http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Biological-Engineering-Division/BE-430JFall-2004/CourseHome/index.htm

Materials from this intriguingly titled Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) course about biological systems are freely available to students, educators, and others through MIT's OpenCourseWare. The course covers a variety of topics including "conduction, diffusion, convection in electrolytes; fields in heterogeneous media; electrical double layers; Maxwell stress tensor and electrical forces in physiological systems; and fluid and sold continua: equations of motion useful for porous, hydrated biological tissues. Case studies considered include membrane transport; electrode interfaces; electrical, mechanical, and chemical transduction in tissues; electrophoretic and electroosmotic flows; diffusion/reaction; and ECG." This OpenCourseWare website provides downloadable notes for 25 lectures; seven downloadable assignments with solutions; and a pdf version of the final exam. The site links to an open, online discussion group for the course as well. [NL]

http://anthro.palomar.edu/biobasis/default.htm

This online tutorial on the Biological Basis of Heredity was developed by Dennis O'Neil of the Behavioral Sciences Department at Palomar College. The tutorial provides information about five main topics: Basic Cell Structures, Cell Reproduction, Recombination and Linkage, Sex Linked Genes, and Molecular Level of Genetics. Students wishing to review content material from the different topic areas can utilize online flashcards and crossword puzzles, which are also available in printed form. The site also contains a sizeable Glossary of Terms, a selection of related links, and information about tutorial accessibility. In addition, this site links to a number of other physical anthropology tutorials developed by O'Neil. [NL]

http://www.pbs.org/americanfieldguide//teachers/forests/forests_unit.html

From PBS-American Field Guide, this website offers high school educators a multimedia lesson plan on Primary and Secondary Succession in America's Forests. The lesson plan utilizes hyperlinked video clips to introduce students "to several different North American Forests while learning about concepts associated with succession in both natural and disturbed environments." The site contains descriptions of two 30-minute, in-class activities, as well as a slightly longer outdoor observation activity. The concise activity descriptions include needed Materials, Objectives, Teaching Instructions, and Discussion Questions. A few corresponding National Content Standards are also listed. [NL]

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Butterflies/english/

This website from the Virtual Museum of Canada introduces budding entomologists and other curious visitors to butterflies and moths found in both Canada and Peru. The site's Gallery allows visitors to peruse images of many beautiful moths and butterflies accompanied by concise descriptive information about Life History, Habitat and Range, Host Plants, Flight Period, and more. Notably, site visitors can choose to display thumbnail images of different butterfly and moth species by Habitat, Families, or Colour. The Teachers and Games section of the site offers a number of classroom activity descriptions, and self-directed educational games for students. The site also has a nice illustrated Questions & Answers section, information about butterfly conservation in Canada and Peru, a sizeable Bibliography, and a helpful Glossary. [NL]

http://www.naturewatch.ca/english/wormwatch/

Worm Watch is part of NatureWatch (first reported on in the May 31, 2002, NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences), which is series of programs--administered collaboratively by the Canadian Nature Federation, the University of Guelph, and the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network--that "encourage schools, community groups, individuals, naturalists, backyard enthusiasts, Scouts and Guides to engage in the monitoring of soil, air, water and other aspects of environmental quality." For students and teachers, the Worm Watch site offers a number of hands-on activities "designed to help participants learn about the role earthworms play in the ecosystem, as well as the care and handling of these organisms." Other site features include an interactive Taxonomic Key for identifying earthworm species, an animated tour of a worm's digestive system, and a Glossary. For Canadian residents, the website provides information about participating in the National Worm Survey. This site is available in both French and English. [NL]

http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/matthews/animate.html

From Blackwell Publishing, this entertaining series of animations is part of a companion website for Neurobiology: Molecules, Cells and Systems, a textbook by Gary G. Matthews. The ten instructive and easy-to-understand animations are worth a visit by anyone who has a curiosity about neurobiology. Animation titles include: Mechanosensory Transduction in Hair Cells, Granule Cell Migration Along Radial Glial Cells, Photo isomerization of Rhodopsin, and Propagation of the Action Potential, and more. For visitors lacking Macromedia Flash Player, which is necessary to view these animations, the site provides a link to a free Player download. [NL]

http://webvision.med.utah.edu/

From the John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, WebVision (first reported on in the August 9, 2002, NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences) is an extensive hypertext that attempts "to summarize the recent advances in knowledge and understanding of the mammalian retina." Three newer sections have been integrated into the online textbook in recent months. A subsection on S-Potentials and Horizontal Cells was added to the Anatomy and Physiology of the Retina section, and sections on Regeneration in the Visual System of Adult Mammals, and Fetal Tissue Allografts in the Central Visual System of Rodents were added as well. The text sections include helpful diagrams and images, as well as extensive reference listings. Other major sections of the WebVision hypertext include Retinal Circuits, Color Vision, Psychophysics of Vision, Primary Visual Cortex, and more. [NL]

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/education/conservationcentral/

Presented by the Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Fujifilm, this website offers a suite of fun, online activities designed to educate middle school students about habitat conservation. In one site activity, participants travel to central China to "help make decisions about a fictional forest reserve." In another activity, visitors conduct scientific research in an eastern US forest using a variety of tools and methods. A third activity enables site visitors to design a zoo habitat for giant pandas. For educators, the website supplies a cohesive curriculum which aligns with national science standards. For families, the site offers a collection of downloadable activity ideas such as Nature Drawing, and creating a Family Conservation Action Plan. [NL]