Following is a list of free or inexpensive resources that teachers can order.
Internet.
Classroom Connect, the Internet division of Wentworth Worldwide Media, offers the Educator’s Internet Companion, a 271-page paperback guide to Internet use in K-12 classes. It includes 30 reproducible lesson plans, a virtual tour of 50 education Web sites, a list of funding sources for school telecommunications programs, Internet tutorials, a glossary, and a video highlighting school efforts to integrate the Internet into curricula. Cost: $39.95. Contact: Classroom Connect, 1866 Colonial Village Lane, P.O. Box 10488, Lancaster, PA 17605-0488; (800) 638-1639; e-mail connect@wentworth.com.
Poems.
Cottonwood Press publishes Hide Your Ex-Lax Under the Wheaties, a book of poems about schools, teachers, kids, and education written by Cheryl Miller Thurston, a former teacher. Cost: $7.95. Contact: Cottonwood Press Inc., 305 W. Magnolia, Suite 398, Fort Collins, CO 80521; (800) 864-4297.
Shakespeare Guide.
Howard’s Corner publishes The Play’s the Thing, a 175-page paperback by Howard Kleyn that describes Shakespeare’s plays scene-by-scene inmodern English. Also included are discussions of major characters and quotations. Cost: $13.50. For more information, contact: Howard’s Corner, The Cottons, Outwell, Wisbech, PE14 8TP, England.
Educational Materials.
The Thomas S. Klise Co. distributes its “Learning Materials” catalog free of charge. The 34-page catalog includes posters, videos about English and world literature, curriculum packages, and more. Topics range from mythology to modern art. Contact: Thomas S. Klise Co., P.O. Box 317, Waterford, CT 06385; (800) 937-0092; http://www.klise.com.
At-Risk Youth.
The Bureau for At-Risk Youth in Plainview, N.Y., offers a Web site for those seeking information and resources on programs for at-risk youngsters. The site includes a calendar of seminars and conferences and a catalog listing publications, curricula, posters, and more. Each month, it features one community’s efforts to work with at-risk youth. Web address: http://www.at-risk.com.
Editorial Cartoons.
Zino Press offers Editorial Cartoons by Kids 1996, a compilation of the 101 best cartoons of the annual contest sponsored by the school current-events program NewsCurrents. The cartoons in the 202-page paperback focus on such topics as the Internet, presidential campaigns, and U.S. foreign policy. Cost: $10.95. Contact: Zino Press Children’s Books, P.O. Box 52, Madison, WI 53701-0052; (800) 356-2303.
Physical Fitness.
The American Council on Exercise offers Energy 2 Burn, a fitness program featuring classroom activities and videos that encourage kids to be physically active. The five-week program is geared for 4th graders and is taught at no cost by volunteer, ACE-certified fitness instructors. Contact: (800) 825-3636, ext. 723.
Dioramas.
The American Museum of Natural History offers three dioramas for children: “Enter the World of the Polar Bear"; “Enter the World of the African Elephant"; and “Enter the World of the Great White Shark.” The dioramas come with a 64-page book and removable vinyl figures. Cost: $10.95 each. Contact: Workman Publishing, 708 Broadway, New York, NY 10003-9555; (800) 722-7202.
Anecdotes.
Wise Owl Books publishes The Teacher’s Book of Wit: Quips, Quotes, and Anecdotes, by Mark Ortman. The 96-page paperback offers more than 700 adages and stories about education and teaching. Cost: $8.95. Contact: Wise Owl Books, P.O. Box 621, Kirkland, WA 98083; (206) 822-9699.
Science Magazine.
The ZiNj Education Project, a nonprofit organization, has launched a national kids’ magazine designed to increase science literacy among youngsters ages 7-14. The publication features activities, short stories, and reports from kids doing field research. Cost: $12 for four issues. Contact: ZiNj Education Project, 300 Rio Grande, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; (801) 533-3565.
Free Classroom Materials.
Educators Progress Service Inc. offers the Elementary Teachers Guide to Free Curriculum Materials. The guide lists thousands of no-cost items designed to aid classroom discussions of subjects like AIDS, recycling, aerospace science, and geography. Cost: $26.95. Contact: Educators Progress Service, 214 Center St., Randolph, WI 53956; (414) 326-3126.
