Search results for 'life of fred'

By Laura Driscoll, Illustrated by Catalina Echeverri

For the child who says, "I want to be a police officer when I grow up!" And for any child who wants a gentle behind-the-scenes look at being a police officer.

 Police officers help to keep people safe. Did you know that there are many different ways to be a police officer? Join Eva as she meets Officer Green and the other officers at Town Safety Day.

With this story blending narrative with nonfiction elements, readers meet police officers who protect people, investigate crimes, and even work with trained dogs.

I Want to Be a Police Officer is part of a new I Can Read series that introduces young readers to important community helpers. This Level One I Can Read is perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books support success for children eager to start reading on their own.

For anyone looking for books about community helpers for kids, the I Can Read My Community books are a great choice. The books are bright and upbeat and feature characters who are diverse in terms of gender, race, age, and body type. Kids ages 3-6 will enjoy finding out more about the people who do so much to help all of our communities.

Give third grade students important life skills by teaching them about money and financial concepts, and how to apply math to the world around them!

This dynamic teaching resource provides reproducible cut-out math manipulatives, reference sheets, and visual aids to support students as they explore real-world lessons and hands-on activities related to earning money at a job, making and following a budget, using credit cards, paying taxes, buying things at a store, and more.

Financial Literacy Lessons and Activities for Grade 3 is based on national and state standards and enriches any math curriculum in the classroom or home.

What’s Inside

Financial Literacy Lessons and Activities Grade 3 is based on current national and state standards, and each of the 10 units includes:

• Teacher overview with a suggested teaching plan, discussion questions, and vocabulary
• Real-world story that introduces each unit’s theme in the context of real life
• Cross-curricular activities including vocabulary, reading comprehension, and social studies
• Math application that presents scenarios using money-based word problems
• Hands-on activities such as partner and whole-class games and role playing that bring the concepts to life

Valuable teaching tools include these reproducible worksheets:

• Cut-out math manipulatives such as play money
• Reference sheets and visual aids such as number charts and balance sheets
• Glossary of vocabulary words

Give second grade students important life skills by teaching them about money and financial concepts and how to apply math to the world around them!

This dynamic teaching resource provides reproducible cut-out math manipulatives, reference sheets, and visual aids to support students as they explore real-world lessons and hands-on activities related to using money, buying groceries, collecting allowances, paying at a restaurant, raising money to help others, and more.

Financial Literacy Lessons and Activities for Grade 2 is based on national and state standards and enriches any math curriculum in the classroom or home.

What’s Inside

Financial Literacy Lessons and Activities Grade 2 is based on current national and state standards, and each of the 10 units includes:

• Teacher overview with a suggested teaching plan, discussion questions, and vocabulary
• Real-world Story that introduces each unit’s theme in the context of real life
• Cross-curricular activities including vocabulary, reading comprehension, and social studies
• Math application that presents scenarios using money-based word problems
• Hands-on activities such as partner and whole-class games and role playing that bring the concepts to life

Valuable teaching tools include these reproducible worksheets:

• Cut-out math manipulatives such as play money
• Reference sheets and visual aids such as number charts and balance sheets
• Glossary of vocabulary words

His Life and Times with 21 Activities

By Brandon Marie Miller

Drawing heavily from the original letters and papers of Thomas Jefferson and his contemporaries, this resource chronicles the world of the Founding Father who wrote the Declaration of Independence. From his early critiques of the colonial policies of Great Britain and King George III to his governmental roles as the first secretary of state, the minister to France, and the third president of the United States, Jefferson’s groundbreaking achievements are described in historical context. The contradictions in Jefferson’s character—most notably the fact that he owned 600 slaves in his lifetime despite penning the immortal phrase "all men are created equal"—are also explored, giving kids a full picture of this skilled politician. Creative activities that invite children to experience Jefferson's colonial America include designing a Palladian window, building a simple microscope, painting a “buffalo robe,” and dancing a reel.

