Amazon.com

The world of finance bewilders many adults, so it's not surprising that kids often find it incomprehensible. Money Rock tackles subjects like budgeting, taxes, interest, and the stock market with simple definitions, fun animation, and lots of catchy music. The country-inspired "Dollars and Sense" explores the concept of interest with respect to saving and borrowing, "$7.50 Once a Week" teaches money management, and the bluesy "Where the Money Goes" covers living expenses and how to control them. A vaudeville act featuring "Tax Man Max" looks at government spending, then "Walkin' on Wall Street" takes a jazzy glimpse of the stock market. The historical development of bartering and its modern applications supply the thematic material of "This for That," a hungry dinosaur in "Tyrannosaurus Debt" personifies our national debt, and the complicated process initiated by the simple writing of a check is broken down in "The Check's in the Mail." If all this sounds potentially dry, even mind-numbing, recall how the potentially dull subject of grammar sprang to life with similar treatment in Grammar Rock. Rest assured that this 1998 addition to the multi-Emmy Award winning Schoolhouse Rock! series is both informative and exciting. --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (5)

COOL- pair it with SCRIPTURE ROCK
Very cool.
Kids need to know about good money management skills, and how better than with awesome fun songs.
This and the SCRIPTURE ROCK together give a balanced view of what kids need today.

Money Rock: great discussion-starter & provocative
I was totally overwhelmed by the prospect of explaining to my 6-year-old what money was and why I couldn't just 'get it from the machine.'

This video was great: it's fun for adults as well as kids, and makes it possible to segue into discussions about allowances, presidents, history, and budgeting. Even Wall Street gets a mention. The music is unexpectedly good. Paired with the game 'Moneywise Kids' and 'Monopoly Junior', it's a great part of a little 'home curriculum' on finance, even if you're just on addition and subtraction.

Can't recommend it more highly as a place to start.

Want to know how the National Bank works?
How about DOLLAR COST AVERAGING? Interest? The National Debt? You have to buy this. Economics courses in college were never this interesting.

It's classic. Absolutely generation spanning.
Follow along: I'm just a bill, yes I'm only a bill, and I'm ... You filled in the words automatically, didn't you?

My daughter was 4 when we were in Washington DC. It was July and I was 5 months pregnant. The 4 year old recognized Capitol Hill, and demanded we go looking for that darn bill.

Buy them all.

National Debt? The check's in the mail
I don't remember these from when I was a kid, but I'm sorry I missed them. From Tyrannasaurus Debt which talks about how how the national debt got started to pay for the Revolutionary War to how it grew to monsterous size, to how to manage your allowance, buy stocks, plan a budget, and mangage your checking account, this video chock full of advice and information that even helped this 28 year old. ... Read more

Description

Get all three videos! Featuring Happy Days star Don Most, this tape breaks down the often confusing elements of statistics, including sampling, the elements of a statistical problem, and the relative frequency histogram. Learn about the differences between mean, mode, and median through skits, mnemonics, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

These videos saved my life
I was struggling through a statistics class with a teacher who can barely speak English. These videos totally saved me. They are easy to understand and cover all the important topics.

finally extra work in probability
a great tool for understanding probability which is why we got this tape. very good

Excellent Resource
I use this for my undergraduate Statistics class. It is an excellent resource. Not only is it easy to understand and well organized but it is sooo corny that the students howl with laughter. I have no recollection of ever laughing in a statistics class.

There are lies, damn lies, and Statistics
Statistics is a part of everyday life -- whether we like it or not. Baseball, for example, is all about statistics: batting average, earned run average, on base percentage, etc.

The problem is that we have learned statistics through drudgery. Fortunately, we now have an alternative means to effectively learn about statistics -- these tapes.

