Science Related Websites

    

 

    
    The following websites could be useful to our language teachers.   There might be additional information that can be used in the language classroom in the specific content area sites listed on the introductory webpage at this site.  
     
    If you have any websites that you would recommend to be added to this page, please do not hesitate to send the site and a brief description to ballardm@citrus.k12.fl.us or, conversely, if you feel there is a site listed below that should not be included, please contact the preceding email address.  
     
     
 
101 Amazing Earth Facts  Where are the planet's hottest, coldest, driest and windiest places? Do you know how far it is to the center of the planet or what's there? Well you'll find out with this extensive list of Q&A to test your knowledge of the home planet. 
125 QUESTIONS From Science magazine, the most compelling scientific questions that can't currently be answered, but are on the   horizon.
A Century of Physics This illustrated physics timeline tells five color-coded histories at once: cosmic, human, atomic scale, living world and technology. In addition to traversing the timeline event by event, you can skip around by decade, by using the index page, or with the drop-down search function. My favorite sections are the Arts & Culture sidebars you'll find on each decade page. "The references to Art woven into the bottom border serve as reminders that science is but one of many different perspectives on the world."
Air Quality Good site to check the air quality in your area or anywhere in the country.
Alaska Volcano Observatory This site contains real-time pictures and data from Mount Augustine, an Alaskan volcano that is causing a stir as it appears to be waking up!
Albert Einstein Online Learn all about Albert Einstein, one of the most prominent mathematician and physicists of modern times, with Albert Einstein Online.
All about the Great Barrier Reef Collection of resources and lessons about the animals, plants, habitats, and features of the Great Barrier Reef.
American Museum of Nat. Hist: Resources for Learning ... a collection of activities, articles, evidence, analysis and more, for educators, families, and students interested in teaching or learning about science.
American Museum of Natural History Fossil Hall The American Museum of Natural History features the world's largest collection of vertebrate fossils, totaling almost one million specimens. A huge portion of the collection can be viewed at this site!
American Museum of Natural History: Endangered! From the American Museum of Natural History in New York, comes this excellent self-guided tour of a 1997 exhibit. Use the left-hand frame to navigate through the site, but be warned that some of the menus are nested, which is a little confusing at first. One of the don't miss articles is "Causes of Endangerment". Another is the allegorical "Legend of the Meeps Island Flying Frog" in which the leading lady tries to save the flying frogs from near extinction. Is she successful? I'll not spoil the fun.
AMNH: OLogy: Marine Biology "OLogy means 'the study of.' And here on the American Museum of Natural History's OLogy website, you can study and explore many cool Ologies." This particular section is all about Marine Biology at an elementary and middle-school level. For an introduction to oceans, start at "What's the Big Idea." To explore related concepts, follow the little red asterisks that pop open multimedia lessons. Free registration allows you to collect cards from each station, and to submit projects for possible publication.
Amusement Park Physics After you learn all about the history of the roller coaster and how it works, you can design your own roller coaster. What better way to really learn the physics of this popular ride than to create your own from the bottom up? This is very cool!  
Apollo 11 This is the command module that carried Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the Moon – and was the only part of the spacecraft to return to Earth. Click to find out more about the "Columbia" – like how the astronauts were protected from burning up while entering the Earth's atmosphere at 25,000 miles per hour.
Ask the Experts at Scientific American Magazine Scientific American magazine presents their 'Ask the Experts' page arranged by topic: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computers, environment, geology, mathematics, medicine, and physics.
Astronomy for Kids This site by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics provides current sky information. Site explains what celestial bodies are brightest in a given month and how to locate them.
Astronomy Picture of the Day The Astronomy Picture of the Day, which is put out each weekday by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. If there's one thing NASA does well, it's collect great photographs. Whether it's a neat lunarscape from the Apollo archives or the latest shot of hurricane Isabel taken by the astronauts on the space station, APOD not only shows the photo but explains what it is you're seeing.
Atmospheric Optics A spectacular site that shows (and explains) what's going on in the sky. The rainbow section is phenomenal, but it goes far beyond that into halos, iridescence, even the mystical "green flash". And it's all illustrated with great photos.
Bagheera In Rudyard Kipling's "Jungle Book," Mowgli, the man-cub, is found abandoned in the jungle. Akela, the great lone wolf, asks, "Who speaks for this cub?" Bagheera, the black panther, drops from the trees, and in a soft purring voice speaks out to save the man-cub. Expanding this metaphor, Bagheera is a Web site where people can learn about endangered species issues, and become "a voice to help save the animals from becoming extinct." Bagheera is a rich resource, and includes case studies and classroom activities.
Balance First Provides everything you need to teach students about energy balance -- balancing the foods we choose with regular physical activity.
BBC Science & Nature: Human Body With games, interactive anatomy maps, and quick facts, BBC presents organs, muscles, the skeleton, nervous system and puberty. As usual, my favorite clicks are the Flash games: put your organs in their rightful place, put together a skeleton, or challenge your senses. Warning: some parents or teachers may find the anatomically correct models, and the blunt talk in the Puberty module not appropriate for their homes or classrooms.
Biology In Motion A collection of learning activities, animations, and cartoons designed to help explain difficult, but widely taught, biological concepts. Current topics range from evolution to energy storage; illustrations, diagrams, and interactive activities to supplement biology lectures; a visual representation of the passage of blood through the human cardiovascular system; an online experiment in cell division, among others. A helpful teacher's section provides tips for how best to integrate the technology into existing lesson plans and offers pointers for making sure the videos and interactive activities can be viewed easily by students.