His Life and Times, 21 Activities

By Kerrie Logan Hollihan

Hands-on activities and insightful historical information reveal the fascinating life of Theodore Roosevelt, America’s 26th president, who was also well known as a writer, a ranchman, a politician, a solider, an explorer, and a family man. Combining a rich biography, including information about his childhood, with relevant and engaging projects, this book offers a glimpse at Roosevelt’s work and times—how a sickly, undersized boy grew into a physically fit, energetic, and courageous man; how his wealth did not shield him from human tragedy; how as a leader of a young, vigorous nation, he steered a middle course between big business and working-class needs; and how his love of nature led him to protect millions of acres for posterity. Readers will create a Native American toy, explore the effects of erosion, go on a modern big-game hunt with a camera, and make felted teddy bears. The text includes a time line, online resources, and a reading list for further study—making this the ultimate reference on a great American president.

His Life and Ideas, 25 Activities

By Richard Panchyk, Foreword by Buzz Aldrin

Galileo, one of history's best-known scientists, is introduced in this illuminating activity book. Children will learn how Galileo's revolutionary discoveries and sometimes controversial theories changed his world and laid the groundwork for modern astronomy and physics. This book will inspire kids to be stargazers and future astronauts or scientists as they discover Galileo's life and work. Activities allow children to try some of his theories on their own, with experiments that include playing with gravity and motion, making a pendulum, observing the moon, and painting with light and shadow. Along with the scientific aspects of Galileo's life, his passion for music and art are discussed and exemplified by period engravings, maps, and prints. A time line, glossary, and listings of major science museums, planetariums, and web sites for further exploration complement this activity book.

Her Life and Times, 21 Activities

By Kerrie Logan Hollihan

One of England’s most fascinating monarchs is brought to life in this hands-on study for young minds. Combining projects, pictures, and sidebars with an authoritative biography, children will develop an understanding of the Reformation, Shakespearean England, and how Elizabeth’s 45-year reign set the stage for the English Renaissance and marshaled her country into a chief military power. Providing 21 activities, from singing a madrigal and growing a knot garden to creating a period costume—complete with a neck ruff and a cloak for the queen’s court—readers will experience a sliver of life in the Elizabethan age. For those who wish to delve deeper, a time line, online resources, and a reading list are included to aid in further study.

With 21 Activities

By Ronald A. Reis

Taking a comprehensive, nuanced, and inclusive approach to Christopher Columbus, this illuminating biography with activities for young readers places him in the context of the explorations that came before, during, and after his lifetime. It portrays the “Admiral of the Ocean Seas” neither as hero nor heel, but as a flawed and complex man whose significance is undeniably monumental. Providing kids, parents, and teachers with a fuller picture of the seafaring life and the dangers and thrills of exploration, author Ronald Reis details all four of Columbus’s voyages to the New World, not just his first, and describes the year that Columbus spent stranded on the island of Jamaica without hope of rescue. A full chapter is devoted to painting a more complete and complex portrait of the indigenous peoples of the New World and another to the consequences of Columbus’s voyages—the exchange of diseases, ideas, crops, and populations between the New World and the Old. Engaging cross-curricular activities, such as taking nautical measurements, simulating a hurricane, making an ancient globe, and conducting silent trade, elucidate nautical concepts introduced and the times in which Columbus lived.

His Life and Times with 21 Activities

By Janis Herbert

Providing a fresh perspective on one of the most beloved presidents of all time, this illuminating activity book tells the rich story of Abraham Lincoln’s life and details the events of his era. Highlighting Lincoln’s warm, generous spirit and impressive intellect, the guide teaches children about his fascinating life story, his struggles at the onset of the Civil War, and his relevance in today’s world. Activities include delivering a speech, holding a debate, drawing political cartoons, and making a stovepipe hat or miniature Mississippi River flatboat. Lively sidebars, abundant photographs and illustrations, and fun projects help to kick the dust off old Honest Abe. Also included are selections from some of Lincoln’s most famous speeches and documents, as well as a resource section of Web sites to explore and sites to visit, making this a comprehensive Lincoln biography for young readers.

Explore the future of advanced computing technology with KAI — short for Kosmos Artificial Intelligence! Build and program an intelligent, six-legged, app-enabled robot that uses machine learning to react to the gestures and sounds that you make. Machine learning is the process by which computers use data to recognize patterns, learn, and make predictions, and it is a key aspect of artificial intelligence.

