Review of Math Dictionary for Kids: The Essential Guide to Math Terms, Strategies, and Tables

Book Description

This book called Janice VanCleave's Guide to More of the Best Science Fair Projects is a great resource for any teachers trying to teach science to students. The 50 original science fair projects cover the broad range of physical, mathematical and earth sciences and use low-cost, easily obtained and safe materials. The detailed explanation of how to approach and complete a project may be more valuable as a classroom and teacher resource than to an individual child, as it is written on a level perhaps more sophisticated than the abilities of the children who would select one of the book's unusual projects. A 2000 Parents' Choice® Approved winner.

Product Description

Grade 6 Up: Sussman uses a personable writing style to make a case for the importance of science in this book called Dr. Art's Guide to Science: Connecting Atoms, Galaxies, and Everything in Between. With humorous references to pop culture and questions designed to encourage critical thinking, he makes scientific fundamentals accessible. A systems approach for understanding science is used throughout.

However, to move from atoms to energy, the beginning of the universe, life, evolution, and global environmental issues means a brief overview at best–readers who are seriously curious will require further exploration. Most chapters end with a Stop & Think page that describes strategies for better comprehension and retention. Sometimes, questions and activities that encourage reflection are included. Profuse color visuals help to summarize and clarify concepts. Experiments are provided on a Web site.

The one experiment in the book deals with the relationship between magnets and electromagnetism and requires materials that are available in a science lab. This attractive volume has several layout mistakes and typographical errors, but they don't mar its overall appeal. A Glindex replaces a glossary and an index. Unfortunately, it lacks enough access points to specific information. Neither a textbook nor a reference source, this title will work best as a browsing item.–Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI

Review

"I recommend that all kids read this book full of amazing, incredible facts.  Teachers will find it a great resource.  The excellent pictures in this book will be of great interest."—Annie Liu, Kidsday Reporter (Newsday, July 9, 2006)

"This delightful volume reflects the true nature of science in a way that is truly ... 'joyful'." (National Science Teachers Association, April 2006)

"I recommend that all kids read this book full of amazing, incredible facts. Teachers will find it a great resource. The excellent pictures in this book will be of great interest." (Newsday, July 2006)

"In Dr. Art's Guide to Science, Art Sussman has written a very attractive, easy-to-read, and engaging science book that will help students better understand science taught at the middle school level." (Science Books and Films, July/August 2006)

"Art Sussman has written a very attractive, easy-to-read, and engaging science book that will help students better understand science taught at the middle school level." (Science Books and Films, July/August 2006)

Science Dictionary for Kids: The Essential Guide to Science Terms, Concepts, and Strategies is packed with more than 350 illustrated science definitions that every child must know. This is the ultimate science homework helper!

Science Dictionary for Kids provides hundreds of science terms with kid-friendly definitions and illustrations, perfect for any teacher of science or parent helping a child with science homework. From the basic science equipment, to the physical sciences, to Earth science, kids can flip to one of eight science categories to find the definitions they need.

The perfect reference for kids and their parents and teachers, the easy-to-follow definitions in this guide will help with any science assignment, project, or experiment. Most definitions include an illustrated version to increase comprehension.

Science Dictionary for Kids also includes a handy reference guide section, complete with commonly used formulas, measurement conversions, charts detailing household chemicals and acids and bases, instructions for using science equipment safely, tips on following the scientific process, and information on graphing results and data. This book needs to be on every child's desk!

• The perfect companion to Prufrock Press' bestselling Math Dictionary for Kids
• Comprehensive, easy-to-use reference guide to science terms for students (grades 4–9)
• Quick access to essential information and answers
• Kid-friendly graphics and illustrations to help define each term or scientific process
• Includes both standard and metric units of measurement for U.S. and Canadian markets

Prufrock Press offers award-winning products focused on gifted, advanced, and special needs learners. For more than 20 years, Prufrock has supported parents and teachers with a wide range of resources based on sound research.

The average day of a parent or teacher of a gifted or special needs learner is filled with a thousand celebrations and challenges. Prufrock's goal is to provide practical solutions to those challenges—to provide readers with timesaving, research-based tools that allow them to spend less time on the challenges and more time on the celebrations.

Prufrock Press' line of products features:

• Resources on parenting the special needs learner
• Sage advice on teaching in the inclusive classroom
• Advanced learning tools for gifted children and inquisitive learners
• Cutting-edge information on innovative teaching approaches
• Resources for college planning for gifted and special needs learners

Prufrock Press is committed to resources based on sound research. It has a senior advisory group composed of the top scholars in the field of education and psychology. All of the company's editors have graduate degrees in education or children's literature, and they all have classroom experience. In essence, when a reader holds a book by Prufrock Press, he or she knows that the information found in that book will be research-based and reflect agreed upon best practices in the field of education and child psychology.

