Standard Deviants

The Standard Deviants - Learn Chemistry 1

Understanding properties of matter, compounds, and bonding can be difficult. This tape will give you everything you'll need to understand basic chemistry, including an explanation of the Periodic Table, the Law of Conservation of Mass, empirical formulas and more. Clever use of computer graphics and memory-enhancing skits will help you relax while you tackle important chemistry concepts.

The Standard Deviants - Learn Public Speaking

Does the idea of speaking in front of an audience fill you with dread? Relax! The Standard Deviants will help you overcome your fear of public speaking and help you deliver your message with style and flair! Using proven attention-getters, illustrations and delivery suggestions, this DVD will help you organize your thoughts and present them in a clear and persuasive manner.

The Standard Deviants - Learn Biology

The Standard Deviants, a troupe of energetic young performers whose specialty is presenting serious academic subjects in an offbeat manner, turn their attention to the study of life itself in The Dissected World of Biology. Fervently believing that a truly atrocious joke is so memorable that it's a brilliant mnemonic device, the Standard Deviants gleefully ham it up in this production while managing to make solid points about the subject matter. For instance, a presentation on a chemical principle transforms into a James Bond parody in which the protagonist, after a fight with three people playing a water molecule, reveals his name as "Bond... Covalent Bond." Ouch! A skit about proteins takes place in a beauty shop, and a truly horrendous rock singer moans about being "stuck in the middle of a cell." All this foolishness has a purpose, of course, and there is a serious curriculum hiding just beneath the unorthodox presentation. Cells, DNA, RNA, metabolism, and other concepts of biology are all covered, and a solid academic panel approved the presentation. While this video doesn't intend to be a substitute for a course in biology, it does make the basic concepts easier to remember. --Robert J. McNamara

Most living organisms are pretty complicated. That's where we come in! The Standard Deviants help break Biology down with an easy-to-understand, entertaining format. Learn about amino acids, DNA, RNA, cell structures, mitosis, meiosis, photosynthesis and much more!

The Standard Deviants - Learn Algebra 2

This DVD dives into the advanced principles of Algebra. The Standard Deviants tour of the world of algebra continues with complete coverage of quadratic equations, quadratic roots and factors, and higher order polynomials. Suitable for all ages, Algebra Part 2 clearly presents these principles in a fun and approachable manner. A completely stand-alone video! Part 1 is not required.

Standard Deviants: Psychology

The Standard Deviants - Habla Espanol? (Learning Spanish)

The first hint that this isn't your normal, staid Spanish review course is the subtitle that's flashed across the screen: the "Salsa-riffic World of Spanish." The Standard Deviants, a cast of ebullient young performers who believe no joke is too bad as long as its memorable, bring their talents to a course in introductory Spanish in this video. Lots of flashy graphics keep things lively, but the course material itself is rock solid--it's been approved by an academic panel. Following some basic information on where Spanish is spoken, the real lessons begin with instruction on pronunciation and the Spanish alphabet (which, of course, uses some typographical symbols not used in English). A bit of vocabulary is imparted as the pronunciation lessons progress, and after some pointers on capitalization, simple lessons in practical conversation begin. The video proceeds to the inescapable bane of many language students, conjugating verbs. While this production won't be a substitute for an actual course in Spanish (and the cast specifically points out that it doesn't intend to be), the presentation is consistently energetic, with the lessons easy to remember. Someone who is interested in learning (or reviewing) basic material will no doubt gain from watching it. --Robert J. McNamara

Learning how to speak Spanish is easy with ¿Habla Español? Learning Spanish: The Basics! The Standard Deviants will begin by introducing you to the Spanish alphabet, vocabulary, and pronunciation. You will also learn greetings, punctuation, the gender of nouns and pronouns, some essential verbs, and much more. This DVD will give you the essentials to help you begin to understand the Spanish language. (Previously titled "The Salsa-Riffic World of Spanish, Part 1 DVD")

The Standard Deviants - Algebra Adventure (Learn Algebra Basics)

