WEBSITES FOR EARTH DAY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Access these sites through your computer’s Internet connection. Open the underlined address (URL). Information can be printed or downloaded to your computer. Be sure to follow links to other sites and find your way back with the "Back" button.
All of the sites listed were active as of March 14, 2008. The evaluation is by the AVA Center staff according to the amount of information given, the general appearance of the site and its potential use in the classroom.
WEBSITES LESSON PLANS & CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES WEBQUESTS
PLANET PALS – EARTH DAY
A GATEWAY SITE A MUST!!
http://www.planetpals.com/earthday.html
A huge site on Earth Day. Sections: Planet
Pals Pages, Eco Helpers, Earth day Learning, Earth Learning,
World Peace, Fun for Kids, Parent/Teachers and more. Each
section is packed with information and ideas for activities.
An outstanding site. Excellent
ACCESS EXCELLENCE MYSTERY
SPOT
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/mspot/
"Interactive, online scientific mysteries developed by Access
Excellence for classroom use. The mysteries encourage student
problem-solving and inquiry."
AE Mysteries: Two Forks, Idaho; Yellow
Jackie; Angry Red Planet; Croak; River of Venom and
Arctica (see below). Croak and River of Venom are
especially good for Earth Day. Includes Teacher-Developed
Mysteries. An outstanding site. Excellent
ACTION BIOSCIENCE
http://www.actionbioscience.org/
Promotes bioscience literacy by providing
information on several issues in environmental sciences.
Presents seven bioscience challenges. Sections: Biodiversity,
Environment, Genomics, Biotechnology, Evolution, New
Frontiers, Education and a section in Spanish. Click on
Lesson Directory for a long list of lesson plans on these
topics. Excellent Also in Lesson
Plans section
ALL ABOUT ANIMALS AND
INSECTS - LINKS
http://www.suelebeau.com/animals.htm
A page of links for elementary students on
animals and insects. Excellent
ALL ABOUT ENERGY
http://www.suelebeau.com/energy.htm
A page of links to websites on energy and
renewables. Suitable for elementary students. Excellent
ALL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT
http://www.suelebeau.com/environment.htm
A page of links to websites on the
environment. Suitable for elementary students. Excellent
ALL ABOUT THE RAINFOREST – LINKS
http://www.suelebeau.com/rainforest.htm
A page of links for elementary students on
the rainforest. Excellent
ALL ALONG A RIVER
http://library.thinkquest.org/28022/
A site for students by students on rivers
and river ecosystems. Sections: Physical Aspects of Rivers,
Case Studies and Rivers of the World. More detailed than it
looks at first. Suitable for students in grades 5-8.
Excellent
AMAZON INTERACTIVE
http://www.eduweb.com/amazon.html
This site has two sections. Geography of
the Ecuadorian Amazon provides basic information on the
rainforest in Ecuador including who lives there and how they
make their living. Part two is an Ecotourism Simulation Game
in which viewers play the role of Quicha Indians in a
rainforest village who choose to develop an ecotourism
project to add income and to help preserve the rainforest.
Excellent
ARCTICA – AN ONLINE MYSTERY
http://www.accessexcellence.org/arc/
Students are challenged to solve the
mystery of what happened to the stranded polar expedition
Arctica in 1834. Three people use crew journals, diaries,
tests, artifacts and more to solve the mystery. Can your
students? Note: This was a competition in 1997 but all the
elements remain for students to solve the mystery today.
Excellent
BBC SCIENCE AND NATURE:
ANIMALS
NEW!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/
A huge site with a variety of information
and activities including games, videos and more. Highlights:
World on the Move, Explore Nature UK, Springwatch 2008,
Planet Earth Explorer. Sections: Planet Earth, Birds,
Mammals, UK Wildlife, Sea Life, Wildfacts, Conservation, More
Articles and Pets. Outstanding. Excellent
BIOMES/ECOSYSTEMS LINKS
http://www.geocities.com/mddavis53/Ecosystems.html
A full page of links to sites on different
biomes. Sections: General Sites, Desert, Tundra, Polar &
Mountainous Regions, Rain Forest, Chaparral, Savanna &
Grasslands, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Taiga, Fresh Water
and Marine. Excellent
BRIDGE – OCEAN SCIENCES
TEACHER RESOURCE CENTER
http://www.vims.edu/bridge/
This is a huge resource for teachers on
marine education and conservation. Contains lesson plans,
activities, informative sections, contests, and much more.
An outstanding site. Excellent.
BUILD-A-PRAIRIE – ON THE
PRAIRIE
http://www.rbff-education.org/cgi-bin/search/rbff.cgi?ID=981491855
An examination of the prairie habitat
including the interactive game Build-a-Prairie. Also
includes: Live from the Prairie, Field Guide to the Prairie,
Curriculum Goodies, Experience the Prairie, and Researching
the Prairie. Excellent
CENTER FOR IMPROVED SCIENCE
AND ENGINEERING
NEW URL!
http://www.k12science.org/currichome.html
CIESE sponsors and designs interdisciplinary projects that
teachers throughout the world can use to enhance their
curriculum through compelling use of the Internet. We focus
on projects that utilize realtime data available from the
Internet, and collaborative projects that utilize the
Internet's potential to reach peers and experts around the
world. Below is a catalog of projects that are currently
being or have been sponsored by CIESE . Each project has a
brief description and links to the National Science Standards
and NCTM math standards it supports."
Current projects include: Down the Drain:
How Much Water Do You Use?, The Global Water Sampling
Project, Bucket Buddies, Take a Dip: The Water in Our Lives,
Population Growth, Air Pollution: What’s the Solution?, and
more. Check out the Teacher Materials for lesson plans.
Outstanding. Excellent
CHILDREN OF THE EARTH
UNITED
http://www.childrenoftheearth.org/
Information by and for children on the
earth and the environment. Sections: Creative Kids, Amazing
Animals, Powerful Plants, Native Wisdom, Eco-Careers, Earth
Issues, Awesome Activities, Great Books, and Nature Programs.
Includes several knowledge-testing games and a Teacher’s
section with several classroom activities. Excellent
CONGO GORILLA FOREST
NEW URL!
http://www.congogorillaforest.com/congohome
"Welcome to the Wildlife Conservation Society's online tour
of the amazing Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit at the Bronx Zoo.
This huge 6.5 acre African rain forest environment explains
WHAT a rain forest is, HOW it works, WHICH animals make it
their home, WHY it is threatened and HOW people can help save
it. With more than 300 animals, including one of the largest
breeding groups of lowland gorillas, it is the most
spectacular exhibit ever created at the Bronx Zoo."
Excellent
DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE –
KIDS PLANET
http://www.kidsplanet.org/
Information for students on saving
wildlife. Sections: Get the Facts, Teachers Table (includes
Curriculum Units), Wild Games, Web of Life (online book),
Worldwide Wolves, Defend It!, and Cool Stuff. Excellent
DESERTS: NOT JUST FOR
LIZARDS
NEW!
http://www.teachnet-lab.org/miami/2002/rsampedro/index.html
Links to information about deserts.
Sections: What is a Desert?, Types of Deserts, What Causes
Deserts?, Deserts of the World, Desert Plants, Desert
Animals, Culminating Activities and Desert Links & Resources.
Sections include Lesson Plans and Activities.
Excellent
DRAGONFLY TV – LIVING
THINGS
http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/show/livingthings.html
Investigations and video clips for kids on
a variety of living things and nature topics such as: Baby
Animals, Dolphins, Colorblind Dogs, Horse Ears, Kelp Forest,
Lizard Habitat and more. Each topics has an investigation
with a video report on their findings. Also check out: Do It
(experiments), Games and Riddles. For intermediate/junior
students. Excellent
EARTH 911 – MAKING EVERY
DAY EARTH DAY
http://www.earth911.org/master.asp
A huge site with information on recycling,
hazardous wastes, air pollution, water quality, and more.
Plus in your zip code for information on where to recycle or
turn in hazardous wastes in your community. Outstanding.
