle about something we've previously studied. Students love the fun review material, and it gives them something to do while waiting for their classmates to complete their tests."

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Science Quilts
From Laura Lepore (ljlepore@hotmail.com), a middle school science teacher:
"At the end of the year, I have my students draw a picture that represents something they learned in science. They use fabric crayons and do their drawing on a 12" by 12" patch of material. With the help of a tailor friend, I sew the patches into a quilt. The larger quilts are hung on the wall. The smaller quilts are used as dust covers for computers or bulletin board displays."

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Laptop Computers
What would be the best approach to find lesson plans and creative ideas to use with laptops and middle schoolers? Our school system, (Henrico County, VA), will be purchasing laptops for all 7th and 8th graders in 2002. I am on a technology committee that has been charged with finding ways to use the computers in all classes. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Thank you,
Carol A. Jones
kimrey@aol.com

Hi Carol -

I suggest you go to the pbs.org web site. They've been doing a K-12 tech thing and you might find some useful info there. Just go to http://www.pbs.org and then go to Teacher Source. That would be a good way to start. Also http://www.ncrel.org/tplan/cbtl/toc.htm This is a link to NCREL, the North Central Regional Education Lab. This info looks good. And if you can't find what you want at these two sites, perhaps there will be links at the sites to find additional resources.

Good luck!!

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Welcome to Home Room
From Andrea Peters (ALPeters54@aol.com), a band/music teacher at Savannah Middle School in Grifton, North Carolina:
"The first day of middle school is always hectic so I've come up with an activity that engages all students yet gives me time to do what I need to do. As students enter the room, they pick up a letter that welcomes them
to my Home Room. It then instructs them to find their desks. Next, they are to get an envelope from my desk, place any instructional/locker fees in it and write their name on the outside. I then have them sign a poster,
have some light refreshments, notice the poster for emergency procedures, read their student handbook and the like. The letter states that they are to ask their fellow classmates for help, which allows me the freedom to handle the usual last minute details from the office. Last year I added a second day edition to my letter which includes instructions on how to open a combination lock, another challenge for new middle school students!"

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Source for Rubrics
Question: From Joy (mouse72@yeah.net), a seventh grade English teacher in Shanghai, China:
"As we rarely have the opportunity to talk with English native speakers, we teachers find it difficult to help the students improve their English, especially spoken English. At the beginning of my English class, I often invite some students to come to the front to give the others a speech in English. After their speeches, I often give them my evaluation. But I am lacking in the expression of evaluation, can you tell me how to evaluate my students, and give me some words that teachers often use when they organize such activity?"

Answer: From Dianne Murray (Dianne298@aol.com), a middle school librarian
in Ft.Wayne, Indiana:
"There are lots of rubrics (evaluation tools) at this site: http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html (Anything on Ms. Schrock's pages is worth checking out!) Here is another site for rubrics: http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~elaine.coxon/rubrics.htm If you haven't used rubrics, it might be interesting to try one out and adapt it to your situation."

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New Student Group
From Ilene White (rimwhite@epix.net), a counselor at Abington Heights Middle School in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania:
"Our guidance department established a group to welcome new students. The new students meet bi-weekly, spending time getting acquainted. We talk about the students' former schools and our school, go on an 'around the school' treasure hunt, put up a map in the library with flags to show where the students moved from, and take a tour of businesses and recreation areas in town. It helps to ease their transition to our school of 1100 students."

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Welcome 
From Jeff Fahrenkrug (jfahrenkrug@nod-valley.k12.ia.us), a middle school social studies teacher at Nodaway Valley Community School District, Fontanelle, Iowa:
"Several years ago a terrible storm blew the roof from our older school building and it was destroyed. Our rural community, a place where monetary resources are not abundant, passed a bond issue and built a beautiful new middle school. The first day of school in the building was last fall and we invited the community to join the staff and student body on that first day. We had a ribbon cutting ceremony, a flag raising by the American Legion, special music and an all around good time. We had such a good time that this year, despite the fact our building isn't brand new anymore, we've decided to celebrate the beginning of our school year by once again inviting the community the first day of school. It helps the students understand they live in a place where education and students are valued and the beginning of a new school year is a reason everyone should celebrate living in a democracy. It reminds our community how grateful we are for their commitment to education."

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