This is a sample of what we'll be creating today using Netscape Composer.  The table has been set up for you; you'll need to add the page title, import a photograph from the Internet, briefly respond to this photograph, and cite your sources by adding a link from your page back to the source photo.  As a result of this activity, you will see how simple it is to create web sites to teach from or for your students to respond to literature and share with others. 

This vocabulary activity should be completed prior to students reading the chapter to find out how much they know about the important concepts that will be introduced in this chapter.  The purpose at this point is to generate active student discussion with the terms they will encounter and to work collaboratively to sort and link the terms in some way.  It is OK is the resulting "web" is not completely accurate, AS LONG AS students then return to the same web after reading to reconstruct their idea web to more accurately reflect the way the terms are used in the textbook chapter.  This type of activity works best when students complete it with at least one partner; the more people in a group, however, the more difficult this task becomes (as all students are expected to come to a consensus before creating their ultimate idea web).  If students are not familiar with a term, they are asked to make an educated guess what other terms it may be related to.  Again, after reading, they can go back and "fix" their web. 
 

This outline of important details was constructed as a template in Inspiration by a teacher after reading a textbook chapter.  Students are asked to rearrange the details listed below the main heading ideas based on information they read in the chapter.  They can complete this as they read the chapter with a partner, or they can complete it after they read the chapter (with a partner or independently).  After the details have been sorted, a class discussion will be held to see if everyone is in agreement about how the chapter is organized.  Student can then use the Inspiration's outline tools to expand on the details, rewording phrases into complete sentences and/or restructuring the main idea and details into summary paragraphs.   Students can also print out the final outline and use it as they study for a test. 

Inspiration Response Activity 
Purposes:
1. enhance vocabulary and make connections between concepts
2. develop awareness of elements of spatial and visual literacy
3. use electronic organizer tool to represent their ideas visually

This image shows a variety of ways for children to drag vocabulary terms and match to photographs that were cut and paste from the Internet.  Labels can have borders around them or left plain, arrows can be linked from the term to the correct picture, students can define the word within the arrow, or users can draw lines from a term to the correct part of a photography.  The template can be set up ahead of time with photos on one side and terms on the other, or photos can be stored in a file and advanced students can copy and paste the photos into the file.  Students can work on this project in a small group and the visual format of the diagram can be left open-ended; the only requirement is that the terms are correctly matched up with photographs.  For enrichment, students could even use this diagram as the basis of a "homepage"  and then provide links to a web site about each term or links to a page they wrote that further defines each term. 

Students can access the following websites to determine the exact location of each of Sal's stopping points along her journey from Ohio to Idaho. Students can import "typical" photographs from each area into their slide shows and may find other interesting tidbits about each location to include in their postcards from Sal. 

1. MapQuest USA: Type in the name of the city and state (find abbreviation) to access a map which you can zoom in or out on to find relative location.
2. Infoplease Atlas: Click on any region to get information about each state Sal traveled to and it's location on the US map. 
3. Explore the States with America's Story: Access information and a photo of a landmark from each state. 
4. Yahooligans United States Index: Click on any state and then click on Pictures link at top of resource list for photos from that state. 
5. State Unit Studies from About Homeschooling Guide: Unique facts about each state, designed for students.  Lots of great photos of many landmarks from each state. 

Image Source: http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/kidspage/opening.htm