With the development of scantron technology, multiple choices exams are becoming more and more common. In fact, until recently, the SAT, one of the most crucial exams for a student, consisted solely of multiple choice questions. According to Fairtest, “most standardized tests, including state exams and most commercial achievement tests, are made up primarily of multiple-choice items.” However, multiple choice tests are not as effective as educators think they are.
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There are several different genres of research that science students can conduct. The type of research that a student is asked to do will depend a great deal on their age and on the purpose of the research. The most common forms of research conducted by students in elementary, middle and high school include background information research, experimental research and survey research.

Basic Research for Students

The most common form of research that students will conduct is basic background research. This type of research is going to uncover and summarize what is already known about the subject assigned to the student. This type of research is assigned to students of all ages. It generally requires an introduction, a literature review and a conclusion. Rarely do these research projects require student to analyze the information that they are collecting. However, the information that is organized in this type of research is focused on a thesis statement.

Teaching students how to conduct this type of research is fairly straight forward. Teachers will want to start by introducing students to ways to find sources of information in the library and online. They will also need to cover how to create a bibliography and how to properly cite authors and sources in their research paper. Finally the teacher will need to go over the formatting requirements for the report that is generated for this type of research.

Survey Research Protocols

A survey research project collects new information from a specific group of people. Usually this group of people has something in common, such as a common characteristic or a common experience. To conduct a survey research project students will need to construct a survey or questionnaire and they will need to interact with members in their test group. Information that is collected is analyzed and trends in the responses are identified and used to explain phenomenon that is related to the issue being studies. This type of research is focused by a hypothesis that is based on previous observations of the situation or group.

Teaching students how to conduct this type of research is slightly more difficult than teaching them how to conduct basic research. This is because a survey research project builds upon a basic research project. In fact a basic research project forms the foundation of the survey research. This research is what students use to create their hypothesis and to form their survey questions.

To teach the surveying skills teachers will need to run students through practice survey writing and interviewing drills. They will then need to teach students how to utilize statistics to analyze the data that they collect.

Experimental Research Projects

An experimental research project starts with a basic research project. The information gathered from this initial research is used to generate a hypothesis that predicts a cause and effect relationship between two variables. From here the student will need to design an experiment that tests the hypothesis.

Teaching this type of research is usually done before a science fair. It will include the demonstration of how to design, set-up and execute an original experiment. It will also include learning activities that explore how to collect, organize and interpret data.

I am an educational professional who is dedicated to helping students learn more about what makes science tick. My goal is to help make science more enjoyable for more students.
http://www.super-science-fair-projects.com/science-fair-science-kits.html

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The main theme of The Catcher in the Rye is isolation, which is interesting coming from a guy who spills his guts to the world for 200 pages. Nevertheless, the contradiction characterizes Holden Caulfield perfectly; he can’t decide whether to call all his buddies together for a round of drinks and chatting or flee to the woods for some Into-the-Wild style escapism.

This is just the tip of an entire iceberg of narrative inconsistency. Holden loathes phonies but constantly lies, hates Hollywood but pretends he’s the star of a gangster flick, wants people to like him but intentionally irritates them for fun, and complains that everybody over-generalizes all the time. Holden’s narrative presence so fully dominates the story that it’s difficult to get an accurate read of any situation, meaning whatever comes through the Caulfield Perception Machine must be reverse engineered before we can make sense of it. Let’s look at Holden’s relationships with the two other most important Catcher in the Rye characters.

Phoebe Caulfield
According to Holden Caulfield, Phoebe is the (second) greatest person ever (right after his little brother, Allie, who died of leukemia). She’s the nicest, smartest, prettiest, most superlative-y sibling a person could ask for. So what does this tell us? Nothing without proof. Here’s a more nuanced approach to the brother-sister relationship:

Exhibit A: Phoebe takes Holden seriously. When Holden says he’s going to “hitch hike out west,” Phoebe packs her suitcase, sneaks it out of the building, lugs it around for the day, and meets him at the museum with his red hunting hat on and everything they need but the getaway car. Compare that to the reception Holden gets when he asks Sally to run away with him. (He achieves the running part, just in the wrong direction.) Which is not to say that running away with Sally would even be a good idea, but the point is that practically everyone laughs/tells Holden off like he’s a complete idiot – which we (and Phoebe) know couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Exhibit B: Phoebe gives Holden stuff. Which may not seem like a big deal except that she’s the only person in the novel who does. Holden constantly lends/gives things to the people around him, who often don’t offer so much as a thank-you in return. In the first ten chapters alone – and there are 26 – he gets screwed out of a coat, an essay, a typewriter, and thirteen dollars’ worth of drinks. Phoebe, on the other hand, not only shows immense gratitude for his gifts (remember when she lovingly stashes the broken shards of the record in a drawer?), but also lends Holden her Christmas savings when she finds out he’s broke and gives him back his red hunting hat when he’s feeling blue. It’s a sad day when a 10-year old shows more generosity than an entire prep school’s worth of entitled teenagers.

