Following is a list of free or inexpensive resources that teachers can order.
Crime Prevention.
The National Crime Prevention Council announces McGruff ‘Toons, a crime-prevention cartoon series. This free set of ten cartoons is designed to increase adult awareness about issues of crime prevention and to help adults teach crime awareness to children. For more information, contact: NCPC Fulfillment Center, P.O. Box 1, 100 Church St., Amsterdam, NY 12010; (800) NCPC-911; www.ncpc.org/newsroom.
The Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley has published
, by Katharine Barrett and Carolyn Willard. This 128-page guide, which conforms to the national standards for science education, is designed to help teachers of grades 2-6 introduce biology topics. It includes instructions on creating model pond ecosystems in the classroom. Cost: $16. For more information, contact: Great Explorations in Math and Science, Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-5200; (510) 642-7771; fax (510) 643-0309.
Human Kinetics, a publisher of PE-related materials, has released
, by Don Morris and Jim Steihl. This guide to making children’s games more inclusive outlines dozens of games and offers suggestions for making PE benefit more students. Cost: $17. For more information, contact: Katherine Johnson, Promotions Dept., Human Kinetics, 1607 N. Market St., P.O. Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076; (800) 747-4457 ext. 2434; e-mail
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The National Center for History in the Schools at the University of California at Los Angeles and the Getty Education Institute for the Arts announce “Trajan’s Rome: The Man, the City, the Empire,” a teaching unit for grades 6-9. This 139-page text offers six lesson plans and contains reproductions of textual and visual primary materials. Included are the writings of Cicero, Pliny, and Aristedes as well as examples of contemporary sculpture, architecture, and urban design. Cost: $18. For more information, contact: Social Studies School Service, 10200 Jefferson Blvd., P.O. Box 802, Culver City, CA 90232-0802; (800) 421-4246; fax (800) 944-5432;
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The American Optometric Association announces Save Your Vision Week, March 7-13, and offers a free teachers’ guide to help teachers incorporate lessons about vision into the classroom. The guide includes suggested classroom activities and two lesson plans. For more information, contact: American Optometric Association, 243 North Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141; (314) 991-4100; (888) 396-3937; fax (314) 991-4101;
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Earth Force, a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization, announces Get Out Spoke’n!, a campaign to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion by encouraging the use of bicycles. As part of the campaign, the group offers a free student booklet and teachers’ guide that offer suggestions for organizing an environmental project as well as instructions for surveying a community’s “bike- friendliness.” For more information, contact: Earth Force, 1908 Mount Vernon Ave., Second Floor, Alexandria, VA 22301; (703) 299-9400 or (800) 233-6723; fax (703) 299-9485; e-mail
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Video Placement Worldwide offers free educational videos for classroom use. Available titles include
, a nutritional video;
, a history of the White House; and
, an exploration of environmental and safety tips for the use of outdoor tools. More than 50 videos are available. For more information, contact: VPW, 25 Second St. N., Suite 120, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; fax (800) 358-5218; e-mail
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