Excellent
EARTH DAY AT KID’S DOMAIN –
NOW KABOOSE
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/earthday/
Includes: History; Adopt a Rainforest
Animal; Games; Downloads; Earth Songs; Earth Day Activities;
Stories; Coloring Pages; Word Searches; Crafts; Clip Art;
Links and more. Excellent
EARTH DAY SONGS
http://www.preschooleducation.com/searth.shtml
Twenty-six songs for Earth Day for
preschool and primary school students. Each includes new
lyrics for familiar tunes. Excellent
EARTH DAY THEMES AND ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
NEW URL!
http://childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=18
A list of activities for K-6 grade
children for Earth Day. Excellent
EARTH PULSE – CONSERVATION
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/
A site from National Geographic on
conservation. Themes: Ocean, Climate, Energy, Fresh Water,
Technology, Wild Lands, Population, Heroes, Humans & Habitat,
Wild Species, Ecosystems, Virtual Worlds, News, Wildworld
Sights & Sounds, and Earthpulse Expeditions. Excellent
THE EARTH’S BIRTHDAY
PROJECT – EDUCATING CHILDREN ABOUT THE EARTH
http://www.earthsbirthday.org/
Student/teacher focused site celebrating
the planet through hands-on projects. Includes: Celebrate!,
Butterflies & Bugs, Big gift, Bug Shop, Zwibbles, Earth’s
Birthday Card and more. Excellent
EARTHFORCE
NEW URL!
http://www.earthforce.org/
The main focus of the site is the
protection of the local watershed. The site provides schools
with the information necessary to conduct water testing of
their own. In the process they develop life-long habits of
active citizenship and environmental stewardship. Includes
several programs and activities to get students involved in
their local environment. Excellent
ECOLOGY.COM
http://www.ecology.com/
News, articles, quotes, and more.
Sections: News Links, Feature Stories, Origins of Life,
Ecology Today, Earth at a Glance, Ecoscene, About Ecology,
Links, Quotes, and InfoKiosk. Includes: Test Your EQ!, a
Students’ Corner, and Ecology Radio. Excellent
ECO-PROS – ENVIRONMENT OF
PLANET EARTH
http://www.eco-pros.com/
A huge site on environmental issues. Looks
at the problems of disappearing habitat, ecosystem
management, waste management, and much, much more. Scroll
down for the large list of topics. Excellent
EEK! ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION FOR KIDS
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/
Information and activities for kids on the environment.
Sections: Nature Notes, Our Earth, Cool Stuff, Get a Job, The
Riddler, and Teacher Pages. Excellent
THE ELECTRIC AVENUE
NEW!
http://www.firstenergycorp.com/kids/index.html
A site to teach children about electricity
and energy. Sections: What’s It All About?, Let’s Explore
Energy, Energy Efficiency, Play It Safe, Energy Fun Factory,
and Glossary. Excellent
THE ELECTRONIC NATURALIST
http://www.enaturalist.org/
"The Electronic Naturalist is a new on-line education program
providing a weekly environmental education unit. Each unit
has artwork, text, activities, additional web sites, plus
online access to a professional naturalist. Two reading
levels are available for grades K-3 (Quick Read) and 4-8
(Full Read)."
Click on Topics at the top for a list of
the topics and activities. Excellent
ENATURE.COM
http://www.enature.com/
Field guides on animals, insects, trees
and more. Online field guides include: Amphibians, Birds,
Butterflies, Fishes, Insects, Mammals, Native Plants,
Reptiles, Seashells, Seashore Creatures, Spiders, Trees and
Wildflowers. There are also Birding Tips, Ask an Expert,
Threatened and Endangered (lists of species by region),
Backyard Habitats and more. Excellent
ENDANGERED SPECIE.COM
http://www.endangeredspecie.com/
"EndangeredSpecie.com is dedicated to providing all
the best endangered species information, links, books, and
publications regarding rare and endangered species.
This site also includes information about conservation
efforts and endangered species organizations that are
dedicated to saving and preserving the world's most
endangered wildlife and plant life."
Sections: Causes of Endangerment, Why Save
Endangered Species?, Endangered Species in Your State, Ways
You Can Help Endangered Species (note: not a request for
donations), Interesting Endangered Species Facts, Endangered
Species Profiles & Photo Gallery, Laws That Protect
Endangered Species, Endangered Species Organizations, Books
on Endangered Species. Endangered Species Case Studies, Kids
Endangered Species Corner, and Teacher’s Endangered Species
Page. Outstanding. Excellent
ENDANGERED SPECIES FACTBOOK
- A THINKQUEST SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/C005770/?tqskip1=1
A student-created site on endangered and
threatened species. Sections: Utilities, What, Profiles,
Causes, Help! (What You Can Do), Interactivity, Media Gallery
(photos) and Teacher’s World. The Teacher’s section includes
classroom activities and the Interactivity section includes
quizzes, crosswords and puzzles. Excellent
ENDANGERED SPECIES FIELD
TRIP
http://www.field-guides.com/sci/endanger/index.htm
An online field trip for middle school
students on endangered species.
"Although endangered species refers to both the plant and
animal kingdoms, this field trip's focus is endangered
animals. How many species have made their way onto the
endangered species list and how many have completely
disappeared in the past fifty years? What efforts are being
made to protect animals and what can you do to help?"
Teacher Resources includes links to related websites.
Excellent
ENDANGERED SPECIES – LIST OF LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/endangsp.html
A list of links about endangered species.
Suitable for elementary students. Includes
Research/Informational Sites and Lesson Plans/Activities.
Also in Lesson Plans section. Excellent
ENDANGERED SPECIES RESOURCES ON THE WORLD
WIDE WEB
http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/endangered.htm
Links to resources on endangered species
for elementary students. Includes several categories.
Includes a Teacher’s Resources section with links and lesson
plans. Excellent
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND
RENEWABLE ENERGY
http://www.eere.energy.gov/
A gateway site for the U.S. Department of
Energy and its programs as well as different forms of energy.
Click on Education under Topics for a huge number of
classroom resources and lesson plans on energy. An
outstanding site. Excellent
ENERGY – HEAT, LIGHT AND SOUND – LIST OF
LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/heatener.html
A list of links about energy. Suitable for
elementary students. Includes Research/Informational Sites
and Lesson Plans/Activities. Also in Lesson Plans section.
Excellent
ENERGY QUEST
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/index.html
Huge energy site for students. Categories
include: Games; Art Gallery; Saving Energy; The Energy Story;
Devoured by the Dark; Energy Library; Find It Fast; How
Things Work; Time Machine; Transportation Energy; Weekly
Energy News; Ask Professor Questor; ; Super Scientists;
Science Projects; Teachers and Parents Resources and more. An
outstanding site. Excellent
THE ENERGY PLANET – A
THINKQUEST SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/C004471/?tqskip1=1
A student-created site on energy. Sections
include: Traditional Energy, Future Energy, Biographies,
Experiments, How It Works, Cultures, and General. Each
section includes multimedia with photos and video clips.
Note: The Scroll Down English button does NOT work. Click on
English in the list of languages at the bottom of the
introductory screen. Excellent
THE ENERGY STORY
NEW!
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/index.html#table
An online book about energy. Includes 20
chapters on different types of energy such as Wind Energy,
Solar Energy, Hydro Power, etc. Outstanding. A good resource
for upper elementary and up. Excellent
THE ENVIROLINK NETWORK
http://www.envirolink.org/
A portal for an enormous number of
environmental website links. With topics from Agriculture to
Wildlife, this is a huge resource. Includes: Envirolink U.S.
Atlas, News Headlines, and Anima Concerns. Excellent
ENVIRONMENT
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS
NEW!
● AQUIFER VIRTUAL
FIELD TRIP (GR. 1-4)
http://www.spokaneaquifer.org/kids/vfte/
A virtual field trip
for grades 1-4 on aquifers. Students learn about the water
cycle, the importance of aquifers, sources of
contamination, water conservation and more. Excellent
● AQUIFER VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP (GR.
