Educational LinksNovember 2007 – February 2008
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ElementaryScience Links
SecondaryScience Links
ElementaryMath Links
SecondaryMath Links
Elementary & SecondaryMath,Science & Technology Links
Using Information Communication Technology Links
Elementary Science Links
Body Works Games
These interactive games engage students as they explore the human body. Travel through the digestive system with Art and Spleen identifying organs in real video. Test and learn about your reflexes and ability to make precise movements. Discover the nutrients needed for your body and what different foods provide. Help a virus infect a human and learn the processes involved. Also, ride a bike away from a dog by controlling each muscle group involved. The "Learn More" sections at the end of each game give valuable background information.
Build Your Wild Self
What would you look like with the legs of an elephant and the arms of a tiger? This engaging site lets you see how you might look if you suddenly took on the characteristics of an animal or insect. Build your new body and then learn about the usefulness of each individual part.
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Secondary Science Links
NASA: Rocket Activities
There are many things in this world that are described as not being as difficult as rocket science. Then, of course, there is the actual science behind rockets. Understandably, this can be difficult for budding space scientists to grasp. Fortunately, NASA has created these fun and interactive activities which relate both to the science and math of rocketry. These particular activities are taken from the "Rocket Educators Guide", and they include activities related to altitude tracking, the world of pinwheels, balloon staging, and of course the construction of an actual paper rocket. Each activity comes complete with instructions, diagrams, and information on the necessary materials. Taken as a whole, these activities could be equally fun whether outside on a brisk fall day as in a classroom setting.
Physics & The Detection of Medical X-Rays
If Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist were alive today, he would most likely heartily approve of this very informative and well-designed site dealing with the detection of medical x-rays. This site was created by the Physics Education Research Group at KansasStateUniversity and it serves as a good introduction to the science behind the discovery and subsequent use of x-rays in a variety of medical settings. The site starts with a brief discussion of Röntgen's initial discovery of x-rays, and then goes on to offer a brief history of radiology. After that, visitors can learn about different detection methods, including the use of fluorescence film. One feature of the site that is most useful is the inclusion of links to other relevant sites that cover such topics as the concept of an x-ray dose and reduction measures. Overall, the site will be very welcome for beginning students of radiology and medical technology.
TeachEngineering: Design a Bicycle Helmet
The process of designing a bicycle helmet can quite taxing, but this helpful and fun instructional activity offered by the TeachEngineering website makes it all a bit more accessible for both instructors and students. The site begins by offering up a summary of the project's goals and its connections to the field and practice of engineering. After that, it dives right into the learning objective and the list of materials that will be required to complete this project. Additionally, the site includes a set of bicycle helmet design slides, along with several worksheets.
USGS Learning Age: Geologic Age
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has created a number of instructional materials for teachers as part of its Learning Web site, and this particular lesson plan is one that can be used in a number of different settings. The activity and lesson are designed for use by grades 7-12, but these materials could also be used with ease in introductory geology courses at the college level. This set of resources includes a background essay on the use of radioactive decay to determine geologic age, and continues on to provide detailed information on a classroom activity that is both engaging and informative. The materials are rounded out by a set of questions that can be used to guide future discussions.
Human Genome Project Education Resources
Exploring the world of the human genome project can be quite an undertaking for students new to the subject. Fortunately, the U.S Human Genome Project website contains a veritable cornucopia of accessible and age-appropriate educational materials for use in the classroom. First-time visitors may wish to start on the left-hand side of the page, which includes a FAQ area, a glossary, and a basic overview of genetics, appropriately titled "Genetics 101". After that, visitors may wish to look through the primary resources, which are organized into sections that include "Posters", "Presentations", "Online Educational Modules", and "Downloadable Teaching Aids". There are over several hundred resources contained within the site, and visitors can also make use of the search engine embedded on the homepage to look for specific resources.
ChemTutor
From reactions to the world of acids and bases, the study of chemistry can present certain unique challenges to all types of students. Fortunately, there are helpful sites like ChemTutor. As their site mentions, ChemTutor "begins with the fundamentals and gives expert help with the most difficult phases of understanding your first course in chemistry." The site's layout is quite straightforward, as users can just click on any of the topics offered on the homepage. These topics include reactions, atomic structure, elements, and solutions. Within each topic, visitors can take advantage of sample problems, look over helpful diagrams, and so on.
