WEB SITES FOR EARTH DAY & ECOLOGY –

APRIL 22nd

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.

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

AQUIFER VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP NEW!

http://www.spokaneaquifer.org/vft/trailhead.htm

“On this field trip, you'll learn amazing things about water. For example, if you were asked what an aquifer is, or what you know about the hydrologic cycle, could you answer? Well you'll know this and a whole lot more by the end of this trip, so get ready for some fun exploration!

You will learn why and how it is important to protect the source of your drinking water, and some unique details about the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, one of the great wonders of the world!” 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.