SCIENCE is ELEMENTARY
TEACHING SCIENCE: GRADES 1-6
LIFE SCIENCES: CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANISMS
HUMAN
BEINGS - CHARACTERISTICS of LIVING THINGS
- Evolution
- Tour
of the Human Body -- This
great ThinkQuest Jr. site takes you for a tour of the following human
body systems: Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Digestive, Respiratory, Circulatory,
Urinary.
- Kids
Health -- At
this site, kids can find out how the body works! Learn about your bones,
muscles, organs and body systems, and find out the facts on illnesses
and injuries!
- A
Look Inside the Human Body -- From
the site: "At this site you can take a closer look at the major systems
of the Human Body and how they work. This information was designed to
be used in conjunction with a Science unit for Year 3 and 4 on the Human
Body."
- BBC
- Kids Body Guide -- Several
interactive lessons on the following topics: eyes, eating & digestion,
brain, breathing, teeth, heart, bones, blood, hair, food, muscles, skin,
waste disposal, ears.
- The
Heart -- An
online exploration through the heart! Lots of great images!
- What
Does Smoking Do to Your Lungs? -- Find
out the effects of cigarette smoking on young people from the Center for
Disease Control.
- Optical
Illusions -- This
site really doesn't fit in any curriculum category … but it's just too
cool to leave off of this list! A fabulous gallery of amazing illusions!
PLANTS - CHARACTERISTICS of LIVING THINGS
- Plants -- This
fabulous encyclopedia for kids has a great introduction to the world of
plants! Click on the links for further lessons on the following topics:
Seeds & Fruits, Garden & Wild Flowers, Trees, Mosses & Ferns, Fungi, Algae,
Plants for food.
- Plants! -- From
the site: "Plants are one of the major kingdoms of living things.
Plants are important to us as they provide us with food, clothing, shelter,
medicines, even the air we breathe! This website contains information,
quizzes, links and activities on plants."
- Top
Crops! -- A
fun online game from the U.S. Government (believe it or not!). Click on
a crop - peaches, lettuce, corn, grapes, soybeans, mushrooms, apples,
bananas, potatoes, oranges - and get a fact sheet. Then answer the trivia
questions about each crop!
- Why
do Plants Have Flowers? -- A
great introduction to the life cycle of plants!
- Plants
and Our Environment -- From
the site: This web site is about plants. You will learn about how plants
grow and the different parts of a plant. We will tell you how seeds travel
and what bees do to help plants. At our web site, you will also learn
about plants and their relationship with animals. Students and teachers,
be sure to check out our page with plant activities."
- All
About Plants -- A
great site where young (K-2) students can learn about plants! From the
site: "This website is designed to help you learn about plants. Please
click on one of the flowers, leaves, or seeds below.".
- USDA
- Plant Stories -- A
series of entertaining lessons on plants, including: Plant to Human: "Hands
Off, Buster!", The Plant Hunters..., Plants Fight Off Foreign Invaders,
Cracking Nature's Color-Code for Flowers.
ANIMALS - CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS
General
Information . . .
- Animal
Omnibus -- An
incredible site that provides hundreds of links to information and pictures
for hundreds of species of Amphibians, Arthropods, Birds, Dinosaurs, Fishes,
Mammals, Mollusks, Reptiles. You can also search the site for any specific
animal!
- Kratt's
Creature World -- This
site features a "clickable map" of the world … point and click on a continent
to explore its many "creatures"!
- Animal
Bytes -- Fast
facts from Sea World/Busch Gardens about dozens of species of Birds, Mammals,
Insects, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish and Invertebrates!
- San
Diego Zoo Online - Kids Territory -- From
the site: "How does a flamingo eat its food? What does a giant panda eat?
Why does one type of cobra spit? Here are some interesting facts and descriptions
on some of the animals you can see at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego
Wild Animal Park."
- Journey
North -- An
online project where schoolchildren help track the migratory progress
of a dozen migratory species!
- Cells
for Kids -- A
beautifully illustrated introduction to cells! Learn the differences between
plant and animal cells!
