Barron's Us History

Tommy Thomason, Geoff Ward

Tools, Not Rules Teaching Grammar in the Writing Classroom

If you want to start an argument in a teachers' lounge, bring up the topic of how best to teach grammar. There is a wide spectrum of opinion. Traditionalists claim that we must explicitly teach grammar. Students drill the basics and diagram sentences. Sometimes their study and drills take the place of writing, but these teachers claim that good writing demands good grammar. At the opposite end of the spectrum are teachers who claim that the best way to learn grammar is to write, thereby being forced to use grammar in writing and editing. They reason that students will learn grammar in the context of actually using it, without all the drills and worksheets. They trust the writing process to instill an appreciation for grammar, instead of actually teaching it. Teachers on the write-to-learn-grammar side claim that students who are only taught grammar rules might pass tests, but since they didn't learn in the context of writing, they typically don't apply the rules when they write. Grammar traditionalists say students in writing classes never learn grammar at all, because it is not explicitly taught. In Tools, Not Rules, authors Tommy Thomason and Geoff Ward take the middle-ground ...

Michael Greenberg

Painless Study Techniques

Most kids hate to study, and homework is always a chore but this book teaches kids how to transform drudgery into interesting and productive projects. The author offers suggestions for group learning and study projects, creating a stimulating study environment, and knowing the different ways to read different kinds of books, from math to literature. He also advises on organizing ideas for writing assignments, and seeking extra help for especially difficult subjects."

Fried George, George Fried, George J. Hademenos

Schaum's Easy Outline of Biology, Second Edition

When you need just the essentials of biology, this Easy Outlines book is there to help If you are looking for a quick nuts-and-bolts overview of biology, it's got to be Schaum's Easy Outline. This book is a pared-down, simplified, and tightly focused version of its Schaum's Outline cousin, with an emphasis on clarity and conciseness. Graphic elements such as sidebars, reader-alert icons, and boxed highlights stress selected points from the text, illuminate keys to learning, and give you quick pointers to the essentials. Perfect if you have missed class or need extra review Gives you expert help from teachers who are authorities in their fields So small and light that it fits in your backpack Topics include: The Chemistry of Life, Cell Structure and Function, The Molecular Basis of Inheritance, The Cellular Basis of Inheritance, The Mechanism of Inheritance, Classification of Prokaryotes, Classification of Eukaryotes, Plant Structure and Function, Intercellular Communication, Musculoskeletal System, Respiration and Circulation, Homeostasis and Excretion, Nurition and Digestion, Reproduction and Early Human Development, Evolution and the Origin of Life, Ecology. ...