Exhibit C: Phoebe wants to hear about Holden – even when she doesn’t want to. Holden hates that people “never notice anything,” and while he’s busy making brilliant behavioral and emotional observations about everyone he meets, they’re so busying trying to be impressive that they can’t think of anyone but themselves. Phoebe, however, wants to know what time Holden arrived, what he’s up to, whether or not he’ll come see her play, why he’s a few days early, which classes he failed, and why he didn’t try harder. Even though she’s mad, Holden “could tell by the back of her neck that she was listening. She always listens when you tell her something.” What’s more, she’s the only person paying enough attention to figure out that he was kicked out of school. Not bad sleuthing for a 10-year old.

Jane Gallagher
Aside from Allie, Jane is the novel’s most tantalizingly elusive figure; although Holden’s thoughts wander to her often, she never makes a physical appearance in The Catcher in the Rye. Holden is careful not to reveal too much about Jane, but it’s obvious that he likes her. Perhaps even loves her. Let’s review the evidence.

Exhibit A: Holden can’t get too sexy with her. As per his philosophy on sex (i.e. sex is inherently degrading), the only women in the novel he sexualizes are the ones he can’t respect. Remember the stupid but pretty dancer whose fantastic butt “twitched so nice and all”? Or what about Holden’s name-dropping, Luntz-loving friend with the “little blue butt-twitcher of a dress”? (Apparently, he has a type.) In contrast, the closest Holden gets to sexualizing Jane is in revealing that she has a “terrific figure,” but he only divulges this information because he suspects her step-dad is sexually abusing her. Admittedly, Holden makes a point of avoiding Jane throughout all this “madman stuff,” but just remember the key word in “respectful distance” is “respectful.”

Exhibit B: Jane keeps all her kings in the back row. Why is that important? It’s not, but the fact that Holden thinks so says a lot about their dynamic. The things Holden thinks are important enough to tell us are that she plays checkers and golf, that her mouth always hangs open, that she’s great to hold hands with, that her stepdad is a lousy boozehound, and that her red sweater “knocked him out.” Knowing that Stradlater doesn’t give a damn about any of this (or whether her name is Jane or Jean, for that matter) drives Holden up the wall.

Exhibit C: Holden doesn’t complain about Jane. Not once. And Holden complains about literally EVERYTHING except Allie. Even Phoebe “can be very snotty sometimes,” but when it comes to Jane’s faults, he is suspiciously silent. And coming from Holden, that’s saying something.

Shmoop is an online study guide for English Literature and their characters like <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="”http://www.shmoop.com/catcher-in-the-rye/holden-caulfield.html”” title=””Holden”>Holden Caulfield. Its content is written by Ph.D. and Masters students from top universities, like Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, and Yale who have also taught at the high school and college levels. Teachers and students should feel confident to cite Shmoop.

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5 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Classroom Bulletin Board This Winter

Back to school, fall leaves, Thanksgiving and Christmas all easily lend themselves to great decorating themes, but what to do when those are over and spring is months away? Invigorate your classroom this winter in color and pizzazz with some simple and quick designs. Use the five ideas below to get you started on your winter bulletin board planning.

You Are Unique

Students are unique. Each child comes with a wonderful personality, personal interests, goals and ideas. Why not highlight the differences in a positive way on a winter snowflake bulletin board. Allow each child to cut out snowflakes while tying in a quick science lesson on how snow forms, what it is made from, and some interesting snowfall facts. After the snowflakes are cut, have the children write unique things about themselves on the cut-outs. Integrate a lesson on adjectives by having them only write descriptive words about themselves. Glitter, sparkles or tissue paper squares may help to liven up a light blue background before the snowflakes are hung.

Who is Hibernating?

Bulletin boards can also be teaching tools, so why not incorporate science into a winter bulletin board titled, “Who is Hibernating?” Using a list of animals that hibernate in the winter, cutout or draw them in their winter nook. If an interactive bulletin board is needed, place the animal on one side of the board labeled with numbers and the winter hibernating location (i.e. – nest, cave, hole in a tree, etc.) on the other side. Use clear pockets and small number cards that correspond to the animals for the children to match the animal to the correct hide away.

