- The Digital Library for Earth
System Education (DLESE) is funded by the National Science Foundation and it
is a worthwhile site to visit for science teachers at every grade level.
The DLESE can be searched by grade level, topic or a combination of ways.
Resources available through DLESE are peer-reviewed and teachers can see
these reviews before they decide to use a lesson, lab, or demo.
To view this web site go to: http://www.dlese.org/dds/index.jsp
- Food and Cooking
- Exploratorium http://www.exploratorium.edu/educate/dl.html
- Plant Experiments for the Classroom www.uswcl.ars.ag.gov/exper/exper.htm
- Science NetLinks Lessons www.sciencenetlinks.com/matrix.cfm
- Check out discoveryschool.com's Science Fair Central for a "Soup to Nuts Handbook" on how to conduct a science fair. The site also contains all you need to know about science fair projects, project ideas, books, and links. There's lost of great stuff to be discovered! http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/
- Get the Latest from Space at "Space Science News"
http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/ The folks at NASA feature the latest news in science, including weather, space travel, and astronomy. And make sure you check out "Thursday's Classroom" for new lesson plans and activities based on current events and the latest NASA research. Links are also provided to other key sites on the selected topics, and you can review lesson plans and activity sheets for projects with fun names like "Spacey Charades," "The Magneto What?," and the "Space Weather Brain Drain." This site is bound to wow teachers, administrators, and students alike! - K-4: http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/
- Older grades: Perform Emergency Heart Surgery in the "Virtual Cardiology Lab" http://www.biointeractive.org Visit this fascinating virtual lab to simulate the experience of becoming a heart doctor, complete with the procedures leading up to an extensive heart surgery. You're encouraged to diagnose virtual patients with an ultrasound machine, a stethoscope, and other tools in the "Virtual Cardiology Lab" created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Other virtual explorations let you probe the nervous system of a leech and carry out diagnostic tests for immune system disorders. You can discover how viruses invade a cell or view animated demonstrations of the heart and the inner ear to help you understand the basics of hearing and cardiology. Scrub up and operate in this virtual lab -- stat!
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Curriculum: Great Internet Guide To Exploring Nature!
http://www.natureexplorer.com
Based on REMedia's best-selling ZooGuides CD-ROM series, NatureExplorer.com features over 250,000 words of text and color photographs and other illustrations. You can browse through sites like The Rainforest, World of Reptiles, Animals in Danger, Mammals of Africa, Life in the Desert, the Natural History of Yellowstone, Whales and Dolphins, and Prehistoric Animals. Each category includes narration on basic facts, myths, and science, then allows your to delve even more deeply into details about specific species of animals, plants, insects, as well as the ecosystems that sustain them. This site is geared towards all grade levels. Be sure to check out the "Did you know?" section in each category!(New Links Added August 9, 2005)
- "Biodiversity" provides resources for learning about genetic diversity, species diversity, & ecosystem diversity. Explore databases on amphibians, birds, corals, fish, fires, invasive species, plants, oceans, watersheds, & wetlands. Examine genetic information on flies, worms, mice, & trees. (NBII,USGS) http://www.nbii.gov/issues/biodiversity/
- "Botany for Kids" offers activities for learning how leaves change color, howflowers grow, how plants fight disease & insects, why plants come in so many colors, tips for growing plants, & facts about fungi. Learn about seeds, composting, endangered plant species, fire, lichen, & "plant hunters" -- scientists who collect plant samples from around the world to trace a plant's evolution. (NBII,USGS) http://www.nbii.gov/disciplines/botany/science.html
- "Earth Explorers Series" profiles an atmospheric scientist who flies through hurricanes, an engineer who operates a spectro-radiometer (an instrument on a satellite), an ocean scientist, high school students whose science fair project took them to Croatia, & other "Earth explorers." (NASA) http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/earth_explorers/index.html
- "Earth's Magnetic Field" is the focus of the POETRY website, which
explores solar storms & how they affect us, space weather, & the Northern
Lights. A 64-page workbook of hands-on activities examines Earth's
magnetosphere. Create a classroom magnetometer.
