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.
Dendrochronology Species Database
The Dendrochronology Species Database was composed by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, a Professor of Geography at the University of Tennessee. The database "currently contains the names of over 1,100 tree and shrub species for which tree rings have been analyzed in the published literature." Records include the authority and scientific and common name(s) for each species. For species with available data in the International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB), records provide an ITRDB Code, and a link to the I
Honey Bee Brain EST Project
Honey bee RNA data from a recent study at the W.M. Keck Center for Comparative and Functional Genomics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been integrated with gene research on other organisms to create this database. The project is intended to provide updated information on honey bee genes, supplemented with information from other organisms to "suggest cellular roles, biological functions, and evolutionary relationships." Users can search for information by BLAST sequence, key
What is Design?
Children between the ages of nine and twelve will be drawn into this site that explores the world of design. It encourages "kids to develop critical viewing, technical mastery, artistic awareness, and practical, just, solutions." Many interactive games and activities are available, allowing users to create their own designs and share them with others. For example, children can design their own watch with a simple step-by-step process, and many watches are featured in a gallery. A wealth of infor
University of Aberdeen: Dryland Rivers Research
This University of Aberdeen website "is intended to stimulate research by providing an information focus and provoking networking between those working on dryland rivers and the sediments they leave behind." Following an introduction to the subjects covered at the site and the latest news, users can discover what drylands are and why they occur. Researchers can explore the work of numerous researchers related to geomorphology, sedimentology, processes, techniques, and environment and engineering
Bells in Your Ears
Does sound travel better through solids or gases? This material is part of a series of hands-on science activities designed to arouse student interest. Here the student hangs a metal fork from a pencil using string, and then strikes the fork while the eraser end of the pencil is in his or her ear. The activity includes a description, a list of science process skills and complex reasoning strategies being used, and a compilation of applicable national science standards for grades K-12. Also provi
Ozone depletion interactive lab
What is the process by which CFCs destroy ozone? This informational piece, part of an interactive laboratory series for grades 8-12, explores the destruction of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons. Here students view a four-step animation that shows how ultraviolet light breaks chlorine free from a CFC molecule. The chlorine then destroys an ozone molecule. Additional steps show how the process can be continuous. Copyright 2005 Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
Linear Function Machine
This activity allows the user to explore simple linear functions. This Java applet requires a Java-capable browser. If you don't see the applet Java may not be functional in your browser or on your machine.
Mathematics Education in the Middle Grades: Teaching to Meet the Needs of Middle Grades Learners and
In September 1998, the Math Science Education Board National held a Convocation on Middle Grades Mathematics that was co-sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Middle School Association, and the American Educational Research Association. The Convocation was structured to present the teaching of middle school mathematics from two points of view: teaching mathematics with a focus on the subject matter content or teaching mathematics with a focus on the whole chi
Powerhouse
Which dam is the largest hydroelectric producer in the United States? This article, part of a series about the future of energy, introduces students to the Grand Coulee Dam. Students read about the amount of concrete needed to build the dam, the number of dams on the Columbia River, and Lake Roosevelt. The article includes information about the power facilities located at the dam and a photograph of the dam face. Copyright 2005 Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
Frequently Asked Questions: Questions About Paleontology
This site asks and answers questions about paleontology, fossils and dinosaurs. Paleontology questions are: What is paleontology? How does paleontology differ from anthropology and archaeology? What are the practical uses of paleontology? How do paleontologists know how old their fossils are? What training is necessary to become a paleontologist? What organizations exist for paleontologists?
Earth's Ocean
With three levels to choose from on each page - beginner, intermediate or advanced - this site provides a good introduction to the structure of the ocean. Included are excellent graphics and text about patterns of ocean salinity and temperature with depth, as well as surface currents, deep ocean circulation and even the water cycle. Extensive in-text links provide the means for users to explore the content in an open-ended fashion, although some might find the lack of any obvious top-level navig
Dinosaur Detectives
This lesson plan will help students learn that discoveries about dinosaurs have a long history and that each paleontologist adds his or her work to a body of fossil evidence used to support theories about dinosaurs. In it, students will use the internet to explore the discovery of fossils and dinosaurs. The website includes the lesson plan, extensions, guidelines for evaluation, and MCREL standards alignment.
Sunlight and the Earth : Climate and Weather
These web pages trace the processes involved in the suns impact on weather. This is an exploration of the importance of radiation and reflection of light, both visible and infra-red, and the greenhouse effect. Convection and the role of water vapor are also considered. Global-scale air flows are described, explaining why wind in the continental US usually blows from the west, while near the equator it comes from the east.
John Dalton
This short biography is accompanied by an image of Dalton and includes the three tenets of Dalton's atomic theory.
The Metric System : Metric and Scientific Notation
This lesson describes the history and basic operation of the metric system as well as scientific notation. Metric to English conversions and examples of unit conversions by moving the decimal are included.
Solving a problem
This informational piece, part of a series about the future of energy, introduces students to a three-stage process for problem solving. The three stages are identify the problem, test the solutions, and evaluate the results. A student tip sheet explains each stage and enables students to work through the processes in a step-by-step manner while seeing how the information is tied together. A graphic organizer provides students with an opportunity to evaluate the problem-solving solutions they ha
Electricity
Electricity is very important to our lives. This reading, part of a series about the future of energy, introduces students to the need and uses for electricity. Students review sources of electricity generation and investigate the evaluation of energy production resources. Here students review information on the generation of electric power and the infrastructure needed to transmit and distribute electricity. Thought-provoking questions afford students chances to reflect on what they've read. We
Gravity Gets You Down
This site has students understanding that: 1) Without air resistance, all objects would fall at the same acceleration, regardless of mass. 2) Gravity is the force that causes objects to fall. 3) Air resistance, a type of friction, works against gravity to decrease the acceleration of a falling object. Included in this two day lesson plan are the objectives, needed materials, procedures, adaptations for older students, discussion questions, a rubric for assessment, extension activities, suggested
Who Was Charles Darwin?
In this lesson, students will learn firsthand, by reading his journal entries and letters, how Darwin arrived at his theory. They also will gain a better sense of Darwin's journey and the role it played in his scientific career. In the first activity, Darwin's Great Voyage of Discovery, students will read his account of his voyage on the Beagle and see how this experience inspired him to devote the rest of his life to developing and refining the theory of natural selection. The second activity,
