This article presents four Idea-Sparkers that were submitted by Jason McKinney, a graduate student at Southern Mississippi University and a 1st-grade teacher at Pisgah Elementary in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. First is entitled, "Raceway in the Classroom." This activity can help increase children's fluency and ability to identify numerous…

This article describes the "Add-a-Page Assignment" in which students choose a picture book to which they would add a page, imitating both the style and artistic medium of the illustrator and the writing style of the author. In this article, the author begins with quotes from students who have very different learning styles and vastly different…

This Classroom Idea Sparker was submitted by Pandora Zook, a 1st-grade teacher at Guilford Elementary School in Sterling, Virginia. She shares her experiences in creating self-guided literacy centers that run smoothly and encourage children to be constructively engaged in learning activities that do not require constant direct supervision.