8th Grade

8

Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site

— Carol Hurst and Rebecca Otis

-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.carolhurst.com/index.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This is a nifty site that includes a variety of children’s book reviews, professional resources, and author pages from Avi to James Stephenson. Many of the review pages suggest activities to do with some or all of the books on that page.

In the Classroom

Clicking on the "Curriculum Areas" section will give you a wide assortment of options for many subjects including social studies, geography, math, science, and art as well as language arts. Be sure to scroll down past the advertisements at the top of each page. This site gives you links to buy the books (from Amazon), but the activities make it worth it.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
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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): book lists, literature, authors,

Madeleine L’Engle

— Crossroads, Ltd.

3-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.madeleinelengle.com/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This is the Official Madeleine L’Engle website. This site has good things to offer, including links to her speeches for awards acceptance, updates of movies made from her books, short summaries of all her books, and some interactive prompts to work with students. The site has some nice animation and includes lots of links that will satisfy even the most curious L’Engle fan. Its only drawback is that some of the information takes you out to other sites, but there is a considerable amount of information on this site itself.

In the Classroom

You can use this site with students for different group projects since it takes off in many different directions that would allow groups to come back and share what they find, perhaps as a presentation on a projector or perhaps in a non-electronic author exhibit.

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): authors, literature, authors, literature,

How the Understanding of US History Changes

— National Public Radio

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6517854 Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This site provides an audio file of an NPR interview with author Kyle Ward ("History in the Making") about the changing interpretation of the Mexican-American War as reflected in history text books beginning just after the War up until the present. This discussion illustrates that "history" is often a reflection of the historical context in which it is written. There are also links to three more interviews on the same general topic.rn<br> <br>Students are fascinated with the concept that their history text books might be wrong, or biased. Although the interview doesn’t mention it, this discussion was also well illustrated in James Loewen’s "Lies My Teacher Told Me." The seven minute interview might be quite useful in helping advanced students understand that history isn’t static, and that any account of a historical "fact" should be considered in light of its context and the political perspective of the times.

In the Classroom

This site would be helpful to students preparing to do research for your class or for National History Day projects which must be developed using primary documents: to illustrate that even primary documents are subject to interpretation and cannot always be accepted at face value!

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): mexico,

WebQuest: Does the Tiger Eat Her Cubs?

— Knowledge Network Explorer

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://ozline.com/webquests/china/childquest.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This WebQuest asks students to consider "the truth about how children are treated in China" through looking at reports about the conditions in orphanages in China, about China’s "one child" policy, and about human rights in general. The site does include a disclaimer on the opening page warning teachers to evaluate if this WebQuest is appropriate for their classroom.rn<br> <br>rnThis is a very sensitive subject, and teachers should consider the maturity of their students before proceeding with the activities on this site. In addition, teachers should be sensitive to the fact that there may be Chinese adoptees in their classes for whom this topic might be especially difficult. rn<br> <br>rnAt the time of this review, a few of the links were no longer active. We are keeping the listing because of the discussions that the site can produce. You may want to provide students with a corrected resource list without the dead links.

In the Classroom

While it is unlikely you will want to make a discussion on the plight of Chinese orphans the centerpiece of an examination of Chinese culture, this site may prove valuable for a student or student group to use in planning a special project. This site would be good research background for a debate on human rights. rn<br><br>rnFor an extension activity, have student groups create online venn diagrams, dissecting the two different arguments. This can be done using a program such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (<a href="/single.cfm?id=9413">reviewed here</a>). Students can do this in their groups on classroom computers, or as a class on the interactive whiteboard. This would be a good way to lead into a discussion of the power of the media, and government responsibilities in regards to social services.

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): china, population,

Knock on the Door: Physics

— EABJM

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.saburchill.com/physics/physics_hp.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This site, created by and for the largest independent school in France, is intedned to help teachers and students prepare for the IB tests in physics. A team of teachers from the school created the site. It includes extensive resources and readings on physics, as well as review activities. The content is separated into more basic and more advanced sections.

In the Classroom

Make this a reference link from your teacher web page or use the site as a different way to introduce content so students can move at thier own pace.