Making algebra entertaining seems like a hopeless, if not downright insane, task, but that doesn't stop the Standard Deviants. A youthful cast of performers, who believe no joke, skit, or costume is too corny as long as it helps a student remember something important, throw themselves into "The Adventurous World of College Algebra" by beginning with a spoof of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Inside a cave, two Indiana Jones wannabes search for, you guessed it, x. Despite the lighthearted approach, this is a serious algebra review course, compiled under the direction of academic advisers. The lessons begin by answering, "What is algebra?" and quickly move into quadratic roots and factors and a section on linear equations. A wacky sense of humor stays a constant, with spoofs of pop culture programs as well as flashy computer graphics appearing to illustrate essential concepts. At the end of each lesson a quiz appears (which the student can take or skip), and the DVD also contains the "Algebra Adventure," a multiple choice test taken by using the DVD player's remote control. A "Quick Review" segment provides a fast overview of the contents. This is an innovative approach to what has often been a daunting and dry subject. --Robert J. McNamara

Required study by high schools and colleges, algebra has been a notorious stumbling block for students. Without a solid foundation in algebra, however, you cannot expect to do well in more advanced math and science courses, such as calculus, physics and chemistry. Suitable for students of all ages, this DVD presents the three basic principles of algebra in a clear, fun and approachable manner: functions, algebraic properties and linear equations.

Standard Deviants: Grammar For All - Learning English Grammar - The Parts of Speech

English grammar is serious stuff, and there's only so much that can be done to make it entertaining. But the Standard Deviants, an energetic troupe of young performers whose specialty is making serious academic subjects engaging, happily dive into what they call "The Split-Infinitive World of English Grammar." The lessons on this DVD have been prepared by a panel of serious academics, but flashy graphics abound. And the performers do their best to liven up presentations of basic concepts. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech are explained with some offbeat examples (for instance, a film of a lizard is used to demonstrate why "gecko" is a common noun). While introducing a section on verbals, a young woman mentions that a "funky thing" verbs can do is function as other parts of speech. Eventually all parts of speech are covered, and basic sentence structures are introduced. At the end of each set of lessons a quiz is presented, which a student can either take or skip. After proceeding through all the lessons on this DVD (which contains about two hours worth of material), a student can take the "Gram Slam," a comprehensive exam. English grammar will never be a barrel of fun, but the Standard Deviants deserve credit for making this review course as engaging as the subject is ever likely to get. --Robert J. McNamara

Understanding the fundamentals of grammar is the first step to impressive writing. A few of the topics covered in this DVD include: the parts of speech, common nouns and pronouns, verb tenses, conjugations, and compound sentences. The Standard Deviants provide you with a fun, effective way of learning with their unique blend of helpful study tips and comic relief. (Formerly titled "English Grammar 1 DVD")

Standard Deviants: Microeconomics

The Standard Deviants - Math Mania (Learning Basic Math)

In "The Zany World of Basic Math," the Standard Deviants, an ebullient troupe of young performers whose specialty is taking serious subjects and making them offbeat enough to be memorable, tackle the most basic concepts of mathematics. Starting off with explanations of integers, the program proceeds to cover addition, subtraction, and multiplication before moving into more advanced concepts such as exponents and division. Throughout the program the cast cracks painfully corny jokes and occasionally dresses up in some bad costumes to make their points. Indeed, this must be the only math lesson to have a "comedy editor" listed in the opening credits. The underlying principle is that if the performers make spectacles of themselves, that serves as a mnemonic device and makes the serious material they're imparting easier to remember. After covering the basics, the program moves into decimals, fractions, ratios, and percents. Following each section a quiz appears, which the student can either take or skip, and a "Grand Slam Exam" concludes the entire set of lessons. While the presentation may be unorthodox, the academic material has been approved by a panel of professors. Though it's not intended as a substitute for classes in math, students would benefit by using this as review material. --Robert J. McNamara

Whether you're learning about quotients and numerators for the first time or you're looking for a quick review, The Standard Deviants deliver! Throw your calculators away - this DVD covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, ratios and percentages the quick and easy way! The perfect learning tool for all ages, The Standard Deviants make math fun! (Formerly Titled "Basic Math DVD")