Using the app and your smart device’s camera and microphone, record physical gestures and sounds, assigning them to KAI’s five functions: walk forward and backward, turn left and right, and stop. The AI will learn to recognize each gesture or sound, even if they differ in small details. The more data you collect, the better the AI will learn from it. 

Use the data collected to create an AI model in the training screen of the app, where the AI takes your data and recognizes patterns in it. The learning curve shows you how accurately the AI model is learning, and you can use the sliders to adjust the number of times it will analyze the data and how quickly the training should run to get better results. Then put your AI model to the test in play mode by controlling your robot remotely. Just perform the same gestures or sounds that you did when collecting data, and your robot will perform the assigned function! You can also control KAI directly using the remote-control function in the app or by using your smart device as a gyroscope, tilting it in the direction you want it to move in. 

Mechanically, KAI is a fascinating robot that can walk on six legs and rotate its upper body around 360 degrees, allowing it to turn toward any direction on the spot. Composed of 25 red LEDs, its face display can be programmed via the app to show different expressions and scrolling messages.  

A full-color, 64-page manual provides step-by-step illustrated assembly and programming instructions, teaches lessons in AI and robotics, and includes a fun, comic-book-style story that brings KAI to life. Read about the history and future of AI and its real-world applications. The app requires a tablet (recommended) or smartphone running iOS or Android. Please check the app stores for compatibility and device requirements.

• Build your own six-legged robot from more than 100 pieces
• Collect data via your smart device's camera and microphone
• Train your AI model to more accurately recognize patterns in the data
• Control your robot remotely using gestures and sounds
• Remote-control mode allows you to manually control your robot
• Display emotions and messages on the robot’s LED face display
• Includes a lesson in creating your own AI using household items (paper and cups)

Choo choo! TrainBots coming through! 

All aboard! Put on your engineer’s cap and build your own steampunk-style train robot with amazing steam effects. You can build your TrainBot in two different configurations: a rolling train and a walking robot. Turn it on and watch it go, with cool water vapor “steam” billowing from its chimney, lit up in a fiery orange glow. This retro-futuristic model is packed with modern technology, including an electric motor, LED lights, circuit board, and an innovative ultrasonic atomizer that transforms tap water into the fine mist that rises from the chimney. Learn about how the ultrasonic atomizer works, about the differences between fog, smoke, and steam, and about the steampunk craze. The experiment manual includes step-by-step assembly instructions as well as a fun, comic-book-style story that brings the TrainBots to life.

• Build your own funky, steampunk-themed robots that emit a safe, cool steam that mimics a real-life locomotive.
• Two robots to choose from: a rolling train or a walking robot; move a few pieces to go back and forth between each configuration quickly and with ease.
• An LED light illuminates the water vapor for a dazzling steam engine effect.
• Includes an electric motor, circuit board, and ultrasonic atomizer that helps teach kids about ultrasonic and sound waves as well as phases of matter.
• Manual includes a fun, comic-book-style story that adds to the play value of the kit and brings the models to life.

By William Anderson

Dive into the world of the author of the beloved Little House series! 

From her pioneer days on the prairie to her golden years with her husband, Almanzo, and their daughter, Rose, Laura Ingalls Wilder has become a friend to all who have read about her adventures. This expertly researched, behind-the-scenes account of Laura’s life chronicles the real events that inspired her to write her stories, and also describes her life after the last Little House book ends.

Their Journey of Discovery with 21 Activities

By Janis Herbert

His Life and Times with 21 Activities

By Brandon Marie Miller

George Washington comes alive in this fascinating activity book that introduces the leader to whom citizens turned again and again—to lead them through eight long years of war, to guide them as they wrote a new Constitution, and to act as the new nation’s first executive leader. Children will learn how, shortly after his death in 1799, people began transforming George Washington from a man into a myth. But Washington was a complex individual who, like everyone, had hopes and fears, successes and failures. In his early 20s, for instance,Washington’s actions helped plunge Great Britain and France into war. He later fought for liberty and independence, yet owned slaves himself (eventually freeing them in his will). This book weaves a rich tapestry of Washington’s life, allowing kids to connect with his story in 21 hands-on projects based on his experiences and the times in which he lived. Children will learn how to tie a cravat, write with a quill pen, follow animal tracks, sew a lady’s cap, plant a garden, roll a beeswax candle, play a game of Quoits, and make a replica of Washington’s commander-in-chief flag. The text includes a time line, glossary, websites, travel resources, and a reading list for further study.

