Kid's Planet [Flash, .pdf]
http://www.kidsplanet.org/
A Web sitedesigned just for kids by Defenders of Wildlife, Kid's Planet has much to offer for teachers and students. Teacher's Table contains downloadable .pdf lesson plans and activities. Designed primarily for middle school students, these lesson plans and essay contests cover topics like wolves and sea otters. With electronic fact sheets on over 50 species, the section titled Get the Facts may prove useful. This editor particularly enjoyed weaving through the Web of Life with the garden spider. [AL]
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New Lesson Plans on DiscoverySchool.com
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/whatsnew.html
The DiscoverySchool.com Lesson Plan Library (last mentioned in the December 14, 2001 Scout Report) has added 39 new lesson plans for Spring 2002. Most lessons are designed for grades 6-12 and cover various topics like health, forensic science, and the human body. These comprehensive lesson plans have ideas for getting the students actively involved in the lesson, questions for discussion, tips for evaluation, and ideas to extend the lesson. This site is well organized and full of useful information. [AL]
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The Manduca Project
http://www.manducaproject.com/
University of Arizona's Biology Project (last mentioned in the January 20, 1999 Scout Report for Science & Engineering) has included this online resource to help teachers use Manduca sexta, the tobacco hornworm, in their biology lessons. The easily navigable Web siteincludes a great deal of information about the life cycle of this species and how it is useful "for examining a diverse array of biological problems." Lesson plans and instructions for rearing help teachers transform this fascinating Web siteinto hands-on classroom learning. You can even order Manduca eggs directly from this Web site. [AL]
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Journey North
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/index.html
Spring is coming, meaning it's time to track migrations. Journey North (last mentioned in the February 19, 1999 Scout Report) allows students and teachers to track their favorite critters as they make their way to their summer homes. Beginning in February, Journey North will provide migration updates on various species like Bald Eagles, Gray Whales, Hummingbirds, Caribou, and more. After free registration, students can report their own sightings to the database. Classroom lessons, a teacher discussion forum, and tips for using the site are all provided to make this a useful classroom resource. [AL]
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The Meaning of Sex: Genes & Gender
http://www.hhmi.org/grants/lectures/index.htm
"Just what is a male? Just what is a female? Sex, it turns out, can be defined on a number of different levels, from anatomical to physiological." Geared toward honors high school students, these lectures from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Holiday Lecture Series focus on the molecular and genetic mechanisms of sex determination. Web casts of the four lectures can be viewed online, or teachers can order free videotapes or DVD's. Summaries of the lectures, questions, and discussion points are also provided online. An interesting interactive feature is Gender Testing of Female Athletes. [AL]
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Froguts [Flash, .pdf]
http://www.froguts.com
Save a frog by visiting this online frog dissection. Designed by graduate student and science teacher Richard Hill, Froguts attempts to teach the lessons typically learned through classroom dissections "while preventing what may be an over-use of frogs in our environment." The dissection can be viewed from start to finish, or you can skip straight to the parts that are most interesting. Additional resources for teachers are available for download (.pdf). With vivid photos and detailed text this site has a lot to offer. [AL]
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Yukon Butterflies [QuickTime]
http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/jackhulland/projects/butterflies/
This Web siteis a student project from the Jack Hulland Elementary School. Visitors to the site can view the metamorphosis of a Painted Lady Butterfly and read daily observations of a larva transforming into a butterfly. Fun games and classroom activities are provided along with an explanation of the butterfly's life cycle. Resources that make this site particularly useful for teachers include Learning Outcomes and instructions on how to set up a Web cam. [AL]
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Rader's Biology4Kids [Flash, QuickTime]
http://www.biology4kids.com/
This appealing site by Kapili.com has recently undergone some major changes, including updated content and its own URL. With lots of information and neat photos, this is a great site to learn about how to study and classify life forms, ranging from cells and microbes to plants and animals. Visitors can be guided through the site tour, browse, or search for specific topics. Even though there is only one quiz available in the Activities section, the site is interesting and informative. [AL]
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