Mind you, SD parts 1, 2, and 3 will not make you a full-blooded statistician -- meaning you will not have to learn ponderous mathematical equations to calculate some statistic. Instead, this tape does one better. It teaches you how to understand statistics. Believe me, after viewing this tape, you will not look at a statistical table, chart, or graph quite the same way again. You will become a "pseudo-statistican's" worst nightmare -- someone who can actually "parle statistique," and know when statistics are being used to skew / distort the data / facts.

The actual calculations are not that important anymore. Any electronic spreadsheet application worth its salt can now calculate a complicated equation in a micro-minute. The important element in statistical reserach is how to apply the statistical tool correctly, and understanding what that statistic means. These tapes allow you to do just that.

Highly recommended for the student of statistics, and for managers (so they can have a general knowledge of statistics). I also recommend these tapes for those involved in Total Quality Management, developing method and process improvements, and for those involved in operations research. ... Read more

Description

Get both accounting videos! Join the Standard Deviants in their journey through the world of assets and liabilities. Financial accounting is now fun and easy to learn through informative skits, engaging graphics, and great mnemonic tips. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Let's face it, geometry might have been a blast for Euclid, but mostpeople don't find it a barrel of laughs. But those stalwart and offbeat tutors, the Standard Deviants, do their best to make a review lesson in geometry both fun and memorable. Working with their standard premise that a bad joke is memorable and an atrocious joke doubly so, these energetic young performers provide an introduction to Euclidean geometry, offer basic examples of inductive and deductive reasoning, and go bravely into the realms of theorems, statements, angles, lines, and geometric proofs. If the approach is purposely unorthodox, the lesson material, which has been prepared with academic advisers boasting solid credentials, is utterly reliable. This video is not a substitute for a course in geometry, but is intended as review material, and the flashy graphics, coupled with skits, cartoons, and jokes, all tend to make what is, of course, rather dry material more palatable. Those who remember their high school geometry teachers droning away in a monotone may be shocked by the peppy delivery of the Standard Deviants, but there's good reason to believe that a student who might be struggling in geometry hell will find this an approachable method of tutoring. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Good Compliment to Geometry Study
This goes over basic geometry principles in an entertaining way. It also explains it on a low level that is easy to understand. It could be used in a classroom or for home tutoring purposes. I bought it to review for a basic skills certification test for public school teachers. It helped me to remember a lot of the things that I had forgotten from high school geometry. It would be a good compliment for high school students also if they are having difficulty with this sometimes tedious subject. ... Read more

Description

The proof is in these videos, as the Standard Deviants help students learn and teachers present difficult geometric topics. The Standard Deviants utilize their award-winning presentations and high-end graphics to get you in shape for your next geometry test. Includes such topics as: basic geometric definitions, postulates, theorems and proofs relating to polygons and circles, angle congruence and similarity, deductive reasoning, all about angles (complimentary and supplementary angles, angles and their theorems), parallel lines, all about triangles (triangle postulates and theorems). Running time: 1 hr 45 min

"I think the Standard Deviants will be an effective tool to reinforce my lectures and help the students understand difficult concepts." --Christy Galilei, math teacher ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Geometry - Part 2 by The Standard Deviants
If you have trouble visualizing Geometry, this is the tape for you. It is entertaining as well as informative. A lot of fun watching and learning at the same time. I recommend it for any grade from middle school on up. ... Read more

From the Publisher

Follow the mathematical adventures of Idaho Bones and hissidekick Boise as they search the darkest reaches of Algebra to find thecorrect answers for bewildered students everywhere. Topics coveredinclude functions, algebraic properties, linear equations, and many more.
(Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very good
I recommend this to anyone having trouble in Algebra. It walks you through problems and gives you the terminology of the subject. Great for reviews.

Savior
I found the tapes helped me a great deal, considering I have been out of school for 20 years and never learned algebra in high school. The animations are wonderful and most of the time very clear. Of course with anything, you have to do it over and over again until you retain the information, but I will definitely say "Do not start school with out the tapes." There's only one catch, Standard Deviants recorded the tapes so that they build upon one another and you'll need to buy the entire math collection if you want a totally clear understanding. I live by Standard Deviants. Good Luck...

