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Cheaper Textbooks

Esperanza Dodge — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:00:38 +0000

I am now a graduate student but learned in my undergrad years the tricks and trades of getting textbooks at a reduced price from the bookstore and learning how to earn nearly my entire purchase price of the book afterwards. This is all done through online. My best textbook best friend over the years has been half.com. Amazon is also good at selling used books at a great price.

I think its ridiculous how you can spend over $100 on a textbook brand new at your university’s bookstore then they’ll buy it back for a mere $13 and students let them cheat them out this way! If you are a student or know one, do not resort to that any longer. I’m tellling you, just google the book on the web and you’ll come across many online textbook places that sell it cheaper. You can even compare the price by going to your university’s bookstore website.

Then after the semester is over utilize these same websites to earn your money back. Simple and saves you a ton of money!

Prop Box Play

angie828 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:23:20 +0000

If you have young boys or girls that love to use dramatic play, I highly suggest getting a copy of “Prop Box Play: 50 thems to inspire Dramatic Play” by Ann Barbour and Blanche Desjean-Perrotta. It is a Gryphon House book and sells for $16.95.
The 160 page book has many wonderful ideas for dramatic play. The themes range from zoo to flower shops, circus to cowboys/girls, and bedtime to castle.
Each theme has related literature, extension activities, vocab, basic props, and additional props that you may need. Many of the items you can find at goodwill stores, such as the dress up clothes that you may need. Or look at gargae sales. The appendix int he back of the book shows you many things that you can make, such as NASA helmet using milk jugs for your space themed prop box.
The book also has an index.
Dramatic play is very important in a child’s life. It fosters creativity and the child is playing to learn. there is a very nice written piece in the beginning of the book on why play is important.

I’m getting a Kindle 2!

Esperanza Dodge — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:05:27 +0000

I can’t tell you how excited I am to get Amazon’s new Kindle 2! The hardest part is just waiting for it to arrive, though!

These are the features that really convinced me the Amazon Kindle 2 is right for me.
1. I have carpal tunnel and have long searched for something where I do not have to hold a book and cramp my hand

2. It has the internet! Yup, free internet. You can check your email anytime anywhere. Oh, how I love technology!

3. It stores something like 1,500 ebooks. Oh I’m so excited to get my hands on some free books to read on the plane to NY….

4. It has a read to me feature which is useful for times I just want to lay back and enjoy a good book without opening an eye. I wonder if the voice sounds weird though, lol.

5. I can stop lugging around heavy textbooks and put my textbooks right there on my kindle. What a time saver/space saver, etc.

The new kindles ship on Feb 24th and I’m not sure how I’m going to wait around that long in the meantime!

Year Round Preschool Math

angie828 — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:06:45 +0000

If you have trouble planning math activities in your classroom for preschoolers, I recommend getting “year Round Preschool Math” by Lynne R. Weaver. The 240 page book can really help you get math activities going that the children will love to do.
The book is a created resources book.
There are 27 units in this book that range from same and different to measuring. I like the patterning section and have found that my children love the whats missing game. The reproductibles are great to make and laminate and use at circle time. My preschoolers always ask to do the same and different card game and like playing the back to school matching game. the reproductibles are great at getting more math in your center times.
The book also talks about calendar and does sequencing. It also has worksheets and activties for left to right practice. Great for your young preschoolers.

Creative Resources for Bulletin Boards

angie828 — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:58:59 +0000

If you are a preschool teacher, you need to pick up a copy of “Creative Resources for Bulletin Boards in the Early Childhood Classroom. The book is by Judy Herr and Yvonne Libby and retails for $19.95. It is a Gryphon House book.
The 224 page book includes patterns for letters and numbers which is nice. It includes a variety of ideas for themes from Christmas to Halloween to water to doctors and nurses. It gives 50 bulletin board ideas and has other patterns and name tags and labels to reproduce.
It also shows you that there are 4 types of bulletin boards: interactive, which is the most effective, child created, which I like to use, deocorative, and conceptual. You could try to have a variety of bulletin boards in your classroom.
There is also a check list that you can use to evaluate your bulletin board. Make sure to place it at the childs level if possible.

