Ken Burns's 'Civil War' to air in April

A heads-up to those of you studying the Civil War: Ken Burns’s acclaimed documentary is scheduled to air nationally from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. April 3 through 7 on PBS stations. Click on “In the Classroom” at www.pbs.org/civilwar/ for teacher resources, such as lesson plans and discussion questions. If you miss the program, Shop PBS offers the six-DVD for purchase for just under $80.

Math texts that add up

This is a plug for School Specialty Publishing’s Spectrum math books, which we have been using as our main math texts for two years. Aligned to state and national standards, they provide clear, step-by-step explanations of math concepts, along with worksheets and tests. For students who wish to go beyond pre-algebra, Rainbow Bridge Publishing’s Skill Builders books offer exercises in geometry and algebra. The Skill Builders books are only supplementary workbooks, however; they provide no explanation of concepts.