8th Grade

8

A Long Way from Chicago

Teaser
Author Richard Peck, drawing the setting from his own family’s hometown and farmhouse, journeys the reader back through a time in America’s history of prosperity, the Great Depression, and into World War II.
Grade Level (lower)
6th Grade
Grade Level (upper)
8th Grade
KMZ file
A Long Way from Chicago-TeachersFirst Reading Trek.kmz
ASIN
0142401102
Link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VO7Og5pD1qNV2BMw48r9ot_JWwW3RNmw&usp=sharing

Doozy

— Doozy Live Ltd

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://doozy.live/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

Doozy is a social platform for teams to chat, create quizzes, participate in group games, and much more. Register and create an account with Doozy to create your social space. Grab the link to invite others to your game room to begin group activities. Once in the room, use chat features to interact, create a quiz or choose from the library of pre-made quizzes, or add a playlist from Spotify as part of your activity room.

In the Classroom

Use Doozy as a virtual get-to-know-you activity when starting remote learning activities or when collaborating with other classrooms. It is also an excellent icebreaker for professional development sessions or back-to-school team meetings. Create a quiz, or choose from the library to start a friendly competition with others. Since Doozy doesn’t track scores, it is an excellent way to work with teams to review practice material in a non-competitive environment. Include Doozy as part of any team-building and social skill support activities.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
Tag(s): social and emotional learning, communication, social networking, chat, remote learning,

WittyWe

— Yafit Ohana Baruch

-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.wittywe.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

WittyWe is an online learning portal for students in grades K-9. It includes content in many topic areas, including entrepreneurship, personal life skills, media, and STEM. Some of the content requires a paid subscription; instead, take advantage of the free 90-day membership, or look for activities with the "free" banner on the thumbnail icon. Most activities include a short video lesson accompanied by a quiz, challenge activity, and summary of the task.

In the Classroom

Use the activities found in WittyWe to provide instruction in content not typically covered in all curriculums. For example, assign activities related to entrepreneurship to complete during computer centers or include free lessons about the law as part of civics lessons. Share links to free lessons using Symbaloo, <a href="/single.cfm?id=11744">reviewed here</a>, for easy access by students. Include a link to your Symbaloo on your class website for students to access at home. Supplement your current lessons with those found on WittyWe using a learning management system such as TES Teach Blendspace, <a href="/single.cfm?id=14021">reviewed here</a>. Include the free activities from this site along with videos, quizzes, and additional articles of your choosing. When it is time for students to demonstrate learning, provide options for showing what they know using Book Creator, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17988">reviewed here</a>, or a video creation tool like Animoto, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10388">reviewed here</a>.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
Tag(s): financial literacy, body systems, marine biology, world war 1, electricity, internet safety, branches of government, business, human body, photosynthesis, environment, social and emotional learning, social media, communication, native americans,

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Digital Textbook

— Bill of Rights Institute

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://billofrightsinstitute.org/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness is a free digital textbook designed for high school American History or AP U.S. History classes. Information is provided through chronological units that include primary and secondary source materials. Short narratives are included in each chapter to present information in a personalized manner and use decision points for students to focus on how information learned fits into a larger narrative. Each unit has a culminating essay activity that assesses the chapter’s objectives. This digital textbook also offers tools for text highlighting, online notetaking, and text to speech. To access the textbook, use the link to register and access the materials through the OpenStax platform, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17525">reviewed here</a>.