5-8)
NEW!
http://www.spokaneaquifer.org/kids/vftm/
A virtual field trip for grades 5-8 on
aquifers. Students learn about the water cycle, aquifers in
the U.S., water conservation and
more. Excellent
● COLUMBIA
RIVER VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP
NEW!
http://www.field-trips.org/cross/columbia/index.htm
A virtual field trip to the Columbia River
watershed for grades 8-12. “The waters of the Columbia
River Basin have been the lifeblood
of
diverse ecosystems and the peoples whose lives and
livelihoods have depended on the river for thousands of
years. It is easy
to understand that the waters of the Columbia River and its
tributaries are common to all who live, work, and play in the
Basin-human and non-human alike. But to
find common ground between and among the people, plants,
animals, fish, nations,
states,
organizations, agencies, tribes, and livelihood groups who
are part of the Basin community is more challenging.”
Excellent
● DESERTS VIRTUAL FIELD
TRIP
NEW!
http://www.field-trips.org/sci/desert/index.htm
A virtual field trips
to desert environments for grades 5-12. Students learn about
the different deserts of the world and the desert
environment and
ecology. Excellent
● ENDANGERED SPECIES VIRTUAL
FIELD TRIP
NEW!
http://www.field-trips.org/sci/endanger/index.htm
A virtual field trip about endangered
species for upper elementary students and up.
“Although endangered
species refers to both the
plant and animal kingdoms, this field trip's focus is
endangered animals. How many species have made their way onto
the
endangered species list and how many have
completely disappeared in the past fifty years? What efforts
are being made
to
protect animals and what can you do to help?”
Excellent
●NATURAL WONDERS VIRTUAL FIELD
TRIP
NEW!
http://www.field-trips.org/sci/natwon/index.htm
A virtual field trip to the natural
wonders of the world for upper elementary students and up. “You
may have heard about the Seven
Natural Wonders of the World. Or perhaps you haven't. In
either case, there is no definitive list that one can point
to and claim
that
these are the
Seven Wonders. You could even come up with your own
list of seven wonders and claim those to be the seven.
There are
however, some naturally occurring phenomenon that do appear
in multiple lists and definitive or not, these are
amazing feats of nature to behold. In this tour we
will visit some of these Natural Wonders of the World. Along
the way, you'll learn
about geography,
geology and magnetic forces!” Excellent
● OCEANS VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP
NEW!
http://www.field-trips.org/sci/oceank/index.htm
A virtual field trip to the world’s oceans
for upper elementary students and up. Students learn about the
world’s oceans and their
importance
to life on earth. They learn about the different ocean
ecosystems and the variety of marine life. Excellent
● TEMPERATE FOREST BIOME VIRTUAL
FIELD TRIP
NEW!
http://www.field-trips.org/sci/forest/index.htm
A virtual field trip for elementary
students on the temperate forest biome. Students will learn
the characteristics of the temperate forest
biome, the
plants and animals that live there and the importance of the
biome to our planet. Excellent
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
LINKS – CLASSROOM RESOURCES
http://eelink.net/classroomresources-directories.html
Large list of topics with environmental
education resources and materials. Excellent
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS NETWORK
NEW!
http://www.enn.com/
An online news source for environmental
news. Sections: Top Stories, Wildlife, Agriculture,
Ecosystems, Energy, Business, Climate, Pollution, Green
Building, Sci/Tech, Lifestyle and Health. Excellent
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE –
LIST OF LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek1/environ.htm
A list of links about the environment.
Suitable for elementary students. Excellent
ENVIRONMENTAL SITES ON THE
INTERNET
http://www.ima.kth.se/im/envsite/envsite.htm
A huge list of links to environmental
sites on the Internet. In the left column, scroll down to the
subject index. Definitely worth checking out. Excellent
EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENT –
CORAL REEFS MODULE
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/
A learning module for grades 7-12 on the
environment of the coral reefs. Sections: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Coral Reefs, Remote Sensing, Situation and
Spheres. Students use real data to solve problems. Excellent
42EXPLORE SITES
ANIMAL HOMES 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://42explore.com/animhom.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on animal homes including activities and webquests. Excellent
ANIMAL TRACKS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/animaltracks.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on animal tracks including activities and webquests.
Excellent
BATS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/bats.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on bats including activities and webquests. Excellent
BEARS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/bears.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on bears including activities and webquests. Excellent
BEES 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/bees.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on bees including activities and webquests. Excellent
BIRDS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/birds.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on birds including activities and webquests. Excellent
BUTTERFLIES 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/butter.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on butterflies including activities and webquests. Excellent
CAVES 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/caves.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on caves including activities and webquests. Excellent
CORAL REEFS 42EXPLORE
http://42explore.com/reef.htm
Basic information for upper elementary
students on coral reefs including activities and webquests.
Excellent
DESERTS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/deserts.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on deserts including activities and webquests. Excellent
DROUGHT 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore2.com/drought.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on drought including activities and webquests. Excellent
ELECTRICITY 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/electric.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on electricity including activities and webquests. Excellent
FARMING 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/farming.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on farming including activities and webquests. Excellent
FLOODS AND FLOODING
42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore2.com/flood.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on floods and flooding including activities and webquests.
Excellent
FROGS AND TOADS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/frogs.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on frogs and toads including activities and webquests.
Excellent
GLOBAL WARMING – 42EXPLORE
http://www.42explore.com/globewrm.htm
Basic information plus activities and
webquests on global warming. Excellent
HEDGEHOG 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/hedghog.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on hedgehogs including activities and webquests. Excellent
HORSES 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/horse.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on horses including activities and webquests. Excellent
INSECTS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/insects.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on insects including activities and webquests. Excellent
INVASIVE SPECIES – 42EXPLORE
http://www.42explore.com/invasive.htm
Basic information for students on invasive
species. Includes activities and webquests. Excellent
MARSUPIALS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/marsupial.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on marsupials including activities and webquests. Excellent
OWLS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/owls.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on owls including activities and webquests. Excellent
POLAR REGIONS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/polar.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on polar regions including activities and webquests.
Excellent
POND LIFE 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/pond.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on life in ponds including activities and webquests.
Excellent
PRAIRIES 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/prairie.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on prairie habitats including activities and webquests.
Excellent
RECYCLE, REDUCE & REUSE –
42EXPLORE
http://www.42explore.com/recycle.htm
Basic information on recycling plus
activities and webquests. Excellent
RIVERS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/rivers.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on rivers including activities and webquests. Excellent
TIDE POOLS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/tidepool.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on tide pools including activities and webquests. Excellent
TREES AND FORESTS 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/treesforests.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on trees and forests including activities and webquests.
Excellent
TURTLES AND TORTOISES
42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/turtle.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on turtles and tortoises including activities and webquests.
Excellent
WATER 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/water.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on water including activities and webquests. Excellent
WETLANDS – 42EXPLORE
http://www.42explore.com/wetland.htm
Basic information on wetlands along with
activities and webquests. Excellent
WHALES AND DOLPHINS
42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/whale.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on whales and dolphins including activities and webquests.
Excellent
WIND 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/wind.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on wind including activities and webquests. Excellent
WOLVES 42EXPLORE
NEW!
http://www.42explore.com/wolves.htm
Basic information for elementary students
on wolves including activities and webquests. Excellent
FRANKLIN’S FORECAST
http://sln.fi.edu/weather/index.html
Build your own weather station, learn
about weather technologies and check the weather anywhere.
From the Franklin Institute. Sections: Hot Air Over Water,
Make Your Own Weather Station, Weather Right Now, Weather
Events, Radar, Lightning, Weather Satellites, Weather
Activities, and Weather Hotlist. Excellent
FRESH WATER AND FRESH WATER RESOURCES ON
THE WORLD WIDE WEB
http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/water.htm
Links to resources on the water cycle and
water resources for elementary students by category. Includes
Teacher Resources with links to websites and lesson plans.
Excellent
GEOGRAPHY ACTION!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction/
A National Geographic site for children on
geography and the environment. The current theme is
Migration: The Human Journey. Past themes were: Biodiversity,
Conservation, Habitats, Population, Rivers and U.S. Public
Lands. Includes a wealth of resources including articles and
lesson plans. Excellent
GEOGRAPHY ACTION! HABITATS
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction/habitats/
"Beginning just beyond the window, and extending past the
boundaries of your town or city across the Earth's surface,
an amazing variety of habitats awaits—along with the plants
and animals that live in them. Start exploring them with our
Introduction. Then, get to know your "home" by identifying
which of these habitat types you live in or near: Cities and
Suburbs - Deserts and Tundra - Forests -Fresh Water Oceans
and Coasts - Prairies."