Brainteasers, Puzzles, and Riddles Scientists get to solve puzzles every day, because science and research involve finding solutions from the clues that we are given. Just like with brainteasers (or brain teasers) and riddles, the answers to science mysteries are not always easy to see at first. With time and effort, they eventually become clear.
Calendars from the Sky Calendars are normally based on astronomical events, and the two most important astronomical objects are the sun and the moon. Their cycles are very important in the construction and understanding of calendars. This site lets you explore the history of the human endeavor to organize our lives in accordance with the sun and stars.
Carly’s Kids Corner On this site from the National Arbor Day foundation, students in the fourth grade and abovecan investigate trees through interactive lessons and game.
Chem4Kids Find basic chemistry information at Chem4Kids, a good site with lots of beginners' chemistry resources.
Chemistry of Autumn Colors Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri of University of Wisconsin-Madison shares his love of science with high school students by explaining the chemistry of fall colors. "The range and intensity of autumn colors is greatly influenced by the weather. Low temperatures destroy chlorophyll, and if they stay above freezing, promote the formation of anthocyanins. Bright sunshine also destroys chlorophyll and enhances anthocyanin production."
Coral Literature, Education & Outreach (CLEO) Includes access to coral reef educational modules, live coral reef Web cameras, and a literature search.
Coral Reef Animal Printouts Resources and printouts for educating children about coral reefs and their inhabitants.
Current Sky Information This site by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics provides current sky information. Site explains what celestial bodies are brightest in a given month and how to locate them.
Dino Buzz "To be truthful, the unfortunate fact about the popularity of dinosaurs is that the science that it is based on occasionally is obscured by the fantasy that surrounds it." From the Museum of Palenotology at the University of California, Berkeley, Dino Buzz dispels some common myths and explores dinosaur debates such as What Killed the Dinosaurs? and Hot Blooded or Cold Blooded? They also include a handful of excellent links to resources both onsite and offsite.
Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries - Educator Resources New technology and new discoveries are leading scientists to reinterpret many of the most persistent and puzzling mysteries about dinosaurs. Use these practical, printable lessons to learn more!
DNA From The Beginning DNA from the Beginning is organized around key concepts. The science behind each concept is explained by: animation, image gallery, video interviews,  problem, biographies, and links. An animated primer on the basics of DNA, genes, and heredity.
DNA Interactive DNA Interactive is my pick-of-the-day, a great site to explore the exciting history of DNA science. Visit to examine the Timeline of DNA discovery, jump into the Code for a more in-depth lesson, or click on Manipulation to learn about the tools developed to work with DNA strands. With free registration, teachers can pick up lesson plans and worksheets. My favorite clicks are the PDF templates for making an origami DNA model in either color or black and white.
Dr. Arbor Talks Trees Dr. Arbor Talks Trees focuses on tree anatomy and physiology. Students will learn some of the basic inner workings, chemical principles, and fun ways to get to know trees better. Dr. Arbor Talks Trees will also promote how your students can celebrate trees by developing their own Arbor Day activities.  This website is designed for students in sixth through eighth grades and will help them gain a greater appreciation of trees and their contributions to our lives. Don't forget to check out the Teacher section - there are lesson ideas and a poster offer for your classroom!
Drinking Water & Ground Water Kids' Stuff Features classroom lessons, games, and activities -- categorized by grade level.
Earth and Sky: Skywatching Welcome to the Image Section of the MODIS Web, where you can view the very latest in MODIS imagery as well as search an image collection that has been growing ever since MODIS first started acquiring data in February of 2000. The MODIS Image of the Day section highlights a new MODIS image every day. After a week, Images of the Day become part of the Image Gallery, which is powered by NASA's Visible Earth image archive. The Image Gallery opens in a new browser window, where you can preview and search over 1500 archived MODIS images.
Earth Day After answering questions about their modes of transportation, energy consumption, and eating habits, students can find out how much of an impact they make on the environment each day with this site’s Ecological Footprint calculator.  This site also offers free teaching materials, video and radio broadcasts.
Earth from Above   You don't have to have wings to see what the world looks like from above. Thanks to this amazing site, you can get a "bird's eye view" of some of the most stunning sites on Earth.
Earthquake Facts This site by the U.S. Geological Survey presents as assortments of interesting facts about earthquakes
Einstein Archives Online The Einstein Archives Online Website provides the first online access to Albert Einstein’s scientific and non-scientific manuscripts held by the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and to an extensive Archival Database, constituting the material record of one of the most influential intellects in the modern era. The site allows viewing and browsing of approx. 3,000 high-quality digitized images of Einstein’s writings, available for viewing in two sizes: a standard resolution image, as well as a high-resolution image for closer inspection. This digitization of more than 900 documents written by Einstein was produced by the Jewish National & University Library’s Digitization Project.
Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Conditions The site has information on global warming, acid rain, ozone, atmosphere...just a huge amount of material.  The only complaint is that their server is down for maintenance often during weekends. 
Encyclopedia of Life Scientists are planning a massive, free Web site, called the Encyclopedia of Life, to compile data on the Earth's 1.8 million known species, including descriptions, pictures, maps, videos and links to entire genomes and scientific journal papers.
EPA: Coral Reef Protection Learn about the EPA's involvement in domestic and international coral conservation projects.
Experiments Kids Can Do The National Park Service website features this educational section of experiments kids can do to learn about and respect the earth.
Exploratorium Explore the extraordinary places, people, tools, and ideas behind the search for the origins of matter, the universe, and life itself.
