8th Grade

Debategraph

— Thoughtgraph, Ltd.

8-11

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0 promising practices http://debategraph.org/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

Use this decision-making visualization to outline the strongest case currently in a debate. This visualization tool follows the debates to show public transparency in the issues. Click on the bubbles in the graph to expand them into other areas. Hover over areas of the bubble to read information about the topic. Visit the gallery to find all of the possible debates. View all visualizations without logging in. You can find maps using a key (issue, position, supportive/argument, and more). Members can also use this tool to create maps by clicking the "Create map" link. Create a login to be able to rate aspects of the visualizations. Login requires an email address.

In the Classroom

Use this resource to view various viewpoints and information about topics in the public eye. Use to create subtopics to be investigated in a class debate. Use the process to delve deeper into debates created by the class. Create visualizations using organizational software to help students follow through on all aspects of a debate topic. If you are having students log-in, rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes.<a href="/whats-hot/policy-tips.cfm#8"> Here is a blog post </a> that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.

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Tag(s): debate,

60 Second Recap

— DimSum Media

8-11

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0 promising practices http://www.60secondrecap.com Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

60 Second Recap introduces students to literature in one-minute video bites. Most are YouTube video clips. Before you decide that this is what’s wrong with education today, take a look. Each book in the 60 Second Recap library (classics like Lord of the Flies, Frankenstein, Brave New World, Hamlet and Jane Eyre) is summarized with a one minute "teaser," an overview, a look at the cast, the plot, the theme, motifs, symbols--all the elements we would want students to pay attention to when encountering a new work of literature. There is also a general section on the analysis of literature, and a "Pick of the Week" which introduces students to a more contemporary book for leisure reading. The site is still in development and more works of literature are being added. Since many of the videos are hosted on YouTube, you may need to view them at home due to school filtering.

In the Classroom

These short film clips are perfect for introducing lessons with a quick attention-grabbing recap. The clips preview material that you can discuss more in depth as you analyze the works in question, and provide a useful review for students throughout the unit. It may be tempting to treat them like all the other on-line cheats for students who don’t actually want to read the book, but these are more likely to help focus attention and clarify main points. They would also be good for less-able readers as a way to increase interest in the classics. The clips are perfect for your interactive whiteboard or projector. As a special challenge, assign students to create their own 60 second recaps of works they have read and share them on TeacherTube <a href="/single.cfm?id=9419">reviewed here</a> or SchoolTube <a href="/single.cfm?id=9437">reviewed here</a>.

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Tag(s): independent reading, literature,

Remember the Great Depression

— Dr. Nancy Deal

4-8

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0 promising practices http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/beaverjf/nbd/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

Remembering the Great Depression is a literacy based webquest that includes both non-fiction and fiction literature that focuses on developing students’ understanding of the Depression era and the literature set during the period. Featured literature includes Memoirs from the Depression, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and To Kill a Mockingbird.rn

In the Classroom

Use the activities and quizzes from this webquest to supplement your classroom book study. Each piece of literature includes activities, quizzes, writing prompts and more. Have students create their own book study gleaning ideas from the set up of the included book studies. Have cooperative learning groups (or individual students) choose a specific piece of literature and complete some of the activities. Take it a step further and have students create multimedia projects as a culminating activity. Challenge groups or individuals to create online books using a tool such as Bookemon, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10404">reviewed here</a>.rn rnNote: Some of the links don’t work on the KWL page, so teachers using the site will need to find replacement sites for students. rn

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Tag(s): great depression, literature, great depression, literature,

Historical Thinking Matters

— Center for History and New Media

8-11

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0 promising practices http://historicalthinkingmatters.org/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

This site teaches teachers and students to critically view and read historical documents. The site will help students find and view primary sources critically as they decipher the past. The site is broken down into student investigations and teaching materials and strategies. There are maps, videos, activities, and more. Although there are some portions of the site that still include Flash which is no longer supported, much of the information is still available and is worth using.

In the Classroom

This site can be used in several different ways. View the introductory movie from the the site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then use some of the teaching strategies to prepare students for an upcoming history lesson. Use the student section with individual or pairs of students in a lab or as a center. Have them use their new skills to review historical documents. Break students into four groups and assign them one of the four student investigations to complete. When done have groups share what they learned with the rest of the class. Challenge students to create a video and share using a site such as SchoolTube (<a href="/single.cfm?id=9437">reviewed here</a>).

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Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
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Tag(s): primary sources, critical thinking,

Earth Sky

— Earth Sky Communications

8-11

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0 promising practices http://earthsky.org/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

Looking for real science from real-life scientists? This is the spot for you. EarthSky is loaded with current interviews in all different content areas. Topics include water, energy, health, agriculture, biodiversity, earth, space, and human. Another nifty feature of this website is that you can add the RSS feed to your blog or Google account to keep up with new interviews.

In the Classroom

Have students select an interview to listen to on their own time. Once they have listened to it, have them research the subject. Have students share their findings with the class. Or, add the RSS feed to the class website so that students can access the interviews at their convenience.