Solve the space science problem of the week. (NASA) http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/ - "Environmental Literacy Council" features labs, projects, & activities
for studying the air &
climate, land, water, ecosystems, energy, food, & environment & society. Learn about the carbon cycle, forests, fossil fuels, nuclear energy, renewable energy, photosynthesis, soils, thermodynamics, waste management, water quality, weather, & more. Find out about legislation & treaties, resources in your state, & science in the news. (MA)
http://www.enviroliteracy.org/index.php - "Geologic Time: The Story of a Changing Earth" examines the history of Earth. Learn about the formation of Earth, dating the age of rocks, geologic time, plate tectonics, climate change, ocean circulation, evolution, extinction, ecology, & topics related to paleobiology. (SI) http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/geotime/
- "Gravity Probe B" is a "relativity gyroscope" experiment designed to
test two unverified predictions of Albert Einstein's general theory of
relativity (1916): that the presence of a mass in space, such as the Earth,
would warp local spacetime, creating a dip or curve in spacetime, & that the
rotation of a mass in space would twist or drag the local spacetime frame
around it. An educator's guide & space science activities are included.
(NASA)
http://einstein.stanford.edu/ - "Infrared Astronomy Tutorial" examines infrared light, how it was
discovered, infrared astronomy, atmospheric windows, & more. An infrared
astronomy timeline is included, along with links to news & discoveries,
images, & classroom activities. (NASA)
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ir_tutorial/ - "Magnetic Field Activities for the High School Classroom" helps students understand the vector nature of fields, the ubiquity of fields in the environment, & the 3-dimensionality of fields. Activities include mapping the magnetic field of a room, making a magnetometer, & studying plasma. (NASA) http://istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/outreach/ed
- "NSF Special Reports" presents web-based reports on language & linguistics, Einstein & physics, weather patterns, the chemistry of water, the 2004 tsunami, arctic climate research, Admiral Byrd's historic flight to the South Pole (1929), cyberinfrastructure, fossils, earthquake engineering simulation, ecology of infectious diseases, robotics, visualization of research results & scientific phenomena, the world's first electronic nervous system, teacher institutes, & Nobel prize winners. (NSF) http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/index.jsp
- "Ology" invites kids to explore archaeology, astronomy, biodiversity, Earth, Einstein, genetics, marine biology, paleontology, & other "ologies." Topics include the Incas, the ancient city of Petra, gravity, Mars, the Milky Way, tree of life, saving species, tectonic plates, rocks, deep sea vents, matter & energy, space & time, a genetic journey, a nature & nurture walk, quest for the perfect tomato, imagine it's 2020, worlds within the sea, ocean creatures, & fighting dinosaurs. (SI) http://ology.amnh.org/
- "Radio JOVE: Planetary Radio Astronomy for Schools" helps students & amateur scientists observe & analyze natural radio emissions of Jupiter & the Sun. Through the study of their magnetic fields & their plasma (charged particle) environments, we are better able to understand the Earth. (NASA) http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov/
- "Science Ambassador" offers lesson plans on issues related to birth defects: fetal alcohol syndrome, hearing loss, vitamins, folic acid, cystic fibrosis, chromosome abnormalities, the bioethics of genetic screening, epidemiology, graphing & analyzing health data, graphing gastroschisis, genes & diseases, muscular dystrophy & pedigree charts, spina bifida, surveillance of population trends, pyloric stenosis, & accutane. (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/ambassador_pgm/lessonplans.htm
- "Seeing the Invisible" offers a guide & workbook to help students discover that the sun emits light in wavelengths outside the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Activities allow students to view unique features of the Sun that are revealed only by certain spectral wavelengths of light. (NASA) http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/class6-8.htm
- "Solar Storms & You" is a series of 6 workbooks on solar activity &
sunspots, solar wind, magnetic storms, aurora, & satellite design (Grades
7-9). (NASA)
http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry//higley.html - "Timeline of the Universe" is an online tutorial that traces the
15-billion-year history of the universe. It starts with the Big Bang &
discusses the formation of elements in stars, planetary systems, Earth-like
planets, & Jupiter-like planets. The "chemistry of life" is
also examined. (NASA) http://origins.jpl.nasa.gov/library/poster/poster.html - Vernier Software and Technology, in conjunction with the National
Science
Teachers Association (NTSA), is awarding prizes to teachers in grades K-16
for the innovative use of data-collection technology (using a desktop or
laptop computer, a hand-held computer, or a graphing calculator, for
example) in the science classroom. The deadline for the awards is October
15. Winners will receive $1,000 in cash, $1,000 worth of Vernier products,
and up to $1,000 toward the cost of attending the annual NSTA conference.
