FunBrain.com Kids Center
Seventeen fun, Web-based educational games are on Funbrain.com's Numbers site. The games cover basic arithmetic, fractions, graphs, algebra, and many other topics. Math Baseball is the most popular game on the site, which awards singles, doubles, or triples depending on the difficulty of the question. All of the games have varying levels of difficulty, ranging from easy to "Super Brain." There is even an activity where the user spells the words of a number written on a check (but you might want
VESTAC: Java Applets for Visualization of Statistical Concepts
This collection of over 30 Java applets is quite impressive, both in content and in presentation. Operated at a university in Belgium, Visualization of and Experimentation with Statistical Concepts (VESTAC) is the title of the project that developed these educational tools. The applets are very intricate, with many functions and graphical capabilities; they are therefore quite large and can take some time to download on a slow connection. The four main categories of material are basic concepts,
The High Energy Weapons Archive: A Guide to Nuclear Weapons
Nuclear weapons are arguably the most destructive force invented by humans. The High Energy Weapons Archive has material on the history of their development, post World War II testing, and country-specific nuclear programs. There are facts about countries that could soon have nuclear weapon technology, including Iraq and Israel. Several links to government and news related sites are also given. Simply a source of information, the archive in no way condones nuclear weapons; this is stated repeate
Dalhousie University - Fission Track Research Laboratory
The Dalhousie University's Fission Track Research Laboratory "concentrates on apatite analyses for basin, tectonic, and metallogentic studies" and has the ability to also work with other uranium bearing minerals. The website offers summaries of various laboratory procedures of mineral separation, Californium tracks, and apatite grains. Students and educators can learn about the history and process of Fission Track Analysis. The website features publication lists, current research projects, and s
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
Backyard Weather Stations
Learn how to build your own backyard weather station with complete directions provided by FamilyEducation.com's Web site, Backyard Weather Stations. The site shows exactly what you'll need and how to build the necessary components (e.g., rain gauge and barometer), as well as how to keep records of the data collected. Parents and teachers will enjoy watching the kids "learn the basics of scientific observation and record-keeping while satisfying their natural curiosity about weather."
Gas molecule motion
This page describes the relationship between kinetic energy of molecules and temperature.
How to Avoid Potential Pitfalls
Information at this site will help teachers to avoid potential pitfalls when teaching evolution. It will help teachers to understand why they should use function not purpose, evidence not proof, and why they should refer to accepting what the evidence shows rather than believing in evolution. There are also cautions about when to use the terms 'primitive/advanced' and 'theory/hypothesis'. Other potentially confusing terms include 'randomness in evolution' and 'ancestor/relative'. The meaning of
Energy Flow
This feature, adapted from Interactive NOVA: Earth, follows the path of energy as it is transferred via the food chain from one type of organism to another.
Arithmetic and Algebra
More than 110 games or puzzles having to do with arithmetic or algebra, with extensive discussions and solutions. Most require a browser capable of displaying JavaScript or Java.
All About Sea Ice
Launched by the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the All About Sea Ice website is designed as an introduction to sea ice: what it is, how it forms, how it is studied, how it affected historical expeditions in the polar regions, and what role it plays in the global climate. The site contains over 80 pages of information on sea ice, including a glossary of sea ice terms and links to more information. The primary focus of the site is as a resource for the general public, educators and students in
Molecular Clocks : Proteins That Evolve at Different Rates
From The Human Evolution Coloring Book by Adrienne Zihlman, four different proteins from humans and horses are compared in this graphic and article, and the reasons each protein evolves at its own characteristic rate are discussed. Each protein is useful for measuring evolutionary change over a different time scale.
Warning Signs for Dangerous Times : Exploring the Use of Storm-Tracking Technologies
In this lesson, students explore the use of storm-tracking technologies, research how natural disasters are predicted, and assess the importance of these technologies. A case study of a New England snow storm and its impacts is presented for discussion, along with suggestions for retrieving information about forecasts as well as links to weather prediction and warning sites.
How Far Does a Lava Flow Go?
While learning about volcanoes, magma and lava flows, students learn about the properties of liquid movement, coming to understand viscosity and other factors that increase and decrease liquid flow. They also learn about lava composition and its risk to human settlements.
Solid, Liquid or Gas?
Students are given a variety of materials and asked to identify if each material as a solid, liquid or gas. They use their five senses — sight, sound, smell, texture and taste — to identify the other characteristics of each item.
Olympic Engineering
The lesson begins by introducing Olympics as the unit theme. The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the techniques of engineering problem solving. Specific techniques covered in the lesson include brainstorming and the engineering design process. The importance of thinking out of the box is also stressed to show that while some tasks seem impossible, they can be done. This introduction includes a discussion of the engineering required to build grand, often complex, Olympic event
Find Your Own Direction
In this activity, students create their own simple compass using thread, needle and water in a bowl — and learn how it works.
Mars and Jupiter
Students explore Mars and Jupiter, the fourth and fifth planets from the Sun. They learn some of the unique characteristics of these planets. They also learn how engineers help us learn about these planets with the design and development of telescopes, deep space antennas, spacecraft and planetary rovers.
Make an Alarm!
After reading the story "Dear Mr. Henshaw" by Beverly Cleary, students will build an alarm system for something in the classroom, as the main character Leigh does to protect his lunchbox from thieves. Students will learn about alarms and use their creativity to create an alarm system to protect their lockers, desk, or classroom door. Note: this activity can also be done without reading "Dear Mr. Henshaw".
