http://www.ocean.udel.edu/extreme2003/home.html
University of Delaware: Extreme 2004: Exploring the Deep Frontier
http://www.ocean.udel.edu/extreme2004/home.html#

The first University of Delaware Graduate College of Marine Studies website listed above chronicles the fourth in a series of Extreme missions to explore deep-sea hydrothermal vents. This particular mission--titled To the Depths of Discovery--took place in 2003 and followed an international team of marine scientists on a 23-day expedition as they studied the life-forms and structure of hydrothermal vents. Utilizing great multimedia features, the Extreme 2003 website shares information about the mission with students including: profiles of hydrothermal creatures such as Pompeii worms, vent crabs, and tube worms; sea-floor geology; expedition equipment; and crew member introductions. More than 46,000 students, world-wide, participated in the 2003 expedition through a virtual field-trip. Perhaps your students will be able to participate in the upcoming mission. On November 30, 2004, the crew will return to the ocean's depths for a 21-day expedition to continue exploring hydrothermal vents. The second website listed above, although currently in production, will chronicle this upcoming marine journey. [NL]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/cancer/

From the PBS-Nova archives, this Nova program companion website features "surgeon-turned-researcher Dr. Judah Folkman, who, together with colleagues at Children's Hospital in Boston, has spent over 30 years searching for ways to curb cancer by cutting off blood flow to tumors." The website allows visitors to view the entire Cancer Warrior program (originally aired on February 27, 2001) in eight chapter segments including: Angiogenesis in Action, Preventing Angiogenesis, How Cancer Spreads, Starving Cancer, and more. The site offers a Teacher's Guide which includes a program overview, viewing ideas, classroom activity, ideas from teachers, related resources, and an interactive feature for students. The site also includes interview clips with Dr. Folkman; a microscope video examining cancer growth; a summary of clinical trials of angiogenesis inhibitors, and a feature on accidental medical discoveries such as penicillium mold and quinine. [NL]

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/chapter9.html

This introductory chapter on the earth's biosphere was authored by Dr. Michael Pidwirny of Okanagan University College. This chapter is one of 10 composing an online educational text titled the Fundamentals of Physical Geography (reported on in the February 20, 2004, NSDL Report for the Physical Sciences). The biosphere sub-chapters include: Biological Classification of Organisms; Concept of Ecological Niche; Biotic Interactions and the Distribution of Species; The Nitrogen Cycle; Trophic Pyramids and Food Webs, and more. The hypertext contains good-quality images, a great study guide complete with a chapter summary, numerous key terms (hyperlinked to definitions in the site's Glossary), and study questions. The site also includes a set of related readings with brief annotations, related internet links, and a weblog for site users. [NL]

http://www.learner.org/channel/courses/essential/life/bottlebio/

From Annenberg/CPB, this website shares Bottle Biology construction methods and learning activities with K-6 educators. Bottle Biology is an experiential-based learning technique that was originally developed by Paul Williams, a professor of Plant Pathology at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Bottle Biology utilizes "recyclable containers as building blocks that can be put together to form any number of bottle systems to explore science, nature, and the environment." This site offers four Bottle Biology systems, each developed as companions for sessions in a larger Life Science Course "designed to provide teachers with learning opportunities that will directly inform their own classroom practice." The Course Sessions are coupled with free instructional videos (registration required), and presented with suggested hands-on activities. The first Bottle system is designed to reinforce concepts regarding the classification of living things and definitions of life; the second addresses the interconnection of animal and plant life cycles; the third focuses on evolution, and the fourth explores interdependence. [NL]

http://www.organtransplants.org/

Organ transplants are certainly one of the wonders of modern medicine, and organ donors make it possible. This finely-crafted website "weaves together in-depth information about donation and transplantation with the real-world stories of transplant recipients, donors and health care professionals." The stories are told with slide shows that integrate high-quality images and audio clips. The site also hosts interactive features such as the Interactive Body, an animated learning module exploring the organs and tissues of the human body. Specifically for educators, the site provides site companion activities for grades 5-12; related Web resources and information links; and information about a related distance learning course through the Heritage Institute and Antioch University. The site also offers a basic illustrated transplant history timeline, a glossary, feedback page, and instructions for becoming an organ donor. [NL]

http://www.pbs.org/americanfieldguide//teachers/insects/insects_unit.html

From the PBS-American Field Guide Teacher Resources collection, this website contains three lessons comprising a unit on the Co-evolution of Plants and Pollinators. The unit was designed for high school students and includes accompanying National Content Standards, Extension Websites, and video clips. The first, 45-minute lesson addresses relationships between pollinators and flowering plants. The second, 20-minute lesson compares butterflies and moths. The final, 45-minute lesson explores co-evolution between flowers and pollinators. A printable version of the unit is available for download. [NL]

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/intro/index.html

From the University of California-Berkeley Museum of Paleontology, this interactive online module "provides students with an introduction to the history of life and how it results in the biodiversity of today. During the tour students learn about geologic time, fossils, ancestral relationships, cladograms, variation, natural selection, and extinction." The website offers three different tour levels for grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. The tours blend interesting information, good questions, and images to create an enjoyable learning experience for students. The website also offers a Teacher's Guide that contains a module overview, technology requirements, National Standards met by the learning module, and navigation instructions. The Teacher's Guide provides accompanying lesson plans, handouts, related activities, and assessment materials as well. [NL]

http://www.sciencefriday.com/kids/sfkc20040924-2.html

Who was John Snow and what role did he play in the development of epidemiology? This website from Science Friday Kid's Connection offers middle school teachers a variety of online resources to explore this question and others with their students. The website links to the companion NPR Talk of the Nation: Science Friday radio program (aired on September 24, 2004) featuring three Michigan State University professors. In addition, the website contains a collection of links to supplementary educational resource sites addressing John Snow's life and work, epidemiology, and microbes. The site also contains an Academic Content Standards section with related standards and benchmarks for Grades 6-8. [NL]