8th Grade

8

Population Institute

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

How It Works

The issue of worldwide overpopulation is addressed in this site that explores the problem as well as potential solutions. Population facts and figures are presented along with descriptions of crises concerning natural resources, endangered species, the environment, and urbanization. This is a timely and thought-provoking resource that can generate some purposeful class discussion.

In the Classroom

This is a great site for a Cultural Geography class studying population and TFR. Use the fact sheets on this site about several developing nations to start a class discussion on population growth, and factors that contribute to a growing or decreasing population. This could lead into projects where students track population and label factors that may be affecting the numbers.

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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.
  • 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): population, population,

Structure of Congress

— PBS Newshour

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons-plans/structure-of-congress/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This Web-based lesson plan introduces high school students to the structure of Congress and its various functions. Working in small groups, students are asked to research legislative terms and responsibilities, and then participate in a simulated press conference in which they will role play members of members of Congress and the media. Focus and discussion questions are provided along with links to online resources. Lesson objective are aligned to national standards.

In the Classroom
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): congress, house of representatives, senate,

Book-a-Minute Classics

— Samuel Stoddard and David J. Parker

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/classics.shtml Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

OK - this one’s just for fun. These tongue-in-cheek synopses of literary pearls are hilarious and BRIEF! Few authors escape the treatment; nearly every writer from Shakespeare to Steinbeck is represented on these pages. Some synopses are better than others - check out their version of A Tale of Two Cities - but all are quite clever! Use to generate some lively pre or post-reading discussion in class, or kick off a lesson on satire with several choice examples. Links to synopses of science fiction, bedtime stories, and movies are provided at the bottom of the home page.

In the Classroom
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  • 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): plot, satire, plot,

Exploring Magnetism

— UC Berkeley

5-8 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/impact/magnetism/flash/mag_flash.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

The mysteries of magnetic fields and electromagnetism are revealed in this on-line inquiry-based activity that places students in the role of NASA scientists, working to design a magnetometer boom for a spacecraft. The site contains an introduction for teachers, background information that includes a glossary and list of Web resource, and three well-constructed lesson plans. Content may be views in either pdf or HTML format. Created by the University of California - Berkeley.

In the Classroom
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): magnetism,

Childe Hassam: American Impressionist

— Metropolitan Museum of Art

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/hass/hd_hass.htm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Take your art students on a virtual tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art with this impressive retrospective highlighting the work of Childe Hassam, one of America’s leading impressionist artists. More than 120 oil paintings, watercolors, pastels and prints are featured, depicting nostalgic views of well-known sites across America and Europe. Details of each image can be explored with the click of a mouse, and descriptive captions are provided for each work. A lengthy chronology of Hassam’s life is included along with an excerpt from a delightful silent film (produced by the Met in 1932) about the artist. Portions of this site would be quite at home in an American history class! Be sure to investigate the "Family Feature" link which offers an interactive "Meet the Artist" activity, timeline, and several "Closer Look" activities designed for younger students.

In the Classroom

Use this site as an introductory activity on the interactive whiteboard to impressionism in the US. The images on the site are excellent representations of impressionism and can be used as examples to help students characterize it. <br><br> Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have them compare and contrast what they note about impressionism to other styles that have been studied before in class. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (<a href="/single.cfm?id=9413">reviewed here</a>). Have students print out their diagrams OR display their findings on the interactive whiteboard to their 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): artists, painting,

Eyewitness to History

— Union of Concerned Scientists

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

How It Works

Add this eye-opening, interactive map to a lesson on environmental science, or weather and climate. Local and regional consequences of global climate change are illustrated through factual reports of climactic events that are divided into two groups: fingerprints (those indicating trends toward global warming) and harbingers (those directly foreshadowing climate changes). The site also includes downloadable curriculum materials for high school teachers.

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities offered on this site! This site would also be interesting as a prompt for a class debate on the political impacts of global warming and what or if the government should do anything about it. Separate students into groups, assigning a pro and con side to the debate. Provide students with resources, this being one of them to help them tailor the arguments before they begin. What’s great about this site is that it has a lot of basic definitions and current examples that would allow students to really grasp the concept and their arguments. Civics and Geography teachers will find this useful.

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): climate, climate,

Putting DNA to Work

— National Academy of Sciences

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://koshland-science-museum.org/sites/all/exhibits/exhibitdna/index.jsp?width=800&amp%3Bheight=500&amp%3Biframe=true&amp%3B_ga=2.245958916.126535984.1521742263-2029255140.1521742263 Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This collection of well-organized tutorials and interactive multimedia activities reveals how DNA technology affects our lives. From detecting inherited diseases and catching criminals, to improving agriculture, the site presents high-level information in an easy-to-understand format. Videos, simulations, and well-designed graphics place students in the role of scientist. Use this site with your AP science students. Any Flash information/interactive also comes in a text only format. There is plenty of information to learn from here.

In the Classroom
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): dna, genetics,

Scribbler

— Ze Frank

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

How It Works

Use the mouse to create a simple line drawing. Click the "Done Drawing" button and watch it morph into a very different kind of masterpiece! Experiment with the settings to produce variations. Tour the gallery to see what others have created. A fun and unique alternative to tradition pen and ink sketches!

In the Classroom

Save this site in your favorites on your class computers. Allow students to create their own designs in the "scribbler," and use those drawings as inspiration for an art project. Encourage recreating the scribble in other mediums, or even trying to sketch their own. In a language arts class, allow students to create poems or short rhymes in the scribbler. The graphic addition makes the poems a very interesting display, and is a different take on an old assignment! Due to the spider-web quality of the designs, scribbler poems would be perfect around Halloween.

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): drawing, drawing,

Death of the Dream

— KTCA

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.pbs.org/ktca/farmhouses/index.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

This Website presents the stories behind the farms, homes, people, and culture of Midwestern America. The American Dream is traced through historical photographs documenting the booming family farms that once dotted the landscape. Students can take a virtual tour of a prairie farmhouse, and explore the "literary connection" by following links to classic works inspired by rural America. This would be an excellent addition to a unit on westward expansion or twentieth century American literature. There is plenty of information at this site to learn from, though the sections labeled "virtual" require Flash.

In the Classroom

Use the "virtual farmhouse" as a learning center or station during a unit on Westward expansion or while establishing background for the Dustbowl. If using to provide context for the Great Depression, have students compare the prairie of the site to what the prairie turned into during the great drought of the 30’s. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (<a href="/single.cfm?id=9413">reviewed here</a>). Using the tool, students can create their own in groups or do it as a class on the interactive whiteboard.

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): agriculture,

Mathematicians’ Anniversaries

— University of St. Andrew’s

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Day_files/Year.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Honor a famous mathematician each day of the year using this calendar that provides birth and death dates and biographical information. The site also includes birthplace maps that list mathematicians by country, a mathematics timeline, a section on the history of math, quotations by mathematicians, and information on math in various cultures.

In the Classroom

Save this site as a favorite and use it as a brain warmer for when students are walking into your classroom. Click on the "today" button and showcase each days findings on the interactive whiteboard or projector. Having to come in and read something on the board will get students quiet and ready for the math lesson for the day.

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.
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