Free Spirit’s contemporary resources for middle school educators and students are written by respected authors within the education community.

Our materials meet the guidelines set forth in NMSA’s This We Believe: Keys to Educating Young Adolescents and promote personal growth, responsibility, interpersonal and social skills, civic engagement, and self-esteem.

See below for titles on differentiating instruction, Response to Intervention, service learning, character education, bullying prevention and safe schools, social and emotional learning, project-based learning, leadership, and special needs (Gifted/LD/ADD).

Differentiating Instruction

Available October 2010
Preorder your copy today!

Advancing Differentiation Book with CD-ROM
Thinking and Learning for the 21st Century
by Richard M. Cash, M.Ed.

A highly sought-after speaker, author Richard M. Cash brings over 20 years’ experience as a classroom teacher and professional development trainer to this collection of essential research, practical information, differentiated instruction strategies, tools, templates, and activities. The book’s CD-ROM includes all reproducible forms from the book and a PowerPoint presentation for use in professional development.
For teachers and administrators, grades K–12, $39.99. Learn more.

Making Differentiation a Habit Book with CD-ROM
How to Ensure Success in Academically Diverse Classrooms
by Diane Heacox, Ed.D.

If you’re a teacher with an academically diverse classroom (and what classrooms aren’t today?), you need this resource. Framed around the critical elements for success in today’s classrooms, Making Differentiation a Habit gives educators specific, user-friendly tools to optimize teaching, learning, and assessment. As you implement these best practices, you will be making differentiation a regular part of your teaching. “The habit of differentiation results in students enthusiastically engaged in learning, experiencing increasing levels of success, and gaining confidence in themselves as learners,” writes Heacox.
For teachers and administrators, grades K–12, $39.99. Learn more.

 Downloads:
Making Differentiation a Habit Contents and Introduction
Making Differentiation a Habit excerpt “Critical Elements for Success in a Differentiated Classroom”

 
Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom Book with CD-ROM
How to Reach and Teach All Learners, Grades 3–12
by Diane Heacox, Ed.D.

In this timely, practical guide, Diane Heacox presents a menu of strategies for any teacher faced with a spectrum of student needs and learning styles. Individual chapters focus on evaluation in a differentiated classroom and how to manage both behavior and work tasks. Diane describes ways to get to know your students and recognize that all have strengths and limitations.
For teachers, grades 3–12, $34.99. Learn more.

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Response to Intervention

RTI Success Book with CD-ROM
Proven Tools and Strategies for Schools and Classrooms
by Elizabeth Whitten, Ph.D., Kelli J. Esteves, Ed.D., and Alice Woodrow, Ed.D.

What is Response to Intervention (RTI) and how can it benefit your school? Find out in RTI Success, an all-in-one resource that provides information on this innovative model as well as step-by-step administrator guidelines and practical teacher tools for implementation. The book includes 34 reproducible forms for streamlined implementation, progress monitoring, and tier movement; 100+ teacher-friendly, research-based strategies for targeting specific skill deficits; and a CD-ROM with staff development tools, including a PowerPoint presentation, and all the reproducible forms in the book. For teachers and administrators, grades K–12, $39.99. Learn more.

Download: RTI Success excerpt “The Five Principles of Response to Intervention”

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Service Learning

The Complete Guide to Service Learning Book with CD-ROM
Proven, Practical Ways to Engage Students in Civic Responsibility, Academic Curriculum, & Social Action
(Revised & Updated Second Edition)
by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A.

A treasury of activities, ideas, and resources, The Complete Guide to Service Learning can help teachers and youth workers engage young hearts and minds in reaching out and giving back. Drawing on her years as a classroom teacher and international service learning consultant, trainer, speaker, and program developer, Cathryn Berger Kaye tells you everything you want and need to know about service learning.
For teachers, grades K–12, $39.99. Learn more.

Download: The Complete Guide to Service Learning excerpt “The Essential Elements of Service Learning”

Also by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A.:

The How to Take Action! Series Student Workbooks
For ages 10 & up, $6.95 each (quantity discounts available)
Learn more about the series.

Going Blue
A Teen Guide to Saving Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands
by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A., and Philippe Cousteau, with EarthEcho International

Going Blue vividly presents facts and statistics about Earth’s oceans and waterways and information about the issues surrounding our current water crisis. Readers will find a wealth of strategies and examples that help them see themselves as change agents and move forward to complete an effective service learning project.
For ages 11 & up, $14.99. Learn more.

Student resources:

The Kid's Guide to Service Projects
Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference
(Updated 2nd Edition)
by Barbara A. Lewis
For ages 10 & up, $14.99. Learn more.

