Gray Wolves, Gray Matter
http://www.wolf.org/workshop/index.htm
Part of the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE), this site was developed by the University of California, Berkeley, and the International Wolf Center. It offers an online learning curriculum that introduces students to the "social, biological, cultural and economic issues of wolf survival." Students read, discuss, and make their own observations about this real world controversy. Teachers must first register with WISE, and navigation through the login and project setup process may be somewhat confusing. Students work together in groups to complete the sequence of modules that differ slightly depending on whether the students are in grades 6-8 or 9-12. [AL]
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Mind Over Matter [.pdf]
http://www.nida.nih.gov/MOM/MOMIndex.html
This Web site from the National Institute on Drug Abuse focuses on the brain's response to drugs. Students navigate through a series of colorful and informative pages that describe certain regions of the brain and how the chemicals in drugs like marijuana, stimulants, hallucinogens, inhalants, opiates, and steroids can harm them. To aid teachers with the brain anatomy and function, a helpful teacher's guide accompanies the site, as well as more detailed information on the drug effects. [AL]
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All About Asthma [.pdf]
http://pbskids.org/arthur/grownups/health_tips/asthma.html
This new Web site from PBS Kids uses the cartoon character ARTHUR to teach children about asthma. The release of this site is timely because May is Asthma Awareness Month. The All About Asthma guide can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format, explaining things like how this common illness constricts the airways, what triggers an asthma attack, and how asthma is treated. The site also advertises upcoming PBS broadcasts of ARTHUR and "Buster's Breathless," programs that focus on this and other health related issues. [AL]
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Australian Institute of Marine Science: Project Net
http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/project-net/apnet.html
The Australian Institute of Marine Science provides this Web site as an educational resource. Several subject pages are listed and are intended to be supplements to independent classroom lessons. The site is well organized and easy to navigate, offering numerous topics related to marine science. The subject pages also cater to a variety of different user levels; the only drawback of this is that the user needs to look at each page of interest to determine whether the level is appropriate. [AL]
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Fire Wars [Flash]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fire/
Although wildfire can be quite destructive, some plants and animals become adapted to and even require this disturbance for their survival. This companion Web site to the new PBS NOVA program, Fire Wars, focuses on wildfires, the people who fight them, and the impact that the fires have on natural ecosystems. A teacher's guide accompanies the site, offering ideas for discussion and activities that can be used alone or with the television program. One particularly interesting section is entitled On Fire. This sequence of interactive features walks the user through the chemical reactions involved in combustion. This site is also reviewed in the May 3, 2002 Scout Report. [AL]
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Ology
http://www.ology.amnh.org/
This Web site from the American Museum of Natural History is a site for kids that focuses on three different Ologies -- genetics, astronomy, and paleontology. The site is full of interesting science facts, games, and activities. It offers a lot for kids to learn, and the format is appealing and interactive. Adult and kid scientists share their interests in these topics in the Meet the Ologists section, and users that are really interested can register and create their own Ology page. [AL]
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Fun Food Stuff
http://www.biotech.wisc.edu/Education/FunFoodStuff/default.htm
The University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center provides this Web site to help teachers introduce their students to the principles of biotechnology. Many of the activities use food as the experimental medium, and are easy to carry out either in the classroom or at home. By choosing the Every Demo an Experiment link, a number of other applicable biotechnology outreach materials can be found, including additional resources for teachers. [AL]
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Ladybug Anatomy
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/5924/ladybuganatomy.htm
This new Web site is one of many created by Mrs. Seagraves, a teacher at the QUEST Enrichment Center in Montgomery, Alabama. The site touches on many aspects of ladybugs, including anatomy, life cycle, games, and more. The site seems most appropriate for young children, but the variety of information may make some features appropriate for upper elementary grades as well. [AL]
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