Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The science behind volcanic eruptions is described with vivid photographs and text in this high-level site, best suited for advanced secondary students. Six distinct topics - eruption types, historical eruptions, volcanic landforms, the dynamics of eruption, volcanism on other worlds, and eruption products - are followed by interactive quizzes. Related links and a printable volcano crossword puzzle are also included.

tag(s): geology (62), volcanoes (55)

Here's a collection of resources that teachers can use to help students understand the effects of an active volcano on the surrounding habitats. You'll also find a nice collection of information on the history of the volcano itself. Worth a visit if you're planning a unit on volcanoes or national forests.

tag(s): forests (30), volcanoes (55)

This page offers several links to curren data and reports on seismic activity on Mount St. Helen's. While much of the content is better suited to professionals, even an amateur can get a sense of the level of activity within this mysterious mountain.

tag(s): volcanoes (55)

This page from the Gifford Pinchot National Forest tells the current status of the suddenly unstable Mount St. Helen's. Try using it to learn what scientists and naturalists are doing to monitor the famous volcano.

tag(s): forests (30), volcanoes (55)

Geological secrets are revealed in this informative site that presents a wealth of information about the search for and interpretation of fossils. Features include a guide for beginners, a collection of fossil myths, a glossary, fossil-themed games and activities, and much more. A nice addition to an earth science unit.

tag(s): fossils (41), geology (62), paleontology (28)

This online introduction to marine life, designed by and for middle school kids, is an excellent primer for field trip excursions to tidal pools. If traveling to the coast is not an option, the online slideshow provides photos and descriptions that are the next best thing to being there. Caution: the site contains several inactive links to videos and related resources.

tag(s): animals (295), habitats (92), oceans (149)

The famous 1940 expedition around Baja California, made by John Steinbeck and Edward Ricketts, was carefully retraced by a team of biologists in spring of 2004. Their observations of invertebrates found along the intertidal zone are documented in an online log. Visitors can compare the recent findings with what Steinbeck recorded in his 1951 book, The Log from the Sea of Cortez. This site provides a great opportunity to integrate environmental science and literature.

tag(s): ecosystems (83)

What a great addition to an earth science textbook! This site offers virtual field trips that highlight geologic phenomena from around the world. Use the site's links and images to show your students examples of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Information on environmental geology, as well as additional links to related educational sites is currently not available; however, this work in progress is worth adding to your toolbox of ideas.

tag(s): fossils (41), geology (62), rocks (35)

Add this eye-opening, interactive map to a lesson on environmental science, or weather and climate. Local and regional consequences of global climate change are illustrated through factual reports of climactic events that are divided into two groups: fingerprints (those indicating trends toward global warming) and harbingers (those directly foreshadowing climate changes). The site also includes downloadable curriculum materials for high school teachers.

tag(s): climate (84)

Use these fun and interactive games to teach your students about biodiversity and conservation by answering facts about tigers, elephants, rhinos, and polar bears. Use as an independent enrichment activity during an environmental science unit. Students can earn badges.

tag(s): biodiversity (36), conservation (102), diversity (40)

Life science teachers can find a wide variety of information about many aspects of the natural world in this well-organized site. Topics include geology, plants, fungi, animals, and naming/classifying living things. A section on "tools" provides guidance in selecting the proper items for successful nature study (i.e., field guides, binoculars, notebooks). Most importantly, all of the information is geared toward understanding nature in your own backyard (or schoolyard!). Encourage your students to check out the link to 101 Nature-Oriented Things to Do for some great science-based ideas on how to fill those long summer days.

tag(s): animals (295), classification (22), plants (146)

Elementary students can learn about the importance of America's forests while gaining an understanding of how fire can threaten and destroy this valuable resource. First, click the For Educators tab on the top menu to find several activities in PDF format for Elementary and Middle School students - puzzles, puppets, and printable coloring book pages. The bottom menu has plenty of student activities from which to choose. Next, use the search box to visit the "Only You" section to learn about the science of forest fires, discover how some are actually beneficial, and find out how to prevent disastrous wildfires.

tag(s): fire (22), fire prevention (16), fire safety (16), forests (30), safety (68)

From the safety of the computer lab, students can investigate some of the world's most intriguing underground realms. Lava tube, erosional and glacial, sea, and solution caves are represented with images, descriptions, and virtual tours. Learn about the physical structures that may be encountered along the way, including conulites, helictites, and stalagmites. Use the virtual cave maps to navigate through the underground rooms and click on the features you would like to learn more about. The images are spectacular, but students will have to read through the explanatory text to get the most out of the virtual tours. This would be a useful site to explore before an actual trip to a local cave.

tag(s): caves (7)

Help students recognize that Earth Day is every day with this thought-provoking resource that addresses the interconnections between the environment, population, poverty, consumption and conflict. Start with the Teacher's Corner page which provides an impressive collection of downloadable activities and interdisciplinary lesson plans aligned to national standards (click on "download curriculum" to access this feature). Informational text is provided in both 60 second and in depth versions. Choose based on the reading lefel of your students. Check out the "Service Learning" opportunities for practical ideas on engaging your students in critical local and global issues. Created by Facing the Future, a non-profit organization.

tag(s): environment (252), population (51)

Beginning with a description of the deadly heat wave that engulfed Europe in July and August of 2003, this website takes a student-friendly approach to explaining the phenomenon and effects of global warming. The interaction between water vapor, greenhouse gases, and the atmosphere is clearly explained and illustrated. Students can discover how scientists use satellite data to create and validate their climate models. Treat this resource as an on-line textbook chapter; ask students to read and summarize in their own words. The reading level is challenging, but appropriate for high ability secondary students. It will certainly make them think!

tag(s): water (102)

This site presents information about the South American Amazon region in an interactive quiz format. The people, plants, animals, and climate of this area are explored through text and graphics. Students are challenged to successfully plan and manage a locally controlled ecotourism site in a simulation game provided on the site. Can be used to supplement a unit on environmental science or a social studies lesson about the indigenous people of South America. Created by Educational Web Adventures.

tag(s): amazon (11), ecosystems (83), south america (47)

Involve your students in the monitoring of daily weather by using this math-based science lesson on calculating wind chill. Formulas for Fahrenheit and Celsius are provided. Created by PBS.

tag(s): weather (160)

Man may have been flying for only a century, but other vertebrates have been doing it for millions of years! Take a virtual tour of the University of California's Paleontology Vertebrate Flight Exhibit. If you're just introducing the mechanics of flight, embarking on a study of natural history and prehistoric life, or looking for a new approach to an old physics lesson, this site can provide a wealth of information. Each topic of the exhibit can be explored independently or the entire site can be treated as a tutorial, with each section flowing logically to the next. The text requires a fairly high level of reading, but is brief. Links providing further explanation of key terms are found throughout the site.

tag(s): flight (34), paleontology (28)

Use this award winning site to introduce students to the importance of saving endangered species. Colorful and descriptive information on vanishing and extinct species are directly linked to class activities and a thorough glossary of unfamiliar terms. Select from a range of activity ideas that require students to inquire, analyze, compare, and use their imagination. A special section of the site includes articles on important issues that affect endangered animals - from Eskimo Subsistence Whaling, to Global Warming, to Human Population Growth.

tag(s): endangered species (27), extinction (3), population (51), species (16)

Follow the life cycle of a glacier, view satellite images of glacial hazards, find out why glaciers are shrinking, and learn about the clothing and gear required for glacier exploration. This NOVA site offers interactive features, links to related sites, and a teacher's guide. Access to the companion NOVA video is helpful but not necessary.

tag(s): biomes (110), climate (84), glaciers (17)