BioEd Online: Presentations
The resources for biology teachers offered by BioEd Online are uniformly excellent, and this particular section of their website is no exception to that trend. Designed specifically for teachers, this site contains dozens of presentations that can be adopted for use in a variety of classroom settings. Users of the site can explore a list of topics and featured presentation materials, which include "The Cell: Cloning", "Diversity of Life: Introduction to Human Behavior", and "The Human Organism: Influenza Vaccination". That's far from all however, as the site also has interactive lesson demonstrations, lab techniques, and teaching strategies. Equally important for instructors is the "Seeking a Teaching Position", which includes presentations like "So You Want to Teach?" and "High Stakes Communication: Interviewing for a Teaching Position".
Teaching Resources in Structural Geology
To some, the terms folds, faults, and shear zones might suggest a type of elaborate and cutting-edge style of origami. Those in the know will think immediately of the field of structural geology, and this site is a fine resource for information within that area of geology. Rob Butler, Martin Casey, Geoff Lloyd, and Andrew McCaig, all of whom work in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Leeds, created these teaching resources. Visitors can start their journey through the site by clicking on the "Basic Principles" section, which contains a nice overview of the patterns of rock organization and how geologists understand the history of rock patterns. The other sections of the site provide basic overviews of shear zones, fault patterns, minor structures, and strain. The site is rounded out by a few virtual field trips, which will be quite helpful for those who can't make it to the Himalayas or the fabled Western Gneiss region of Norway.
Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science
The National Academy Press has crafted hundreds of resources for science educators, and this online book will be most helpful for those seeking to incorporate discussions of evolution into their classroom. The book contains seven complete chapters and five appendices. The chapter titles include "Why Teach Evolution?", "Evolution and the Nature of Science", and "Major Themes in Evolution". Chapter Six is definitely worth a look as it includes eight separate activities designed to be used in the classroom. They include investigations into natural selection, looking at explanations of fossil footprints, and examining connections between population growth and biological evolution.
Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research
Established in 1998, the Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research (PIER) is a non-profit organization "dedicated to education and research of the marine environment." From their headquarters in Oceanside, California, their team of scientists continues to work on a variety of studies on thresher sharks, roosterfish, and the giant sea bass. One rather nice highlight of the site is the "Field Notes" area. Here visitors can learn about some of their ongoing research projects, which have included work on the swimming muscle physiology of the common thresher shark and the fine-scale movements of roosterfish. Visitors can also click on the "Publications" section to read the results of some of their scientific endeavors over the years.
Little Shop of Physics: Online Experiments
Not to be confused with a certain Roger Corman movie that has a rather similar title, this site presents a wide range of very nice physics experiments, all of which can be done online. Dedicated staff members of the physics department at ColoradoStateUniversity created the Little Shop of Physics site. The site includes the "Amazing Physics" area, which features experiments that will require common household items. There are a number of rather fun experiments offered up, and they include the "Two Ball Bounce", "Straw Flute", and "Vanishing Rods". Moving right along, "Computer Stuff" offers users a clutch of engaging and potentially mind-blowing experiments that require only a computer and just a touch of interest in physics. Teachers can convert physics neophytes with this site, and students who might be suspect of physics may become passionate converts after just a few visits.
Butterflies and Moths of North America
Drawing on the expertise of lepidopterists and other such experts at MontanaStateUniversity's Big Sky Institute and the National Biological Information Infrastructure program, this site is a database that provides easy-to-use information about over 2800 species of butterflies and moths. On the site, visitors will find dynamic distribution maps showing verified species occurrences, photographs of the adult and caterpillar (when available) and a cornucopia of species accounts. Users may wish to look over the "Taxonomic Groups" area if they just wish to browse around, or they can also perform a map search, or even just browse image thumbnails by family. Those who are new to the field may wish to look over the online glossary or external links, and those who are ready to lend assistance should check out the "Get Involved" area.
Pre-assessment: Gauging students preparedness for sedimentary geology
The site, Professional Development for Geoscience Faculty, continues to receive high marks and a great deal of praise, and this resource follows in that established tradition. Created by Lawrence D. Lemke of Wayne State University, this exercise helps educators assess the current state of students’ educational background as it applies to sedimentary geology. As Lemke notes in the introduction, he uses this pre-assessment quiz as a way to gauge their knowledge, and it has been quite successful in the classroom. Visitors can read a description of this activity, and they can also download the student survey and a short quiz. For persons working in the field of geology education, this resource will be most useful.
