Title Details

Gary Robert Muschla taught reading, writing, and math for more than twenty-five years in Spotswood, New Jersey. Judith A. Muschla taught mathematics in South River, New Jersey, for over twenty-five years. Erin Muschla teaches 7th grade math in Monroe, New Jersey.

Gary and Judith are the coauthors of The Math Teacher's Book of Lists, Hands-on Math Projects with Real-Life Applications, Math Starters, Geometry Teacher's Activities Kit, Math Smart, The Math Teacher's Problem-a-Day, and Algebra Teacher's Activities Kit, all published by Jossey-Bass. Gary, Judith, and Erin are the coauthors of the Math Teacher's Survival Guide, also published by Jossey-Bass.

About the Authors.

Acknowledgements.

Section 1 Reading.

1.1 Long Vowels and Spellings.

1.2 Short Vowels and Spellings.

1.3 Special Vowel Sounds and Spellings.

1.4 Vowels and a Final E.

1.5 Consonants and Consonant Sounds.

1.6 Common Phonograms.

1.7 Common Prefixes.

1.8 Common Suffixes.

1.9 Synonyms.

1.10 Antonyms.

1.11 Homographs.

1.12 Homophones.

1.13 Ways to Build Vocabulary.

1.14 Important Words for Primary Students to Know.

1.15 Important Words for Elementary Students to Know.

1.16 Compound Words.

1.17 Idioms.

1.18 Comprehension Strategies.

1.19 Questions to Aid Comprehension.

1.20 Common Signal Words for Readers.

1.21 How to Find Main Ideas and Supporting Details.

1.22 How to Use Context Clues.

1.23 Habits of Good Readers.

1.24 Overcoming Poor Reading Habits.

1.25 Helping Students Select Books to Read.

1.26 Types of Fiction and Nonfiction Your Students Might Read.

1.27 Important Parts of a Book.

1.28 Major Parts of Stories.

1.29 Reading Log Guidelines.

1.30 Some Suggestions for Student Entries in Reading Logs.

1.31 Famous Children’s Authors.

1.32 Books for Pre-Readers.

1.33 Books for Beginning Readers.

1.34 Great Books for Any Primary or Elementary Classroom.

1.35 Books for Reluctant Readers.

1.36 Books for Young Readers Written by African American Authors.

1.37 Poetry Books for Children.

1.38 Magazines for Children.

1.39 Suggestions for Parents and Guardians to Help Their Children with Reading.

1.40 Reading Teaching Tips.

1.41 Checklist for a Successful Reading Program.

Section 2 Writing.

2.1 The Writing Process: The Way Writers Write.

2.2 Habits of Good Student Writers.

2.3 Finding Ideas for Writing.

2.4 Writing Prompts.

2.5 Developing Writing According to the Five W’s and How.

2.6 Basic Structure for Composition.

2.7 High-Frequency Words for Writing.

2.8 Kinds of Sentences.

2.9 Sentence Forms.

2.10 Subjects and Predicates.

2.11 Compound Subjects and Predicates.

2.12 Fragments and Run-Ons.

2.13 Point of View.

2.14 Figurative Language: Similes, Metaphors, and Personification.

2.15 Guidelines for Revision.

2.16 Guidelines for Proofreading.

2.17 Words That Are Easy to Confuse.

2.18 The Parts of Speech.

2.19 Nouns.

2.20 Rules for Forming Plural Nouns.

2.21 Special Irregular Plural Nouns.

2.22 Possessive Nouns.

2.23 Action Verbs.

2.24 Linking Verbs.

2.25 The Tenses of Verbs.

2.26 Rules for Forming Verb Tenses.

2.27 Irregular Verbs.

2.28 Verb Contractions with Not.

2.29 Rules for Subject-Verb Agreement.

2.30 Pronouns.

2.31 Subject Pronouns.

2.32 Object Pronouns.

2.33 Possessive Pronouns.

2.34 Pronoun Contractions.

2.35 Adjectives.

2.36 Comparing with Adjectives.

2.37 Some Special Adjectives.

2.38 Adverbs.

2.39 Comparing with Adverbs.

2.40 Negative Words.

2.41 Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases.

