What A Life!     Intermediate

Teacher support: Web links

Looking for more information about some of the amazing people in What A Life! Intermediate? These links will bring you to sites with lots of interesting material on each person. You can use these extra facts and stories to give your students a deeper understanding about the personalities in the book. You can also use these sites to create additional class activities.


Unit 1
Leonardo DaVinci
Artist
  • The Boston Museum of Science interactive website displays some of Leonardo's most famous works. It also has a comprehensive biography that discusses his accomplishments as a scientist, artist, and inventor.

  • The Leonardo Museum features a timeline of DaVinci's accomplishments and some of his artwork. You can also read about the town of Vinci.

Unit 2
Peter the Great
Royalty

Unit 3
Ludwig van Beethoven
Composer
  • The Beethoven Reference Site by Peter Harrison offer a biography, pictures, musical files, a discussion board, and detailed information on the life and works of Beethoven.

  • Beethoven Depot has more information about the life and work of Beethoven, as well as downloadable musical files.

Unit 4
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Writer
  • The Dostoyevsky Research Station features a chronology of Dostoyevsky's life, excerpts from his works, and an image gallery of artwork inspired by Dostoyevsky.

  • The Columbia Encyclopedia has a biography of Dostoyevsky and a summary of his major works.

Unit 5
Sarah Bernhardt
Actress
  • Wikipedia Online has a biography of Sarah Bernhardt.

  • The Sarah Bernhardt Pages have numerous photographs of Bernhardt. Especially intriguing are the advertisements that use Berhardt's image to endorse products such as soap and cigarettes.

Unit 6
Nikola Tesla
Scientist
  • "Tesla, Master of Lightning" from PBS is devoted to the life and work of Nikola Tesla. Also available are excerpts from interviews with Tesla scholars.

  • This Tribute to Nikola Tesla describes many of Tesla's inventions and discoveries. It also has a list of resources and links for further study. By Richard Pate.

Unit 7
Sigmund Freud
Psychiatrist
  • The site by the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna offers a media library, a comprehensive biography, and virtual tours of the places where Freud lived and worked. (Click on "Sigmund Freud Online" at the bottom of the site's opening page.)

  • The Victorian Web page on Freud has a biography and chronology, plus sections about Freud's techniques (such as free association and hypnosis) and the cultural context of Freud's work.

Unit 8
Pandita Ramabai
Humanitarian
  • This site describes the ongoing work of the Mukti Mission, founded by Pandita Ramabai.

  • Women Excel has a biography about social reformer Pandita Ramabai.

 

Unit 9
Matthew Henson
Explorer
  • Matthew Henson.org includes digitally remastered photos and an examination of Henson's role in reaching the North Pole.

  • The Virtual Exploration Society discusses Henson's life and how he became the first explorer to reach the North Pole.


Unit 10
Nellie Bly
Journalist
  • "Around the World in 72 Days," part of The American Experience site, follows Nellie Bly on her record-breaking journey. The site features biographical information as well as interactive maps.

  • Read more about Nelly Bly and her family. Follow the link to the Nelly Bly song.

Unit 11
Maria Montessori
Educator
  • Read a short biography that outlines Montessori's goals and how she established the Montessori method of education. From the North American Montessori Teacher's Association.

  • The site of the Association Montessori Internationale describes the pedagogy developed by Montessori, offers a brief history of the organization, and outlines its objectives.

Unit 12
Jacqueline Cochran
Pilot
  • Go to the Fly Girls site from PBS site to read about Cochran's accomplishments as a female aviator. Part of The American Experience website.

  • The website of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots, founded by Cochran, includes highlights of her career and a brief biography.

Click here for Sabiha Gökçen (international Edition).


Unit 13
Althea Gibson
Tennis player

Unit 14
Gabriel García Márquez
Writer
  • The Macondo site has a wealth of information about García Márquez. Included are excerpts from his books, biographical information, and online essays.

  • Go to the Nobel e-Museum to read a brief biography and text of García Márquez's acceptance of the Nobel Prize for literature.

Unit 15
Dian Fossey
Zoologist

Unit 16
Bruce Lee
Athlete and actor

Unit 17
Wilma Mankiller
Political leader
  • In Salon.com's "Brilliant Careers" area, learn how the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation took tragedy and illness and made strength.

  • The Gifts of Speech site provides an online version of Mankiller's lecture "Rebuilding the Cherokee Nation." From Sweet Briar College.

Click here for Norman Bethune (international Edition).


Unit 18
Richard Branson
Entrepreneur

Unit 19
Rigoberta Menchu
Activist
  • Read about Rigoberta's story and learn more about her country, Guatemala. The site also features a webcast of her interview. From The Odyssey: World Trek for Service and Education website.

Unit 20
Diana Golden
Skier