Books about Primarily from Amazon.com

It's never too early to start building thinking skills--skills that will spill over into other areas of the curriculum and into real life. Primarily Logic consists of a series of units designed to introduce logical thinking to young thinkers. It is an excellent, easy-to-use starting point for teaching well-established forms of logical thinking. Each skills is introduced with examples, and then worksheets give students an opportunity to practice the skill. Group lessons and worksheets provide practice in: finding relationships, analogies, thinking logically using "all" and "no" statements, syllogisms, and deductive reasoning using logic puzzles.

Logical thinking is both enjoyable and challenging for students as they build a sound foundation for further instruction in critical thinking. Suggestions for related activities are included in the Instructions for Teachers section.

For easier logic activities for younger students try Lollipop Logic.

Grades 2-4.
Price: $6.76 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is a process that allows people to apply both creative and critical thinking to find solutions to everyday problems. It is a way to enhance creative behavior and also a systemic way to organize information and ideas in order to solve problems. The overall goal of CPS training is to improve creative behavior and problem solving behavior. The skills involved are: ability to select relevant information, ability to summarize information, ability to analyze social situations, ability to think creatively to generate possible solutions, ability to evaluate options based on given criteria, ability to plan activities to accomplish a goal, and the ability to make inferences.

Primarily Problem Solving allows you to give your younger students a head start on problem solving. This book presents creative problem solving in a step-by-step manner young children can understand and enjoy. Use the CPS process to solve the problems of the three little pigs, Rapunzel, and the frog prince, as well as more common family problems. Each problem includes illustrated worksheets to take students through each step of the problem-solving process. Teaching notes give instructors additional ideas for using creative problem solving techniques in the classroom.

Fun problems and step-by-step guides will take students successfully from the fuzzy beginning to an effective end. The end result is confidence in being able to "think through" a solution rather than just latching on to the most obvious solution. Use these exercises as a part of your thinking skills class or creativity training, as supplementary reading assignments or as a technique to solve conflicts in the classroom.

Expand your knowledge of CPS even more with Primarily Creativity, Adventures in Real Problem Solving, and Big Tools for Young Thinkers.

Grades 2-4.
Price: $7.52 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Attractive workdheets give practice in six different thinking skills-comparison, classification, fact and opinion, cause and effect, patterns, and sequences Each skill is presented in a series of reproducible worksheets. Extending activities provide ways to practice the skills in all areas of the curriculum. Primarily Thinking is a foundation for building critical thinking skills. Get brain cells jumping with these fun activities that build skills for learning in all subject areas..
Price: $6.81 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Primarily Creativity bubbles over with ideas to spark creative talent in young students Get creative juices flowing with lessons in eight areas of creativity including: curiosity, fluency, originality, imagination, awareness, flexibility, elaboration, and perseverence

Each section includes an explanation on the skill, questions that foster this type of thinking, a list of tasks, and several attractive, reproducible worksheets. This comprehensive text provides an enjoyable, balanced introduction to creative thinking.

An emphasis on creative thinking skills in the classroom necessitates providing students with open-ended assignments and encouragement as they search for new answers. Unlike typical textbook questions that have a given right answer, creative questioning and thinking assumes that there may not be one right answer, but many possibilities.

For more problem ideas on integrating creativity in your classroom see Primarily Problem Solving and Creative Problem Solving: An Introduction.

Grades 1-3.
Price: $6.81 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Children are curious And animals are fascinating This exciting text builds on students' natural curiosity about animals to provide opportunities for structured research. Primarily Research eases primary students into the role of researchers by providing them with motivating topics and stimulating questions.

Each of the 8 units presents a different animal or pair of animals including moths, butterflies, lions, tigers, koalas, kangaroos, elephants, frogs, toads, sharks, gorillas, giraffes, and penguins. The research activities in each unit take students beyond simply finding information. Students must also apply information, analyze facts, make comparisons, and draw conclusions. In addition to fact-finding activities, there are questions requiring critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and creative thinking.

This book is very complimentary with Primarily Reference Skills to give your students the entire library and research experience.

Grades 1-3.
Price: $11.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Writing poetry is within the reach of primary students with these innovative lessons. A compilation of lessons from the California Poets in the Schools, these innovative exercises build language and creative skills that students will use for poetry writing and all other writing experiences. Each easy-to-follow lesson includes detailed lesson plans, sample poems, extensions, and a reproducible worksheet. You'll find lessons for unique poems like wish poems, simile poems, doodle poems, collage poems, five senses poems, neighborhood poems, alphabet poems, and many more.

Whether you use these for class poems or for individual writing exercises, students will be developing important language skills. It can also be used to write group poems with nonreaders. Use these lessons to introduce poetic writing, spark imaginations, and build language skills that can be used in other writing experiences.

The overall goal of Primarily Poetry is each students' admiration for, comfort and familiarity with, and friendly mastery of some basic tools of language, specifically poetic language. These tools are transferable to any form of writing that requires cogency, wit, and clarity.

For additional exercises in poetry appreciation see Poetry a la Carte and Wellspring.

Grades K-3.
Price: $6.85 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Hearing on the issue of conflict diamonds in Africa, that is, diamonds that have been mined by rebel groups in Africa who use the proceeds to wage war, primarily in Sierra Leone, Angola, & the Dem. Rep. of Congo. Witnesses: Howard Jeter, Dep. Assist. Sec., Bur. of African Aff., U.S. Dept. of State; Nchakna Moloi, Special Advisor to the Minister for Minerals & Energy, The Rep. of South Africa; & Charmian Gooch, Dir., Global Witness. Prepared statements by: Amb. John Leigh, Emb. of Sierra Leone; Amb. Faida M. Mitifu, Emb. of the Dem. Rep. of the Congo; The Gov't. of Botswana; De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd. & De Beers Centenary AG; & Eli Haas, Pres., Diamond Dealers Club..
Price: $144.13 [Notify me when price goes down.]