- Cells -- From
the site: "Life Science is full of fun and learning. We get to dissect
worms, and we also get to learn all about cells! Click on some of the
projects below to see examples and to see descriptions of the assignments:
Cell Structure, Mitosis and Meiosis, Animal cells, Plant cells, Cell Processes,
Diffusion, Osmosis, Active Transport, Virus Reproduction, Plasmolysis,
Cross Section of a plant
- The
Cell -- From
the site: "The cell is one of the most basic units of life. There
are millions of different types of cells. There are cells that are organisms
unto themselves, such as microscopic amoeba and bacteria cells."
Learn more at this site!
EARTH
AND SPACE SCIENCES: PROPERTIES
OF EARTH'S MATERIALS
- EARTH
SCIENCE - Kids Only (NASA)
-- A
phenomenal site! NASA provides interactive activities, games and lessons
about air, land, water, and natural hazards. "One-stop shopping"
for Earth Science for Kids!
Evolution of Earth's Materials
- DINOSAURS! -- Part
of the amazing "Zoom School" site, these pages take you through a great
introduction to fossils: First Dino Fossil Discoveries, What are Fossils?
How Fossils Form, Types of Fossils, Finding Fossils, Dating Fossils, Excavating
Fossils, Famous Fossil Hunters, Fossil Locations Worldwide.
- What
is a Fossil?
-- This
site answers basic questions about fossils and how they formed, and provides
tips and hints for avid fossil collectors.
- Fossils!
-- From
the Royal Ontario Museum, a super site that explains fossil formation,
how they are used by scientists, and how they are collected! Includes
an online fossil game!
- Finding
Fossils
-- A
great introduction to fossils and how to find them! Several pages of information
on fossils in museums and in nature.
- Plant
Fossils of West Virginia -- Great
galleries of plant fossils - Articulates, Lycopods, Cordaites and Ferns!
Rocks
and their Properties
- Get
Ready to Rock! -- This
tremendous ThinkQuest Jr. site has tons of information and activities
on rocks of all kinds! Topics include: Igneous, Sedimentary & Metamorphic
Rocks, The Rock Cycle, Crystals, Birthstones, Hardness, Gems, Rock Uses.
- Rocks
and Minerals for Kids -- A
great introduction to rocks and minerals for elementary students! Topics
include: Rocks, Minerals, Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic, Volcanoes,
Birthstones
- Rocks
and Minerals -- A
great introduction to the basics of rocks and minerals, from the University
of Kansas!
- Mineral
Gallery -- An
enormous collection of mineral information and images!
- Rock
and Mineral Slide Shows -- A
series of slide shows (with great pictures!) on the following types of
rocks and minerals: General, Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic.
Soil
- Soils
- Kapili.com -- Soil is much more than just dirt. It is the result of the breakdown of rocks.
The breakdown is both physical and chemical. Soil is mainly something
scientists call REGOLITH. Regolith is sandwiched between the BEDROCK (the
rock that makes up the continents) and the actual loose soil (the top
stuff at the surface).
- Soil
Science for Kids -- From the USDA, some great lessons on soil for kids: Hey! Don't Throw That Out
(Recycle it)!, Careful! Earthworms Under Foot, Like Teenage "Head
Bangers" Some Plants Like Heavy Metal Too!
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
- Volcano
World
- Volcano
World - Kids' Entry Door -- An amazing site that takes you around the world of volcanoes. If it's about
volcanoes, it's probably here!
- FEMA
for Kids - Volcanoes -- From the site: "A volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten
rock below the surface of the earth. When pressure builds up, eruptions
occur. Gases and rock shoot up through the opening and spill over or fill
the air with lava fragments." Learn much more about volcanoes at this
site!
- Volcanoes -- From
the site: "Today, there are many active volcanoes worldwide. Is there
anything we can do to predict how and when they will erupt? As the world's
population grows, more and more people are living in potentially dangerous
volcanic areas. Volcanic eruptions continue--as they have throughout history--posing
ever-greater threats to life and property." Learn much more about this
topic at this site!