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Tag(s): biodiversity, energy, ecology, scientists,

Rare Book Room

— Octavo

8-11

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0 promising practices http://www.rarebookroom.org/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

The treasury of literary works found on this site provides electronic access many great books of the world. At first glance, it appears to only have advanced level books, such as the extensive collection of Shakespeare, Milton, and Johnson. However, look carefully and you will find Aesop’s Fables in Verse and multiple versions of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The works of renowned musicians such as Beethoven and Mozart, scientists such as Darwin and Galileo, and philosophers such as Benjamin Franklin and Isaac Newton are also stacked on the shelves in the Rare Book Room. There are about 400 books that have been digitized. They include vast array of topics and rarity and come from the greatest collections around the world. You may search by category, author, or the library where the original book or manuscript is housed.

In the Classroom

Use a projector or interactive whiteboard so everyone can view the Rare Book Room at once. Small groups can write down their observations about the art and text, and then share out with the whole class. You can also have small groups of students investigate Rare Books from certain authors or time periods. Navigating and annotating the books on the interactive whiteboard and sharing their findings with the whole class. The interactive whiteboard is the ideal tool for annotating. Older students can also annotate them using an online tool such as Fine Tuna, reviewed here : <a href="/single.cfm?id=10415">reviewed here</a>.

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Tag(s): literature,

Shake, Rattle, and Slide

— University of Illinois Extension

2-8

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0 promising practices http://urbanext.illinois.edu/earth/85.cfm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

This interactive site focuses on showing and telling students about volcanoes, earthquakes, and glaciers. The text information is also available as audio; many fun activities reinforce the information given on the introductory sites. Because of the dual presentation (oral and written), the site is easy for ESL/ELL students to use as well. One especially interesting activity involves showing students the history of the geologic earth and asks them to imagine squeezing all the earth’s history into one day.

In the Classroom

Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on geology and/or natural disasters on a projector or interactive whiteboard. When a disaster is in the news, use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects in response to their curiosity about the news event. Have ESL/ELL students use this to introduce other students to some possible disasters that occur in their parts of the world. Another option would be to divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have them create presentations on different parts of the information found in the site and its activities. Use the information they find as a jumping off place for doing further research on areas that interest them.To show what they have learned from this site, challenge students to create an online graphic to share using Visme, <a href="/single.cfm?id=15508">reviewed here</a>.

Technology Heads-up!

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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): weather, volcanoes, plate tectonics, glaciers, earthquakes, earth,

Shmoop - Civics

— Shmoop University Inc

8-11

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0 promising practices http://www.shmoop.com/civics/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

If your students think civics is boring then they will love Shmoop - Civics. This website is an interactive study guide that will help you and your students deeply explore the topic of Civics. The site has hot topics, study guides, timelines, quotes and links to additional information. All of these make learning more interactive for the students. Material is available in PDF and eBook format. Links can also be shared through Facebook and Twitter.

In the Classroom

Students will not be bored when you turn them on to this site. The links can be put on a classroom webpage or blog. Use the primary resources section under Best of the Web to help students make real world connections. Students can use the photos provided on the site to create a PhotoStory or iMovie. The provided questions would be great to use for a classroom debate. To make learning more accessible, students can even download the guides to any handheld device that supports ebooks such as ipod touches or Kindles. Please note that some videos are from You Tube so they may be blocked by your school’s filter.rn rnShare one of the slide shows on a projector or interactive whiteboard as you introduce a unit or allow students to use portions of the slide shows as part of their own presentations on a specific civics topic, such as political parties or one of the amendments in the Bill of Rights.

Technology Heads-up!

Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
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Tag(s): presidents, politics, constitution, branches of government,

College Confidential

— Hobsons Inc

8-11

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0 promising practices http://www.collegeconfidential.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

College Confidential is one of the many websites designed to help students evaluate and choose a college. As with other such sites, there is a "Find a College" section, advice on preparing a successful application to the colleges of your choice, financial aid information, and a discussion community with forums where students voice opinions about the colleges and the application process. Students can view videos and photos of the colleges. Using much of College Confidential requires registration, but there is no fee. Registration does require an email address. You may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. <a href="/whats-hot/policy-tips.cfm#8">Here is a blog post </a> that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.

In the Classroom

College counselors can provide links to College Confidential as one of the resources for students to use in searching for a college. Although a double edged sword, the on line forums for students to share opinions can provide important first hand information from an unbiased perspective, and the reality is that more students are turning to social networking to gain information about post-secondary education. There are virtual chats and open houses happening regularly from the site, and students may feel these "conversations" offer more honest and useful data than relying on the traditional college controlled marketing material.

Technology Heads-up!

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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): college, financial aid,

Science Direct

— Elsevier

8-11

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0 promising practices http://www.sciencedirect.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:49

How It Works

Scirus is basically a science search engine. It only scans science only information The searches happen quickly and can be limited using the menu on the left of the screen.

In the Classroom

Use as a teacher or professional resource to expand understanding and knowledge of current research so that you can share the information with your students. Have older students search for information on research topics. Have students compare the Scirus with a regular search engine such as Google with the same search word before having them use the tool. It will show them the advantage of using a more science specific tool.

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): search engines, resources,

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