TOOLS FOR TEACHERS
or what no home or school classroom should be without

Note: An "*" after a price indicates a short discount item.

All grades /   Upper elementary and Junior High
Secondary

Prices are subject to change at any time.

SmartClicks: Target Advertising For Free

ALL GRADES

Quick Flip Questions for Critical Thinking: With just a flip of the page you will have key words and questions that cause students to think on all six levels of thinking in the cognitive domain, as defined in Bloom's Taxonomy. Great for leading discussions and preparing tests. Can be a life-saver for substitute teachers. Cat # EP504, price is only 4.49-D.

Curriculum and Project Planner for Integrating Learning Styles, Thinking Skills, and Authentic Instruction by Imogene Forte and Sandra Schurr.  Incentive Publications, 2000. This is a pull-out planner with  nine useful panels of components based on Bloom's and Williams' taxonomies and Gardner's multiple intelligences.   See details.
ISBN: 086530-3487.BTH-420. $6.29-D

Instant Grader™, Incentive Publications, 2000. This handy tool provides percentile scores on tests and quizzes with up to 95 problems. No need to boot up a computer just to score a quiz. No teacher should be without one of these. Shown almost full size, which is 8½ x 4¾ inches. Just slide and score. See picture.
IP-9500. $4.26.

Teaching Techniques, by Kathryn Stout, BSEd., MEd. She's taught in public schools, in special education programs, with troubled students, and her own children at home. Her district asked her help with the toughest cases. It's a short, 28-page book of advice from a veteran, and deals with the nitty-gritty of getting ready to teach your children at home. From getting organized to scheduling and techniques, from preparing you to know what to expect and showing you how to deal with problems, all you need to know to get started is here. And if you're going to teach in a school instead of a home, there's still a lot here for you. Comes punched to insert in your notebook. Cat. # is D-a-St. Price: 10.00*

Webster's New World Speller/Divider, Cat. # 1156. You can't have the computer do all your spell checking, and when you're not connected, you can find the 39,000 most needed words spelled and syllabified for instant reference in this handy, pocket-sized, vinyl-covered book. Only 8.00.

Project Planner, by Diane Draze, a Dandy Lion publication. Cat. #DL1. This 8 1/2 by 11" book is a guide for creating curriculum and independent study projects. Whether you teach at home or in a school, whether you use texts or plan your own curriculum, this book will inspire you to plan more original and interesting activities to enrich your teaching. The book begins with an extensive list of topics and concepts to help pinpoint a topic of study. When you have selected your topic, there is a section of instructional strategies that offer a multitude of ways that information can be presented to groups or individuals. This is followed by a list of processes: different operations students can mentally perform on the information. Finally, there is a list of products so that you can help your students choose the best way to communicate what they have learned. Examples of some products are debate, panel discussion, slide show, model, book review, diary, report, speech, puppet show, flannel board story, etc. I haven't even scratched the surface. Where else can you get this much help for only 8.96-D

I Love Lists, by Linda Schwartz, from Learning Works. Cat. # LW355. This book contains more than 200 lists in the subject areas of reading, science, math, geography, history, music, art, sports, and more, which you can reproduce for your students to use. Here you can find everything from abbreviations and homophones to famous ships and classification of animals. You can find recent spaceflights and authors and musical symbols -- just about anything you can make a list of. The book is 17.96-D, but think of all your time it will save typing.

Critical Conditioning, a Design-a-Study book by Kathryn Stout. This book contains everything teachers need to know about teaching students from grades 1-8 to think critically, to comprehend and evaluate what they read, and to study effectively. Contains plenty of discussion questions and activities to use in studying all types of writing: fiction and nonfiction. A reproducible checklist of skills is included at the end.. Cat. #1299, $9.00*

Guides to History Plus, a Design-a-Study book by Kathryn Stout. This book helps you make your own unit study for an exciting and thorough look at any historical period, civilization or event using the books from your own or the public library. A section on activities helps you integrate your history and geography with the other subjects. The book includes geography references, map skills, reproducible maps, and instructions for making your own timeline. This newer version has added detailed grade 6-12 objectives for social studies listed by topic: history, geography, government, and economics. Questions and topics for discussion or composition provide practice in analysis. It also includes titles of fiction, games, and movies on video arranged by period and topic to supplement grade 6-12 studies of geography, American, and world history.
Cat. #1521, $14.00* Older version without the extra materials for classroom teachers still available for limited time for 9.00*   

