Collaborative Projects
http://www.k12science.org/collabprojs.html
The Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) provides these collaborative projects to be used in classrooms this fall. Many of the projects have a life science focus such as Human Genetics, Square of Life, and Bucket Buddies. Each project offers the opportunity for students to collect real life data to share online with their peers. The presentation of projects is teacher friendly, with start and end dates for each semester and the appropriate grade level available on the main page. Click on each project for project details, lesson plans, and registration. [AL]
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ChimpanZoo
http://chimpanzoo.arizona.edu/
"A collective effort between the Jane Goodall Institute, zoological facilities, and universities," ChimpanZoo is a research and education program that aims to "apply uniform research methods to learn more about chimpanzees and their psychological and behavioral responses to a captive environment." The program involves participating zoos, researchers, and volunteers collecting and submitting chimpanzee behavior data to the program. The site contains a great deal of information on chimpanzee behavior for a variety of different educational levels, high school and beyond. Topics include general chimpanzee behavior, biology, evolution, and results determined from the Chimpanzoo database. [AL]
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Butterfly Cam
http://www.dcboces.org/sufsd/nassau/vitek/butterfly/index.html
This educational Web site about butterflies was developed by a teacher and third grade students at Nassau School in Poughkeepsie, NY. The site includes photos and identifying information of a variety of butterflies found in the New York area, along with many plants that provide an important source of nectar. Students can also learn about the butterfly life cycle, do online puzzles, and view the live Web camera that will feature monarch butterflies this September. The site is easy to navigate and provides content appropriate for primary school students. [AL]
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Come Grow With Us
http://www.lakelandschools.org/EDTECH/GrowWithUs/home.htm
This is an online collaborative project from the Lakeland Central School District that allows students to observe the process of a seed becoming a plant, collect data, and communicate results with other participating classrooms. Teachers can register their students to participate in the activity this fall, or simply use the lesson plans independently. The site is well organized, provides information in a simple format, and outlines the educational standards addressed by the project. [AL]
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National Aquarium in Baltimore
http://www.aqua.org/
The Web site for the National Aquarium in Baltimore has some valuable resources for students and teachers, as well as information for those interested in visiting the museum. Several of the teachers activities can be used in classrooms that do not visit the aquarium, and the Animals section is a sizable resource of information on a number of aquatic species. A great new feature is the interactive aquagames that provide a fun way for students to test what they have learned from visiting this Web site. The site is attractive and informative, with a variety of topics that should interest a broad range of students. [AL]
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Lichens, Tardigrades, and SO2 [.pdf, Flash]
http://pathfinderscience.net/so2/
Lichens and the tiny animals called tardigrades ("water bears") that live in them are sensitive to certain air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide. Accordingly, they can be useful bioindicators of air quality. Designed to engage students in the scientific process, this Web site, produced by PathFinder Science, offers a learning program based on lichen cover and tardigrade density and diversity on trees. Detailed background information about lichens and tardigrades is provided, as well as explicit instructions for collecting and analyzing data for this study. Results can be submitted to the PathFinder Science network for inclusion in an interactive lichen map of the US. As with other PathFinder Science learning programs, the overall emphasis of this project involves understanding the scientific process, from making initial observations to publishing results. Users should note that the publication submission option is currently down. A relevant doctoral thesis containing a two-week instructional unit (complete with assessment methods) for lichen research has been recently added to the Web site and can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. [RS]
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Space for Species
http://www.spaceforspecies.ca/
"Developed by the Canadian Space Agency, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, and the Canadian Wildlife Service's," Space for Species is a colorful and highly interactive Web site that invites young people to investigate the contributions that satellite telemetry, remote sensing, astronaut observations, and weather satellites make to wildlife conservation. Users can track the real time movements of migratory animals such as polar bears and leatherback turtles, monitor climate and habitat conditions, evaluate threats to wildlife along migration routes, download a tracking journal for observations, and much more. The Scientific Sleuth page effectively explains the process of scientific investigation, providing a clear guide for those wishing to perform an investigation of their own using resources from this Web site. [RS]
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Did You Ever Wonder?
http://www.lbl.gov/wonder/
The Web site, published by the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, offers a look at the work of a number of researchers at the Berkeley Lab. While not strictly focused on the life sciences, a variety of interesting life science topics are covered, including aging, bioremediation, cancer, and cell biology. The site is visually appealing and simply presented, and makes use of sharp, eye-catching images. Each topic, posed as a question, links to pages that present both the research and the researcher in a journalistic writing style that holds the readers’ interest and makes even very complicated concepts easy to absorb. The intertwined stories of research and researcher would make this an especially useful Web site for teachers wishing to show students the human side of scientific inquiry. Students already interested in science might benefit from reading the biographies in that they convey a sense of how developing research interests can often be an organic and serendipitous process. [RS]
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