Pretty good overall for beginners or if having difficulty
I am a High School Freshman just finishing Algebra I & II. I found the tape boring, since it was all review. The little skits reinforced things I already knew. They misrepresented the length. At the beginning of the tape, they said "Part I" would be two hours, but it was only one hour and twenty minutes. If it was all new to me, I would consider it pretty good, since it covered everything, and showed me short-cuts I already knew. The animation was very good. It would probably be very useful to someone who was having problems in Algebra, or just beginning in Algebra. ... Read more

Description

Get both videos! Join the Standard Deviants as they take a look at the complex and confusing world of Calculus. Now students can tackle difficult calculus concepts with this easy-to-understand calculus presentation. Topics include limits, continuity, derivative and more. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Is Calc written in Swaheli?
I read my book, write all the notes my prof gives me, study everyday, but yet I have no idea what they are talking about...
SOUND FAMILAR? well i got these tapes and now i see Calc is in English, all the reviews here are right on..the tapes cover only the basics, but it gave me a good working knowledge of the most basic problems. Now I prob wont get an A from these tapes but at least ill pass now..(thats all i care about) one tip for standard deviants CALC NEEDS AT LEAST 2 MORE TAPES!! PLEASE

Calculus, or not?
This video was pretty good except for the fact that it contained the simple calculus, not the difficult calculus. Topics such as trigonometric differentiation, limits involving trigonmetric functions, trigonometric integrals, as well as some important rules for finding derivatives and antiderivatives were left out. This information that was left out is vital for getting an "A" in your calculus class. The Standard Deviants should have also included more Reimann sums; there was only one Reimann sum example!

Finally! A complex subject explained in simple terms.
I have a problem with the text books used in our Universities. They are written by professors FOR professors. This video doesn't "dumb" anything down, it just explains complex mathematical laws in a way that is easy to understand.

Its like this. After reading and re-reading and working at the typical college text book and finally understanding the concept, I am able to explain it to someone using much simpler terms. I can't tell you how many times I have heard " is that what the author was saying, why does he/she make it so difficult". Well, these videos are set up to be that guy or gal in a good study group who understands the information and can explain it in clear terms.

Bottom line, way cool. My calc class starts in the Fall, these tapes have given me a lot of confidence.

A Great Review Item
If you want to make an 'A' in your class, work lots of problems. Meanwhile this video will help you better understand what you are doing. Not to mention that when you need a review all you need to do is pop in the video and the information will all come back to you; that is if you worked the problems of course.

Decent introduction, good for review
Standard Deviants video has some errors in the video, so be aware of that when watching the video. Other than that, it was a good overall review video, but not enough to get an A in a Calculus course from watching the video alone. You will need to read the book in your class. My suggestion , take examples from the book, and then when you can't solve them, use the tape to maybe help you familiarize with steps prior that are usually overlooked in textbooks. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

10 and up?...
The box said ages 10 and up, but I would say 12 and up is more accurate. The average ten year old might feel overwhelmed. My fourth grade sister understood more than I thought she would, but she has had lessons in fractions before. The video is not as corny as I thought it would be. Kids in junior high would probably get a kick out of it. This is a good supplement or teaching aid, but maybe not the best introduction since it goes so fast (it certainly can't be used alone in teaching fractions). The fact that the video goes so fast is where it fails. ... Read more

Description

Get both videos! Has trigonometry tied your brain in knots? Does the mere mention of triangles make you tremble? Don't worry, get the Standard Deviants and learn how to solve confusing trig concepts with confidence. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good, Fun Video -- only covers the basics
All the Standart Deviant videos are fun to watch. They have a Saturday-Night-Live format with different people and skits.
The material covered was good, and it is a great intro to those who haven't any trig background.
The video series downfall is the material not covered or covered in enough depth: trig identities, vectors, polar and rectangular conversions, imaginary number plane with radical and exponential equations. I found the material not covered to be the toughest concepts in trig. It helps to be ahead of the instructor, but the videos were no help in these tough areas.
Some of the other Standard Deviant titles are better done, but this video is still a great intro to the easier 2/3 of the material you will encounter.