- Earthquakes
- for Kids -- From the USGS, a great page full of information and activities about earthquakes!
- ABC
Earthquakes! -- A fabulous site designed for very young (Grades prek-1) students and their
teachers/families. This site features an interactive children's book designed
to explain earthquakes to young kids!!
- California
Earthquake Info -- From
the site: "An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the earth
caused by the release of energy stored in rocks. Earthquakes are detected
every day in California by sensitive instruments called seismographs.
Very few of these earthquakes are big enough to be felt by people, and
even fewer are big enough to cause damage."
- Earthquake
Quiz and Q&A -- Take
an interactive quiz about earthquakes!
- Earthquakes
- Earthforce in the Crust -- An explanation of the role of the Earth's crust in earthquakes, and several
links to key earthquake sites!
- Earthquakes
- Earthforce in the Core -- An explanation of the role of the Earth's crust in earthquakes, and several
links to key earthquake sites!
- Earthquakes
- Earthforce in the Water -- An explanation of the role of water in earthquakes, and several links to
key earthquake sites!
WEATHER
- How
The Weather Works -- From USA Today, a comprehensive introduction to all things Weather! Some of
the material is intended for advanced learners, but most of the lessons
are an easy read for students of all ages!
- Weather
Eye - Cadets! -- Designed for students in Grades 2-8, this site has dozens of lessons and activities
designed to teach kids all about weather!
- Wild,
Wild Weather -- From the site: "Hi, I'm NEWSCHANNEL 19's, Chief Meteorologist Dan Satterfield.
WELCOME to my WILD WILD WEATHER PAGE.
I've put these pages together for Kids between 6 and 16 years old."
Check out great lessons on clouds, radar, tornadoes, lightning, precipitation,
humidity, satellites, temperature, forecasting, wind, climate.
- Web
Weather for Kids -- From the site: "try these simple "do-at-home" experiments to
learn what thunderstorms are all about."
- The
Weather Underground -- A top-quality site from the University of Michigan … it features interactive
weather maps, and mounds of educational material about weather and climate!
- Weather
Basics -- An interactive weather textbook for kids - from national meteorologist Nick
Walker ("The Weather Dude").
- RADAR -- Learn
how meteorologists use RADAR to make forecasts!
Storms and Lightning
- Disasters:
Kids' Page - FEMA -- Wow! What a great site - lots of activities, games and lessons for kids to
learn about hurricanes tornadoes, tsunamis, floods, thunderstorms, volcanoes,
earthquakes, wildfires, and winter storms! One of the best kids sites
on the web!.
- Severe
Weather with Owlie Skywarm -- From the site: "I'm the official mascot of the National Weather Service
(NOAA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). I teach about
the hazards of severe weather which include tornadoes, lightning, hurricanes,
flash floods and winter storms."
- What
Happens When a Storm Comes? -- Check out this super site, which has explanations of storms and related phenomena
- for kids!
- Lightning
- Franklin Institute -- An explanation of lightning and its history geared toward young learners!
- Lightning
- NASA -- From NASA, a thorough study of lightning and its history! The text is intended
for middle-school students, but this site is a great "guided read" for
younger students with their teachers!
- Lightning
Safety for Kids -- A nice collection of information on lightning, how to stay safe in a lightning
storm, and how to learn more about lightning.
- Lightning
Images -- Some stunning images of lightning strikes!
- Hurricanes
- Miami Museum -- A great site, with lots of information and kids' activities on hurricanes
and killer storms!
- Hurricane
Harry - Environment Canada -- Follow "Hurricane Harry" for a fun tour that explains the makings of
a hurricane!
- Hurricanes -- Great
explanation of Hurricanes from the Franklin Institute!
- Tornadoes -- Great
explanation of Tornadoes from the Franklin Institute!
- Tornado
Images
- Thundershowers
- Severe
Thundershowers --
Great
explanation of thunderstorms from the Franklin Institute!
- Winter
Storms -- A super page about Winter storms, from Scholastic!