For more information and an application, go to http://vernier.com/grants/nsta.html - "Dinosaurs" helps students answer questions about dinosaurs: What makes
a dinosaur "a dinosaur"? Where did they live? What caused their mass
extinction? Students can participate in a virtual dinosaur discovery, follow
milestones in dinosaur evolution, &
see behind-the-scenes slideshows of the lab environment where vertebrate specimens are prepared for exhibits & research.(NMNH,SI) http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/dinosaurs/ - "Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries" updates what we know about dinosaurs from recent studies of their tracks, how they moved, & their unusual body parts (e.g. spikes, armor). "Extinction" examines the mass extinction 65 million years ago -- the possible causes, how many of the plants & animals alive at that time died out, & which dinosaurs survived. Interviews with paleontologists are included. (AMNH,SI) http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/dinosaurs/"
- Guide for Teaching About Coastal Wetlands" helps students identify types
of wetlands & understand the role of wetlands in controlling erosion,
retaining water, filtering pollutants, & serving as nurseries for young
organisms. The barrier islands, the Mississippi River, & the
consequences of wetland loss are examined. (USGS) http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/fringe/ff_index.html - "Imagine the Universe" includes lesson plans on wavelengths & frequencies, sizes of stars, gamma-ray bursts, the binary number system, the probability of life elsewhere in the universe, analyzing images from digital satellite data, measuring periodic behavior, logarithmic plotting & classification of objects by their mathematical behavior, the origin of the elements & their identification in supernova remnants, & identifying elements using spectroscopy. (NASA) http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/teachers/lesson_plans.html
- "Life of a Vertebrate Fossil" traces the journey of fossils from discovery to display. Find out what paleontologists do in each stage a vertebrate fossil's life. Learn about digging up fossils, getting them to the laboratory, preparing them for research & exhibition, & understanding what they say about past life. (NMNH,SI) http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/LVF/#start
- "Molecular Logic Database" provides 130 model-based activities for learning about interactions of atoms & molecules, & rule-based genetics. Topics include atomic-molecular structures & dynamics, states of matter, reactions, solutions, water & small molecules, bioenergetics, macromolecules, proteins, metabolism regulation, self assembly, & genetic code. Introductory activities serve as "stepping stones" to 10 physical-chemical principles that underlie many biological processes. (NSF) http://molo.concord.org/database/
- "NOAA Ocean Explorer" provides 165 lesson plans developed to bring
entire classrooms
"on board" for exploration & discovery. Topics include deep-sea hydrothermal vents & their spectacular animal communities, benthic creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico (one of
Earth's most geologically complex regions), seafloor methane, unexplored deep reef habitats off the Carolinas, the Titanic, & the mystery of the Steamship Portland (lost in a 1898 storm off New England). (NOAA) http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/welcome.html - "NRCS Soils" includes soil surveys for each state, a manual for surveying soil, an urban soil primer for homeowners & local planning boards, & "tools for educators" -- lessons & information on soil taxonomy (the "12 orders of soil"), fundamental concepts about soil, soil biology, & soil risks & hazards. (USDA) http://soils.usda.gov/
- "Real-Time Information" helps ensure that critical information needed by emergency forecasters & managers during extreme events is available. See "live" views of volcanoes around the world, weather images, geologic & mineral resource information, national flood-threat forecasts, & streamflow information. (USGS) http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/explorer/topic_realtime.asp
- "Rocks & Images" is an introduction to rock collecting. Read about the 3
kinds of rocks -- igneous, sedimentary, & metamorphic -- & the Earth
processes that formed them. Find out how to start a rock collection, where
to find rocks, & the equipment you'll need.
(USGS) http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/explorer/topic_rocks.htm - "Soil Science Home Page" looks at soil fertility, nitrogen in soil, soil
chemistry, soils as electrical systems, soils as filters, soil physics &
particle sizes (silt, sand, & clay), microorganisms in soil, nutrients that
plants need, soil morphology, judging soil by feel, structures & shapes of
soil, & "soil profile" images from Arizona, Florida, Michigan, & other
states. Learn how soil is formed & how long it takes to create an inch of
soil. (NASA)
http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/ - "Solar System Exploration" features lesson plans on electro-magnetism,
energy, exploration, gravity, pioneers, landforms, life, light, math ratios,
matter, measurement, modeling, origin, planet surfaces, rocks & minerals,
the scientific method, & triangulation. Classroom & informal learning
activities focus on meteorites, comets, the sun, planet change & constancy,
the search for life in the solar system, & missions to outer planets. (NASA)
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/educ/lessons.cfm - "Sustainable Development Education" provides models, curricula, &
professional development materials for learning about managing trade-offs
between resource use & quality of life. Software is offered to help clarify
key principles of sustainable thinking, including a spatial modeling &
visualization tool for community design & an ecological footprint
calculator. (ED) http://www.concord.org/research/sustainable.html