In the Classroom

Take advantage of this free textbook to use for your American History curriculum or supplement your current teaching materials. Pick and choose text, source materials, or assessment information to enhance your curriculum. This text is a perfect addition for schools lacking up-to-date content or for use with distance learning. Use a curation tool such as Padlet, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10007">reviewed here</a>, to organize and share materials with students. Use the shelf option to create categories and organize them by videos, articles, primary source documents, etc., to make information easily accessible by your students. Encourage students to share their understanding of the content by creating videos, flyers, graphic images, and more using the tools found at Canva Edu, <a href="/single.cfm?id=15329">reviewed here</a>. Use the text to speech option to differentiate learning for students with disabilities and English Language Learners.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
Tag(s): 20th century, 1900s, 1800s, Teacher Utilities, 1700s, ebooks, 1600s, advanced placement,

ClassPad

— Casio

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.classpad.net/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

ClassPad is an internet-based calculation tool that supports graphing, statistical calculations, and geometric calculations. Use the tools to create equations, graphs, and more. Add sticky notes to add messages to any page. Create papers of your own, or use the dashboard to find public documents to replicate and share. Invite others to add to your calculations using the share feature to provide a link publically or with a password. Share options also offer the opportunity for assigning homework with your chosen due date. Learn how to use the different features found on ClassNet by accessing the User Guide link found at the Help drop-down menu located at the top of the site’s home page.

In the Classroom

Share ClassPad with students and let them explore and share features with your advanced math classes. Be sure to guide students toward YouTube, where several tutorial videos are available. As students use the different features available on ClassPad, ask them to create tutorials to share with peers using a screen recording tool like Free Screen Recorder Online, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17723">reviewed here</a>. Use Padlet, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10007">reviewed here</a>, to share all student or bookmarked YouTube tutorials in one easy to locate place.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
Tag(s): financial literacy, equations, charts and graphs, calculators,

Learn With News

— Learn With News

2-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.learnwithnews.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

Learn With News is a site from the United Kingdom that shares current event articles, each written at three different reading levels. Each article also highlights difficult words and features correlating activities, including vocabulary practice, conversation questions, some with videos, and more. If searching by specific levels, use the tabs on the page to sort resources into any of the three levels. Scroll through the home page to view the articles starting with the most recent or use the search feature to find information using specific terms. Because this site is from the UK, some words will contain spelling that is different than the United States version.

In the Classroom

Although created with English language learners in mind, this site is a valuable resource for any current events lessons and as a resource for non-fiction reading materials. Bookmark this site for use with any current events lessons and as a resource for finding fact-based information to use to help understand modern history. Use technology tools to help students organize their thinking and share their questions and responses. Engage students by asking them to share their opinions and encourage discussions using FlipGrid, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17677">reviewed here</a>. Ask students to respond to the discussion question within Flipgrid using their fact-based research. Use Flipgrid’s comment feature to encourage collaboration and student discussion. Extend learning by asking students (or student groups) to research information found in the articles, then share their findings through a multimedia presentation that includes student writing, videos, maps, and infographics. Have students use a presentation tool such as Sway, <a href="/single.cfm?id=16373">reviewed here</a>, or Adobe Spark for Education, <a href="/single.cfm?id=18378">reviewed here</a>, to share their final projects.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
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Tag(s): politics, journalism, news, differentiation,

Lesson Plan: Exploring Identity

— Cari Ladd

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://archive.pov.org/offandrunning/lesson-plan/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

What makes up an individual’s identity? This lesson plan includes video clips to introduce identity and then culminates with students creating a self-portrait using items or elements that share key aspects of their self-identity. Note: this is an archived version of the lesson plan found on PBS POV (Points of View), and the video links are not available on PBS. However, they are available by searching on YouTube and using each video’s title to find and use the video in your lesson.

In the Classroom

Incorporate this lesson into your current study units related to learning about identity, differences between people, bias, and character education. Use this lesson with younger students by finding videos with students that are the approximate age of those in your class. The lesson includes a study guide to accompany the videos, use edpuzzle, <a href="/single.cfm?id=15288">reviewed here</a>, as an alternative to a paper worksheet by adding questions and comments to appropriate areas within each video. As students complete their self-portraits, add them to a class book created using Book Creator, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17988">reviewed here</a>. In addition to a picture of each self-portrait, ask students to create a short video sharing and discussing the characteristics they identify as important to their identity. Share your book with students in lower grade levels to help them learn how to celebrate differences in others.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
Tag(s): identity, character education, bias,