2.42 Conjunctions.

2.43 Interjections.

2.44 Common Abbreviations.

2.45 Rules for Using End Punctuation.

2.46 Rules for Using Commas.

2.47 Rules for Using Colons.

2.48 Rules for Using Apostrophes.

2.49 Rules for Using Quotation Marks.

2.50 Rules for Using Italics.

2.51 Rules for Using Hyphens.

2.52 Rules for Capitalization.

2.53 Rules for Spelling Words Correctly.

2.54 Strategies for Improving Spelling.

2.55 Tough Words to Spell.

2.56 Tips for Student Writing Journals.

2.57 Grading Student Writing.

2.58 Ways to Share the Writing of Your Students.

2.59 Checklist for a Successful Writing Program.

Section 3 Mathematics.

3.1 Math Concepts and Attributes.

3.2 Habits of Good Student Mathematicians.

3.3 Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers.

3.4 Addition Table and Additional Facts.

3.5 Place Value Chart for Whole Numbers.

3.6 Steps for Adding and Subtracting Whole Numbers.

3.7 Multiplication Table and Multiplication Facts.

3.8 Prime Numbers.

3.9 Prime Factorization and Factor Trees.

3.10 Composite Numbers.

3.11 Square Numbers and Cube Numbers.

3.12 Divisibility Tests.

3.13 Steps for Multiplying and Dividing Whole Numbers.

3.14 Big and Very Big Numbers.

3.15 Mathematical Signs and Symbols.

3.16 Place Value Chart for Decimal Numbers.

3.17 Steps for Rounding Numbers.

3.18 Types of Decimals.

3.19 Steps for Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Decimals.

3.20 Steps for Finding the Greatest Common Factor.

3.21 Steps for Finding the Least Common Multiple.

3.22 Types of Fractions.

3.23 Renaming Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions.

3.24 Steps for Simplifying Fractions.

3.25 Steps for Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Fractions.

3.26 Steps for Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Mixed Numbers.

3.27 Steps for Changing Decimals to Fractions.

3.28 Steps for Changing Fractions to Decimals.

3.29 Steps for Changing Decimals to Percents.

3.30 Steps for Changing Percents to Decimals.

3.31 Steps for Changing Fractions to Percents.

3.32 Steps for Changing Percents to Fractions.

3.33 The Customary System of Measures.

3.34 Steps for Converting Units in the Customary System of Measures.

3.35 Steps for Computing with the Customary System of Measures.

3.36 Visualizing the Metric System.

3.37 Metric System Units and Prefixes.

3.38 Steps for Converting Units in the Metric System.

3.39 Steps for Computing in the Metric System.

3.40 Steps for Measuring Length.

3.41 Time Words.

3.42 Measuring Temperature.

3.43 Angles.

3.44 Steps for Measuring and Drawing Angles.

3.45 Polygons.

3.46 Classifying Triangles.

3.47 Classifying Quadrilaterals.

3.48 Tangrams.

3.49 Tessellations.

3.50 Circle Words and Facts.

3.51 Solid Figures.

3.52 Cubes.

3.53 Symmetry.

3.54 Formulas.

3.55 The Number Line.

3.56 Transformations.

3.57 Common Graphs.

3.58 Mean, Median, and Mode.

3.59 Math Manipulatives for Your Classroom.

3.60 Tips for Reading and Solving Math Word Problems.

3.61 Math Problem-Solving Strategies.

3.62 Math and Literature.

3.63 Checklist for a Successful Math Program.

Section 4 Science.

