Statistical Education Through Problem Solving
Statistical Education Through Problem Solving (STEPS) was a collaborative project between seven universities throughout the United Kingdom "to develop problem-based teaching and learning materials for statistics." The materials draw on specific problems arising in Biology, Business, Geography and Psychology to help students learn that statistical issues are "important natural parts of the process of reaching conclusions." The software developed as a result of this project, which utilizes the com
Insecta Inspecta World
Insecta Inspecta is the result of an interdisciplinary program at Thornton Jr. High School under the review of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. This Web site offers a fun way to learn about insects and other arthropods, and does a great job of placing these bugs in a larger cultural and historical context. In addition to providing a solid introduction to insects and arthropods, this site includes quirky trivia and entertaining audio and movie clips. For instance, visitors ca
National Nanotechnology Initiative: The Initiative and its Implementation Plan
This report from the National Science and Technology Council is a supplement to the President's 2003 budget. Its purpose is to emphasize the importance of nanotechnology research and highlight the accomplishments of current government efforts in order to justify additional funding for the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). The report does a very good job of describing nanotechnology and its applications for the future. The initiatives of the program are outlined, including education, manu
Drought Resources and Information
The Drought Resources and Information Web site is maintained by the Utah State University Extension Water Resource Issues Team, which was created to "address information needs related to water conservation and quality in agriculture and urban settings." The site provides information on several subjects including landscape irrigation, agricultural water uses, home water conservation, drought and weather monitoring, and more.
The Antlion Pit: A Doodlebug Anthology
This Web site, edited by Mark Swanson, is "a collection of resources related to the fascinating antlion, or doodlebug." In addition to providing general information about antlions, this site contains "videos of antlion feeding behavior and metamorphosis, as well as information on how and where to find antlions." Frequently updated, the site recently added the Doodlebug Oracle, which answers randomly generated questions about antlions. All together, this Web site provides a fun and informative lo
Evolution & the Nature of Science Institutes: Becoming Whales
From the Evolution & the Nature of Science Institutes, this archived website contains a 45-minute lesson about evolutionary links between whales and terrestrial mammals. Through the lesson, high school biology students "experience the historical discovery of fossils which increasingly link whales to earlier land-dwelling mammals. This experience reveals how scientists can make predictions about past events, based on the theory and evidence that whales evolved." The lesson website contains concis
Louisiana State University: Tourmaline Today
This Louisiana State University website features its research of the mineral tourmaline, which can provide "information on the thermal and fluid history of rocks in which it develops, is intimately associated with some of the world's premier metallic ore deposits, retains chemical signatures of the sources of tourmaline detritus in clastic rocks", and has many additional valuable petrogenetic features. Researchers can find downloads of abstracts and publications of the University's investigation
Salmonella.org
From the University of Illinois, Professor Stanley Maloy and Assistant Professor Rob Edwards' Web site Salmonella.org is dedicated to the study of the Salmonella bacteria genome. The site offers news and information on the bacteria's various strains, including everything from tips on preventing the infection to links to genomic sequencing data. Any Salmonella researcher or enthusiast will find this uncluttered and straightforward compilation useful.
IPM Super Sleuth
Integrated Pest Management is an agricultural approach which works to minimize the use of pesticides. This interactive, kid-friendly website was created by the IPM Institute of North America to teach students in grades one through seven about Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The site utilizes a combination of word searches, crossword puzzles, matching and concentration games, and quizzes to introduce IPM concepts. The complete 114-page IPM Super Sleuth Document is also available for download. S
Research Abstracts from the DOE Genome Contractor-Grantee Workshop IX
Research abstracts from a recent Department of Energy (DOE) genomics workshop are now available online. Researchers presented updates on DOE-funded genome research at this January 2002 workshop. Abstracts can be viewed within topical categories or by author name. Abstracts include title of the talk, author name, and contact information.
Nobel Laureates in Physics
This Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) website presents the winners of Nobel Prizes in physics since 1901. For each winner, individuals can find short summaries of the scientist's research and his or her places of employment and study. The website supplies links to the universities and to outside resources about the prominent scientists. By analyzing the content in the website, users can begin to appreciate the great progress and advancements that have been made in the field of physics d
Bio.com
Self-described as "the most reliable and up-to-date information resource for those working in the life sciences and associated industries," Bio.com brings together in one Web site daily news, information, and research tools geared mostly toward biotechnology. The Web site provides "live panel discussions and one-on-one interviews with leading scientists representing the diversity of research in biology and biotechnology, topical reviews and articles on cutting-edge topics in the life sciences, t
Coastal and Marine Geology Program
The Coastal and Marine Geology Program Web site of the US Geological Survey is a clearinghouse of coastal related information and scientific research. Visitors will find a link to the monthly newsletter "Sound Waves;" information on topics of study such as corals, pollution, erosion, and sonar mapping; and goals and plans for the program.
The Factor Game
Students will use a game setting to identify the properties of prime, composite, abundant, deficient, and perfect numbers. This lesson plan includes the objective, overview of the lesson, needed materials including transparency and worksheets, procedures and rules of the game, extensions and connections, resources, and ideas for discussion.
Science Sampler : Capitalizing on student travel in Earth science classrooms
Students who take extended vacations during the school year can present a recurring challenge for educators. However, this article outlines creative strategies that will enrich students as they travel abroad, and engage them in the process of inquiry along the way.
Symmetry and Tessellations
This website provides 30 suggested activities in Symmetry and Tessellations using resources available across the World Wide Web. The author, Jill Britton, has complied this collection of links to coordinate with the chapters and activities from her publication, Investigating Patterns: Symmetry and Tessellations (Grades 5-8). The activities begin with What is Mathematics? and move on to cover topics such as Pythagoras? observations of music, patterns on Ukrainian Easter eggs, and tessellating art
Scope on Safety : Essential First Aid for Science Teachers
From a practical standpoint, science teachers should be trained to respond to incidents involving burns, bleeding, chemical exposure, swallowed poisons, penetrating objects, lacerations, and shock. Basic training is required to properly handle these situations, and this training should be reviewed annually. A list of possible lab incidents and the appropriate first-aid response is provided.
The path of light
This short article uses text and illustrations to explain that light travels in a straight path until it encounters interference.
Fraction four
In this two-player online game, students combine math skills and strategies to practice simplifying, converting, and multiplying decimals, percentages, and fractions. For each correct answer, the player places a colored ball on a 10-by-10 grid. The first person to place four balls of his or her color together in a row or diagonally wins. Students can choose different difficulty levels, response time limits, and types of questions. Problems range from simple calculations for reducing fractions to
Image Tool
This activity allows the user to measure angles and explore the concept of scale as it pertains to maps, images, and drawings.
