Instructional Resources

The following recently published instructional resources have been selected for their usefulness in the classroom and for professional development.

Earthbrowser. www.earthbrowser.com. 2003. CD-ROM: $29.95; download: $19.95.
Gr 4 Up –This program allows students to monitor the Earth in real time and track global atmospheric and geological conditions. Viewers can observe current cloud coverage, locate weather information for cities, link to sites reporting recent earthquake and volcanic activity, and see what's being captured by Web cams positioned throughout the world.

History Alive! America's Past. Teachers' Curriculum Institute. www.historyalive.com. tchr's. resources: $375; student edition: $32; 5 interactive student notebooks: $17; 25 interactive deskmaps: $69.
Gr 4 Up– This year-long curriculum enhancer will energize lessons with its interactive components. Included in the kit are two lesson guides, an overhead transparency book, a placard set, an audio CD, an interactive student notebook and deskmap, and a student edition. The research-based teaching methods feature a spiral curriculum that emphasizes cooperation. Sample lessons include 'Why Europeans Left for the New World' and 'The Declaration of Independence.'

Jackdaw Publications: Hands-On Primary Sources. kits with assorted materials. www.jackdaw.com. (Box 503, Amawalk, NY 10501; 800/789-0022, fax: 914/962-6911). Prices vary.
K Up– This company produces kits packed with an assortment of materials that will immerse students in the study of an event or period. For example, Watergate Scandal, 1972-1974, examines the burglary at the Democratic Party's national headquarters through reproductions of primary sources (copies of photos, logs, press briefings, tape transcripts, and letters), as well as a colorful illustrated broadsheet essay, a time line, critical thinking questions, and a recommended reading list. Teachers can request the company's catalog of supplemental materials for social studies and literature units.

JACOBSEN, Jennifer & Dottie Raymer. The Big Book of Reproducible Graphic Organizers: 50 Great Templates to Help Kids Get More Out of Reading. 112p. illus. Scholastic. 2003. pap. $12.95. ISBN 0-590-37884-8.
K-Gr 8 –A collection of graphic organizers designed to develop critical thinking skills. Each reproducible includes an explanation of purpose, skills, directions for use, and a few grade level samples. Teachers will find this a timesaving resource, and possibly, a springboard for their own ideas.

PEARSON, Donna. Math 4 Today: 10-Minute Daily Skills Practice. 144p. Frank Schaffer Publications, Inc. 2000. pap. $15.99. ISBN 1-56417-980-X.
Gr 4-5– This resource complements classroom instruction by providing lessons for 24 essential skills and concepts in a spiral curriculum. Attractive reproducibles contain 4 problems per day for 4 days, followed by a 10-problem test for the 5th day of each week. Included are a skills and concepts chart, a scope and sequence chart to track student development, and an answer key.

RIEF, Linda. 100 Quickwrites. 128p. illus. Scholastic. 2003. $15.95. ISBN 0-439-45877-3.
Gr 5 Up– A rich collection of poems and short passages that inspire creativity and idea expression. Each activity provides students with an exemplary model of writing followed by two or three 'try this' options. For example, 'Borrow any line and write as quickly as you can, letting the line lead your thinking.'

SAS in School Curriculum Pathways: American Literature. www.SASinschool.com. 2003. Subscriptions available.
Gr 8 Up– American Literature is one module of the online Curriculum Pathways site that provides interactive resources for students and teachers. It introduces cultures, themes, and stylistic devices associated with specific literary periods.

Take It to the Computer: Literacy and Math Centers Series. CD-ROMs. www.evan-moor.com. 2003. $299 ea.
K-Gr 3– Individual kits for each grade offer a comprehensive software program and support materials for primary language and math skills. The programs are aligned with National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) and state curriculum standards.

VAN ZILE, Susan. Awesome Hands-On Activities for Teaching Literary Elements: 30 Easy, Learning-Rich Activities That Tap Into Students' Multiple Intelligences to Teach. 80p. illus. Scholastic. 2003. pap. $11.95. ISBN 0-439-16355-2.
Gr 4-8– A teacher-friendly title that zeros in on the five basic elements of narrative text: setting, character, theme, plot, and vocabulary. The activities, most designed for groups, guide students' learning. From 'setting postcards' to 'theme collages,' this resource provides simple, yet rich activities that accommodate different learning styles.