4.1 Characteristics of Living Things.

4.2 The Kingdoms of Life.

4.3 What Animals Need to Survive.

4.4 Traits of Common Types of Animals.

4.5 Animal Names.

4.6 Migratory Animals.

4.7 Hibernating Animals.

4.8 Nocturnal Animals.

4.9 Animal Superstars.

4.10 Some Incredible Animal Facts.

4.11 Metamorphosis.

4.12 What Plants Need to Live.

4.13 Photosynthesis.

4.14 The Food Chain.

4.15 Biomes of the World.

4.16 Rain Forests.

4.17 Why Rain Forests Are Important.

4.18 How to Save the Rain Forests.

4.19 Facts About Endangered Species.

4.20 Examples of Endangered Animals.

4.21 Some Extinct Animals.

4.22 Examples of Endangered Plants.

4.23 Dinosaur Facts.

4.24 Dinosaur Superstars.

4.25 Major Systems of the Human Body.

4.26 Some Amazing Facts About the Human Body.

4.27 The Five Senses and Beyond.

4.28 Healthy Habits.

4.29 Food Groups and MyPyramid.

4.30 Facts About Matter.

4.31 Elements and Atoms.

4.32 Magnetism and Magnets.

4.33 Electricity.

4.34 Facts About Energy.

4.35 Renewable and Nonrenewable Sources of Energy.

4.36 Simple Machines.

4.37 Facts About Earth: Our Home in Space.

4.38 Kinds of Rock.

4.39 Facts About Earthquakes.

4.40 Facts About Volcanoes.

4.41 The Water Cycle.

4.42 The Carbon Oxygen Cycle.

4.43 Weather Words.

4.44 Types of Storms.

4.45 Types of Clouds.

4.46 The Highs and the Lows of Weather.

4.47 Our Solar System.

4.48 Beyond Our Solar System.

4.49 Inventions and Inventors.

4.50 Checklist for a Successful Science Program.

Section 5 Social Studies.

5.1 Continents of the Earth.

5.2 Oceans of the Earth.

5.3 The Highest Mountains on Earth.

5.4 The Highest Mountains in North America.

5.5 The Earth's Largest Seas.

5.6 The Earth's Largest Lakes.

5.7 The Earth's Longest Rivers.

5.8 Geographic Regions of the United States.

5.9 Your Place in the World.

5.10 Pilgrim Facts.

5.11 The Thirteen Colonies.

5.12 Colonial Firsts.

5.13 Famous Men and Women of Colonial America.

5.14 Causes of the Revolutionary War.

5.15 Events Leading up to the American Revolution.

5.16 Common Colonial and Revolutionary War Words.

5.17 Great Events of the American Revolution.

5.18 Facts About the Declaration of Independence.

5.19 Facts About the Constitution.

5.20 Facts About the Bill of Rights.

5.21 The Branches of the United States Government.

5.22 Famous Native Americans.

5.23 Famous Figures of American Folklore.

5.24 Causes of the Civil War.

5.25 Great Events of the Civil War.

5.26 The Presidents.

5.27 Presidential Trivia.

5.28 Federal Holidays.

5.29 Other Days to Celebrate.

5.30 Major Religions Around the World.

5.31 Major Religious Holidays.

5.32 Famous Human-Made Structures Around the World.

5.33 U.S. Landmarks.

5.34 Calendar Words and Facts.

5.35 Checklist for a Successful Social Studies Program.

Section 6 General Reference for Elementary Teachers.

6.1 The Elementary Teacher's Responsibilities.

6.2 Basic Materials and Supplies Your Classroom Should Have.

6.3 How to Create a Positive Classroom Atmosphere.

6.4 Creating an Effective Learning Environment in an Inclusive Classroom.

6.5 Basic Special Education Terminology.

6.6 Basic Learning Styles.

6.7 Assessment Terms.

6.8 Alternative Assessments.

6.9 How to Use Portfolios in Your Class.

6.10 Tips for Managing Your Classroom.

6.11 Tips for Organizing Your Classroom.

6.12 Tips for Managing Time.

6.13 Reward Options for Students.

6.14 Conducting Effective Conferences with Students.

6.15 Conducting Effective Conferences with Parents and Guardians.

6.16 Tips for Communicating with Parents and Guardians.

6.17 Suggestions for a Successful Back-to-School Night.

6.18 Maintaining Positive Relationships with Your Students Parents and Guardians.

6.19 Helping Parents and Guardians Help Their Children.

6.20 Bulletin Board Planning Tips.

6.21 Tips for Planning Field Trips.

6.22 How to Become an Expert in All the Subjects You Teach.

6.23 Suggestions for Managing Discipline.

6.24 Useful Web Sites for Teachers.

6.25 Questions for Self-Appraisal.