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A project to help teachers use technology to enhance learning is tied to the Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial, to bring a sense of adventure to learning. Four examples of projects along the Montana section of the expedition's trail show how outdoor, experiential learning is enhanced by the use of global positioning systems, digital cameras, clinometers, the Internet, and sophisticated software. (TD)

Student performance in U.S. history is poor because most history teachers have not studied history and textbooks present history as an incontrovertible story. The bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary history education that emphasizes inquiry and critical thinking. Primary documents, local historical places, and Native oral histories make history relevant. (TD)

A science teacher at a Portland (Oregon) parochial school has made the school a major contender at local, state, and national science fairs. He instills confidence in his students through high expectations. Science projects are 25 percent of a student's grade, and through public presentation of findings, they learn public speaking skills and receive feedback. (TD)

The "6+1" model of writing assessment, which identifies six traits of good writing, is applicable to any language. In an Anchorage (Alaska) elementary school with a high proportion of English language learners, homeless children, and other disadvantaged youth, the model helps students write about their own ideas and experiences, thereby developing academic language skills and reducing feelings of isolation. (TD)

Three authors describe their motivations to write and influences on their writing careers, including love of reading, desire to escape other occupations, and influential teachers. Advice for teachers includes using the writers' workshop model; encouraging editing and revision; steering students toward literary, rather than mass media sources; accommodating different learning styles; and focusing on teaching how to write a good paragraph. (TD)

In rural Alaska villages, Native students benefit from having Native teachers who share their culture. Past and present efforts to increase the number of fully certified Native teachers include distance education courses, often taken by Native teacher aides; a fifth-year rural teacher internship for college graduates; and campus-based and field-based teacher education programs. (SV)

Some teachers are building and sharing their wisdom and know-how through lesson study, in the process creating memorable learning experiences for students and for each other. This paper describes how lesson study can transform teaching and how schools are implementing lesson study. A sidebar presents questions to consider in lesson study. (SM)