Pretty good
Trig is never going to be easy, but it's not as difficult as Calculus, except perhaps if your Trig education was woefully neglected. I would think this would be a good investment for any student who wanted an overview of a Trig class before taking it. Though the student would have to watch the tape, rewind the parts that were difficult or required repetition, and do the proper memorization. For an older person who wants to figure out just what Trig was, or what exactly "the relationships between different parts of a triangle" means, this can be quite helpful. The drive to be entertaining can be a bit annoying as it's kind of like "Mad Magazine meets Sesame Street teaches Math," but this is a standard hazard of the Standard Deviants. The producers have a lot of material to get through, and get through it they do, though I felt something was missing in their discussion of Oblique Triangles. And I'm very glad I don't have to memorize the radian/degree equivalencies and trig functions of the "special angles."

want some real advice...get the whole math pack
I used to have nightmares about being chased by giant triangles.
Not any more! the tapes make the unclear...clear thats bottom line. no they arent perfect and nope not enough problems... but overall if your struggling this is the way to go..period

makes learning much easier
We can learn faster and with less pain when using video educational products. All i can say is that any one taking high school and college trig should get theses tapes. ... Read more

Description

Get both videos! Are negative roots keeping your grades down? Having a tough time with absolute value? Then it's time to let the Standard Deviants demystify the confusing world of pre-algebra with their award-winning style. ... Read more

Description

Get both videos! The Standard Deviants will move you out of an economic knowledge recession and into an expansion as they teach you the complex world of Economics. Learn how the economy works on both the micro and macro levels. The Standard Deviants are the perfect economic advisors to get you back on track. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

the best of today's comedy...
I had the best time ever watching this blisteringly funny video
It's arguably one of the funniest film ever made on microeconomics and macroeconomics.
Just one regret: I predicted what would happen in the end barely an hour into the movie.
Anyway you will undoubtedly have a great time watching it with a bunch of friends on a saturday evening...
I placed this VHS between "there's something about Mary" and "The Monty Pythons: the life of Brian" in my videotheque. ... Read more

Description

Has trigonometry tied your brain in knots? Does the mere mention of triangles make you tremble? Don't worry, get the Standard Deviants and learn how to solve confusing trig concepts with confidence. Includes such topics as: radians, the specials angles, right triangles, the Pythagorean Theorem, sine, cosine, tangent, law of cosines, law of sines. Running time: 1 hr 20 min

"Don't strain your brain--add a Cerebellum." --Leslie Blevins, Purdue University ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent Resource for the Trigonometrically Challenged
The Standard Deviants are a group of young people who aim to bring understanding to college subjects when the basics just aren't getting across in class. They succeed, by addressing the high points of the subject at hand, intermixed with zippy graphic asides. They make the intellectual connections a good teacher should; cover the material in an outline form, and provide a good, supplement to a trig course, especially for people first encountering trigonometry in college without a high school background. Way cool! ... Read more

Description

Is gravity weighing down your understanding of physics? Well, gain the momentum you need to increase your knowledge with the Standard Deviants. Students can now easily understand the complex concepts of physics in this award-winning video. Includes such topics as: adding vectors, angular momentum, multiplying vectors, projectile motion, conservation of energy, Newton's Laws, centripetal acceleration, kinetic energy, the big three equations of kinematics. Running time: 1 hr 45 min

"By focusing on the most complicated elements of a subject the tapes key in on areas where students are likely to need additional help." --The Daily Progress ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Extremely dissapointing!
I expected demonstrations, experiments, animations. And what did I get? People sitting and talking! What's the point in making a video, if you don't use the capabilities of this medium? If I want equations and problems, I take a textbook. This video is nothing more than a (very superficial) textbook which is read aloud. And that goes for both parts.