Exploratorium Snacks Science treats for the mind!  These mental snacks are all about doing your own scientific experiments and observations with mostly common household items. Learn about light refraction, magnetism, balance, and motion—all from the comfort of your home!
Fear of Physics The creators of this site yearn to rid you of your fear of physics, and have created a "friendly, non-technical place for you to come and play with the laws of physics for a while." Best clicks are the animations and videos (such as "How Shaking Motion Can Destroy Structures" and "Hanging Bicycle Wheel Spinning" ) listed on the front page. The Homework Help section is reserved for paying members, but the rest of the site is free access.
FirstGov: Government Science Portal This site features real-time relevancy ranking to government science retrieval. This technology, funded by the Department of Energy, helps citizens sort through the government’s reservoirs of research and return results most likely to meet individual needs. An advanced search capability and other enhancements were added. Each agency selects its best science information for science.gov. Two major types of information are included - selected authoritative science Web sites and often hard-to-access scientific databases (specific content varies by database). This gateway to government science information allows searches across 30 databases and more than 1,700 science Web sites. Science.gov currently accesses over 47 million pages of government science information.
Fossil Horses in Cyberspace The 18-million-year-old Thomas Farm fossil preserve, owned by the University of Florida, has produced tens of thousands of bones of extinct vertebrates. This exhibit explores stratigraphy (the geology and history of the earth's layers) and the evolution of the modern horse. Best fossil clicks are the Gallery of Fossil Horses, Stratigraphy Layer by Layer and The Sedimental Journey. "Animal remains are most likely to be fossilized if their hard parts are covered by layers of sediments soon after death. Therefore, most fossils are found in sedimentary rock, like sandstone, shale, limestone and coal."
Fossils Facts and Finds Claudia and Doug (no last names given) are a couple of teachers sharing their "love of cool rocks" with kids, teachers and other fossil fanatics. In addition to articles about fossils (such as "What is a Fossil?" and "How Fossils Are Formed"), some of the more unusual features include Fossil Coloring Pages, printable Fossil Word Searches and Crossword Puzzles, and Extreme Fossil Facts ("Titanites are often two feet in diameter.") For printable booklets that elementary age students can illustrate themselves, look in the Montessori Materials section.
Fossils, Rocks and Time Reproduced from a free print publication of the U.S. Geological Survey, this online booklet is a marvelous introduction, in non-technical language, to how geologists study fossils to learn about the earth's history. "People who study Earth's history also use a type of calendar, called the geologic time scale. It looks very different from the familiar calendar. In some ways, it is more like a book, and the rocks are its pages. Some of the pages are torn or missing, and the pages are not numbered, but geology gives us the tools to help us read this book."
Fundamentals of Electricity There are a lot of resources on this page to teach about different types of energy.  Be sure to check out the pdf handouts called "Teacher Feature."
Genetics Home Reference Genetics Home Reference is the National Library of Medicine's web site for consumer information about genetic conditions and the genes or chromosomes responsible for those conditions.
Get Wise! These classroom activities and printable worksheets are designed as a resource for teachers to help students learn ways to conserve water and energy.
GIANTS: African Dinosaurs Contains educational information and activities designed for use by K-12 students.
Global Volcano Program Run by the Smithsonian Institution, the GVP is devoted to a better understanding of Earth's active volcanoes and their eruptions during the last 10,000 years. GVP activities can be divided into two main efforts that are closely linked: reporting of current eruptions around the world, and building databases and archival resources for Earth's active volcanoes and their eruptions. In doing so we provide a global context for our planet's active volcanism.
Google Sky The heavens are only a few mouse clicks away with Google's latest free tool: A new feature in Google Earth, the company's satellite imagery-based mapping software, allows users to view the sky from their computers. The tool provides information about various celestial bodies, from stars to planets, and includes imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope and other sources. It also allows users to take virtual tours through galaxies, including the Milky Way. "By working with some of the industry's leading experts, we've been able to transform Google Earth into a virtual telescope," said Lior Ron, a Google product manager. The new software also promises users the ability to see planets in motion and witness a supernova explosion. Current Google Earth users must download a new version. The software works on computers running Microsoft Windows, Apple's Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems. Google, the leading internet search engine, already provides surface images of Mars and the Moon through its web site, along with animated and satellite-based maps of Earth.
Great Images in NASA GRIN (Great Images in NASA) is a collection of over a thousand images of significant historical interest scanned at high-resolution in several sizes. This collection is intended for the media, publishers, and the general public looking for high-quality photographs. Please note that downloading these image files may take some time, although searching and browsing should be relatively quick.
Gulf of Maine Aquarium: Antartica GMU has created seven classroom (or homeschool) activities and experiments to help students grasp Antarctic challenges. They vary in scope from planning an Antarctic expedition to brainstorming an imaginary Antarctic marine animal that is well-adapted for the cold climate. My favorite is the Blubber Glove. Using a bucket of ice, clear plastic bags, and a pound of solid vegetable shortening, students learn how blubber helps Antarctic animals stay warm and aids buoyancy.
How Volcanoes Work This website is an educational resource that describes the science behind volcanoes and volcanic processes.  The site is sponsored by NASA under the auspices of Project ALERT (Augmented Learning Environment and Renewable Teaching). It is intended for the education of university students of geology and volcanology and teachers of earth science.
Hubble Site   A pictorial "tour" of our universe through Hubble's eye, the Gallery presents myriad stars, planets, galaxies, nebulae, and strange celestial phenomena in full color and exquisite detail. Look no further for  the best that Hubble has to offer.