Includes Games, Photo Galleries and much
more. The Teacher’s Section has lesson plans. Excellent
GEO-IMAGES PROJECT
http://www-geoimages.berkeley.edu/GeoImages.html
Groups of geo-images you can interact
with. Click on the image, when the cursor turns into a
bulls-eye, move it slowly across the image to move up, down,
right, left, pan around or zoom in and out. Includes
California, the Southwest, the Northwest, the Arctic Circle,
Morocco, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and New Guinea. Excellent
GETTING GREEN FIELD TRIP
http://www.field-guides.com/sci/green/index.htm
An online field trip for middle school
students on ways humans can protect the Earth.
"Getting Green is all about what we as humans can do to
minimize our negative impact on our planet Earth. Our dirt is
filled with life. The sun warms our vegetable garden, the
rains feed our plants, our plants provide food and oxygen,
and so it goes. Organisms in the soil break down the plants
and provide nutrients, creating a rich soil in which they can
grow. Did you know that in a handful of dirt, there are as
many living micro-organisms as there are people on the
planet?"
The Teacher’s Resources includes related website links.
Excellent
GF AWESOME
http://www.gfawesome.org./homepage_flash.html
The kids site from Global Forest. Hosts
Maurice the Mountain Goat and Lu Lu the Lynx host a range of
informative articles, nature photos, factoids, cool
activities and more. Sections: Cool Articles, Mad Gallery,
Crazy Activities, GF Research, Tree Guide, Challenge a
Scientist and Scientists’ Answers. Outstanding. Excellent
GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
RESEARCH EXPLORER
http://www.exploratorium.edu/climate/
"At this Web site, you can explore scientific data relating
to the atmosphere, the oceans, the areas covered by ice and
snow, and the living organisms in all these domains. You’ll
also get a sense of how scientists study natural
phenomena—how researchers gather evidence, test theories, and
come to conclusions."
Sections: Atmosphere, Hydrosphere,
Cryosphere, Biosphere, and Global Effects. Includes maps,
graphs, glossary, questions about each section. Suitable for
grades 7 and up. Excellent
THE GLOBAL WATER SAMPLING
PROJECT
http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/waterproj/index.shtml
"From March 27 until June 2, 2006, students will team up
around the globe to test fresh water. Join us in this
collaborative project, comparing the water quality of your
local river, stream, lake or pond with other fresh water
sources around the world. The focus of the project is: ● To
assess the quality of water based on physical characteristics
and chemical substances. ● To look for relationships and
trends among the data collected by all project participants.
All students are welcome to participate, however, it is
recommended for high school students (ages 14-18) due to the
nature of the tests required for the project. There is no fee
to participate, however, please read the "Project
Instructions" area prior to registering for participation."
Includes classroom activities and lesson
plans. Excellent
GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE
PARK
NEW!
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/
The gateway to information on the Great
Barrier Reef of Australia. Click on ReefEd for resources for
teachers and students. A wealth of information. Excellent
THE GREAT PLANT ESCAPE
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/
"My name is Bud. My good friend Sprout and I are helping
Detective LePlant on his search. You will find that plants
are an important part of your life. We will need your help to
find clues, do experiments, and solve problems as we journey
into the world of plants. He promises lots of fun, but
remember, we're here to solve a mystery!"
There are six cases to solve. Each has a
Case Brief, Facts, Mysteries and Activities. Excellent
HABITATS/BIOMES – ENCHANTED LEARNING
http://www.zoomschool.com/biomes/
Information for primary students on habitats. Provides a basic explanation of what constitutes a habitat. Click on each of the habitats in the colored blocks for printouts to color and information specific to each. Excellent
HABITATS/LANDFORMS – LIST OF LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/habitats.html
A list of links about habitats and
landforms. Suitable for elementary students. Includes
Research/Informational Sites and Lesson Plans/Activities.
Also in Lesson Plans section. Excellent
THE HEADBONE DERBY –
ECOLOGY STRIKES BACK!
http://www.headbone.com/derby/eco/
An Internet research learning adventure.
Uses the Internet to research the environment. Includes a
Teacher’s Guide. Sections: Yamquats Ahoy!; Where the
Vacuumoose Roam; Tree Huggin’ Flower Power; The Orca
Smorgasbord; Solar So Good; Pollen Nation; and The Green
Landfill Blues. Excellent
HIGH SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL
CENTER
http://www.epa.gov/highschool/index.htm
A portal to a huge amount of environmental
information for high school students. Sections: Air, Waste &
Recycling, Water, Conservation, Ecosystems, Your Neighborhood
and Health & Safety. A huge amount of information. Excellent
IN SEARCH OF THE WAYS OF
KNOWING TRAIL – A VIRTUAL TRIP THROUGH THE ITURI FOREST IN
CENTRAL AFRICA
http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pagegen/wok/index_f4.html
An animated game where you travel to
central Africa to follow a trail through the Ituri Forest.
Excellent
IT’S ELECTRIFYING!
http://sln.fi.edu/qa99/spotlight3/index.html
An online exhibit from the Franklin
Institute on electricity. Sections: Franklin’s Kite,
Introduction to Electricity, Theater of Electricity, the
World of Electronics for Children, Electricity and Magnetism,
Electrified Ben, Beakman’s Electric Motor, and Lightning and
Atmospheric Electricity Research. Excellent
JOURNEY NORTH – A GLOBAL
STUDY OF WILDLIFE MIGRATION
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/
"Journey North engages students in a global study of
wildlife migration and seasonal change. K-12 students share
their own field observations with classmates across North
America. They track the coming of spring through the
migration patterns of monarch butterflies, bald eagles,
robins, hummingbirds, manatees, whooping cranes--and other
birds and mammals, the budding of plants, changing sunlight
and other natural events. Find standards-based lesson plan,
activities and information to help students make local
observations and fit them into a global context. Widely
considered a best-practices model for education, Journey
North is the nation’s premiere "citizen science" project for
children."
Click on Spring’s Journey North
for lesson plans and activities. Outstanding. Excellent
KIDS CORNER – ELEMENTS
http://www.elements.nb.ca/kids/index.htm
Fun environmental activities such as
Calculate Your Ecological Footprint, Forest Adventures and
Which Future Would You Choose?. A bilingual site with all
sections in both English and French. Excellent
KIDS STUFF – WORLD WILDLIFE
FUND
http://www.worldwildlife.org/fun/kids.cfm
A page of links to information from the
World Wildlife fund about endangered species. Sections
include: Endangered Species Fact sheets, What’s Your
Biodiversity IQ Quiz, U.S. Ecoregional Map, Sizing Up Species
and more. Excellent
THE LIVING EDENS
http://www.pbs.org/edens/index.html
A PBS series on wilderness areas around
the world and the ecosystems there. Currently, Glacier Bay in
Alaska. Click on past Living Edens sites for additional areas
including: Anamalai: India’s Elephant Mountain, Borneo:
Island in the Clouds, Bhutan: The Last Shangri-La and others.