Download: The Kid's Guide to Service Projects excerpt “Getting Started in Service”

The Teen Guide to Global Action
How to Connect with Others (Near and Far) to Create Social Change
by Barbara A. Lewis
For ages 12 & up, $12.95. Learn more.

Download: The Teen Guide to Global Action excerpt “The Four Steps to Global Action”

Kids with Courage
True Stories About Young People Making a Difference
by Barbara A. Lewis
For ages 11 & up, $13.99. Learn more.

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Character Education

What Do You Stand For? For Teens
A Guide to Building Character
by Barbara A. Lewis
For ages 11 & up, $19.99. Learn more.

Stick with It! Character Magnets
Set of 35, $19.95.

What Do You Stand For? Character Building Card Game
For teachers, grades 1–6, $12.99. Learn more.

What Do You Stand For? Character Education Set
Includes 40 buttons, 96 stickers, laminated poster, Character In a Jar^®, and 35 magnets. $56.75. Learn more.

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Bullying Prevention & Safe Schools

The Bully Free Classroom^® Book with CD-ROM
Over 100 Tips and Strategies for Teachers K–8
by Allan L. Beane, Ph.D.

Bullying is a big problem in schools today—and you can do something about it. You can create a peaceful, caring classroom that promotes a sense of belonging in all students and stops bullying in its tracks. This book shows you how. Allan Beane spells out over 100 prevention and intervention strategies you can start using immediately.
For teachers, grades K–8, $34.99. Learn more.

Download: The Bully Free Classroom^® excerpt “Warning Signs”

Also by Allan L. Beane, Ph.D.:

Bully Free^® Bulletin Boards, Posters, and Banners
Creative Displays for a Bully Free Classroom^®
For teachers, grades K–8, $19.99. Learn more.

See our complete line of Bully Free Classroom^® resources.

No Kidding About Bullying Book with CD-ROM
125 Ready-to-Use Activities to Help Kids Manage Anger, Resolve Conflicts, Build Empathy, and Get Along
by Naomi Drew, M.A.

Based on a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 students and their teachers, No Kidding About Bullying gives educators and youth leaders a diverse range of activities they can use to help kids in grades 3–6 build empathy, manage anger, work out conflicts, and stop bullying by peers. Featuring 125 mini-lessons that may be completed in 20 minutes or less, the book is a flexible resource that can be used as a stand-alone curriculum or a complement to bullying prevention and character education programs already in place.
For teachers, grades 3–6, $39.99. Learn more.
 

Safe & Caring Schools^® Resource Guide Grades 6–8 Book with CD-ROM
by Katia S. Petersen, Ph.D.

The Safe & Caring Schools teacher activity guide supports the standards from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) for the infusion of social and emotional learning into the classroom. Those key competencies are: Awareness of Self and Others, Positive Attitudes and Values, Responsible Decision Making, and Social Interaction Skills. In addition, the material correlates with standards for social studies, language arts, health, and other areas of the curriculum. Safe & Caring Schools has been successfully used in middle schools during advisory time and classroom meetings. The guide provides specific, easy-to-use activities that allow students to have conversations, learn through inquiry, and feel empowered to change through self-monitoring of their creative thinking.
For teachers, grades 6–8, $39.95. Learn more.

Student resources:

Teen Cyberbullying Investigated
Where Do Your Rights End and Consequences Begin?
by Thomas A. Jacobs, J.D.
For ages 12 & up, $15.99. Learn more.
 

The Kids’ Guide to Working Out Conflicts
How to Keep Cool, Stay Safe, and Get Along
by Naomi Drew, M.A.
For ages 10–14, $14.99. Leader’s guide available. Learn more.

Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain
by Trevor Romain
For ages 8–13, $8.95. Learn more.

 
Speak Up and Get Along!
Learn the Mighty Might, Thought Chop, and More Tools to Make Friends, Stop Teasing, and Feel Good About Yourself
by Scott Cooper
For ages 8–12, $12.99. Learn more.

 
Also see: Tools for Life In a Jar^®

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Project-Based Learning

Projects & Presentations for K–6 Students Book with CD-ROM
Preparing Kids to Be Confident, Effective Communicators
by Phil Schlemmer, M.Ed., and Dori Schlemmer

Build children’s proficiency in oral and written communication, promote social and emotional learning (SEL), and differentiate instruction as students work toward achieving learning standards while developing critical skills they’ll need throughout school and life.
For teachers, grades K–6, $34.99. Learn more.

Teaching Beyond the Test Book with CD-ROM
Differentiated Project-Based Learning in a Standards-Based Age, Grades 6 & Up
by Phil Schlemmer, M.Ed., and Dori Schlemmer

To thrive in their uncertain future, students must know more than how to take tests. Transforming students into confident, self-directed, lifelong learners requires differentiated instruction and project-based learning. This practical classroom resource presents dozens of strategies for differentiation among learners (flexible grouping, choice boards, tiered assignments, and more) and a range of fully developed content-focused projects, each modeling one or more differentiation strategies.
For teachers, grades 6 & up, $39.99. Learn more.