Hunkin’s experiments This site provides lots of fun experiments most of which are educational. The site includes experiments with Food, Clothes, Math, Electricity, Light, and with everyday materials.The site is illustrated with delightfully edgy cartoons.
Inconstant Moon Before stepping out to observe the moon tonight, take a moment to find out what's visible. Click on Lunar Tours, then select today's date on the monthly calendar. "The Moon is the most easily observable astronomical object, and also the most rewarding. For the beginner, it is a breathtaking spectacle through even a modest optical instrument, and as the knowledge and resources of the astronomer increase, it will continue to provide fascinating new challenges and insights. Inconstant Moon is intended as both an introduction to lunar astronomy for the beginner, and an ongoing reference point for the more experienced observer."
Insect Collection Contributions to the The University of Minnesota Insect Collection began in 1879 with specimens of insects and spiders from the North Shore of Lake Superior. During the last 125 years, the Collection’s holdings have grown from a regional collection of 3,000 specimens to a major national and international resource of almost 3,400,000 specimens.
Insects on the Web This site aims to help you really see insects for the miniature marvels they represent and to understand how intertwined our cultures have become with these alien creatures. New content includes an expanding the links section, adding another issue of Cultural Entomology Digest and adding more educational modules to the Class Insecta section.
Inside the Brain: An Interactive Tour What happens in the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease? This tour explains how the brain works and how Alzheimer's affects it. Taking the tour: There are 16 interactive slides. Move forward or back one slide at a time by clicking on the arrows. You can also jump to any slide by clicking on its number at the top of each page. As you view each slide, roll your mouse over any colored text that appears on each page to highlight special features of each image.
Interactive Mathematics This site is for teachers, parents and students who seek engaging mathematics. Many of the topics are accompanied by Java illustrations. There are more than 800 Java applets.
Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer "Confused about the cosmos?  Can't tell a planet from a star?  Then give us just five minutes and we'll show you what they are."  Star Gazer is a syndicated PBS radio show, and this site contains twelve months of video archives in RealPlayer format.  Because of the illustrations, viewing the archives is even better than listening to Jack Horkheimer on radio.  Click through the December episodes to learn about the best times to see Mercury, Saturn and Venus this holiday season.
JetStream This site is designed to help you learn about weather and weather safety. The information contained in JetStream is arranged by subject; beginning with global and large scale weather patterns followed by lessons on air masses, wind patterns, cloud formations, thunderstorms, lightning, hail, damaging winds, tornados, tropical storms, cyclones and flooding.
J-Pass Satellite Passes Welcome to the Image Section of the MODIS Web, where you can view the very latest in MODIS imagery as well as search an image collection that has been growing ever since MODIS first started acquiring data in February of 2000. The MODIS Image of the Day section highlights a new MODIS image every day. After a week, Images of the Day become part of the Image Gallery, which is powered by NASA's Visible Earth image archive. The Image Gallery opens in a new browser window, where you can preview and search over 1500 archived MODIS images.
Junk Science In the interest of bias-balanced teaching...  Junk Science is a site that offers as much opposite to popular scientific opinion as I've seen in one spot.  It's a great source of alternative information - which some might argue is lacking in a society where all the news sources are owned by few.  It would be good for role-model debating and research as well!
Kids' Planet: eSpecies Animal Fact Sheets In addition to an excellent introduction to the Endangered Species Act (which answers questions such as "How does a species get listed?" and "How are listed species protected?") this section of Kids' Planet links to fact sheets on more than fifty endangered species. Many of the fact sheets include video and photo galleries, as well as the usual stats. Many of the fact sheets are hosted on the Defenders of Wildlife site (the parent organization of Kids' Planet), so don't let this confuse you.
Lab Tests Online This interesting website is for all of us who wonder what all those blood tests are about. Great for general interest, science and biology.
Learn.Genetics  Learn.Genetics is an genetics education outreach program from the University of Utah. In addition to their jargon-free resources for students, they have printable classroom guides for teachers. Don't miss the interactive Build a DNA Molecule activity, the DNA Extraction Virtual Lab, and my personal favorite: How to Extract DNA From Anything Living. Using a blender, detergent, meat tenderizer, alcohol and a source of DNA such as peas or chicken livers, you can isolate long, stringy DNA molecules in a test tube.
Liverpool Museums: Sunbeams & Sundials With illustrations and animations, this online exhibit from the Liverpool Museums explains how the tilt of the Earth's axis causes the Earth's four seasons, and how a sundial works. Don't miss the SunTracker, an applet that illustrates the sun's path on any day, in any location. "Along the way there are quiz questions to answer, experiments to try and a sundial to make, so there's plenty to do. Words marked in red are glossary words. Click on them to see their meaning."
LiveScience OK, so LiveScience isn't a geography-specific site but it is an amazing source for science and earth science news. I refer to it often and enjoy their great content; I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
LiveScience LiveScience is an original content site focusing on the innovative and intriguing in Science and Technology. Aimed at the intellectually curious, it covers news, views and scientific inquiry with an original, provocative point of view.
Lunar Eclipse Computer Want to know exactly when the total lunar eclipse is coming to your town? Simply enter your location and select the eclipse date from the drop-down list of recent and upcoming lunar events. For example, in Boston on March 3, 2007, the moon rises at 5:30 PM, and enters totality thirteen minutes later. For international locations, use Form B to enter your location using longitude and latitude coordinates.
Make Your Own Weather Station Using simple household materials and several purchased thermometers, elementary-age students can build tools that measure wind, air pressure, moisture and temperature. The instructions are explicit and easy to follow. Start by clicking on any of the labeled objects in the picture, or use the text menu below it. This weather station makes an excellent project for your family, scout troop or classroom.