For Dummies Style Genius
This is a great tool for those who would like an introduction to a tough subject. The pace is faster than I might have liked, but hey thats why I bought the DVD player. I learned at my pace and look forward to buying more. This program is perfect for the beginner or as a review for a college class. ... Read more

Description

Is gravity weighing down your understanding of physics? Well, gain the momentum you need to increase your knowledge with the Standard Deviants. Students can now easily understand the complex concepts of physics in this award-winning video. Includes such topics as: work, work-kinetic energy principle, The Law of Universal Gravitation, Kepler's Law of Planetary Motion, Harmonic Motion, waves, heat, phase changes, The First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, Entropy. Running time: 1 hr 45 min

"Who would have ever thought how well cheesy puns would help me remember such difficult concepts?!" --Judy Fontana, junior, College of William and Mary ... Read more

Reviews (1)

long day long night
a man who is a artor now is fifty years old .he is landing in toyko for an ad.the woman who with her husband in same city same hotel as the man and getting a soul searching with each other. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I love this stuff
What an excellent way to learn numbers. The songs are fun and the info is spot on. Learning with the Standard Deviants is the way to go. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Finally, real calculus fun!
I purchased the Standard Deviants calculus 1&2 tapes. Frankly, I was very disappointed when I watched them. I was disappointed, mainly because it contained the simple calculus, not the difficult calculus. Now this Standard Deviants tape is worth your time and money. If you're obsessed with mathematics, like me, and you've mastered algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus, and calculus, this is the video for you!

yo this movie is kickin
yo dude this is like the coolest movie ever. heart-pounding calculus action and thrill-seeking excitement for differential equations lovers of all ages. there is even a riemann-tic sum-plot involving a couple of taylor series that are, shall we say, "divergent"..... anyway, bottom line: movie is good, must purchase now

The Standard Deviants: Differential Equations
This Video is not only entertaining and makes dry math almost fun. It is a key educational investment for anyone involved in fields from Business to Bio-Tech as well. EXCELLENT!

Very Beneficial
I think that this is a phenominal video which utilizes a very thourough and enjoyable approach to learning.

Okay as a supplement
If you're looking for insight into the material or instructive computer animation of graphs or moving illustrations that illuminate the mathematical concepts, then by all means look elsewhere. If you're looking for a dry textbook review of the material read in a funny voice, then you've hit the jackpot! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

BORING!!!
This video is terribly boring. It is extremely repetitious and very slow, without any 'fun' elements to make it enjoyable.

My 17 month old loves some of the other 'learning' videos - such as the Baby Einstein videos and Titzer's 'Your Baby Can Read!', and gets really excited when they start. But she barely watches this one - and who can blame her - I couldn't wait for it to be over when I watched it with her!

A much better way to teach your baby to count is to count with her throughout the day - count buttons when you dress her, count all the flowers on a page in a book, etc.

My 18 month old son can count up to 9! WOW!
My son began watching videos when he was 1 month. Be patient. Infants have a short attention span. If you consistently show the videos everyday your child will learn and pay attention before you even notice it.

The kids in the video count SLOW enough for babies as young as 1 month. My son started watching this video at 5 months.

My son is 18 months old now. He can count up to 9. He picks up his toy cars and counts saying: WA (1) COO (2) FEE or TEE (3) FO (4) FI (5) SEE (6) WAWA (7) AY (8) NA (9).
This happened today! He is exactly 18 months old. It really surprised me because I had no idea he had this ability. I just play the videos so I have some time to wash the dishes!

