Summer is a great time to while away some hours on the internet. Here are some starting points we recommend, and you're invited to use the comment tool below to share some of your own favorites.

Besides serving as a centralized site for current discussions about the state of history, the relationship of history to current events, and a guide to just about anything else an educator might need, the History News Network offers a categorized list of history and humanities blogs grouped under topics such as Historians Who Write about Many Things, United States History, Museums, and K–12.

At the American Historical Association, the blog highlights topics in history from pedagogy to policy. Posts during July 2008 look at teaching history and teaching teachers of history, including an article from the May issue of Perspectives, K–12 Teaching: Why Should We Care?

Among teachers who blog, Kevin Levin's Civil War Memory is an award-winning blog that covers the broader political, intellectual, and social context of the Civil War, but also looks at best pedagogical practices with films, primary sources, and other instructional tools. California language teacher, Larry Ferlazzo, blogs about websites that help teach ESL, EFL, and ELL, including references to sources for history instruction and regular Ten Best selections of sites for content and classroom tools.

At George Mason University's Center for History and New Media, Director Dan Cohen writes and podcasts about current issues on history, technology, the classroom, and the humanities fields at Digital Humanities Blog. Managing Director Tom Scheinfeldt looks at artifacts, news, technology, and other internet resources in his eclectic blog and podcasts at Found History.

In the primary grades the focus on reading and writing is quite strong. Teaching other things often seems like an afterthought. As a 1st-grade teacher I’ve often addressed this by integrating other areas into our literacy time.

Writing books with first graders is something I greatly enjoy. It also happens to be an easy way to integrate history. We have written books about famous people, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, or George Washington Carver; about the past in general (first graders work to understand the difference between the past and the present); and about the history of certain items (the Statue of Liberty, the Washington Monument) or holidays (the Fourth of July or Presidents’ Day).

We begin by learning as much as we can about the subject. I read books to my students, we listen to information on websites like pebblego, we watch videos, and we talk to each other about what we are learning. Often we will create a data retrieval chart to help organize all we are learning. If not a data retrieval chart, then we will organize through a web, sorting words, or phrases on cards. Preparing to write a book requires that we take time to reflect on what we have learned and organize the information.

Writing the book is the final activity for us, as a class, in the process of studying the topic. It’s a wonderful way to wrap up everything. The process of composing and writing helps solidify all we have learned.

First we take our organization (data retrieval chart, web, sorted cards) and review it. We take time to ensure we fully understand it all and decide how to order our book—where to begin and in which way to head. If we are writing about a person I will try to guide the students to plan the book in a chronological manner. Topics other than biographies are also guided, but with more freedom for the students. If they have a good reason for a plan for organizing the book we will do it. The discussions about how to order a book are valuable and deepen their understanding.

Once we have a plan we begin drafting. This process may take us several days. It is an opportunity to dig deeper into the history as we write as well as a chance to hone our writing skills. Together we compose our thoughts and create a book. We usually write our books as "big books." We use a large pad of paper to write together and the students illustrate when it is finished. That way we can add the big book to our collection and it can be read again and again throughout the year.