Education
Created by software developer and amateur insect photographer Troy Bartlett, BugGuide.Net is an "online resource devoted to North American insects, spiders and their kin, offering identification, images, and information." Site visitors can locate animals by browsing the extensive and image-rich indices for Arachnids, Centipedes, Millipedes, Hexapods, and Malacostracans. At present, the main attraction is the incredible collection of photographs, but the site is still under development and more factual information will be added as time goes on. The free registration is not required to view the site, but users are encouraged to register so they can take a more participatory role by submitting comments, images, and links. One other notable site feature is the ID Request section, where site visitors can post an image of an unknown creature, and receive identification assistance from other site users. Bartlett makes images freely available to students, educators, and others for educational and noncommercial activities. [NL]
This impressive source for information about endangered mammals is the result of more than a decade of research by Dr. Paul Massicot, who spent 30 years working at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Site visitors can locate specific endangered species by browsing the Individual Species Index (either by common or scientific name). The species pages contain references, images, and concise information about population estimates, birth season, density and range, habitat, diet, and more. Visitors can conduct keyword searches, or browse the Species Group Index as well. The site also includes an Index of Countries which provides a list of threatened mammal species in each country as well as some basic statistics regarding Environmental and Social Data such as land use, ecosystems, economy, education, and human population. In addition, the website contains information about the World's Rarest Mammals, and a solid collection of related links. [NL]
http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/
From the United Kingdom-based Woodland Trust, this Nature Detectives website contains information and activities for budding young naturalists. For elementary-aged children, the site contains an assortment of downloadable games, activity materials, and examples of nature art sure to guide and inspire students in their own artistic endeavors. The site also hosts a News section which currently links to a variety of articles and reports about the potential effects of global climate change. In addition, site visitors will find brief information entries and photos for a number of Amphibians, Birds, Insects, Trees, Flowers, and Fungi. The site also offers information about topics like seasonal color changes in leaves; and basic instructions for both primary and secondary-aged youth for keeping phenological records. [NL]
From the Rodale Institute, this artistic website is designed to be a "safe place for children to interact with other kids, play, and have fun while learning the important connections between healthy soil/environment, healthy food, and healthy people." The site contains a plethora of great activities organized into sections like Gardening & Farming; Food & Nutrition; Arts & Crafts; and Fitness & Health. The site also offers young people message boards, interactive games, and news stories from around the world. In addition to great content, the site utilizes quality graphics, photographs, and animations to create a welcoming and fun ambience. The website also offers special sections for Families and Educators that include Curriculum, a Fitness Program, a Gardening Q&A Library, links to related websites, and more. [NL]
http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312238/cgi-bin/view.cgi
From the ThinkQuest Library archives, this excellent website about the wonders of the human brain won last year's ThinkQuest USA Upper Division grand prize. The site was created by a team of three high school students, and two teacher coaches from different schools in Connecticut. The website addresses brain anatomy, function, disorders, and psychology with well-written information sections, and helpful diagrams. The site also offers a great interactive section that encourages visitors to voice their opinions, challenge their brains, and test their knowledge with a variety of quizzes, polls, and online activities. Notably, the site posts 137 electronic sources in the Citations & References section. [NL]
http://www.botany.org/bsa/careers/
From the Botanical Society of America, this concise online brochure provides basic career information for aspiring botanists. The opening sections of the brochure address big picture issues like: What is Botany?; Botany and Society; Areas of Specialization; and Why Choose a Career in Botany? The Areas of Specialization section features a helpful chart mapping out a wide variety of career foci including cytology, morphology, plant pathology, bryology, horticulture, education, and more. Other sections have a more practical focus and address issues regarding salaries and job availability, opportunities (with a link to a botanical/plant science job board), and the required steps to a career in botany. The site also contains resource links for more information, and brief reflections from three professional botanists in different fields. [NL]
http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/Michael.Gregory/files/Bio%20100/Hum_Bio_menu.htm
This website was developed by Dr. Michael Gregory of Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, New York, for his course in Human Biology. The course is organized into eight modules addressing such topics as cell reproduction, chemistry, genetics, DNA, cell membranes, protein synthesis, and more. Modules include concise lecture notes with good quality diagrams and review questions with hyperlinked answers. The site also contains a Mitosis and Meiosis Drawing Exercise; some fascinating photographs of meiosis in animals, and mitosis in plants and animals; a glossary; and links to a number of other educational biology sites. [NL]
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/stoneage/
This Nova website asks the question: "Who were the first Americans, and where did they come from?" The site was designed to accompany a Nova program about America's Stone Age Explorers that aired on November 9, 2004. The site provides a transcript of the program; a brief article discussing the disappearance of many large mammals around 13,000 years ago; a photographic exhibit of 10 expertly-crafted stone Clovis tools from the Fenn Cache; a map that shows potential pre-Clovis sites in North America; and an interactive matching game that examines early human artifacts. The site also links to a brief, downloadable Teacher's Guide that includes a Program Overview, Classroom Activity, and Viewing Ideas. [NL]
