8th Grade

8

Cuban Missile Crisis

— National Security Archive at George Washington University

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

One of the most crucial and riveting events of the Cold War is carefully documented through this impressive collection of declassified documents, photographs, audio clips from the Kennedy White House, and submarine naval charts. A detailed chronology and analyses by contemporary historians is also included. This is a wonderful collection of primary source documents that can enrich your study of the Cold War and America during the 1960s.

In the Classroom

Use the images on this site to create a visual discovery activity for a unit on the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Choose 3-5 images, and place them in a PowerPoint. Create a worksheet follow-along for the images, and use the images to teach about the event in a student-centered activity. Focus on observe, infer and predict prompts on the worksheet and students can use the worksheet answers in a subsequent classroom discussion.

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Tag(s): kennedy, russia, kennedy, russia,

Pledge of Allegiance Resources

— Pew Forum

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.pewforum.org/2004/03/19/publicationpage-aspxid643/ Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

The United States Constitution is put to the test in the 2004 Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow Supreme Court case. This site contains background information and supporting documents that explore the constitutionality of a school district policy requiring teachers to lead students in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Links are provided to briefs, related articles, and editorials. Give your students an authentic introduction to how constitutional law and case law can affect the public school system. Created by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

In the Classroom

Regardless of the topic picked, this site is an excellent springboard for a class debate. Share the site on an interactive whiteboard or projector, and allow students to examine all the arguments put forth by the court and lobbyists. Once completed, ask students what they think is constitutional. What arguments would they have used? Do they agree with any? An excellent source for any civics, philosophy or social studies class.

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Tag(s): constitution, courts, speech,

Will Runaway Water Warm the World?

— NASA

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/WaterVapor/water_vapor.php Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Beginning with a description of the deadly heat wave that engulfed Europe in July and August of 2003, this website takes a student-friendly approach to explaining the phenomenon and effects of global warming. The interaction between water vapor, greenhouse gases, and the atmosphere is clearly explained and illustrated. Students can discover how scientists use satellite data to create and validate their climate models. Treat this resource as an on-line textbook chapter; ask students to read and summarize in their own words. The reading level is challenging, but appropriate for high ability secondary students. It will certainly make them think!

In the Classroom
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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): water,

Stories from a Small Planet

— PBS Frontline

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

How It Works

Bring current events to life in your classroom with this resource that connects students with international events. Politics, economics, geography, and culture are addressed by lesson plans (aligned to national standards) that challenge students to think deeply about global issues. Articles are written at a fairly high reading level and issues are complex. This is definitely a high-powered resource for concentrated analysis and serious discussion.

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the free lesson plans and readings to help connect students to the content being taught in your social studies class. Be sure to save this site as a favorite to allow easy retrieval later on.

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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): air, politics, politics,

The Brontës

— Brontë Parsonage Museum

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

How It Works

If 19th century British authors are part of your curriculum spend some moments browsing through this site that sheds light on the lives and work of the authors of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre . Walk the streets of the Town of Haworth in Yorkshire and experience the village as it was known by the Brontë sisters. Visit the chronology section to discover connections between events in the personal lives of the sisters and the economic, political, and social conditions of the world in which they lived. A family tree, comprehensive biographical information, summaries and analyses of the novels, and links to related resources are provided.

In the Classroom

Use this site as a introductory activity before reading one of the many books by one of the Brontë sisters. The family history will provide some background on the two authors, that would be great contextual information for students before beginning a class reading of one of their novels. Have cooperative learning groups explore the information, with the intentions of summarizing the main points in a multimedia presentation. Try having groups create a magazine cover of a sister, highlighting her accomplishments - we recommend using Magazine Cover Maker, <a href="/single.cfm?id=10011">reviewed here</a>)

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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): literature,

National Portrait Gallery

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

How It Works

This virtual gallery highlights personalities that have had a profound impact upon Great Britain and the world. Click on "Search the Collection" to take a tour of the gallery rooms, and browse through portraits of famous British men and women from the Middle Ages to the late 20th century. Project this Web site in the classroom to illustrate authors, political figures and personalities from British history and literature. Samuel Johnson, Henry VIII, Queen Victoria, The Bronte Sisters, Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill are among the thousands of Britons represented.

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the free images on this site! Search the site for images or portraits of individuals being studies to supplement a lecture. This site would be particularly useful in studying Early American history - giving students a face to connect with the names they have heard about so much.

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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): britain, england, painting,

American Rhetoric

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

How It Works

Rhetoric can be a difficult concept for students to grasp in isolation. This collection of full-text speeches and audio/video clips from political speeches, legal proceedings, interviews, debates, news broadcasts, and movies can really get the discussion going in speech and composition class! Definitions/interpretations of rhetoric are provided, along with a few interactive activities that make students think. A great resource for analyzing how wordsmiths use language to elicit a desired response from the audience. Created for American Rhetoric by Michael Eidenmuller. MP3 player required.

In the Classroom
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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): debate, politics, speech, speeches, debate, politics, speech,

Norton Topic Online

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices https://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/noa/chron.htm Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Though archived, this Web companion to the Norton Anthology of English Literature is still accessible and is an entertaining and revealing resource for understanding the society and culture behind the literature! Texts and contexts, discussion questions, Web resources, and illustrations are provided for each era of English literature from the Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century; a review section includes online multiple-choice quizzes. Audio readings in Old English and Middle English provide a unique opportunity for students to hear and experience the evolution of the English language. Definitely a content-rich but high level Language Arts resource. RealPlayer required.

In the Classroom

Use the multiple choice quizzes in each section as review tools for students before an assessment. Students cam complete them in learning centers that are designed to help them study, or in a competitive manner in cooperative learning groups. Be sure to post the site on your teacher wiki or webpage, allowing students to study from the quizzes and summaries both in and out of the classroom. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the <a href="/content/wiki/">TeachersFirst’s Wiki Walk-Through</a>.

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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): literature, quiz, quizzes,

Brown v. Board of Education

— University of Michigan

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.lib.umich.edu/brown-versus-board-education/index.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

The University of Michigan chronicles the landmark Supreme Court case in this on-line archive. Historical events related to this case are documented through articles and images from 1896 (Plessy v. Ferguson) to the present. Main areas of interest on the site include Supreme Court cases, school integration efforts, and recent re-segregation trends in American schools. Use as a springboard for a discussion on Civil Rights or the American Justice System.

In the Classroom

Recommend this site to students working on a research project or paper about the monumental case. There is a wealth of information here - teachers can also take advantage of the court case information, the primary sources and the images.

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Tag(s): civil rights, segregation, supreme court, civil rights, supreme court,

Vertebrate Flight Exhibit

— UC Berkeley

8-11 0 favorites 0 promising practices http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/enter.html Last updated: Fri, 08/27/2021 - 11:48 share

How It Works

Man may have been flying for only a century, but other vertebrates have been doing it for millions of years! Take a virtual tour of the University of California’s Paleontology Vertebrate Flight Exhibit. If you’re just introducing the mechanics of flight, embarking on a study of natural history and prehistoric life, or looking for a new approach to an old physics lesson, this site can provide a wealth of information. Each topic of the exhibit can be explored independently or the entire site can be treated as a tutorial, with each section flowing logically to the next. The text requires a fairly high level of reading, but is brief. Links providing further explanation of key terms are found throughout the site.

In the Classroom
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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): flight, paleontology,