All throughout the metro area, children are busily compiling their holiday wish lists. Teachers are making lists of their own, and have suggestions for items that make good educational gifts for students.

But teachers are pragmatic, too: They realize that Xbox 360s and the Nintendo Wii are topping many students' list this year. Susanna Marcucci, the co-principal at Weeks Middle school on the south side, said that educators know that fighting cellular phones and other technological advances is "a losing battle."

She is pushing her staff to learn how to incorporate phones and iPods into the classroom, by making them educational tools rather than a nuisance.

Chris Reeves, a science teacher at Weeks, said teachers are "starting to realize that the technology is here, and isn't going away, and we're learning to embrace it."

But something as reliable as a scientific calculator would make a great gift idea for middle school students, Reeves said.

Some of the ideas that top kids' wish lists also are deemed acceptable by teachers.

Taylor Weesner, an eighth-grader at Weeks, is hoping for an iPhone for Christmas this year - but also would like to receive a copy of the "Twilight" novels.

Books, of course, top many teachers' gift suggestion lists. Dan Koss, a reading teacher at Weeks, said the popular "Twilight" series - the vampire saga that was adapted as a movie now in theaters - as well as books like Dave Pelzer's "A Child Called It" are favorites with young teens now.

"Books are always at the top of the list," Koss said. "I think its particularly important to get books that kids are interested in, and books that will get them interested in reading."

Hannah Lyons, a fourth-grader at Cowles Montessori School, has books at the top of her list. She loves to immerse herself in a book and said even "when the power's out, I can still read."

Cowles is in the midst of its annual book sale, and Hannah already has a list of books picked out for Christmas gifts - though she admitted that she would be "really excited" to find a Nintendo DS under the Christmas tree as well.

Some teachers have an easier time helping students choose educational gifts than others. Kim Babich is a library associate at Cowles, where her son, Drake, is a student. Babich said she doesn't mind her kids playing video games, but she hopes students will at least be interested in games that have a physical aspect, like Nintendo's Wii.

"Anything that keeps them from sitting and keeps them active is great," she said.

Topping Drake's wish list this year isn't a Nintendo Wii though: He really wants an amplifier for his electric guitar.

Musical instruments and sheet music also make educational gifts, as Emmanuel Arevalo, a third-grader at Findley Elementary School, points out. He wants a drum set so he can learn to play the drums.

And Josh Lemon, an eighth-grader at Weeks, wants "anything music-related for the guitar," and in particular a new wah-wah pedal and a different strap for his guitar.

"Guitar songbooks, stuff to learn how to play classical music, and AC/DC songs would be cool," Josh added.

Jane Olson, the music teacher at Findley, suggests purchasing musical instrument lessons for a budding enthusiast, or books about classical music, or tickets to a concert.

Olson also might gain points with youths for another suggestion:

"IPods are great gifts, because they give kids something to listen to during the day," she said.

Educational gift ideas aside, students put a lot of thought into what they want, to make sure they aren't left with the dreaded socks and underwear.

Brad Brockman, an eighth-grader at Weeks, wants a disco ball for his room because, "I think it would be really neat to hang it up in there."

Tatum and Miranda Vermeer hope their parents get them gift cards from Claire's, Gamestop and Target so they can do their own shopping for "stuff that our parents don't want to pay for," Miranda Vermeer said.

"When you get a gift card, you can pick out stuff on your own and spend the money later," she said.