Group Time Activities A to Z

angie828 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:23:56 +0000

I really like the book “Group Time Activities A to Z” by Joanne Matricardi and Jeanne McLarty. The book is 162 pages and isvery easy to follow.
The alphabet is divided into sections. Each letter contains ideas to do with children ages 2 and up. The activity will give the appropriate age, developmental goals are listed. Each section includes an adults preparation to do before hand as well. The learning objective is stated and an activities list is provided.
At the end of the activity, there is either a book listed to read to go with the letter, some variations or some expansions.
Appendix A in the back of the book provides patterns while Appendix B provides letters to the family. There is also an index of the units.
I really like the helpful hints sections as well. Sometimes it is nice to read what tips other preschool teachers find handy or what works for them.
This book will enhance your games, music, children’s cognitive ability and their gross motor skills.

Circletime Activities for Young Children

angie828 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:16:50 +0000

Circle time is one of my favorite parts of the day. Children can gain so much from it. So I adore the book written by Deya Brashears and Sharron Werlin Krull entitled Circle time Activities for Young Children. The book is illustrated by Amy Flynn and is put out by Gryphon House books.
The book retails for about $12.70 and is 139 pages long. In addition it also has an index of titles and subjects as well as another index of 1st lines for chants, fingerplays, songs, and poems.
Monthly themes are featured from September through June. I really like the yoga theme they feature in September. These yoga poses are stretches are the perfect thing to do to get young tired minds moving. Once they are all awake they learn so much better. Other activities included are movement ideas, songs, auditory games, creative dramatics, and finger plays. Holidays are also included in the book such as Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day.

500 5 minute Quick games

angie828 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:55:52 +0000

I love pulling out my copy of “500 5 Minute Quick Games: Quick and Easy Activities for 3-6 year olds” by Jackie Silberg. The book is perfect because it is such a wonderful resource book. The book features the following types of games: colors, active, birthday, rhyming, relaxing, science, counting, math, drama, alphabet, animal, and music games as well as many others.
The book retails for about $20 and is 270 pages long. It is put out by Gryphon House books.
I love the relaxing games section. The “Time to Relax” game is great to use on stressful days and is quite helpful at calming my preschoolers. I also love the “Stop and Go” game. This game is not only relaxing, but it teaches the children how to listen as well.
Since the games do not take very long to play, you can play many of them a day and your young children will never get bored. And if they do not get bored, they are less likely to get into trouble.

Alphabet Theme-a-saurus

angie828 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:50:01 +0000

A really great book to have in your resource library is “Alphabet Theme-a-saurus”. The book was published by totline publications and was compiled by Jean Warren. The book is for ages 4 to 6 year olds.
Fun learning activities are included in this book for every letter of the alphabet. Each letter features songs and fingerplays that relate to the letter, as well as an animal and an occupation card. Eight other cards are included with each letter that may be made into individual children’s book or fun learning games, such as memory. Puppets can be made out of the animal and occupation cards.
The book includes songs, art activities, language, science, games, snacks, and movement ideas to do with the children. There are enough activities to do a whole week on the letter. This is a great book to help children learn about the alphabet and the sounds that they make. Perfect for any preschool classroom.

Preschool Superbook

angie828 — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:37:53 +0000

I use the Preschool Superbook all the time when I am making up my lesson plans. The 320 page book is a great resource book for all preschool teachers. It has many reproductibles and clip art, as well as a 12 month calendar perfect for planning.
This book includes great bulletin board ideas, and has a very nice holiday section. There are parent notes that you may copy, as well as conferrence ideas. The book features tons of great center ideas as well. The dramatic play ideas section is wonderful.
The book includes other themes as well, such as being unique and special. There is a substitute section, and many some certificates to copy, as well as some cute nametags featuring cute animals like an octopus or a bug.
I really like the developmental profile of a 3 year old, as well as the 4 year old. This comes in handy to show parents.