’Interrupt The Systems’: Robin DiAngelo On ’White Fragility’ And Anti-Racism

— Ari Shapiro/NPR

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.npr.org/2020/06/17/879136931/interrupt-the-systems-robin-diangelo-on-white-fragility-and-anti-racism Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

NPR’s Like Kit series shares this article and audio from a recent podcast featuring a discussion with author Robin DiAngelo. DiAngelo shares suggestions for white people with specific ideas on how to reflect upon their racism. Other recommendations include tips on how to educate yourself by engaging in resources created by people of color. This article contains many links to supplemental information, including books and a 21-Day Habit Building Challenge.

In the Classroom

Include this article with your other resources to discuss racism, bias, or when addressing difficult conversations in the classroom. Use a curation tool like Padlet, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10007">reviewed here</a>, to share and discuss articles, videos, and online information. As students research and learn more from other authors, help them organize information using SuperNoteCard, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17285">reviewed here</a>. SuperNoteCard is a virtual notecard taking tool similar to the familiar 3X5 index cards used for notetaking by hand. Use notecards to keep a list of authors and articles, jot down big ideas, and compare suggestions for making positive changes.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
Tag(s): racism, bias, authors, civil rights, character education, difficult conversations,

’Me And White Supremacy’ Helps You Do The Work Of Dismantling Racism

— Eric Deggans/NPR

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.npr.org/2020/07/06/887646740/me-and-white-supremacy-helps-you-do-the-work-of-dismantling-racism Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

This article is part of the NPR Life Kit series that provides tips and advice for everyday problems from experts. Much of the article consists of an interview with Layla Saad, an East African, Black Muslim author. It includes defining terms such as "white-centering" and "ally cookies" to help readers understand white privilege. Another focus of the article is using journals to develop a conscious awareness of behaviors and thought processes.

In the Classroom

Include this article with your other materials when teaching about racism, bias, identiy, or cross-cultural understanding. The interviewee shares responses in the article by raising questions for individuals to consider and use for reflection. Ask groups of students to take different questions to discuss and respond to as part of your article’s discussion. Extend learning by asking them to share their findings by creating concept maps using a tool such as mindmaps, <a href="/single.cfm?id=18296">reviewed here</a>, or with a presentation using tool like Prezi, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10801">reviewed here</a>. Consider using Wakelet, <a href="/single.cfm?id=17619">reviewed here</a>, as a curation tool for collecting and sharing resources with students, and also as a presentation tool for students to share their learning with peers.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
Tag(s): bias, racism, cross cultural understanding, black history, identity,

Whiteness Project: Millenials in Dallas, Texas

— Whitney Dow

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.whitenessproject.org/millennials Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:50 share

How It Works

The Whiteness Project features a series of interviews with millennials from Dallas, Texas. The short video interviews share their understanding of their whiteness. At the end of each interview, a statistic providing context is shared to encourage the viewing audience’s self-reflection. View all of the statistics used on the site by selecting the data link at the top of the page.

In the Classroom

The Whiteness Project provides a unique and interesting resource for introducing and discussing difficult topics in the classroom, including racism, prejudice, bias, and empathy. Share this site with students and provide them time to listen to some of the conversations and the provided statistics. Encourage students to choose one statistic as a starting point for additional research. For example, one piece of data shared is the number of adults who have two or more races in their background. This provides a starting point for researching race in your community, state, or in the country. As students complete research, ask them to share their findings in a multimedia presentation using a tool like Sway, <a href="/single.cfm?id=16373">reviewed here</a>, to add graphs, charts, images, and video that support their findings.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
  • Donec rutrum congue leo eget malesuada. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Mauris blandit aliquet elit, eget tincidunt nibh pulvinar a.
Tag(s): cultures, cross cultural understanding, character education, civil rights, racism, empathy, difficult conversations,
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