Acceptance Starts With Me

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday falls mid-January and there is always talk of equality and diversity around this time. With a bulletin board background of stark white paper place traced and cut-out hand prints of all colors all over the board. Have students trace and cut out both of their hands on colored construction paper. On the hands the students can write, “Acceptance Starts With Me,” “Tolerance Begins Here,” or another appropriate slogan to address the issue of accepting diversity. Not only does the bulletin board teach a lesson about tolerance and acceptance, it also opens up the discussion about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and purpose.

100 Days

Typically, the 100th day of school falls during the winter months. This celebration of the power of ten provides a rich opportunity to integrate math into the classroom bulletin board. Displaying sets of 100 items like gumdrops, Popsicle sticks, pencils or erasers make for a quick visual lesson. It is also a simple and potentially colorful bulletin board opportunity.

Have a Heart

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a heart, but this year make the heart more significant by creating a bulletin board of an actual heart. This teaching board will help with lessons on circulation, exercise and general health. To tie it in with the holiday, have students write and post things that they love about their heart on paper heart cutouts.

Bulletin boards are a fantastic way to reach students with a quick visual impact. They give teachers an opportunity to highlight the uniqueness of their class and teach important lessons in a non-obtrusive way. Be creative with bulletin boards and do not be afraid to work outside the borders.

Jennifer Dobson invites you to take a look at MPM School Supplies where you will find all kinds of teacher supplies, resource books, classroom decorations, school furniture, classroom carpets, educational toys, and much more. The best part is by shopping at MPM School Supplies you are helping children in need all around the world because 50% of the gross profits are donated to children’s charities!

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Invitations Graduation for High School Graduates

High School Graduation Invitations and High School Graduation Announcements

A high school graduation party can be a special event, especially for seniors who are preparing to leave their friends behind and embark on an exciting future. However, there are a few issues you’re going to want to keep in mind when selecting the right time for such a party. Remember that most of the high school graduating celebrations will be happening around the same time so you’ll need to do some early planning if you want a good turn out. Some tips are below that will help you celebrate your son or daughter high school graduation.

Picking a Date for High School Graduation Invitations, http://www.graduationcardsshop.com/high_school/cards/productlisting-2-16.htm

You probably want to throw the party for your high school graduate very near the actual time of the graduation ceremony. Advance planning may be a necessity if you want to ensure you secure a certain location, caterer or entertainment provider but if you don’t mind being more spontaneous you can always wait until closer to the end of the school year to start your plans.

If you begin planning in advance, talk to your graduate about who will be on the guest list. Most high school graduation, http://www.cardsshoppe.com/graduation-announcements/high-school-graduation.htm events will include a lot of other teenagers but you may want to ask your son or daughter if family members and other friends should also be included. If not, consider having a smaller, second party just for the family.

After you decide on a guest list, you may want to start checking out possible sites for the big event. You may need to book a place a few months in advance depending on how large of a class graduating high school you have in your area. Putting down a deposit is the only way to ensure you’re going to have the location you want on the day you want it. However, don’t sign anything or hand over any money until you fully understand the cancellation policy.

Sending out save the date cards is a good idea. These cards will prevent your guests from making other plans on the same day as your party.

You do have the option of waiting until closer High School Graduation Announcements, http://www.graduationcardsshop.com/high_school/cards/productlisting-2-16.htm to make plans. In that case, it would be wise to come up with a list of potential dates for the party. You could then survey some of the potential guests about which dates might work best for them and what other event conflicts might be a problem. What you’re looking for, of course, is the date that will be able to draw the largest number of guests. Don’t worry if you can’t find a reception all for the event because they all booked up. Good alternatives might include a hotel suite, your own backyard or basement, or even a nearby restaurant’s party room.

A Few Other High School Graduation, http://www.graduationcardsshop.com/high_school/cards/productlisting-2-16.htm Factors

High School Graduation Invites

Will your high school graduation party be teens only or will parents and relatives also be invited? This is a big question and one that your teen will probably have a definitive answer on. While there’s nothing wrong with having a separate family-only party later, you should insist on having some adult supervision at the party. Remember if anything happens to one of the guests you’re going to be responsible so you don’t want to take any chances. Otherwise, there’s nothing wrong with letting their wishes guide the guest list. They should enjoy the rewards of their hard work.

Sarah Porter has written several articles about Free High School Graduation Invites, Understanding the High School Graduate, The High School Graduates of Today, Personalized High School Graduation Announcements, Custom School Graduation Party, Discount HighShool Graduation Invitation and many more for http://www.announcements-shoppe.com http://www.cardsshoppe.com/graduation-announcements/ http://www.express-invitations.com http://www.graduationcardsshop.com http://www.holiday-invitations.com/graduation/ and http://www.invitations-shoppe.com/graduation/

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