My son also watches the NUMERACY video which teaches the concept of "how many". ... Read more

Description

Featuring Happy Days star Don Most this tape breaks down the often confusing elements of statistics, including sampling, the elements of a statistical problem, and the relative frequency histogram. Learn about the differences between mean, mode, and median through skits, mnemonics, and more. Includes such topics as: probability, continuous random variables, events, mutually exclusive events, random variables, Poisson distribution, binomial probability formula, urn model, discrete random variables, sampling with and without replacement. Running time: 1 hr 32 min

"If you don't understand the work, you will after watching the Standard Deviants." --Melanie Bolden, junior, University of the District of Columbia ... Read more

Reviews (1)

WHO'S AFRAID OF STATISTICS?
Wouldn't it be nice if we can understand what the person with all those fancy charts and graphs was actually saying? And the terms he uses: "95 percent confidence," "error is plus or minus three percent," "the data is positively skewed". . . What does this all mean to me?

I know, when it comes to statistics, many times "It is all Greek to us." Well, with the help of SD statistics, we can now translate and interpret this Statistical lingo into common sense English.

This is the strength of SD Statistics. These tapes, SD Parts 1,2,and 3; focus on making you a "pseudo-statistican's" worst naightmare -- someone who can actually understand and challenge statistical data.

These tapes do not take you through the drudgery of computing lenghty statistical equations. Afterall, a typical spreadsheet application gives you the option of calculating the most difficult and lenghty statistical equations with a single keystroke. Instead, these tapes teach you what these statistical terms mean, and how to apply calculated statistics appropriately.

Just think how more powerful your analytical staff could be if they knew what the "funny symbols" on their pocket calculators actually meant. Or, how more powerful your spreadsheet application could be if you knew how to apply the statistical functions. This tape -- as well as the entire SD series (parts 1,2,and 3)-- does just that in an entertaining and comprehensible format. These tapes that the "mystery" out of statistics, and actually make this scary topic fun and enjoyable.

I recommend this tape for people who have anything to do with statistics -- especially if they are involved in efficiency reviews, analyzing data, management, Total Quality Management (TQM), production, method improvements, and other similar fields. These tapes are excellent for private businesses and government agencies.

Its about time we learned how to "parle statistique." This tape -- as well as the rest of the SD series on statistics -- does just that. Believe me, after going through the SD tapes on statistics; you will never, ever look at any table, chart, or graph presenting statistical data quite the same way again. ... Read more

Description

Featuring Happy Days star Don Most this tape breaks down the often confusing elements of statistics, including sampling, the elements of a statistical problem, and the relative frequency histogram. Learn about the differences between mean, mode, and median through skits, mnemonics and more. Includes such topics as: probability distributions for continuous random variables, confidence intervals, sampling distributions, hypothesis tests, mean of a sampling distribution, one and two tailed tests, standard error of the mean, small samples, large samples, degrees of freedom. Running time: 1 hr 19 min

"Statistics scared me until I viewed the Standard Deviants." --Heather Morado, senior, San Jose State University ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Statistics is FUNdamental. . . Worthwhile Investment
Before I review this tape, I recommend that you purchase SD Statistics, Parts 1,2,and 3. All three tapes are worthwhile investments because they turn you into a "pseudo-statistician's" nightmare -- someone who can actually understand statistics, and challenge statistical claims and findings.

This is the very strength of these tapes. They don't go through the tedious computations so you can calculate statistics on your own. Why should they? Today, any spreadsheet worth its salt gives you the option of calculating the most lengthy statistical equations with a single keystroke. By the way, most scientific calculators also perform various statistical functions as well.

What we need today is a tool to teach us what these computated "statistics" actually mean. This is where SD Statistics enters the picture.

In an entertaining and comprehensible way, the viewer will learn about such topics as sampling, hypothesis testing, and the measures of central tendency. once again, the focus is on knowing what these statistics mean; not necessarily how to calculate them.

This tape -- as well as the entire SD series on statistics -- is an excellent training tool for those involved in the business of developing method improvements and efficiencies, all levels of management, and for those involved with Total Quality Management / Total Quality Leadership. This tape is ideal for both private businesses and government agencies.

I highly recommend this tape -- as well as the entire SD package on Statistics. They are really that good. Believe me, you will never look at a graph, chart, or table depicting statistical information quite the same way again. ... Read more