http://www.nabt.org/

A useful resource for a broad spectrum of life science teachers, the 9,000-member National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) is committed to empowering "educators to provide the best possible biology and life science education for all students." The extensive NABT website contains sections for membership, news and events, conferences and workshops, publications, and various educational resources. The site’s Education & Professional Development section includes subsections for grants, awards, volunteer opportunities, and field test opportunities. The website also contains a great selection of annotated online resources organized into categories like Ecology, Marine Mammals, Evolution, Bioethics, Neuroscience, and many more. Downloadable forms and information about the upcoming 2004 Convention in Chicago are available as well. [NL]

http://web4.si.edu/mna/

Taking online field guides to a whole new level, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History has brought this gem to the Internet for students, teachers, and naturalists of all ages. The website provides information for over 400 mammal species and includes high-quality range maps, photographs, scientific illustrations, family tree diagrams, weights and measures, and more. Integrating new technologies, the site offers interactive Geographic Information System (GIS) maps that pinpoint the location of different mammal species. Site visitors can also choose from a variety of map overlays to assist mammal searches including rivers, cities, topography, state boundaries, and US interstate highways. The site provides the conservation status for different species; create-your-own field guide options; skull, teeth, and bone images; resource links; and a helpful glossary as well. The website is based on the Mammals of North America by Roland W. Kays and Don E. Wilson, and The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals by Don E. Wilson and Sue Ruff. [NL]

http://www.ocean.udel.edu/horseshoecrab/

Did you know that the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) has inhabited the earth for over 300 million years? If you are hunting for more information about this prehistoric animal, check out this website which was created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Mid-Atlantic Sea Grant Programs to share research-based information about horseshoe crabs with the public. The site contains the following sections: History & Biology, Human Use, Research, Shorebird Connection, and Fisheries Management. The sections are fairly brief and concise, but some contain several sub-sections. The website also includes a list of other online resources. [NL]

http://www-ed.fnal.gov/data/life_sci/vis_tools/icons_to_photos2.shtml

From the Fermilab Education Office -- named after the world famous physicist Enrico Fermi and located amidst a tallgrass prairie -- this website offers a nice collection of prairie information and interactive programs for students. The first section contains images and profiles for plants like Big Bluestem, Mountain Mint, Compass Plant, Black-eyed Susan, and more. Each plant profile includes a photo as well as common and scientific name, family, type, typical habitat, and growth pattern. The Photos & Information about Prairie Plants section links to plant drawings and interactive sections that explore blooming times, root systems, and prairie quadrats. [NL]

http://www.marine-ed.org/

The National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) is composed of professionals from a variety of fields interested in the enjoyment and study of the world’s fresh and salt water. The NMEA website is maintained by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s Bridge Project, an ocean sciences teacher resource center (reported on in the Scout Report for Science & Engineering, February 2, 1999). The NMEA website offers a bulletin board and the Scuttlebutt email list to facilitate informal communication between marine educators, scientists, and marine enthusiasts. The site also offers information about joining NMEA and includes links to their many regional chapter sites. In addition, the website links to information about NMEA history; officers and committees; scholarships and awards; and the upcoming 2005 conference in Hawaii. [NL]

http://www.bscs.org/page.asp

Looking for ideas or resources for your biology lessons? A specialist in inquiry-based education "the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) is a nonprofit corporation that develops and supports the implementation of innovative science education curriculum for students in kindergarten through college." The BSCS website is organized around their three main activity centers: Curriculum Development, Professional Development, and Research & Evaluation. The Curriculum Development section profiles a wide variety of resources and organizes them by elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. The Professional Development section features information about various BSCS development programs, institutes, and other resources. The Research & Evaluation section includes information about current research projects, informed consent, evaluation philosophy, and internal and external evaluation projects. The site also provides corporate information about BSCS, a press kit and a job board. [NL]