Mangrove Virtual Tour George Venable created a website called Mangal Cay - A Caribbean Mangrove Island Virtual Tour.  You'll learn a great deal about this unique ecosystem on the site as students stop at several points on the island to learn about all the different flora and fauna.
Marine Bio  This is a very interesting site for anyone interested in ocean life. Marine life is an amazing and beautiful thing! Here you can discover fascinating marine species, get involved in ocean conservation, explore dynamic research or marine life news. Can I just say I want a sea otter - they're so cute!  
Molecules With Silly Names Believe it or not, some chemists do have a sense of humor, and this page is a testament to that. Here you'll learn about some real molecules that have unusual, ridiculous or downright silly names.
Monterey Aquarium This index page is a fabulous collection of the best Monterey Aquarium pages for both kids and teachers. My favorites are the live web cams (keep in mind that these operate on Pacific Standard Time), activities and games (from K to 12), and the Video Library (sea otters, penguins, jellies and more.) Another great find is the 168-page printable Sea Searcher's Handbook chock full of articles and hands-on activities.
Monterey Bay Aquarium The mission of this award-winning web site is to inspire, enrich and extend a visit to the aquarium, while fostering a deeper commitment and connection to the institution and ocean conservation.
Mr. Eclipse: Lunar Eclipses for Beginners "An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. The shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped components, one nested inside the other." In the outer cone (known as the penumbral zone) the earth only blocks some of the sun's light. In the inner cone (the umbral shadow), all of the sun's light is blocked. Mr. Eclipse is my pick-of-the-day site. Visit to learn about lunar eclipses and how to photograph them.
Mystery of the Mega Volcano This is the official website of the series "Mystery of the Mega Volcano" from Nova/PBS. You'll find tons of cool  features, including "Blasts from the Past" (a map of super- eruptions that have occurred throughout history), "A Supersized Volcano", and the "Next Big One" (a preview of what a modern supereruption would look like today). 
NASA Apollo Archive An entire generation has little knowledge of the Apollo missions to the moon. NASA has tons of great sites, but this one is organized in such a way as to bring a lot of diverse pieces together in a way that tells a story in addition to just presenting cool photos (and there are lots of those). It includes maps (including one showing where on the moon each mission landed), information about the crews, audio and video (including some recorded *inside* the spacecraft that you've likely never heard before), and (of course!) lots of great photos. A treasure trove of information.
NASA Home Page NASA's home page provides a wealth of features and information on 'Life on Earth' - 'Human's in Space' - 'Exploring the Universe' and much more including 'Multimedia Features'.
NASA World Wind World Wind lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place on Earth. Leveraging Landsat satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, World Wind lets you experience Earth terrain in visually rich 3D, just as if you were really there. Virtually visit any place in the world. Look across the Andes, into the Grand Canyon, over the Alps, or along the African Sahara.
NASA: Comets This site by NASA's Lunar and Planetary Science section provides information about comets describes space missions developed to study and collect solar dust.
NASA: Destination Earth This NASA web site indexes their various earth-based projects and outer space expeditions. In addition to information aimed at adults, there is also a special section devoted to kids so that they can learn and explore the world around them
NASA: Earth Observatory Using a collection of satellite-based observations, scientists and visualizers stitched together months of observations of the land surface, oceans, sea ice, and clouds into a seamless, true-color mosaic of every square kilometer (.386 square mile) of our planet. These images are freely available to educators, scientists, museums, and the public.
NASA: New Horizons Although NASA hasn't updated this website to reflect Pluto's demotion, I didn't think any discussion of Pluto would be complete without including the New Horizons spacecraft (launched January 19, 2006) on its way to a 2015 date with Pluto. Mouse around in the Education section to discover printable classroom activities, printable fact sheets, and introductory lessons about Pluto, Charon (Pluto's satellite) and the Kuiper Belt (a "swarm of bodies" beyond Neptune.)
NASA: Satellite Tracking The satellites and massive telescopes of space just got a lot closer. This site checks on the realtime location of numerous objects in space, including: International Space Station; Weather satellites; U.S. Navy monitoring orbs and many more. Presented by the Missions Operations Laboratory at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
NASA: Solar System Exploration NASA presents this Solar System Exploration web site with current space news, featured images and a space calendar.
NASA: Solar System Exploration: Pluto "Discovered by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh in 1930, Pluto takes 248 years to orbit the Sun. Pluto's most recent close approach to the Sun was in 1989." This NASA site is a must visit for anyone writing a school report. It includes fact and figures, an image gallery, and a Kid's Eye View section with a scale that calculates how much you would weight on Pluto.
National Geographic: Wanted: Albertosaurus "Last seen alive 68 million years ago in an area now called Alberta in Canada. Has powerful jaws and sharp teeth, but poses no immediate danger. Evidence of an Albertosaurus mass burial found about 90 years ago, but exact site not known. Information leading to its whereabouts requested by dino detective Phillip Currie." Learn how real-life palaeontologist Currie tracked down the missing burial site. Curie and his team have, so far, unearthed the remains of twelve Albertosaurs, evidence that these carnivores probably lived in packs
National Weather Service The U.S. government's site for local, national, and international weather, which includes some historical data. Of particular interest is a listing of all the active weather warnings in effect in the U.S.