Each examines the geography, the wildlife, the plants and the
ecosystems. Click on Web Resources for links and Teacher
Resources for a lesson plan. Excellent
LIVING THINGS
http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/
Informational activities from the Franklin
Institute. A gateway to information on the environment and
man’s role. Sections: Individuals, Families, Neighborhoods,
and The Circle of Life. Each section has a large number of
links to other sites. Excellent
MARINE AND COASTAL
ENVIRONMENTS- NPCA NEW
URL!
http://www.npca.org/marine_and_coastal/
Information on the different marine and
coastal environments. Sections: Coral Reefs:
Rainforests of the Sea; Marine Wildlife: Creatures of the
Deep; Beaches and Coastal Habitats; and Wetlands: Our
Priceless Ecosystems. Suitable for elementary to junior
high grades. Excellent
THE NATURAL WORLD:
ENVIRONMENT – ARTICLES AND INFORMATION FROM THE NEW YORK
TIMES
http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/environment-index.html
Links to articles from the New York Times
on the environment and environmental issues. Includes:
Statistics, Videos, Diagrams, Maps, Issues in Depth, Special
Sections and Web Resources. Excellent
NATURE.NET WATER RESOURCES
http://www.nature.nps.gov/biology/
From the National Park Service, a look at
ecosystems. Sections: Ecosystem Management & Restoration,
Invasive Species Management, Integrated Pest Management,
Migratory Birds, Threatened & Endangered Species, Wildlife
Health & Disease and Wildlife Management. Click on the links
(Air, Geology, Natural Sounds and Water) in the Nature &
Science box on the left for a lot more information. Excellent
NEIGHBORHOODS: ECOSYSTEMS,
BIOMES AND HABITATS
http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/habitat/habitat.html
Information on the different types of
ecosystems from the Franklin Institute. Excellent
OBSERVING A CORAL REEF
http://www.eduweb.com/jason/index.html
A JASON project in which students study a
coral reef using data recorded between 1993 and 1997 to
determine changes. Students compare images from 1993 and 1997
to determine changes. Note: This ties in with other JASON
projects. Excellent
OCEAN ADVENTURE – FROM DEEP
SPACE TO DEEP SEA – A THINKQUEST SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/18828/?tqskip1=1
A student-created site on hydrothermal
vents deep in the ocean floor. Viewers join the scientists as
they climb into the submersible Alvin for a trip to
investigate the vents. Sections: Dive Briefing, Ethics,
Research Tools, Mysteries, Meet the Scientists,
Interactivities, Fauna, Forum, Geology, Glossary, and
Significance. Note: The Classroom Activities downloaded
without a problem this year. Excellent
OCEAN CONSERVANCY
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home
Resource for teachers and students on
marine conservation topics. Huge amount of information on the
oceans, water pollution, marine wildlife and more. Note: We
could not locate the lesson plans included in previous years.
Excellent
ONE WORLD JOURNEYS -
EXPEDITIONS
http://www.oneworldjourneys.com/expeditions/climate/
Photo-documentary expeditions around the
world looking at different habitats and what is happening
with them. Expeditions: Florida’s Springs: Protecting
Nature’s Gems; Chimpanzees: Messengers of the Forest; Cougar:
Spirit of the Americas; Mercury Rising: Bearing Witness to
Climate Change; Salmon: Spirit of the Land and Sea; Palmyra
Atoll: Rainforest of the Sea; Jaguar: Lord of the Mayan
Jungle; The Sonoran Desert: 5000 Square Miles of Silence; and
Georgia Revealed: Searching for the Soul of the Caucasus.
Outstanding. Excellent
ONLINE METEOROLOGY GUIDES
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/home.rxml
"The Online Meteorology Guide is a collection of web-based
instructional modules that use multimedia technology and the
dynamic capabilities of the web. These resources incorporate
text, colorful diagrams, animations, computer simulations,
audio and video to introduce fundamental concepts in the
atmospheric sciences. Selected pages link to (or will soon
link to) relevant classroom activities and current weather
products to reinforce topics discussed in the modules and
allow the user to apply what has been learned to real-time
weather data."
For high school classes. Sections: Light &
Optics, Clouds & Precipitation, Forces & Winds, Air Masses &
Fronts, Weather Forecasting, Severe Storms, Hurricanes, El
Niño (see separate entry in list), and Hydrologic Cycle.
Note: See also ONLINE METEOROLOGY CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES.
Excellent
THE ORINOCO RIVER
http://www.miamisci.org/orinoco/index.html
"The very first vision of the Orinoco awakens your desire to
understand it. In fact, the mystery of the river has drawn
explorers, researchers, adventurers and artists for hundreds
of years. But what is the Orinoco? What secrets does it hide?
What does it have to do with us? What threatens its health as
an ecosystem, and how can we conserve this precious area?"
Sections: Water, Energy, Biodiversity,
Explorers and Inhabitants. All but Inhabitants have a number
of lesson plans. Excellent
PASSPORT TO THE RAINFOREST
http://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/intro.html
Explore the tropical rainforest guided by
expert biologists. Sections: Geosystem (What are rainforests,
etc.), Ecosystem (images and information on the flora and
fauna), Researchers (Meet the scientists, study field
journals, etc.), Interact (the classroom can interact with
the field –Note: Doesn’t seem to be operating this year),
Resources (multimedia guide to resources on the rainforest),
and Educators (special section for teachers with lesson plans
and a kit to order). Outstanding. Excellent
PESTWORLD
http://www.pestworldforkids.org/home.html
A site for kids on pests such as insects and rodents. Sections: Amazing Pests, Threats & Prevention, Learning Games, Send a Pestcard and For Teachers (includes lesson plans and classroom resources). Excellent
PLANET DIARY
http://www.phschool.com/science/planetdiary/index.html
A look at current natural or human-caused
phenomena occurring around the world. Events include:
volcanic eruptions, large fires, disease outbreaks, storms,
hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, algae blooms, astronomical
observations, flora, fauna, drought, oil spills and more.
Updated weekly. Includes an archive so events can be tracked,
satellite images and background information on each
phenomena. Sections: Current Phenomena, Universal
Measurements (time, location, maps), Phenomena Backgrounders,
Calendar and a Guide to Planet Diary. Excellent
POLLUTION LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/pollute.html
A full page of links to sites dealing with
pollution. Sections: Research/Informational Sites, Online
Lesson Plans, Online Activities, Offline Lesson Plans, and
Offline Activities. Excellent
THE QUEST FOR LESS - A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO REDUCING, REUSING AND RECYCLING NEW URL!
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/quest/index.htm
"The Quest for Less provides hands-on lessons and activities, enrichment ideas, journal writing assignments, and other educational tools related to preventing and reducing trash. Each chapter includes one or more fact sheets providing background information on each topic. In addition, each chapter includes an index showing the grade ranges, subject areas, and skills used for each activity to help teachers select the appropriate activities." For grades K-6. Excellent
RAIN FOREST FIELD TRIP
http://www.field-guides.com/sci/rainforest/index.htm
An online field trip for middle school
students on the rainforest.
"Rainforests have been around for millions of years, and
yet in the very brief span of half a century, mankind has
destroyed a huge portion of the world's rainforests. On a
daily basis, acres and acres more disappear. This field trip
takes a look at what a rainforest is and why it is an
important ecosystem, the animals and peoples of the
rainforest, what types of rainforests there are, and provides
some ideas that students can do to actively participate in
protecting the remaining rainforests."
The Teacher’s Resources section has related website
links. Excellent
RAIN FOREST – LIST OF LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/rforest.html
A list of links about the rain forest.
Suitable for elementary students. Includes
Research/Informational Sites and Lesson Plans/Activities.
Also in Lesson Plans section. Excellent
RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/index.cfm
"The mission of the Rainforest Alliance is to protect
ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by
transforming land-use practices, business practices and
consumer behavior." Includes a
variety of Alliance programs and news stories. Click on
Education for a link to the Learning Site. Excellent
RAINFOREST HEROES: KIDS THE
EARTH CAN COUNT ON
http://www.rainforestheroes.com/kidscorner/
A colorful site on what kids can do and
are doing to save the Earth. Sections: Kid’s Action, Heroes
Corner, Jungle Gym, About Rainforests, Protect-an-Acre and
Teacher’s Lounge. You can view the video Forest Family
Forever online or order it. Excellent
RECYCLING – LIST OF LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/recycle.html
A list of links about recycling. Suitable
for elementary students. Includes Research/Informational
Sites and Lesson Plans/Activities. Also in Lesson Plans
section. Excellent
RIVERS OF LIFE
http://cgee.hamline.edu/rivers/index.htm
"Rivers of Life is a full model for contextual learning; a flood of projects, adventures, and resources to help K-12 teachers and students learn about and from their watershed." Sections: Mississippi Adventure, Watershed Atlas Project, Teacher Support, Students, Inquiry Projects, and River of Resources. "The Mississippi Adventure, a comprehensive study of the relationship between you and your watershed. Using the legendary Mississippi River as a model, you and your students will both learn about your watershed, and discover ways to protect the natural system around you. The Watershed Atlas Project, an interdisciplinary project that takes students out into their local watershed to gain an intimate knowledge of the place they call home." Excellent
SALT MARSHES FIELD TRIPS
http://www.field-guides.com/sci/salt/index.htm
An online field trip for middle school
students on salt marshes.
