Soil as Living Skin
In this two-minute radio program, a soil scientist introduces listeners to reasons why soil is crucial to the planet. The scientist lists functions of soil that include nutrient cycling and water filtration, and he also uses living skin as an analogy for soil. The program, part of the Pulse of the Planet radio show, is available here in text and audio formats. Copyright 2005 Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
1900 Air Pollution
Examine this graph from FRONTLINE/NOVA: Whats Up with the Weather? Web site to see dramatic increases in three greenhouse gases over the last two hundred years.
Shape builder
This interactive applet operates in one of two modes: auto draw and create shape mode, allowing the user to explore the area and perimeter of non-standard shapes. Immediate feedback is given on answers entered.
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
Image Tool
This activity allows the user to measure angles and explore the concept of scale as it pertains to maps, images, and drawings.
Ready to Teach (RTT) interactives library
This web site offers access to four interactive software tools designed to help teachers and students of algebra visualize and experiment online with key concepts related to linear and piecewise functions. Copyright 2005 Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
How high? : measurement (grades 6-8)
With this virtual manipulative, the student investigates conservation of volume with a virtual simulation of pouring a liquid from one container to a container of the same shape, but of a different size. There are four cylinder shapes to choose from: rectangular prism, cylinder, cone, and pyramid. The left container is partially filled with liquid and the base dimensions of the two cylinders are given. The student uses a slider to estimate how high the liquid will rise when poured into the secon
National Geophysical Data Center: Relief Globe Slides
This set of 20 slides contains 14 global views of the Earth in full color shaded relief, showing land and undersea topography. The planet is seen from vantage points over the poles and each major ocean and land mass. Also included are a rectangular Mercator projection view of the whole Earth, as well as displays of crustal plates and their relation to world seismic activity. The images are computer-generated from a digital database of oceanic bathymetry and land topography.
Electromagnetic waves
These pages, part of From Stargazers to Starships, explain electromagnetic waves and sunlight. Information inlcudes physiological and spectral color, spectral lines, the electromagnetic field work by Maxwell, the discovery of radio waves by Hertz, and photons and Einsteins relation. Stargazers also has detailed lesson plans accompanying these sections.
Using History and Biographies in Science
This article describes the use of history and biographies in the development of the educational modules available through Vision Learning, Inc. It includes suggestions for using these resources in the classroom.
T.P. Away
What's a quick way to unroll a roll of toilet paper? This material is part of a series of hands-on science activities designed to arouse student interest. Here students use Bernoulli's principle and an electric leaf blower to force air over the top of the toilet paper to quickly unroll it. The activity includes a description, a list of science process skills and complex reasoning strategies being used, and a compilation of applicable K-12 national science education standards. Also provided are c
Science Sampler : Growth Potential
Students will enjoy carrying out this exciting and challenging research project that combines science with computers and mathematics to investigate how polyacrylate animals change in size over time when placed in water and aqueous salt solutions. The hands-on activity motivates students and provides them with enjoyable and rewarding science project experiences. Here they have an opportunity to solve a problem and use the science inquiry skills of observing, collecting, organizing, and analyzing
DNA interactive chronicle
This site contains four interactive modules that offer teachers a direct look at how information about genetics can be misapplied and misinterpreted within societies. The modules are arranged by topics that focus on Eugenics, Carrie Buck and forced sterilization, Nazi Germany and the elimination of mental illnesses, and a personal account of a woman living with manic depression. Each module is subdivided into additional parts. These parts include images, videos, and simulations of contributions
Jen's home of multicultural math games
This website includes descriptions of three mathematical games from different cultures: Mancala, a counting game from ancient Egypt; Rithmomachia, a 'battle of numbers' board game dating back to 1150 and used by Roger Bacon to teach arithmetic; and To-pe-di, a Native American game of chance. Each game is illustrated. Other terms: geometry, Boethius, Pythagorean number theories, dice sticks. (Includes 5 references)
Early atomic understanding
This brief timeline covers all the major ancient Greeks and their various ideas. It is part of a larger website, which includes sections on Scientific Revolution and Classical Mechanics, Quntum Theory and The Modern Standard Model.
Gasping for truth : tracking the spread of SARS around the world
This is a lesson plan in which students investigate global responses to fighting the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Students will read a newspaper article to discover what is being done to curb the spread of the deadly disease. Then, students will use a variety of different media to track the spread and other statistics related to the disease. Students will write news reports advising citizens of what to do in affected areas.
Geothermal
What part does geothermal energy play in satisfying energy demands? This informational piece, part of a series about the future of energy, introduces students to heat within the Earth as an energy source. Here students read about the uses, benefits, and limitations of geothermal energy. Articles and information on places around the world that use geothermal energy and geothermal use by schools in Iowa are available from a sidebar. A link to a map of geothermal hotspots around the world is provid
Will it Float?
Student preconceptions are one of the greatest challenges we face as science teachers. This Predict, Explain, Observe, and Explain (PEOE) activity challenges students' preconceived notions about why matter floats or sinks when placed in a liquid. The idea behind this model is to do a demonstration that first confirms students' conceptions followed by a second, similar demonstration that provides discrepant information creating cognitive dissonance. Learning happens as students are forced to modi
Science Sampler : Fossil detectives
Middle school students are transformed into Fossil detectives as they examine the fossil record and use evidence about paleo-environments to develop an understanding of structure and function in living systems and changes over time in Earths history. In this enrichment activity, students work in teams to research an assigned geologic time period. They determine available habitats, food sources and types (animal, plant; woody, herbaceous, etc.), cover sources, methods of getting food, defense, an
Ernest Rutherford : Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1908
This biography was first published in the book series Les Prix Nobel. It was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures, Chemistry 1901-1921, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1966. A photo is included.