National Zoo: Asian Elephants "Asian elephants are endangered in the wild, where perhaps only about 30,000 still live in forests of south and southeast Asia. They are endangered in North American zoos, too. That's why the 2001 birth of Kandula, the result of artificial insemination, was such a triumph." Cams and photo galleries are the highlight of this National Zoo site. Scroll down the page for links to Elephant Enigma ("How do you get a four-ton animal to open up and say, 'Ahhh'?) and savannah (or African) elephants.
Newton’s Castle Explore Newton's Castle to learn about his discoveries and secret life.  Learn about color, optical illusions, observations from nature and fascinating facts about how cars roll up hill and why dogs chase cars.  There are several Project Legal (TIPS) lessons included regarding copyright and censorship issues and a Newton Timeline. Take the quiz and get a perfect score to gain access to the treasures contained in the MoMA art gallery.
NOAA National Ocean Service Education: Corals Three sections devoted to learning about coral reefs: an online tutorial, an educational roadmap to resources, and formal lesson plans.
NOAA Online Weather Data By visiting the NOAA National Weather Service's national climate Web portal, users can click a desired location on a national map and be taken directly to the local climate page of the appropriate NOAA National Weather Service forecast office. Then, by clicking on the NOWData tab [far right], users can access a wide range of climate products for nearly 3,900 locations. Daily past weather is available for the last two years with climate averages for the standard 30-year period of 1971-2000 and extremes for as long as a station has been taking observations.
NOAA Tides and Currents NOAA Tides and Currents, managed by the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, is the portal to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's vast collection of oceanographic and meteorological data (historical and real-time), predictions, and nowcasts and forecasts.
Nobel Prize: Crack the Code Crack the Code (from the website of the Nobel Prize in Medicine) presents an overview of DNA, RNA, and amino acids, and includes two online games. In the Double Helix game, your challenge is to "make exact copies of a DNA molecule from three random organisms and find out which organisms they are." The Genetic Code game is a five-in-a-row game with a twist: you must identify a codon to place your marker. To help you find the correct amino acid, you will need the Book of Life, which you can either buy with points, or by completing an online experiment.
NOVA: Galileo's Battle for the Heavens This PBS site has got both style and substance. Visit for the great articles (such as the biography and a exploration of Galileo's telescope) but stay for the fun interactives, which include animated recreations of several of Galileo's most famous experiments. "A young Galileo is perched atop the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He is in the middle of his famous experiment the one in which he shows - by dropping cannonballs of different weights - that all objects fall at the same rate. It's the kind of story that's easy to imagine, easy to remember, but whether he ever performed the experiment at the tower is debatable."
NOVA: Magnetic Storm Something potentially earth shattering is brewing deep within the planet's molten core. As much as we hate to admit it, some acts of nature are firmly beyond our control. Case in point is the possible magnetic storm headed our way. PBS offers this timely look at our mysterious magnetic field and how this necessary component to life on Earth could reverse and wreak untold havoc.
Ocean Explorer The Ocean Explorer Web site is designed to be an engaging and educational Internet offering for all who wish to learn about, discover, and virtually explore the ocean realm. The site is primarily directed to the general public, educators, and students. Other important groups include the press, nongovernmental organizations, marine scientists and resource managers, marine protected area professionals, ocean exploration groups, and policymakers interested in the marine environment.
Ocean Wonderland 3D Film Teacher's guide to the film - outlines the main biological features of coral reefs, and their ecological role for the planet.
One Year On Mars In January 2004, Mars had two new visitors - The Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Look back at their scientific adventures and discoveries, and stay tuned as the rovers welcome a brand new year on Mars.
Online Science Games A variety of interactive science game hosted by a talking robot.
Open Questions  Everything in science begins with a question. This site is here to explore the many unanswered questions in the world of science. Inquiring surfers will learn about everything from quasars and black holes to Genomics and Evolutionary Psychology.  
Our Solar System This NASA site features news, pictures and articles on the 9 planets, many moons and one sun that make up our Solar System.
Paleomap Project This site contains maps that indicate the extent of the last major ice age.
Panorama Website Fantastic site that shows panorama movies of several Apollo moon landings. It gives a very real sensation of what it must have been like to have been there. Useful for the Gr. 6 SkyScience unit but there are also other panoramic movies on this site such as ones taken in China and at the Acropolis that might interest teachers. Its also fun just to play with.  Be sure to always preview sites and material before using.
Pest World What are pests? Think of them as animals out of place. Out in nature, they're just doing their jobs. But when they move into our homes and yards, then we call them pests. 
Physics 2000 Physics 2000 is a collection of more than sixty interactive applets and lessons demonstrating a variety of physics principles for high-school students and adults. I've always wanted to understand quantum mechanics (at least on a rudimentary level), so I immediately clicked on Quantum Atom (look under Science Trek) and found lots to learn and absorb. If you are looking for something specific, try the Table of Contents.
Pinhole camera site Pinhole photography is a great way to introduce kids to photography and science. While writing an ebook on the subject, I came across a site of particular interest to your subscribers. It's a pinhole camera made into a portable room. I think it's the only one of its kind...and it's in Canada. Enjoy.˛
PLANTS Database Provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories.
Playing With Time A wonderful online gallery of time-lapse Quicktime movies including a firecracker, the tides on Cape Cod, a woman aging throughout the years, and everything in-between; choose TO SEE AND DO and then GALLERY to get to the movies
RACE: Why Are We So Different? Looking through the eyes of history, science and lived experience, the RACE Project explains differences among people and reveals the reality - and unreality - of race.  The story of race is complex and may challenge how we think about race and human variation, about the differences and similarities among people.