"Students will be introduced to the coastal environment
through participation in a field study of the beach, dunes,
estuary, and salt marsh habitats."
The Teacher’s Resources section has related website
links. Excellent
SCI4KIDS
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/
A fun site from the US Dept of Agriculture on science and
the environment.
"Sci4Kids is a series of stories about what
scientists do here at the ARS. Geared to kids about 8 to 13
years old, it is produced by the ARS Information Staff in
Beltsville, Maryland. We bet you'll agree that much of what
our scientists do is not what you might expect.
You may be a student today but may already be on your way to
a career in science or farming or computers. Or maybe you're
curious about some of the strange creatures that share the
planet with you. (Other than your brother or sister.)
Science is not something far away in a laboratory. It's wired
right into your daily life--to the food you eat, the clothes
you wear, the water you drink. Whatever your interest in
science, we hope Sci4Kids will help you find out that it can
be fun as well as informative."
Click on things in the picture to go to
the sections. Includes: Environment, Soil, Plants, Animals,
High Tech, Nutrition, Insects, Farming, Science Careers, Test
Tubes, Weird Science, Small Towns, Cities, Transportation,
Satellite, Water, The Suburbs, and Aquaculture. There’s also
information on science projects. Suitable for grades 4 and
up. Excellent
SEA TURTLE RESTORATION
PROJECT
NEW!
http://seaturtles.org/index.php
The site for a group trying to protect and
research sea turtles. Click on Students and Teachers for
Lesson Plans, Fact Sheets and much more. Excellent
SHADES OF GREEN: EARTH’S
FORESTS – A THINKQUEST SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/17456/?tqskip1=1
A student-created site on the world’s
forests. Extensive information on Forest Types, Forest Life,
Forest Importance, Forest Threats, Time, and more. Check out
the Teacher’s Area for lesson plans. Excellent
SMOG CITY
http://www.smogcity.com/welcome.htm
"Smog City is an interactive air pollution simulator that
shows how your choices, environmental factors, and land use
contribute to air pollution. In Smog City you're in control
so your visit can be a healthy or unhealthy experience
depending on the decisions you make. You'll see how
ground-level ozone, the biggest part of summertime smog,
increases or decreases when you spend a day in Smog City. And
since ozone can irritate respiratory systems, cause breathing
difficulty, coughing, and chest pain, knowing how and why
ozone forms and what you can do about it is important to the
residents of Smog City and everyone else on the planet."
Excellent
THE SOLAR COOKING ARCHIVE
http://solarcooking.org/
Solar cooking is being used to save
energy, especially in parts of the world where resources are
scarce. This site shows how to cook using solar stoves, the
different kinds and more. Sections: News, Plans (designs),
Multimedia (photos, audio clips, slide show), Resources,
Documents, and Discussion. Excellent
THE SONORAN DESERT: 5000
MILES OF SILENCE
http://www.oneworldjourneys.com/sonoran/index.html
"What our ancestors called a wasteland, we now know is the
last great treasure in the continental United States-the
blazing heart of the Sonoran desert, the lushest badland of
them all. Now, on both sides of the U.S. and the Mexican
border are activities designed to protect the Sonoran desert.
The opportunity is simple: in an effort to save this area for
generations to come, there is a proposal to create the
Sonoran Desert National Park. It will be the greatest
transnational biological reserve on earth, a park that can be
a benchmark for all the nations. Our One World Journeys team
is travelling this historic El Camino del Diablo to learn why
there are efforts to preserve this area for generations to
come. Join us."
Sections: Live Expedition, Eco-Gallery,
Natural History, Sonoran History and Travel Facts. Excellent
TAIGA – LIST OF LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/taiga.html
A list of links about the taiga. Suitable
for elementary students. Includes Research/Informational
Sites and Lesson Plans/Activities. Also in Lesson Plans
section. Excellent
TEMPERATE FOREST BIOME
FIELD TRIP
http://www.field-guides.com/sci/forest/index.htm
An online field guide for middle school
students on temperate forest biomes. "Young children
are in tune with their environment. They notice the seasonal
changes occurring around them and studying the temperate
forest biome or deciduous forest presents a meaningful way to
engage them in a variety of cross curricular learning
activities. The following areas can be explored through
looking at the temperate forest biome:…"
The Teacher’s Resources section has related website
links. Excellent
TERRA
http://terra.nasa.gov/
"Terra," Latin for land, is the name of the Earth Observing
System (EOS) flagship satellite, launched on December 18,
1999. The mission began science operations in February 2000.
Terra is a multi-national, multi-disciplinary satellite
carrying a payload of five remote sensors that, together, are
measuring comprehensively the state of Earth’s environment
and ongoing changes in its climate system. The mission is a
vital part of NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise, helping us
understand and protect our home planet."
Sections: Just Add Water, The Incredible
Glowing Algae, Squeezing Water from Rock, A Delicate Balance,
Earth’s Carbon Metabolism, From Space to the Outback,
Tracking Clouds, Satellites Distinguish Dust from Smoke,
Satellites Aid Burned Area Rehabilitation, Prospecting From
Orbit, and Measuring Earthshine. In addition there is a
gallery of images at Visible Earth. Excellent
TRASH TO TREASURE –
RECYCLING CRAFTS
http://craftsforkids.about.com/library/bltrashtr.htm
"Learn how you can creatively recycle baby food jars, paper
bags, orphaned socks, and several other items. Enjoy this
ever-growing list of great ideas for using the things you
might normally throw away to create great craft projects,
games, and more."
Uses throwaways such as oatmeal boxes,
buttons, soda cans and more to make fun crafts. Excellent
TUNDRA– LIST OF LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/tundra.html
A list of links about the tundra. Suitable
for elementary students. Includes Research/Informational
Sites and Lesson Plans/Activities. Also in Lesson Plans
section. Excellent
U.S. EPA –ENVIRONMENTAL
KIDS CLUB
http://www.epa.gov/kids/
Join the Club and learn a lot about
the environment. Topics: Air, Water, You and Your
Environment, Plants & Animals, and Garbage & Recycling.
Includes Games, Activities, Information, Drawing and Coloring
Pages, a Teacher’s Section and more. Excellent
U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE
SERVICE – KIDS CORNER
http://endangered.fws.gov/kids/index.html
Includes a slide show, activity sheets,
quiz, suggested classroom activities, suggested lesson ideas,
Species in the Spotlight and more. Excellent
VIRTUAL ANTARCTICA
http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~kpt/terraquest/va/
For two weeks in 1995, the scientific ship
Livonia traveled to Antarctica. Daily dispatches and
live chats let users join the guests and crew as they
explored. See it all on this site. Sections: Ship’s Log,
Expeditions, Ecology, Science, History and Guidebook.
Excellent
VIRTUAL REALITY PANORAMAS
http://www-geoimages.berkeley.edu/GeoImages/QTVR/QTVR.html
QuickTime Virtual Reality images of
California, the American Southwest, the Pacific Northwest,
Canada, Mexico, and Pacific Islands. You interact by clicking
on the image. When the cursor turns into a bulls-eye, move it
slowly across the image to move up, down, right, left, pan
around or zoom in and out. Excellent
VIRTUAL RIVER – ONLINE
GEOLOGY LAB
http://vcourseware5.calstatela.edu/VirtualRiver/
"Welcome to VirtualRiver. Here you will find two interactive
exercises designed to help you learn about river processes
like discharge, flooding, and flood frequency. Each activity
requires you to make careful observations and measurements,
do simple calculations, and answer questions about your work.
A "Certificate of Completion" will be available to you at the
end of each activity."
Suitable for upper elementary and up.
Excellent
WATCHING OVER THE WORLD –
TIME FOR KIDS
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/specials/story/0,6079,56763,00.html
"Who's the latest environmental hero? YOU! Check out your
green ideas, real hometown heroes, poll questions and more
all-new stuff!"