Weather Phenomena
- Clear
Days -- Sometimes
the weather forecast is bright and sunny! Find out what's happening on
clear weather days!
- Cold
Fronts -- Find
out about Cold Fronts from the Franklin Institute!
- Fog -- A
brief explanation of fog from the Franklin Institute.
- Brief
Rain Showers
- Rain -- An
explanation of what causes rain, and brief rain showers!
- Snow -- Find
out what causes Snow!
- Kids
- Clouds -- Definitions
of different cloud types, and lots of pictures!
- Cloud
Guide -- Learn
about the different types of clouds! View images of clouds of all different
types!
Air
- Air
Masses -- Although
geared for students in grades 6 and up, this is an excellent summary of
air masses and their movement!
- Cold
Fronts -- Find
out about Cold Fronts from the Franklin Institute!
- El
Nino -- Find
out about what happens when hot air is over hot water!
- Hurricanes -- Great
explanation of Hurricanes from the Franklin Institute!
Climate
- Climate
Change -- A fabulous slide show that teaches students about the earth's atmosphere
and how climates change!
- Oceans
and Climate -- A
guided tour of the Earth from Toppy the Satellite! Toppy describes how
the oceans affect climates worldwide!
- Beginner's
Guide to Climate Change -- From
the site: "These stories tell of huge shifts in climate. Climate
is the average of the weather - the sunshine, how much it rains, the temperature,
how windy it is. Earth's climate changes naturally, and human beings adapt
so that they can live. We
all live in different circumstances, and we adapt to fit our environment"
- Global
Warming - Kids' Page -- From
the Environmental Protection Agency, a great series of activities and
lessons about global warming. Includes a section on "Climate and
Weather."
- Global
Warming and Climate Change -- From the site:
"Climate is a sort of huge 'machine'. What's called 'weather' is
just a small bit of this machine which you and I notice: you know, a
tornado, a blizzard, a hurricane, very hot weather or very cold weather.
And I bet you know what drives this machine, don't you? Yes, it's the
sun. Without the sun, there would be no climate, no weather, no people,
no penguins, no life."
Click here to learn more!
- Ecosystems
of our World -- Lots
of information on the features of the following biomes: Mountains (High
Elevation), Tundra, Temperate Forest, Marine/Island Desert, Tropical Dry
Forest, Cold Climate Forest, Grassland, Savannah, Tropical Rainforest.
- Tour
of the Biomes -- A guided tour of the following biomes: Tropical rain forest, Tropical Savannah,
Mid-Latitude Deciduous forest, Desert, Subarctic Taiga, and Polar Tundra.
Click on a red dot from the map of the world to see the corresponding
biome!
WATER
CYCLE
- Water
Science for Schools -- From
the U.S. Geological Survey, the best site on the 'Net to find out about
Water! Topics include: Earth's water, Water basics, Water use, Water Q&A,
Special topics. The site also includes an Activity center and Picture
gallery!
- The
Water Cycle -- Geared
specifically to Grade 4 students, this site features a nice explanation
of the water cycle, accompanied by great graphics!
- EPA
Guide to Groundwater for Kids -- A
fabulous collection of online lessons, experiments, games and other resources
for kids to find out about groundwater!
- Water
Slide Show -- A
nice slideshow about the increasing demands on Earth's water supply.
- American
Rivers - Kids' Corner -- Learn
all about rivers, and the animals you will find in them!
- Streams -- Find
out how a stream functions! Lots of great images and artwork!
- Water
Treatment Plants -- Find
out what happens in a municipal water treatment plant (just what are you
drinking, anyway?). This site, developed by a treatment plant in Virginia,
features lots of definitions of water treatment terms (just click on the
term for a glossary definition!).
- Sources
of Water Pollution -- A
handy table listing the major sources of water pollution!
- Massachusetts
River Restore Program -- Information
on Massachusetts' efforts to restore several rivers throughout the state!
OTHER NEAT SCIENCE SITES
CHAD OSBORNE
ozpk@earthlink.net
WORCESTER STATE COLLEGE, MA 01602-2597