One hundred years ago, the Singer Building at Liberty Street and Broadway in Manhattan, New York, was completed as the headquarters of the Singer Manufacturing Company. This was recognized at the time to be the world's first skyscraper.

At 612 feet (187 m) above grade, the Singer Building was the tallest building in the world from its completion until the completion in 1909 of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower on Madison Avenue, again in Manhattan.

The building's architect, Ernest Flagg, was a supporter of height limitations and restrictive zoning, and showed his solution to tall-building crowding with the Singer's set-back design. The 12-story base of the building filled an entire blockfront, while the tower above was very narrow.

The building was demolished in 1968 as it was claimed to be functionally obsolete, and in order to make way for the subdued U.S. Steel Building (currently known as One Liberty Plaza). The tower floors were squares only 65 feet (20 m) on a side. It remained the tallest occupied building ever destroyed until the September 11, 2001, collapse of the nearby World Trade Center. It is still the tallest building ever lawfully demolished.

Science, technology, and engineering challenges were overcome by the architectural engineers who built the first series of skyscrapers. Students will be motivated to understand more about the science that enabled the architectural breakthroughs of this era, many of which are integrated into today's skyscrapers around the world.

Assign students to write a report of at least 150 words (or a PowerPoint presentation of at least two minutes and seven slides) that cites at least three sources. Students should address the following essential questions for critical thinking (you can add or substitute others) in their reports:

1. What were the economic and social factors that motivated the construction of skyscrapers?
2. What are the material and construction technologies that made the first skyscrapers possible?
3. What engineering techniques needed to be developed to build the first skyscrapers?
4. What new technologies needed to be integrated into skyscrapers that provided the day-to-day needs of humans who will work in these buildings?

Use our custom ProQuest models for written or PowerPoint reports written and PowerPoint-style reports.

Brain research confirms what experienced teachers have always known:

• No two children are alike.
• No two children learn in the identical way.
• An enriched environment for one student is not necessarily enriched for another.
• In the classroom we should teach children to think for themselves.

Differentiating instruction means creating multiple paths so that students of different abilities, interest or learning needs experience equally appropriate ways to absorb, use, develop and present concepts as a part of the daily learning process. It allows students to take greater responsibility and ownership for their own learning, and provides opportunities for peer teaching and cooperative learning.

The effective use of educational technology and the Internet has increasingly helped teachers to differentiate instruction for their students.

Teachers will want to know more about how technology integration can help them to create new strategies for instruction as well as strategies for independent learning. Here are some challenge questions that will help teachers to understand more about how they can differentiate instruction in their classrooms:

1. Why does differentiated instruction have the capability of helping to increase achievement for all students?
2. How can technology help you differentiate instruction and learning for your students?
3. What specific strategy can you implement in the near future that would help differentiate instruction in your classroom?
4. How can your school leaders help you to integrate technology and differentiate instruction I your school?

Pathfinder: Type "differentiated instruction" in the Basic Search box to yield 72 articles to support teachers across curriculum areas and levels.

The mission of Career-Technical Education (CTE) is to help empower students for effective participation in an international economy as world-class workers and citizens. CTE programs are designed to contribute to the broad educational achievement of students, including basic skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics, as well as to their ability to work independently and as part of a team, think creatively and solve problems, and utilize technology.

It covers:

• Academic subject matter taught with relevance to the real world, often called contextual learning.
• Employability skills, from job-related skills to workplace ethics.
• Education pathways that help students explore interests and careers while they progress through school.

Career and technical education is also about helping workers and lifelong learners of all ages fulfill their working potential.

• Second-chance education and training for the unemployed and those seeking to upgrade their employability skills.
• Education to earn additional degrees, especially when related to career advancement.
• Corporate training, continuing education, skills upgrades, and refresher courses for those already in the workplace.

All students need to be aware of the career clusters that are currently in demand, the educational requirements, the projections for future demand, and the salary ranges for that career cluster. Acquiring this information and helping students relate it to their interests and skills set is the key to a successful career for the student and the economic success of the U.S. in this global economy.

Unfortunately, a majority of students never get this opportunity and counseling in K-12 or in 4-year colleges. Recently, businesses who must compete in the global economy are pressuring the schools to integrate more career and technical education to preserve our standard of living.

Assign students to research the top three career clusters currently in demand. Students should create a three column chart to make the comparison. The chart should include the following information for each...

Top three career opportunities currently in demand:

• Minimum education needed for each.
• Salary range for each.
• Special knowledge and skills required for each.
• Projections for future demand for each.

Students should also indicate which one of these careers they would prefer (or another in the listing of the top five). Students should write an essay of at least 100 words that indicates why they prefer this career and what experiences or skills they have that equips them for it.

Pathfinder:

• Click the Topics tab.
• Type "careers and labor market" in the Search box.
• Click "Careers AND Labor Market."
• Select the View Documents link.