Technology Heads-up!
  • Find interactive ABC's, colors, etc.
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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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Prohibition and Temperance

— OSU Department of History

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://prohibition.osu.edu/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

From the Ohio State University history department, this site includes resources related to the prohibition and temperance movement in the US. There is a good, straightforward summary of prohibition including hyperlinks, information about the Women’s crusade against alcohol and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, and contemporary opinion pieces about prohibition. Of particular use is a series of political cartoons from the period which illustrate contemporary political viewpoints. There is a brief audio clip of prohibition era music (ragtime).

In the Classroom

This site is best used as a supplementary set of resources for further exploration. Teachers might use some of the contemporary illustrations or narratives to expand understanding, or students working on an independent project might find the resources helpful. You could use TrackStar, <a href="/single.cfm?id=13794">reviewed here</a>, to design a brief web scavenger hunt within the site to engage students and introduce the topic in a new way.

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): drugs and alcohol, 1930s, 1920s,

H2O Playlists

— Berkman Ctr for the Internet and Society, Harvard Law School

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://h2obeta.law.harvard.edu/home.do Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Create an online collection of annotated links and materials for academic research or have your students use this site to collect sources and materials for a collaborative project. A "playlist" is a set of links with explanations and tags that you (or students) can use to initiate self-directed research or that students could use to prepare or present content. rnrnHave students make a "playlist" on a research topic, such as the Vietnam War, displaying and speaking about the resources in a class presentation on a projector. You can monitor the progress of collaborative research by checking their playlists-in-progress. Students who have Internet access at home can add to the playlists from any computer. Playlists can be published and shared. You can also find other playlists with the same tags, extending the reach of your research.

In the Classroom

The site requires a log-in, so you may want to set up a single account and password based on your "extra" email account (always recommended for joining all these great web-based tool sites). When your students are finished with their projects, you can simply change the password. Skills needed to use this tool: join site (free), copy/paste links, create tags (keywords), reorder list items, start new lists (all very easy by clicking on text links).rnrnTeachersFirst Ede staff strongly suggest that you create a sample playlist to start and model the process to your students. They will catch on fast. You will also need to prevent them from altering profiles or creating unmonitored accounts and profiles, for safety reasons.

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): citations, Research,

National Institute of Standards and Technology Virtual Museum

— NIST

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.nist.gov/nist-museum/museum-collection/exhibits Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Investigate modern accomplishments in technology through these exhibits of technology accomplishments. Tech Ed and science teachers of all disciplines can highlight these accomplishments as real world connections to classroom learning or ask students to research the application of their classroom learning in the technology world. Of certain interest are topics that explain our systems of weights and measures, the technology time line, and the and stone wall test as a real world application of scientific method for practical purposes.

In the Classroom

Use this as a starting point for a research project or share portions on a projector as you begin units on different science and technology topics.

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): engineering,

Phrasal Verb Drink Dispenser

— Cambridge University Press

3-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.stuff.co.uk/phrasal.htm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This cleverly formatted ESL/speech and language activity provides review material for phrasal verbs found in The Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs published by Cambridge University Press. Students can select verbs that have the same particle, verbs in content categories, and also study one verb in all its particle manifestations (i.e. go on, go out, go away, etc.). This page is a must for all English language students preparing for standardized tests. Speech and manguage teachers working with elementary students will find it helpful, as well, if the students have basic reading skills. Requires Shockwave Plugin. Get it from the <a href="/tools.cfm ">TeachersFirst Toolbox page</a>.

In the Classroom

Suggest this site to your ESL students preparing for college entrance exams. You may want to mark it in Favorites on a classroom computer for students to practice independently once you have shown them how it works.

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): grammar, verbs, grammar, verbs,

Genomics: Systems Biology for Energy and Environment

— U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://genomics.energy.gov/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Find extensive, up-to-date information on the Human Genome Project, ethical issues in genetics, biofuels, microbial genome research, and much more. This site would be a fantastic resource for student biology and microbiology research projects and career explorations. Help your students see what is happening in the very real world of science today.

In the Classroom

Plan a web scavenger hunt to help students learn more about the scientific fields related to their biology class or use specific resources within this very adult site to share the excitement. The image gallery is worth some class time with a projector, for sure! Bring the science to life in the real world.rnrnThe images may be used in your class projects and materials, as long as you give credit.

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): energy, environment, energy, environment,
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