Recycle City Students can explore the residential and industrial sections of the EPA’s virtual town to learn ways to reduce, reuse, and safely dispose of waste at home, at school, and at work.
Reeko’s Mad Scientist Lab What a great site! Here you can find science experiments to do at home and in the class. You can find very simple experiments and complicated ones like building your own hovercraft. Includes a crazy question and answer section, glossary, links and tons more.
Satellite Discoveries See parts of the world unknown.  Check out amazing satellite images of ancient cities ruins under oceans, forgotten irrigation systems from ages past—as well as stuff that scientists just don't know what on earth it is. Only that it is in fact on earth.
Scholastic Science Ever wonder how the domed tortoise's shell protects it from predators--or what Charles Darwin saw when he visited the Galapagos Islands? Scholastic.com recently launched a new section of its web site, called Science Explorations, as part of an ongoing partnership between Scholastic and the American Museum of Natural History to promote science literacy among students in grades 3-10.
Science Animations Some of these animations make a lot of science crystal clear!  You'll find all sorts of Flash movies categorized into areas such as microbiology, animals, and physics.
Science Guy Bill Nye the Science Guy is one of the best science sites on the Web for kids. You can get instant science facts here, as well as episode guides for all the great Bill Nye TV shows
Science News for Kids Science News for Kids is a new Web site devoted to science news for children of ages 9 to 13. Our goal is to offer timely items of interest to kids, accompanied by suggestions for hands-on activities, books, articles, Web resources, and other useful materials. Our emphasis is on making the Web site appealing by offering kids opportunities to comment on the subject matter, ask questions of scientists featured in articles, try out mathematical puzzles, and submit their own work for possible Web publication. At the same time, we are interested in offering teachers creative ways of using science news in their classrooms.
Science of Gardening Like all great endeavors, gardening is both a science and an art. This Exploratorium site demonstrates how the plants we tend feed our bodies, our minds, and our senses.
Science Q & A Science questions and answers for kids of all ages.
Science Site The following site....it has a wealth of interesting science information and activities...even science poetry.
Science Update Quirky, entertaining and informative, Science Update is a daily, 60-second feature covering the latest discoveries in science, technology and medicine. Since 1988, Science Update has reported on thousands of scientific and medical breakthroughs - and won dozens of national awards in the process.
ScienceDaily ScienceDaily is one of the Internet's leading online magazines and Web portals devoted to science, technology, and medicine. The free, advertising-supported service brings you breaking news about the latest discoveries and hottest research projects in everything from astrophysics to zoology. For three years in a row, ScienceDaily has been chosen by the editors of Popular Science magazine as one of the "Top 50 Web Sites."
ScienceWorld Comprehensive online encyclopedias of astronomy, math, physics, scientific biographies, and scientific books, with many equations and formulas.
Simple Machines The site features an interactive approach to simple machines.  You'll need Flash to make it work.
Simply Science Simply Science that contains material for Primary, (Elementary) School teachers and children around a number of themes including science teaching ideas, ideas and tutorials for the use of ICT in science as well as information for students.  You can subscribe to the Simply Science Blog where you can get updates about the site and the Simply Science Furl where new and interesting science sites are reviewed and categorized.
Skateboard Science The Exploratorium (San Francisco) site that offers content that explores the science behind skateboards, baseball, hockey, etc...
Sky Tonight Manna for amateur telescope enthusiasts and stargazers; fans of Sky & Telescope magazine will enjoy its enhanced content here. Learn how to choose a telescope or binoculars, how to start in astronomy, the best ways to observe from a city and how to use maps and charts. Get information on the SETI program and astronomical discoveries. Recent News items include information on the New Horizons spacecraft (which is headed for Pluto), photos of Comet McNaught and details about the Milky Way's black hole.
Slow-Motion Photography This site is the gallery of a company that sells high-speed cameras, showing off what their equipment can capture but it has educational value.  A favorite is the movie of a water-filled balloon being pierced by an X-acto knife. The balloon falls away almost instantly - and then the water holds the balloon shape for an unbelievably long time. It's a great example of the way water molecules stick together. Also very cool - though a little scary - is a rattlesnake biting a boot (no foot inside, thankfully). Some of the other movies are a little dicey topic-wise - gunshots and car crashes, so check them out before you show your kids.
Space Weather Space Weather. This site doesn't provide the local forecast for the moon, but rather a lot about what you can see in the sky. Have you looked up at night lately? I mean REALLY looked up? If the Milky Way (which is nothing other than looking at the spiral arm of our own galaxy) doesn't POP out at you and make you say "Wow!", then you're really missing out at how humbling it can be to look up at the sky and let your mind wander like our ancestors did. Space Weather gives you some specific things to look for, updates on astronomy-related e-mail hoaxes (no, Mars will NOT look "as large as the full moon" in late August), and, yes, a "weather report" about any storms forecast -- on the sun.
SpaceRef.com This site is a suite of tools and services designed to allow both the novice and specialist alike to explore outer space from their personal computer.
Star Child If you have a child interested in astronomy, you'll definitely want to check out NASA's StarChild, a site devoted to all things space just for kids.
Star Light Star Bright Can you know anything about the stars just by looking? This site by Amazing Space will help you understand and learn what is going on with star brightness.  Make some waves and explore the energy connection. Find out how hot a star is just by looking at it.
Storm Events Database Site allows you to find out information about major weather events in your state and county including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, hail, snowstorms, and much more, some dating back to 1950
Strange Matter Strange Matter is a traveling exhibition developed by the Ontario Science Centre and presented by the Materials Research Society  with the support of the National Science Foundation.  There is some great information for teachers and families - especially those who cannot visit the actual exhibit or who prefer to use the online resources.