American Nuclear Society
Since 1954, the American Nuclear Society (ANS) has served as an organization that brings together a broad range of persons and institutions together in the interest of nuclear science and technology. Its members include 11,000 engineers, scientists, administrators, and educators representing over 1600 different institutions and government agencies. Persons in this field will want to look at sections on this site which cover membership information, honors and awards programs, and a very nice ‘CareerCenter’ section where users can browse through employment opportunities. While these sections are geared for persons in these fields, the ‘Public Information’ area is quite a find for the general visitor to the site. Here, visitors can take a look at valuable pieces of information, such as a radiation dose chart and a very timely ‘Ask an Expert’ section. Visitors will also want to look at ‘Reactions’, which is the ANS’s newsletter. Finally, the site is rounded out by the ‘Nuclear Links’ area which features press releases from the International Atomic Energy Agency and links to news updates from the Uranium Information Centre in Australia.
American Council on Science and Health
Founded in 1978, the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) is an education consortium that is primarily concerned with ‘issues related to food, nutrition, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, the environment and health.’ Along with this broad thematic focus, the ACSH is also interested in providing a ‘sound scientific basis’ for various public policies through their research programs. First-time visitors will want to start by looking through some of their recent reports, which include ‘Irradiated Foods’ and ‘A Primer on Dental Care’. After considering some of these works, visitors can click on through sections such as ‘Health Issues’, ‘Publications’, and ‘Events’. One rather intriguing area of the site is titled ‘Facts and Fears’. Edited by the ACSH’s Director of Publications, Todd Seavey, this publication reports on a wide range of public health topics, including tobaccos use by high-profile media celebrities and vaccine litigation.
ActionBioscience: Identifying Angiosperms
Resources for teaching botany and taxonomy can be difficult to locate online, so locating this nice teaching activity and guide was quite a find. The resource is offered as part of the ActionBioscience website, and it was written by Pamela Soltis. The guide begins by discussing the importance of angiosperms, and the site also includes an in-depth interview with Soltis. Moving on to the activity, the lesson uses visual literacy to reinforce understanding of the Linnaean classification system. It is designed for use at the college level, and the guide also includes a host of links to related sites that will be useful for educators and their botanically-minded students.
Amusement Park Physics
It's one thing to learn about physics in a lab, but it can be quite another thing to make a pilgrimage to an amusement park to take in the laws of physics. Users will have to supply their own corn dogs and popcorn, but this rather nice educational resource from Annenberg Media will be quite useful for budding physicists and their teachers. The resource allows users to design their own roller coaster, and along the way they will learn a thing or two about the laws of gravity, pendulums, and kinetic energy. Along with explanatory essays, this resource contains interactive graphics and a glossary of terms. Sit back and enjoy the virtual roller coaster ride, as this site provides a rather novel way of introducing students to physics.
Decade Volcanoes
In the 1990s, the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior started the Decade Volcano Project. As part of their work, they designated sixteen volcanoes particularly worthy of study "because of their explosive histories and close proximity to human populations." The group recently teamed up with National Geographic to create a guide to these volcanoes via this interactive map. Navigating through the map, visitors can learn about Mount Rainier, Colima, Galeras, Santorini, and other prominent volcanoes. For each volcano, there's a brief sketch that gives the date of its last eruption, its elevation, nearby population centers, and a photograph. Additionally, visitors can learn more by clicking on the sections titled "Did You Know?" and "Eruption Interactive".
The New YorkBotanical Garden: InternationalPlantScienceCenter Field Research
From Dr. Douglas C. Daly's work on the frankincense family to Tatyana A. Lobova's work on bat-plant interactions, the New YorkBotanical Garden's InternationalPlantScienceCenter sponsors a multitude of engaging field research projects. Since 1891, the Garden scientists have conducted almost 2000 expeditions and visitors to this site can learn about some of the more recent expeditions here. On the right side of the homepage, visitors can scroll through a list of researchers, or they may browse through the list by plant type or geographic location. Further down the page, there is a "Research Web Sites" list. The list includes over a dozen sites, including "Brazil Nut-Past, Present, and Future" and "Fungal and Plant Diversity of Central French Guiana". Visitors should not miss the excellent field primers "An Introduction to Ferns" and "An Introduction to Lichens", which can be perused here or printed out for handy reference.