An Activity Guide to Life in the New World

By Laurie Wiin Carlson

Young adventurers can learn about the settling of America while enjoying activities like stitching a sampler, pitching horseshoes, making an almanac, churning butter, and more.

A History with 21 Activities

By Janis Herbert

History explodes in this activity guide spanning the turmoil preceding secession, the first shots fired at Fort Sumter, the fierce battles on land and sea, and finally the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. Making butternut dye for a Rebel uniform, learning drills and signals with flags, decoding wigwag, baking hardtack, reenacting battles, and making a medicine kit bring this pivotal period in our nation’s history to life. Fascinating sidebars tell of slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad, the adventures of nine-year-old drummer boy Johnny Clem, animal mascots who traveled with the troops, and friendships between enemies. The resource section includes short biographies of important figures from both sides of the war, listings of Civil War sites across the country, pertinent websites, glossary, and an index.

His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities

By Brandon Marie Miller

Capturing the essence of this exceptional individual through his original writings and hands-on activities from his era, this resource tells the rich story of one of America’s most celebrated Founding Fathers. Beginning with his time as a young printer, this engaging narrative details how Benjamin Franklin became a celebrity with the publication of Poor Richard: An Almanack and how he founded the colonies’ first lending library, volunteer fire company, and postal service. Additionally, his life in science is also highlighted, from his 1751 book Experiments and Observations on Electricity to his proof a year later that lightning was an electrical discharge. Activities range from designing and printing an almanac cover and playing a simple glass armonica (a Franklin invention) to experimenting with static electricity and building a barometer. The text also features a time line, glossary, Web and travel resources, and reading list for further study.

His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities and Thought Experiments

By Jerome Pohlen

Best known for his general theory of relativity and the famous equation linking mass and energy, E = mc², Albert Einstein had a lasting impact on the world of science, the extent of which is illuminated—along with his fascinating life and unique personality—in this lively history. In addition to learning all about Einstein’s important contributions to science, from proving the existence and size of atoms and launching the field of quantum mechanics to creating models of the universe that led to the discovery of black holes and the big bang theory, young physicists will participate in activities and thought experiments to bring his theories and ideas to life. Such activities include using dominoes to model a nuclear chain reaction, replicating the expanding universe in a microwave oven, creating blue skies and red sunsets in a soda bottle, and calculating the speed of light using a melted chocolate bar. Suggestions for further study, a time line, and sidebars on the work of other physicists of the day make this an incredibly accessible resource for inquisitive children.

From Slavery to Freedom with 21 Activities

By Mary Kay Carson

The heroic struggles of the thousands of slaves who sought freedom through the Underground Railroad are vividly portrayed in this powerful activity book, as are the abolitionists, free blacks, and former slaves who helped them along the way. The text includes 80 compelling firsthand narratives from escaped slaves and abolitionists and 30 biographies of "passengers," "conductors," and "stationmasters," such as Harriet Tubman, William Still, and Levi and Catherine Coffin. Interactive activities that teach readers how to navigate by the North Star, write and decode a secret message, and build a simple lantern bring the period to life. A time line, reading list, glossary, and listing of web sites for further exploration complete this activity book. The Underground Railroad for Kids is an inspiring story of brave people compelled to act in the face of injustice, risking their livelihoods, their families, and their lives in the name of freedom.

Revised for the twenty-fifth anniversary of its publication, Alfie Kohn's landmark challenge to carrot-and-stick psychology features updated reflections and research in a major new afterword by the author.

Our basic strategy for raising children, teaching students, and managing workers can be summed up in six words: Do this and you’ll get that. We dangle goodies (from candy bars to sales commissions) in front of people in the same way that we train the family pet.