Movin' and Groovin' by Peggy Buchanan and Linda Schwartz. Fun exercises to do any time and any place -- plus nutritional tips, yummy recipes, and more. These activities are ideal for a break between subjects, to utilize a few extra minutes, or as a regular exercise program. Though designed for home use, they can be adapted for the classroom. Illustrated instructions for activities can be reproduced for individual students or family members. Good for all ages. (Go ahead and try them, Mom and Dad.) Cat. #1557, $11.66-D

Unit Study Journal: Record Keeping for All Unit Studies, by Amanda Bennett. Gives the teacher a place to record resources for the study, questions students have, field trips, assignments, and a daily log. Cat. #1561, $7.19-D

A good dictionary that is age appropriate. I know a lot of you like the Webster's 1828. So do I. But it has its limitations. I personally believe it is most useful for Principle Approach people who want to research their subjects and for students who are trying to understand literary works written before the 20th Century. Because of its lack of helpful guide words at the top and the monotony of every page having the same layout, it's not the first dictionary I'd want my children to try to use. If you want young children to fall in love with words and not be intimidated about looking them up, I'd suggest you get one of the following:

For Beginning Readers:

The American Heritage Picture Dictionary. This is a real dictionary with words listed in alphabetical order. Under each word is a box with a colorful picture under it that illustrates the word. Where useful, there is also a sentence using the word, with the word printed in blue so that it stands out. There are directions at the beginning in words that new readers can understand, explaining the features of the dictionary and how to use them. There is also a note to teachers and parents to point out ways to help children get the most out of the dictionary. At the back are clear, thematic pages with labeled nouns in pictures of the following subjects: Astronaut; Body; Classroom; Dinosaur; Farm; Games and Fun; Supermarket; Prepositions; Zoo. This is a book young children will not be afraid to pick up when they need to know what a word means. They may even pick it up just for fun. But they will get used to looking up words in alphabetical order, and the print is large enough so they won't find it difficult. Contains 900 word entries, and 650 detailed illustrations. Cat. # 1345, $11.70-D

For Elementary Children

Webster's II Children's Dictionary: This paperback dictionary would be good for children in grades 2-6. It has example sentences, some word histories, synonym paragraphs, and an illustrated appendix that includes measurement and metric conversion tables; events in U.S. history; presidents and chief justices; manual and Braille alphabets; countries of the world updated for the 90's; and maps of the United States, North America, the world, and the solar system. It has 778 pages. Cat. #1437. $13.50

Thorndike-Barnhart Children's Dictionary: This dictionary for elementary students is hardcover. It contains 28,000 entries, 30,500 definitions, 22,000 illustrative examples, 1,100 photos and illustrations, 500 word histories, 39 pages of dictionary lessons and a 32-page color reference section containing maps of the solar system, world, and U.S.; facts about the 50 states; illustrated listing of presidents; time line of U.S. history beginning in 1492; word origins; some science facts; basic food groups; bicycle safety; measurements; and plane figures. 770 pages in all. Cat. #438. $16.16-D

For Middle School Children

Thorndike-Barnhart Junior Dictionary: This hardcover dictionary for middle school grades contains 68,000 entries; 34,000 illustrative examples; 900 usage notes and synonym studies; 1,200 photos and illustrations; some two-page color spreads on areas of special interest; and a reference section with world maps; table of elements; U.S. presidents; mathematical formulas; and proof-reading marks. Geologic tables have an old-earth bias. Cat. 1439, $17.10-D

ENRICH YOUR UPPER ELEMENTARY AND
JUNIOR HIGH CURRICULUM

The Great Chocolate Caper: A Mystery That Teaches Logic Skills, by Mary Ann Carr. Reginald Van Feisty, the owner of a world famous chocolate factory, is about to produce the most delicious chocolate bar ever. But before he can make even the first one, his recipe is stolen. It is discovered that six suspects have motives for committing the crime. Students learn logic skills to discover which one is guilty. The book contains nine lessons, each teaching a different logic skill. Each lesson may take several 50-minute class periods to complete. Worksheets for lessons are reproducible. For grades 5-8. Cat. #961, $9.86-D

 

 

 

One-Hour Mysteries, by Mary Ann Carr. Students become detectives and need to learn logic skills to solve the five crimes in this book. These crimes can be included in a unit on mysteries or be used independently for variety about every six weeks or so. Each mystery requires about 1-3 hours to solve. These mysteries motivate students to learn reading and thinking skills. For grades 4-8. Cat. #962, $9.86-D

 

Usborne Science Dictionaries.