About the Author

After teaching science for more than 15 years, Laurie E. Westphal is now an independent education consultant. Her goal is to share her vision for real-world lessons that help students become critical thinkers. She is the author of the Differentiating Instruction with Menus series and Hands-On Physical Science.

Connecting Cultures: A Guide to Multicultural Literature for Children is a comprehensive guide to multicultural literature for children. This valuable resource features more than 1,600 titles--including:

• fiction,
• folktales,
• poetry, and
• song books--that focus on diverse cultural groups.

The selected titles, published between the 1970s and 1990s are suitable for use with preschoolers through sixth graders and are likely to be found on the shelves of school and public libraries. Topics are timely, with an emphasis on books that reflect the needs and interests of today's children. Each detailed entry includes bibliographic information. Use level is also included, as are cultural designation, subjects, and a summary. The invaluable Subject Access section incorporates use level culture information.

Review

“An excellent tool for readers' advisory and collection building.”–School Library Journal;>

“This is an excellent collection development tool for librarians as well as a useful research tool for library science students and faculty. The book would also serve well as a reader's advisory and an enhancement to school curricula that emphasize diversity and multiculturalism. Highly Recommended.”–The Book Report;>

“A fine library reference or a key to building a multicultural collection.”–Midwest Book Review;>

“A thorough and well-organized update of the authors' previous annotated bibliograpny titled This Land is Our Land: A guide to multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults....This is an excellent collection development tool for librarians as well as a useful research tool for library science students and faculty. The book would also serve well as a reader advisory and an enhancement to school curricula that emphasize diversity and multiculturalism. Highly Recommended.”–Library Talk;>

“While the main audience will be librarians, teachers, and parents, scholars and researchers seeking insights into multicultural literature development will also find this title handy. It is a solid source for collection development and book talking ideas.”–American Refernce Books Annual;>

“Highly recommended for school and public librarians trying to build their multicultural collections.”–Blanche Woolls & David Loertscher (GaleGroup.com);>

Product Description

Celebrating the wealth of multicultural literature recently published for children and young adults, this valuable resource examines the fiction, oral tradition, and poetry from four major ethnic groups in the United States. Each of these genres is considered in turn for the literature dealing with African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native-American Indians. Taking up where their earlier volume This Land is Our Land left off, Helbig and Perkins have teamed up once again to identify and expertly evaluate more than 500 multicultural books published from 1994 through 1999. Both considered authorities in the field of children's literature, the two of them personally selected, read, and evaluated all the books included here. Their insightful annotations help readers carefully consider both literary standards such as plot development, characterization, and style, as well as cultural values as they are represented in these cited works. Each entry also indicates the suggested age and grade level appropriateness of the work.

See all Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The fiction, poetry, and oral traditions of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native Americans are the focus of this annotated bibliography. Authors Helbig and Perkins, both of whom have published extensively in the field of children's literature, note that books were chosen on such literary values as plot, style, and nonstereotyped characterization. Representatives of the four ethnic groups served as consultants.

The books, 570 in all, were published from 1985 through 1993, with more than 60 percent published since 1990; they cover grades K-12, including some titles originally published for adults (e.g., Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club). Each cultural group is divided into sections for poetry, oral tradition, and fiction, under which entries are arranged alphabetically by writer. The number of entries for groups and sections varies, reflecting both publishing and cultural trends. For instance, there are more titles listed about African Americans, but the oral tradition section for Native Americans is the largest. Each entry includes ISBNs for hardcover and paperback editions, price, and age and grade levels. Annotations include a description of plot, characters, illustrations, and critical commentary. The titles of books on similar subjects or by the same author are often mentioned, with a cross-reference provided if appropriate. Five indexes--title, author, illustrator, grade level, and subject--provide further access. Abbreviations indicating ethnic groups are used in the grade-level and subject indexes.

Our Family, Our Friends, Our World: An Annotated Guide to Significant Multicultural Books for Children and Teenagers (Bowker, 1992) covers the same cultural groups, but its strength is in its worldwide coverage. It lists some earlier titles (back to 1970) but has fewer entries per U.S. ethnic group and, unlike This Land Is Our Land, includes very few poetry collections. Native Americans in Fiction [RBB De 15 94] lists many more titles under specific tribes, but the annotations are not as helpful. Libraries and curriculum resource centers will want to consider This Land is Our Land for its currency and comprehensive coverage of quality multicultural literature for children.