Includes: You Be the Hero (kids tell how
they help the environment), Hometown Heroes (profiles of kids
who are "heroes"), Ask a Hero, Tour of Heroes and more. Very
colorful site. Excellent
WELCOME TO RECYCLE CITY
http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/
Visit Recycle City to see how the
residents of the former Dumptown learned to recycle their
waste and changed the town into Recycle City. Sections: See,
Find, Learn, and Get a Clue. Includes Games, Activities,
Graphics, and Facts. A fun, colorful site. Excellent
WETLANDS– LIST OF LINKS
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/wetlands.html
A list of links about wetlands. Suitable
for elementary students. Includes Research/Informational
Sites and Lesson Plans/Activities. Also in Lesson Plans
section. Excellent
WHAT’S IT LIKE WHERE YOU LIVE?
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/
Learn about biomes and ecosystems. Biomes
of the World: Rainforest, Tundra, Taiga, Desert, Temperate,
Grasslands. Freshwater Ecosystems: Rivers & Streams, Ponds &
Lakes, Wetlands. Saltwater Ecosystems: Shorelines, Temperate
Oceans, Tropical Oceans. Excellent
WHERE DO ANIMALS LIVE?
NEW!
http://www.billybear4kids.com/animal/whose-toes/regions/the-world.html
A map and links showing which animals live
in which type of habitat. For elementary students. Good
WORLD BIOMES
NEW!
http://www.worldbiomes.com/
"WorldBiomes.com is a site covering 5 of the major world
biomes. What's a biome? Biomes are the various regions
of our planet which can best be distinguished by their
climate, fauna and flora. Scientists argue on the exact
number, or different types of biomes in existence. As
it is with everything in nature, similar biomes of often
exhibit unique qualities which set them apart, but are not
enough to distinguish them completely from the others.
A rainforest may contain an area which would not be that
dissimilar from a wetland, or a desert may contain an unusual
number of plants and wildlife, but not enough to make it into
a grassland.
We will then attempt to provide you with various
sub-divisions and examples of the 5 types of biomes we have
chosen to cover, so that you may attain a better
understanding of the relationships and features
distinguishing one type of biome from another."
Excellent
ADVENTURE IN THE RAINFOREST
http://teach.fcps.net/trt4/rainforest.htm
Links to a large number of
resources. Divided into Student Resources and Teacher
Resources. Very Good
AIR JUNK: SPECKS, FLECKS
AND PARTICLES IN THE AIR
http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/airjunk/index.html
A fun site for kids on
making air particle detectors and the kinds of particles they
will find. Very Good
AMAZONIA: DISCOVER THE
HIDDEN PARADISE – A THINKQUEST SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/28368/ingles/mapa.shtm?tqskip1=1
A student-created site that
explores the History, Physical Geography, Human Geography,
and Biological Geography of the Amazon including the major
environmental issues such as oil extraction, drug
trafficking, etc. Very Good
AMERICAN RIVERS – RESTORE,
PROTECT, ENJOY
http://www.amrivers.org/
A river conservation site.
Sections include: River Conservation, Resources, Take Action,
and Newsroom. Click on the photo at the top for video clips
about rivers and river restoration. Click on Resources, then
River ABC’s for information and activities for kids. Also a
River Curriculum for teachers. Very Good
THE ANIMAL DIVERSITY WEB
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/
Click on the animals for
the animal class: Mammals, Fishes, Marine Animals,
Echinoderms, Birds, and Amphibians. Each section discusses
what makes each class unique and the many species and
subspecies. Very Good
AQUARIUS – AMERICA’S INNERSPACE STATION
http://www.uncw.edu/aquarius/
"Aquarius is an underwater laboratory and
home to scientists for missions up to 10 days long, but to
call Aquarius a home is like calling the space shuttle
Discovery a mode of transportation. Aquarius is made to
withstand the pressure of ocean depths to 120 feet deep.
Presently, Aquarius is located in a sand patch adjacent to
deep coral reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary, at a depth of 63 feet. The laboratory is attached
to a baseplate that positions the underwater habitat
(underwater laboratories are also called habitats) about 13
feet off the bottom. This means that the working depth of
those inside the laboratory is about 50 feet deep. Located
inside the 81–ton, 43 x 20 x 16.5–foot underwater laboratory
are all the comforts of home: six bunks, a shower and toilet,
instant hot water, a microwave, trash compactor, and a
refrigerator even air conditioning and computers linked back
to shore by wireless telemetry! Using Aquarius as a base for
research diving expeditions definitely has its advantages."
You can take a virtual tour, view
the lab through a streaming webcam and follow along on
missions. During missions, you see a Mission Summary,
Aquanaut Profiles, Expedition Journals and Mission Pictures.
The Teachers and Students section includes several lesson
plans. Very Good
THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE – A
SPECIAL REPORT
http://arcticcircle.uconn.edu/ANWR/
Information about the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge and the current debate about drilling for oil
there.
"What follows in this Special Report is a
description of the Refuge and its future as seen by the
conflicting parties in the controversy. The designers of
ArcticCircle hope that the airing of these differing
perspectives will assist the viewer in deciding what action
should be taken in shaping the future of the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge - and by whom. At the conclusion of the
Report, you will also have an opportunity to share your
comments with other ArcticCircle members in an electronic
forum. Finally, those wishing to become actively involved can
contact one or more of the organizations listed in the
concluding remarks."
Sections: Natural Resources, The
People, Oil Exploration, Controversy and Debate and
Commentary. Very Good
BACKYARD WILDLIFE HABITATS
NEW URL!
http://www.nwf.org/backyard/
Provides action plans for
creating a backyard or schoolyard wildlife habitat. Very Good
BAGHEERA – A WEBSITE FOR
OUR ENDANGERED SPECIES
http://www.bagheera.com/
Enter Bagheera’s lair and
get information on our endangered species. Sections: In the
Wild (Vanishing, Extinct, Classroom Activities); Image
Center; Resources (link to C.I.T.E.S. Species Database), and
Endangered Species. Very Good
CAR-FREE CITIES
http://www.carfree.com/
A site that proposes that
cars be banned from cities and cities redesigned. Sections:
Introduction, Moving People, City Design, Topology, Moving
Freight, Life in the City, Districts, Existing Cities,
Morocco, Blocks, Objections, Carfree Places, and more. Very
Good
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY
RECYCLING
http://www.csr.org/Earth_Week/home.html
Sections: Hey Teachers,
Games & Activities, Recycling Works, Stuff Gets Recycled,
Blue Works, and Help Reduce Waste. Very Good
CLIMATE ARK
http://www.climateark.org/
A search portal for
information on climate change and renewable energy. Very Good
CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAM
http://www.panda.org/climate/
A program of the World
Wildlife Fund to track changes in the world’s climates.
Sections: Climate Causes, Climate Impacts, and Climate
Solutions. Very Good
CREATURE WORLD – KRATT’S CREATURES
http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html
Colorful companion site to the TV series.
Sections: Creature World (clickable globe), Creature Crazy,
Don’t Go This Way, Creature Clubhouse, Episode Guide and
Creature of the Week. Very Good
DLTK’S EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES
FOR KIDS
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/earth.html
Earth Day fun for
kindergarten students. Sections: About Earth Day (songs,
poem), Earth Day Coloring Pages, Earth Day Crafts, Earth Day
E-cards, Earth Day On-line Games, and The Water Cycle. Very
Good
E PATROL
http://www.epatrol.org/
Student focused site with
information on Endangered Alert, Energy Savers, Eco-Info,
E-Patrol Quiz, and Screensaver. Very Good
EARTH DAY AT PRIMARY GAMES
http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/earth_day/earthday.htm
Holiday fun for primary
students. Includes coloring pages, games and more. Very Good
EARTH DAY NETWORK
NEW URL!
http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/
Includes: How To; Today’s Headlines; Grist
Magazine; What Happened Around the World on Earth Day 2005;
Earth Car-Free Day, Earth Day Events; and more. Includes an
Earth Day and Schools section and a Teacher’s Corner. Very
Good
EARTH FLOOR – BIOMES
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomes.html
Students explore various
biomes. Sections: Biomes, Biomes Summary, How to Read a
Climograph, Arctic Tundra, Desert, Taiga, Tropical Rainforest
and Tropical Savanna. Very Good
EARTHWATER STENCILS – STORM DRAIN
STENCILING
http://www.earthwater-stencils.com/
"Storm drain stenciling is an educational,
interactive tool to engage people of all ages in community
involvement for watershed pollution prevention. It is an
action project for students and community involvement for
adults."