Since its publication in 1993, this groundbreaking book has persuaded countless parents, teachers, and managers that attempts to manipulate people with incentives may seem to work in the short run, but they ultimately fail and even do lasting harm. Drawing from hundreds of studies, Kohn demonstrates that we actually do inferior work when we are enticed with money, grades, or other incentives—and are apt to lose interest in whatever we were bribed to do.

Promising goodies to children for good behavior, meanwhile, can never produce anything more than temporary obedience. Even praise can become a verbal bribe that gets kids hooked on our approval.

Rewards and punishments are two sides of the same coin—and the coin doesn’t buy much. What is needed, Kohn explains, is an alternative to both ways of controlling people. Hence, he offers practical strategies for parents, teachers, and managers to replace carrots and sticks.

Seasoned with humor and familiar examples, Punished by Rewards presents an argument that is unsettling to hear but impossible to dismiss.

Simulate the epic, earth-shattering power of a volcano in your own home! Build a huge volcano model with a sturdy frame that effortlessly slides together. Wrap the frame in hardening plaster-coated fabric strips and then paint it to look like the real thing. Then, bring your volcano to life with cutouts of dinosaurs and prehistoric trees — this isn’t just any old volcano; this is a model of an extremely ancient and immensely large volcano from the days dinosaurs roamed the planet! 

When you’re ready for action, simply mix the two non-hazardous powders, dye, and water to create a chemical reaction of flowing red ooze that simulates the molten hot lava flows of a real volcanic eruption. Six packets of chemicals are included, allowing the volcano to be erupted multiple times. The volcano frame enables you to choose between two volcano shapes, with the final model measuring more than one foot tall.  

A large, full-color scientific poster of a volcano with illustrated instructions and lots of educational information about volcanoes is included. By studying these awe-inspiring and cataclysmic natural phenomena, you can learn more about the inner workings of Earth, learn about the different types of volcanoes and what causes them, and explore volcanoes around the world and how they have affected life on Earth for eons. Get ready to journey back in time and deep beneath Earth’s surface with this fun, hands-on craft project and fascinating science lesson!

Build a zany inflatable tube dancer that uses the physics of flowing air to perform its eye-catching moves. Like the air dancers and tube men you may have seen around your town, this motorized device uses a blower motor and a fabric tube to slink, shimmy, and shake around. Assemble the model to learn about its inner mechanisms, including fan and electric circuit, complete with battery, motor, and switch. Conduct four fun additional experiments that demonstrate principles in air pressure, air flow, and aerodynamics. Make a ball float on a stream of air, practice your aim in a game of air basketball, and launch balls into the air with the air cannon. This hands-on kit brings physics to life as it demonstrates the power of air pressure at work. An eight-panel, full-color manual guides your model building with step-by-step illustrated instructions.

+ Build a model that “dances” on air – over one foot tall!

+ Assemble and decorate your own inflatable tube dancer.

+ Adjust the blower to change the dancer’s motion.

+ Conduct experiments to learn lessons in air pressure, airflow, and aerodynamics.

+ Learn about gears and circuits as you assemble the fan.

+ Includes fun, hands-on activities like air basketball, a floating ball trick, and an air cannon.

The Daily Warm-Ups series is a wonderful way to turn extra classroom minutes into valuable learning time. The 180 quick activities--one for each day of the school year-- practice critical thinking skills in English, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Life Skills. These daily activities may be used at the very beginning of class to get students into learning mode, near the end of class to make good educational use of that transitional time, in the middle of class to shift gears between lessons--or whenever else you have minutes that now go unused. In addition to providing students with structure and focus, they are a natural path to other classroom activities involving critical thinking skills. As students build their critical-thinking skills, they will be better prepared to for standardized tests, such as the PSAT and SAT.

The Daily Warm-Ups series is a wonderful way to turn extra classroom minutes into valuable learning time. The 180 quick activities--one for each day of the school year-- help students practice critical thinking skills in language arts, math, social studies, science, and life skills. These daily activities may be used at the very beginning of class to get students into learning mode, near the end of class to make good educational use of that transitional time, in the middle of class to shift gears between lessons--or whenever else you have minutes that now go unused. In addition to helping students warm up and focus, they are a natural lead-in to other classroom activities involving critical thinking skills. As students build their critical-thinking skills, they will be better prepared to tackle standardized tests as well.