Describes an integrated thematic unit designed for readers in grades 8 to 10. Contains a four- to six-week plan that encompasses reading strategies, inquiry projects, and assessment tools and includes an activity map (based on Jennifer Armstrong's "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the…

Describes a middle school lesson on the Holocaust. Tells how students concluded that it happened in baby steps, yet very fast, and thus that each person has to act when they first notice something is wrong. Relates how, shortly thereafter, two girls took a brave stand on the school bus in defense of a boy being picked on. (SR)

Offers advice for middle school teachers regarding preparation for next year: collect paper clips, plan ahead, and pamper yourself. (SR)

Presents several examples (in the form of a fictional story) of various ways that graphic organizers can help students find a visual framework to analyze key informational relationships. Describes how graphic organizers helped facilitate interdisciplinary instruction, and helped students make connections and organize data in a new way. (SR)

Reviews mail sent in response to a year's worth of "Middle School" columns in this journal. Notes that the column on a middle scholar's inquiry excursion went completely unnoticed and that the column on portfolio assessment received the most attention. (SR)

Presents (in the form of a conversation with "The Vampire") data on middle school students' attitudes toward literature circles, how they choose their groups for literature circles, patterns in the groups chosen, and how students selected the books they did. (SR)

Describes eight creative inquiry projects for middle-school students, complete with description, time investment, level of difficulty, and student rating. (SR)

Presents four questions from teachers regarding "classroom dilemmas" (such as seating assignments, requests for bathroom visits, and parent/teacher communication) with the responses by "Ms. Affirmation," a middle-school guidance counselor who collaborates with teachers to assist them in working with students. (SR)

Describes an inquiry project that middle school students complete during the first quarter of the year, and that serves as a foundation for future inquiry undertakings, research papers, and writing workshops. (SR)

Presents, in the form of a conversation with a vampire, results of a teacher's research on middle school students' reading preferences. Includes a list of favorite books mentioned, favorite authors mentioned, and how students found these favorite books. (SR)

Discusses good spelling instruction and spelling research at the middle school level in the form of a conversation with Clint Eastwood as the fictitious principal at Highland Middle School. (SR)

Describes 10 variations on the portfolio for assessment: literacy portfolio, reflection portfolio, "reflection the beauty" portfolio, process portfolio, student portfolio, reading portfolio, featherweight portfolio, showcase portfolio, exit portfolio, and literacy portfolio revisited. Accompanies each one with a "recipe." (SR)

Presents research results (in the form of a story) regarding parents', teachers', and students' observations about the students as readers, and their goals for the students as readers. Discusses the role of teacher as researcher. (SR)