Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

At this site find an explanation of the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale, which measures the strength of storms.

tag(s): hurricanes (32), weather (160)

This is the National Weather Service's home page for hurricane information, with links to satellite images, tracking forecasts, and storm warnings. This is the source for most of the commercially available storm data available on the web.

tag(s): hurricanes (32), weather (160)

Here's a plan for a relatively simple study of how what we throw out affects the environment. This one's nice because it lets students collect "real data" without requiring a lot of complex equipment.

tag(s): conservation (102), ecology (103), pollution (52)

Our Canadian users will want to visit this starting page for Canadian Earth Day acvitivities and information, and others will also find the selection of information and resources useful.

tag(s): conservation (102), earth (184), earth day (60), ecology (103), pollution (52)

Expand older Special Education students' limited knowledge of environmental concepts using literature, and culminate the unit with their own student-made books about the environment.

tag(s): environment (252), learning disability (21), Special Needs (53)

This site features information and research on volcanoes. Included are volcanic images, terminology, and monitoring of active volcanic sites. Excellent site for students, very text intensive.

tag(s): volcanoes (55)

This is a collection of science and math lessons and web resources ranging from how the Internet works to nanoscience, engineering, biology, and principles of physics and chemistry. The content is predictably detailed, "real science" based on topics and phenomena that will interest students. These are the best of the best lessons and resources with applicability to lots of settings.

tag(s): antarctica (30), arctic (40), biomes (110), chemicals (41), computers (109), cultures (180), earth (184), engineering (129), environment (252), fractions (160), geometric shapes (135), numbers (120), origami (15), planets (113), robotics (24), space (222), symmetry (27)

- Grades 9-12 - This unit is based on the debate over damming the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park, which helped mark the evolution of the conservation movement. The unit has two parts: the first details conservation through the rationales of various historical figures, and the second outlines the case study of Hetch Hetchy. The format of the second part includes a mock hearing where students present their researched ideas. In the course of the unit, students will also compare historical ideas of conservation with current ones.

tag(s): conservation (102), ecology (103), environment (252)

Select "Geophysics on the Internet" for guidance on using this site. Links listing geophysical data sites and suggestions for use in teaching are included.

tag(s): geology (62)

The weather wonks in your class will love this presentation from the University of Illinois about the blizzard that engulfed most of the northeastern US in March, 1993. The site shows how three storms converged to cause one mega-blizzard. Lots of excellent visuals combined with very understandable text.

tag(s): weather (160)

This site has been archived but can still be accessed. Follow a team sponsored by the Smithsonian as they search the deepest ocean off New Zealand for signs of giant squid. Pay particular attention to the daily log section, which provides details on how the search was conducted, as well as the results.

tag(s): oceans (149)

This site is the companion to the National Wildlife Fund's project to help schools construct wildlife-friendly habitats on school grounds. There are lots of tips on how to inventory a site ad determine what kinds of habitat might succeed. There are also lots of ways for schools to share their experiences. If you're interested in a class project, here's a great place to start.

tag(s): animals (295)

This British site includes data on current oceanographic modeling projects through the School of Mathematics and the School of Environmental Sciences. Includes sophisticated research data.

tag(s): oceans (149)

This site has as its goal to better understand the large-scale circulation of the world ocean, and in particular its impact on climate. The site includes current data from research ships, as well as other oceanographic information sources. Very detailed and research-oriented.

tag(s): oceans (149)

This site is actually an online booklet. A very clear and useful tool that reviews recent ocean research and encourages ocean conservation. Has six sections which cross disciplines. Can be used in Biology, Math, Geography and Social Studies classrooms. All of the six sections follow the same format. Users can download activities in Adobe Acrobat Format.

tag(s): oceans (149)

This is a database of curricula, handbooks, monographs, case studies, reports, and periodicals related to environmental education.

This site includes an online exhibit as well as educational resources. The online exhibition topics include: Phylogeny, Geological Time, and Evolutionary Thought. The exhibits are rich with information on the history of life on Earth. Have students make their own on-line guides to the virtual museum.

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

This visually exciting site includes step by step presentations of more than a dozen meteorological concepts from water cycles to en Nino to hurricanes and blizzards. There are separate sections for hurricanes and severe storms, as well as a case studies section which highlights unusual weather events of the past decade. Many of the visuals use the Macromedia Shockwave player.

tag(s): weather (160)

This site provides images gathered during fieldwork at McMurdo Bay in the Antarctic from December 1993 to January 1994. Images could be used as part of a student hypermedia project. Image descriptions are quite technical.

tag(s): weather (160)

Designed primarily as a vehicle for sharing scientific data, this site also includes images and information on the study of climatic changes in the arctic region. Is the polar ice cap melting? You can find out what the scientists say here.

tag(s): weather (160)