Write Source 2000: In my opinion, this is the best English Handbook you can buy. It explains clearly how to do any type of writing a students needs to do, from letters to reports, and everything in between. It teaches listening and study skills, and it has a section at the back that lists the most frequently misspelled words, the easily confused words, spelling rules, information on parts of speech, punctuation, and capitalization, and anything else one needs to know about grammar and usage. It also has maps, geographical information, helps in solving math problems, the periodic table, the Constitution and other historical documents and speeches, and much more. I call it the student's best friend because it helps with almost every kind of assignment. Cat.#1510, $18.95*

All ages /  Upper elementary and junior high resources
High school resources

BOOKS TO ENRICH THE HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Cartoon Guide to Physics, by Larry Gonick and Art Huffman. The simple, clear, and funny illustrations will help anyone grasp the explanations of velocity, acceleration, explosions, electricity, magnetism, circuits, and even a little of the theory of relativity given in this book. 211 indexed pages of information on mechanics, electricity, and magnetism. Cat. #1560, $13.50-D

Barron's Mathematics Study Dictionary by Frank Tapson. For students from middle school to high school. Also offers help to those preparing for college entrance exams. There are two parts to the book:
    1. An alphabetical Wordfinder of more than 1,000 words and phrases that directs you to one or more double-page spreads, each of which deals with a specific mathematical theme (e.g. matrices)
    2. Clear definitions and diagrams on each double-page spread for exploring the meanings of words  within a context rather than in isolation.
Cat. # BAR-03032. $8.96-D

 

Writers INC: This is the high school student's best friend. It explains how to do any kind of writing assignment that can be given and supplies a completed example after the step-by-step instructions. It even helps one write that all-important college admission letter. In the back of the book is a "yellow pages" section that explains in an easy-to-use format all the rules of grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and usage. There is also a list of the most frequently misspelled words to refer to, and another list of the most often confused words to consult when one doesn't want to run for a dictionary. From book reports to research papers and speeches, everything one needs to do them is here. And there are plenty of helps for subjects other than English: computer keyboarding, science and math references and tables, maps and geological information, information about the solar system, and much more. Don't let your high school student be without this book. 19.95*

All ages /  Upper elementary and junior high resources
High school resources

************************************************************************************************

We're in the Pacific Time Zone
Our normal office hours when we answer the phone are 10: 30 AM - 4 PM Monday - Friday.
We answer email and ship at other times, but normally take Sundays off.
 

We prefer you ask your questions about products and availability by e-mail, since that gives us more time to prepare a thoughtful answer and keeps us from playing phone tag. Please remember to put our email address in your address book if you have a spam filter or you won't ever get your answer unless you also leave a phone number. We cannot usually tell you immediately over the phone if a book is here. We have to walk two blocks to check the warehouse, so I usually have to call you back or email you anyway.  We do check our e-mail frequently throughout the day when we are at home. If we should be out, and you leave a message on our answering machine, we sometimes cannot hear the phone number clearly to return your call. Those are some reasons why we recommend you email us first. If you want us to call you, please leave your phone number and time zone.
When you do email us, please do not leave the subject blank or just say "Hi" or "Hello" as the subject. We delete those before opening because a lot of spam messages look like that. 
We have supplied a subject line in the link provided above that will guarantee your mail will be opened fast.
Or call (800)925-8587 (not before 10 AM or after 10 PM Pacific Time)

About Us / Upcoming Events
Back to Home Page / Privacy Statement (updated in April, 2007)
Articles / Catalog / Awards
Contact Information
Links to our Favorite Sites / Frequently Asked Questions