BEST SELLERS

Don't enroll—the faculty are all stiffs. Instead, get Zombie Doodles, a 144-page (gross!) spiral-bound book full of ghoulish scenes and activities, along with a bunch of cute-n-creepy stickers to add to your doodles of the undead. Measures approx 5-1/2” x 7-1/4”, including the spiral. Hours of imaginative fun await.

Remember those thick, laminated folders with the hook’n’loop flap? The legendary “trapper” of junior high? Well, here’s the adult, business version of that (minus the flap), the Cambridge Limited® 11” x 8-3/8" business portfolio from Mead®. Thing is, it’s not just for business people. In smart, black faux leather, it comes with a notebook with (50) ruled sheets, a black vinyl pen loop and slots for business cards—because you’re important and the world should know it. When it’s under your arm, you’ll look like you mean business.

Undated, universal calendar has (50) month-long sheets, so it's good almost until your brand new car's paid for. Stick it on the fridge with the strip magnet on the back. Sheets are 8" x 6" with a 5-week x 7-day matrix that you fill in. In two shades of blue with orange highlights.

John Singer Sargent didn’t use crayons for his watercolor paintings, but that’s only because he didn’t have them. He probably would have loved these (15) premium watercolor crayons from Faber-Castell®. The pigment-rich, washable paint is in the crayon itself, and the kit comes with a brush and storage tray. Crayons are triangular-shaped for more control, and their colors span the spectrum. Ages 3+.

Classroom and Science Fair alert: Now you can order an 8-pack of metals and metal alloys for demonstration purposes. Each pack of 1" dia x 1/32" thick discs includes aluminum, bronze, brass, copper, n/silver (w/nickel), m/steel (mild: low carbon), stainless steel, and zinc. Composition of each is stamped on one side of the discs.

Why does it do that? Develop an elemental understanding of magnetism, electromagnetism, electrochemistry, radio, thermodynamics, light and optics. Simon Quellen Field's 228-page paperback, Gonzo Gizmos, Projects & Devices to Channel your Inner Geek explains processes, equipment and scientific terms -- and then, for starters, tells you things like how to make a rotary steam engine in 15 minutes from a soda can, a candle and a few scraps of rubber tubing. It's the favorite of our resident geeks -- but not for kids unless they're working with an adult. That would be a mature adult. An insured, mature adult.

Same here. Try the Ferrofluid Magnetic Display, a little sealed bottle with virtually fluid nano-particles of ferrous metal suspended in liquid. You’ll get (4) powerful 1/2” dia x 3/16” neodymium disc magnets, (2) of them attached to chess-pawnish holders. Move the magnets in assorted combinations around the bottle for fascinating effects. Sort of the marriage of science with desk toys, but students can’t spill these particles all over the place.

Ceramic magnets, 15/16" dia x 3/16" thick. One side has a 5/16" sq that goes through to a steel plate is octagonal, 9/16" across with a 3/16" dia hole in the center. The plate allows flexible mounting of the 3/4 lb lift magnet. The other interesting feature is that the ceramic appears to have many poles around the rim, (4 ea N and S). This may be a focussing effect of the insert, though.

Once upon a schoolmarm, chalk was the medium of choice for illustrating lessons. “Chalk talks,” remember? (OK, ask your grannie.) Return with us to those pre-Ted, pre-Power Point, pre-dry erase days and get this pack of a dozen 3/8” dia x 3-1/8” long sticks of soft, low dust, “premium ivory” chalk (although the manufacturer chose to call this shade "ivory" we think it is more of a yellowish hue, but hey, color names are pretty arbitrary, right? Lookin' at you Taupe). It is however a pretty and highly visible color on a blackboard.

You can start with our single aluminum tuning fork, 2-tined and 7-1/2" long. It vibrates at 256 hz, and is labeled "C". Or you can order the set that has (8) forks and a mallet with a rubber-tipped plastic head. The forks are labeled low-C to high-C and come in a fitted, latched wooden box. Unfortunately, C.J., who has perfect pitch, tells us that his pitch is more perfect than most of the tuning forks. He also says you can file the tips, tuning them to an electronic keyboard until they're perfect - and we think there's a certain cachet to telling people you tuned the forks yourself. But they are perfect, if you're using them for things like teaching principles of sound or driving the chihuahua crazy.

Call them the Founding Replicas and display them in the classroom, whether at home or in school. The U.S. Constitution is 18-1/2" x 12-1/2" and the Bill of Rights is 15-5/8" x 13-5/8", both on realistic "antiqued vellum." These are nice replicas, but much reduced in size, the Constitution in particular will require magnification for reading. Our each includes both documents.

Physics project alert! This robust puppy of a magnet has dual 6V coils and stands 4" high x 3-1/4" wide, not counting the side terminals. Each coil draws 2.4A at 6VDC, and is conservatively rated for 40 Newtons (approx 9 lbs) at that voltage. Can be wired in either parallel or series, and comes with a mounting hook. Works great with a 6-volt lantern battery.

There's nothing better for long, lonely days than watching critters in the back yard, and this National Wildlife Federation® paperback, Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, shows you how to expand your local menagerie beyond squirrels and sparrows. Includes (17) wildlife-friendly projects for the entire family in (168) pages with more (200) color photographs. Contains instructions on getting your yard or garden certified as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat, too. Be the first on your block to be able to say that at a cocktail party.

The next best thing to lightning bolts! 200,000 volts of electrostatic energy created by our Van de Graaff generator. Measures 6-1/2” diameter by 15” tall, includes a spare belt and a set of instructions detailing lots of fun experiments. For grade 6 and up. This is not a toy and should be used under adult supervision. A great tool for teaching about electricity. For your convenience, we now have Lightning Belts: replacement belts to drive that overworked generator. Operates on Standard 120 VAC with the included 3' cord.

Says so right on the packaging. Measures (pun intended) 18” long x 1-1/2” wide. Has 1/32” increments for the first inch, then 1/16” on one edge and 0-45cm in 1mm increments on the other. Made in England of blue-tinted translucent plastic. (There is no legal penalty for using it at home or in a school.)

Actually, it's a Round Stic®, without the “k,” which is the name BIC® gives to its #1 selling ballpoint pen. They're black, and round, with black ink and medium points. Also have separate caps with pocket clips. Hard to go wrong at (10) for two bucks. “Writes First Time, Every Time®,” they say.

These are for drawing, drafting, carpentry, map-measuring, and other stuff we've forgotten. From Bazic Products®, these scale-arm compasses have easy-to-read graduation arcs in inches and metric, and will make circles up to 12” dia. Include a short #2 pencil and a safe metal tip, so students won't stick them in the desktops. We'll pick (3) in some combination of purple, green, pink and blue. Gives you something to look forward to.

The Woodworker’s Shop Journal is a hardcover book with (100+) pages of 1/4" grids for project planning and sketches, plus (20+) pages of quick references, charts, lumber specs, tool guides, checklists and tips. Also a good place to keep passwords and other personal information because burglars are famous for not caring about carpentry skills.