The Astronomy Café Ask an astronomer  "The Web site for the astronomically disadvantaged." For anyone interested in space and physics but intimidated by the concepts, a working astronomer provides easy-to-understand answers.
The Astronomy Center AstronomyCenter.org is a collection of digital resources for teachers and students. This site is brought to you by the American Astronomical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and the National Science Digital Library.
The Dynamic Earth This presentation by the National Museum of Natural History presents the Earth's history as written on pages of stone. Since our planet's birth 4.6 billion years ago, rocks have been continually forming and, over time, changing from one kind to another. Every rock preserves part of this ancient and ongoing story.
The Elegant Universe Many scenes in NOVA's miniseries "The Elegant Universe" draw directly upon the book by physicist Brian Greene on which the series is based. With its lively descriptions, analogies, and illustrations, Greene's book gave NOVA producers Joe McMaster and Julia Cort a concrete road map for telling the story of string theory, an extremely abstract and counterintuitive subject, to a general audience.
The Everglades Story It's a critical time to take stock of the Florida Everglades, now that the world's most ambitious wetlands and ecosystem restoration project is underway.
the experiMENTALS This is a great science site that makes science fun and interesting as well as providing support materials (chose to "change player settings" to choose your local media player and Internet speed)
The National Science Digital Library The National Science Digital Library (NSDL) was created by the National Science Foundation to provide organized access to high quality resources and tools that support innovations in teaching and learning at all levels of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. NSDL is the Nation's free online library for education and research in: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
The Nine Planets The Nine Planets is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of each of the planets and moons in our solar system. Each page has text and images, some have sounds and movies, most provide references to additional related information.
The Northern Lights The Aurora Borealis, also known as The Northern Lights, are one of the most amazing natural phenomena on Earth. Find out what makes them so special, and see dozens of spectacular photos!
The Science Spot This site is made up of a collection of teaching reference materials, puzzles, trivia and other science ideas.  This one will take some time to get through!
 
The Why Files: Science Behind the News The mission of The Why Files, based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is to explore the science, math and technology behind the news of the day, and to present those topics in a clear, accessible and accurate manner.
Things in the sky JTrack. A service of NASA, JTrack is a java-based tracking screen that shows you where various satellites are.  The JPass Generator* will allow you to set up e-mail notifications of when the station (or the shuttle, once it gets back into service) will pass over your house when it's dark enough to see it. I've used it many times to show people the station; it's really easy to see when you know when and where to look.
Tree of Life Project In addition to a Learning Section, the project provides information about the diversity of organisms on Earth, their evolutionary history (phylogeny), and characteristics.
U.S. Naval Observatory: Data Services This U.S. Naval Observatory resource provides information on many types of astronomical phenomena, including: moon phases, sun and moon positions, eclipses, date of Easter, the Earth's seasons, Julian calendar date conversion and information on sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset and twilight times, and more.
UC Museum of Paleontology Want to learn more about the cenozoic era or ctenophora (comb jellies)? The University of California at Berkeley offers one of the Web's best life sciences resources. Virtual exhibits are organized into eight major wings, including Understanding Evolution, the Paleontology Portal and Special Exhibits (where you'll find most of the dinosaur exhibits). Detailed discussions of evolution and specialized topics, like eukaryote morphology. An excellent multimedia virtual glossary of biological terms is divided into 9 volumes, which include botany, zoology and cell biology.
Virtual Compound Microscope This site contains an online lesson on how to use a compound light microscope.
Virtual Zoo This site claims to be the largest virtual zoo in the world with hundreds of your favorite animals. The animal pictures and animal facts are interesting and helpful for research projects.
Visible Earth A catalog of NASA images and animations of our home planet.
Volcano World Funded in part by NASA, this volcano news and information center features 101 FAQs, video clips, pictures of eruptions and tales from the field posted by researchers worldwide. Plus interviews with scientists, images and descriptions and a page called Today in Volcano History. A kids' section includes volcano artwork, school project ideas and volcano legends.
Water Science for Schools (USGS) Offers information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you can give opinions and test your water knowledge.
Web Elements This colorful, interactive Periodic Table provides a mother lode of information on the elements in a clear, intuitive manner. Designed by chemist Mark Winter of the University of Sheffield, the site provides everything from ionization energies and radii in compounds to the electron-binding energies and charts of compound bond enthalpies. Well-designed graphs and tables abound. An abridged version of WebElements is available free for your Palm.
Why are things colored? Why is the sky blue? Why is fire yellow? What about flamingos or emeralds?  Scholars have learned that all the colors in the universe originate from a mere fifteen physical causes. These causes appear over and over, lending color to the world around us. Some common causes seem logical -- for example, both light bulbs and candles are colored by incandescence -- and others are surprising -- did you know that the colors of peacock feathers and bubbles are both caused by interference?
Wildlife resources Welcome to the Image Section of the MODIS Web, where you can view the very latest in MODIS imagery as well as search an image collection that has been growing ever since MODIS first started acquiring data in February of 2000. The MODIS Image of the Day section highlights a new MODIS image every day. After a week, Images of the Day become part of the Image Gallery, which is powered by NASA's Visible Earth image archive. The Image Gallery opens in a new browser window, where you can preview and search over 1500 archived MODIS images.
Your Sky By using a sky mapping site called Your Sky you can produce maps in the forms described below for any time and date, viewpoint, and observing location. If you enter the orbital elements of an asteroid or comet, Your Sky will compute its current position and plot it on the map.