The stencils let people
know that the runoff from the drain goes directly into nearby
streams, lakes or rivers. Has detailed instructions. Note:
This site sells the stencils but you could make your own
following their directions. Very Good
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT QUIZ
http://www.myfootprint.org/
How much of a "footprint" do you leave? You
would think that one person wouldn’t be very much but
multiply the resource and energy usage and the figures are
shocking. A good discussion starter. Very Good
EDUCATING FOR CONSERVATION:
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
http://www.fws.gov/educators/
Sections: Conservation
Library, Pictures, Training Courses, Maps, Video (videos to
purchase), and FAQ. Very Good
EDUGREEN
NEW URL!
http://www.edugreen.teri.res.in/index.asp
A site for elementary
students with information, games, puzzles, fun facts, e-cards
and more. Sections: Life on Earth, Forest, Energy, Water, Air
Pollution, Climate Change, Biotechnology and Solid Waste.
Activities: Play and Learn, Network, Surf. Very Good
EL NIÑO ONLINE METEOROLOGY
GUIDE
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/eln/home.rxml
An online guide to El Niño
with 9 sections: Definitions, ’97-’98 Event, Upswelling,
Non-El Niño Years, El Niño Events, Sea Surface Temperatures,
Impacts on Weather, Economic Impacts, and Detection &
Prediction. Very Good
ENDANGERED SPECIES OF THE NEXT MILLENNIUM – A THINKQUEST SITE
NEW URL!http://library.thinkquest.org/25014/
A student-created site on endangered species. Sections: Introduction, What?, Why?, How?, Species Profiles, Media Gallery, and Facts & Quotes. The Media Gallery contains several video and sound clips from the San Diego Zoo. Very Good
ENVIRONMENTAL INQUIRY
http://ei.cornell.edu/
A website developed to help
students conduct environmental science research. Each section
discusses the topic and provides suggestions for further
research. Very Good
ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY
http://www.eia-international.org/
"Working
undercover to expose international environmental crime -such
as the illegal trade in wildlife, illegal logging and trade
in timber species, and the world-wide trade in ozone
depleting substances - EIA has directly brought about changes
in international laws and the policies of governments, saving
the lives of millions of rare and endangered animals and
putting a stop to the devastating effects of environmental
criminals."
Sections: Species in Peril, Success Stories,
Forests for the World, and Global Environment. Very Good
ENVIRONMENTAL SCORECARD
http://scorecard.org/
Get environmental maps for different issues such as air and water pollution. Enter your zip code to get an environmental scorecard for your local area. See what pollutants are being released into your community and who’s doing it. Very Good
EPA WATER – KIDS STUFF –
NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/kids/
Kids stuff from the EPA’s
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. Fun activities and
games. Sections: Masterbug Theater (slideshow), What’s Wrong
with This Picture? (puzzle), Darby Duck and the Aquatic
Crusaders, Splash (game), Ground Water & Drinking Water Kids
Page, Office of Water Kids Stuff and Links. Very Good
THE EVERGLADES ECOSYSTEM
http://www.nps.gov/ever/eco/
Information on the ecosystem of the Florida
Everglades National Park. Sections: Everglades 101:
Introduction to the Ecosystem, Everglades Habitats,
Endangered Species, Animal Profiles, Geology, Florida Bay
Interagency Science Center, A Park in Danger: Threats and
Restoration Efforts, Fire Management, Research, Species
Checklist and History. Very Good
EXPEDITION: ENDANGERED -
EXPLORING A WORLD AT RISK
http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/Endangered/index.html
An online exhibit of the
American Museum of Natural History on endangered species. Use
the Expedition Guide at the left to choose your expedition.
Includes: Endangered Animals, Endangered Habitats, Glossary,
Causes of Endangerment, and more. Very Good
FRANK POTTER’S SCIENCE GEMS
– LIFE SCIENCE I
http://www.sciencegems.com/life.html#6
A long list of links to
lesson plans and activities on life science for K-12 grades.
Very Good
THE FUTURE: OUR PLANET IN
2050 – A THINKQUEST SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/C008050/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0322
A look at three current
environmental issues, what is happening and what can be done.
Sections: Depletion of the Ozone Layer, Antarctica & Global
Warming, and Electric Cars. Note: We found a couple of broken
links on this site. Very Good
GARBAGE: HOW CAN MY
COMMUNITY REDUCE WASTE?
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/intro.html
A PBS site that focuses on
the enormous problem of garbage and waste products that we
need to dispose of and ways to reduce it. Sections: Solid
Waste, Hazardous Waste, Sewage, Global Efforts, The Future,
and Related Resources. Very Good
GEOTHERMAL EDUCATION
http://geothermal.marin.org/
Geothermal energy is widely
used in some parts of the world. This site explains
geothermal energy and provides classroom resources for
teaching about it. Sections: Geothermal Facts, Worldwide Data
& Map, Geothermal Slideshow, Ask an Expert, More About
Energy, More Hot Websites, and Classroom & Public Education
Materials. Very Good
GEO-TOPICS – ENVIRONMENT
http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/topics/ecosystem.html
A page of links to environmental topics and
information on habitats. Very Good
GROUNDWATER BASICS – KIDS CORNER
http://www.groundwater.org/kc/kc.html
Groundwater basic information and activities for students and teachers. Includes games and puzzles. Very Good
GROUNDWATER: NATURE’S
HIDDEN TREASURE
http://www.ec.gc.ca/water/en/info/pubs/FS/e_FSA5.htm
Information from Canada
about groundwater. Note: Click on Topics (green button) for a
large number of environmental topics. Very Good
HAPPY EARTH DAY COLORING
AND ACTIVITY BOOK
http://www.epa.gov/region5/publications/happy/happy.htm
An 11-page coloring and
activity book to download and print out full of tips for
making the Earth a better place. Very Good
HAWAII’S LIVING TREASURES –
A THINKQUEST QUEST
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002491/
A site by students for
students. Follow the junior park ranger Kalani as she
searches for Hawaiian wildlife. Sections: Hawaii’s Living
Treasures, Bird Watching Game, Beyond O’hia Valley, and
Resources. Includes video clips. Very Good
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION
http://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/pollution-main.html
Looks at the types of air pollution and
their causes. Includes Classroom Activities. Very Good
JUNGLE PHOTOS
http://www.junglephotos.com/
"Welcome to Jungle Photos!
Here you can see hundreds of images of animals, plants,
scenery and people from the Amazon rainforest in tropical
South America. All photos have explanations, so scroll down
to read about the image. Our mission is to provide the world
with accurate information and excellent images to inspire
people to support rainforest conservation and education."
Sections: Animals, Plants, Scenery,
People, Towns and Lots More! Includes maps, satellite images
and children’s artwork. Suitable for elementary students.
Very Good
KIDS FOR SAVING EARTH
http://www.kidsforsavingearth.org/
Materials for kids on the
environment. Includes lots of classroom activities to print
out. Note: We were able to see and print several sections for
free. There is a paid membership, also. Very Good
LIMNOLOGY – FACTS AND FUN
(THE STUDY OF FRESH WATER RIVERS AND LAKES) – A THINKQUEST
SITE
http://library.thinkquest.org/11548/?tqskip1=1
A student-created site on
limnology, the study of fresh water rivers and lakes.
Sections: Guide to Limnology, Background, the Water Cycle,
Types of Water, Catchment, Algae, Tests, Salinity, Practice,
Case Study, Articles & Contacts and Results. Very Good
LIVING IN HARMONY WITH
WETLANDS
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/highlights/wetlands/
Information on wetlands
habitats. Sections: Where the Wetlands Are; Not All Wetlands
Are Alike; Wetlands Are Busy Places; Plant Life, Wildlife and
Endangered Species; Where You Can Learn More About Living
with Wetlands; Fun Facts: Wet Meadows and Agriculture; and
People, Wetlands and Wild Rice. Very Good
LOS ANGELES RIVER
CONNECTION NEW URL!