See It, Be It, Write It Book with CD-ROM
Using Performing Arts to Improve Writing Skills and Test Scores
by Hope Sara Blecher-Sass, Ed.D., and Maryellen Moffitt

Improve students’ writing skills and boost their assessment scores while adding performing arts education, creativity, and fun to your writing curriculum. With this vibrant resource, improving writing skills goes hand-in-hand with improving test scores. Students learn how to use acting and visualization as prewriting activities to help them connect writing prompts to their own lives, resulting in lively, personalized responses. Easy-to-use checklists guide students to include specific elements in their writing and to demonstrate the writing skills that are assessed on standardized tests.
For teachers, grades 3–8, $39.99. Learn more.

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Leadership

Teambuilding with Teens Book with CD-ROM
Activities for Leadership, Decision Making, & Group Success
by Mariam G. MacGregor, M.S.

Leadership isn’t just for a chosen few. All teens can practice the skills and attitudes leaders use. The 36 hands-on activities in this book make learning about leadership meaningful and fun while building character. Teens are called on to recognize each other’s strengths, become better listeners, communicate clearly, identify their values, build trust, set goals, and more. Each activity takes 20–45 minutes, so adults have a lot of flexibility in deciding when and how to use them.
For teachers and youth workers, grades 6–12, $35.99. Learn more.

Download: Teambuilding with Teens excerpt “Puzzle Activity”

Additional titles by Mariam G. MacGregor, M.S.:

Building Everyday Leadership in All Teens
Promoting Attitudes and Actions for Respect and Success
For teachers, grades 6–12, $29.99. Learn more.

 
Everyday Leadership Student Guide
Attitudes and Actions for Respect and Success
For ages 11 & up, $9.99. Learn more.

 
Everyday Leadership Cards
Writing and Discussion Prompts
For ages 10 & up, $12.99. Learn more.

Also see: Leadership Lessons In a Jar^®

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Special Needs (Gifted/LD/ADD)

The Cluster Grouping Handbook: A Schoolwide Model Book with CD-ROM
How to Challenge Gifted Students and Improve Achievement for All
by Susan Winebrenner, M.S., and Dina Brulles, Ph.D.

In today’s standards-driven era, how can teachers motivate and challenge gifted learners and ensure that all students reach their potential? This book provides a compelling answer: the Schoolwide Cluster Grouping Model (SCGM). The authors explain how the model differs from grouping practices of the past, and they present a roadmap for implementing, sustaining, and evaluating schoolwide cluster grouping.
For teachers and administrators, grades K–8, $39.99. Learn more.

Download: The Cluster Grouping Handbook excerpt “Teacher Self-Assessment Checklist”

Also by Susan Winebrenner, M.S.:

Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom Book with CD-ROM
Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and Talented
For teachers, grades K–12, $39.99. Learn more.

Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom (Revised and Updated Edition) Book with CD-ROM
Ways to Challenge & Motivate Struggling Students to Achieve Proficiency with Required Standards
For teachers, grades K–12, $39.99. Learn more.

Teaching Kids with Mental Health & Learning Disorders in the Regular Classroom
How to Recognize, Understand, and Help Challenged (and Challenging) Students Succeed
by Myles L. Cooley, Ph.D.

Educators today are teaching a wide spectrum of students in their mainstream classrooms. It’s estimated that ten million young people deal with challenges that make it difficult for them to learn or behave appropriately in the classroom. The heart of this book deals with mental health conditions and learning disorders that are likely to be present in today’s classrooms, including anxiety and mood disorders, communication disorders, learning disabilities, and social/relational disorders. Each disorder or condition is described in jargon-free terms with the specific behaviors and symptoms to look for. Then user-friendly classroom strategies and interventions are given, along with suggested professional treatment that may be needed.
For teachers, grades K–12, $35.99. Learn more.

Student resources:

The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook
by Judy Galbraith, M.A., and Jim Delisle, Ph.D.
For ages 11–18, $15.99. Learn more.

The Survival Guide for Kids with LD*
*(Learning Differences)
by Gary Fisher, Ph.D., and Rhoda Cummings, Ed.D.
For ages 8 & up, $10.99. Learn more.

 
The Survival Guide for Kids with ADD or ADHD
by John F. Taylor, Ph.D.
For ages 8–12, $13.99. Learn more.

The Behavior Survival Guide for Kids
How to Make Good Choices and Stay Out of Trouble
by Thomas McIntyre, Ph.D. (Dr. Mac)
For ages 9–14, $14.99. Learn more.

 
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