Miscellaneous Science Sites

ABC's of Nuclear Science
http://www.lbl.gov/abc/
The ABC's of Nuclear Science is a brief introduction to Nuclear Science. Take a look at Antimatter, Beta rays, Cosmic connection and much more. Learn about radioactivity, the difference between fission and fusion, the structure of the atomic nucleus, how elements on the earth were produced, and more.

American Field Guide
http://www.pbs.org/americanfieldguide/
This is a great site for video guides on Animals, Ecosystems, Human History, Livelihoods, Earth and Space, and Plants. Each of these sections is further divided into categories. There are Teacher Resources and plenty more to make you return to this site.

Antarctic Conservation Blog
http://piclib.nhm.ac.uk/antarctica/
From London's Natural History Museum comes this fascinating look at the mysterious Antarctic with text, wonderful photographs, and many informative links. Especially interesting are the discussions of Shackleton's expedition and a look at his actual camp.

Art of Science Competition
http://www.princeton.edu/%7Eartofsci/gallery/
This assembly of images presents a fascinating and beautiful cross section of the arts and sciences at Princeton. It celebrates the aesthetics of research and the ways in which science and art inform each other.

Backyard Nature
http://www.backyardnature.net/index.html
This is a great nature site with sections including 101 Nature-orientated Things to Do this Fall; 3 Steps to Discovering Nature; and Plants, Animals, and Fungi in Your Backyard. This is a great guide to some outdoor fun this fall. You can even get the kids involved in an identification hunt!

Bernoulli Levitator
http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/bernoulli_levitator/
The Bernoulli principle explains how atomizers work and why windows are sometimes sucked out of their frames as two trains rush past each other. You can choose from two versions of this activity - small or large.

COOL Cosmos: The Infrared Universe
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/
This is a clever, imaginative site from which to learn about infrared light through fun games, movies, images, and more with classroom and individual activities. Lesson plans/activities correlated with National Science Standards.

Darwin
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/darwin/?src=e_f  
There are many fascinating things to learn about this remarkable scientist on this engaging and visually appealing website created by the American Museum of Natural History. Designed to function as an online counterpart to a recent exhibition, the site is divided into small sections that contain information on some of his activities, including his voyage on the HMS Beagle and his initial thoughts about a theory of natural selection. What is truly remarkable about this site are the audio and visual features that are woven seamlessly into the essays and photographs.

Engineering Interact
http://www.engineeringinteract.org/interact.htm
Students explore 5 interactive science activities in the educational website Engineering Interact. Investigate the science of light to save the Earth from destruction by aliens. Learn about the science of sound to find out what happened to the mermaid’s voice. Explore the science of forces to save Park World’s rides. Make discoveries in the solar system on a test drive of the Galactic Express. Save Silicon City from darkness by learning about electricity.

Engineer Your Life
http://www.engineeryourlife.org/
Research indicates that low enrollment rates of young women choosing engineering as their major have led to dwindling numbers of women entering the profession, suggesting that high school girls don't perceive engineering as relevant to their educational or professional goals. Now, a new national campaign--called "Engineer Your Life"--intends to change that. Spearheaded by members of the engineering community and Boston-based public television station WGBH, the program is built around three key messages--creativity has its rewards, make a world of difference, and explore the possibilities--that aim to change the perceptions high school girls have about engineering.

Eric Weisstein's World of Science
http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/  
Eric Weisstein's World of Science contains "budding encyclopedias" of astronomy (587 entries), scientific biography (1,069 entries), chemistry (495 entries), physics (2,695 entries), and math (11,364 entries). Includes a search engine, cross-references, figures, and occasional animated graphics or Java applets. Sponsored by Wolfram Research.

Exploratorium Online Exhibits
http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/nf_exhibits.html
These experiments are on the Learning Studio section of the Exploratorium site. Explore categories called Seeing, Matter/World, Mind, Life Science and Hearing. Read the descriptions of the exhibits in English, Spanish, French or Italian.

Exploring the Nanoworld
http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/index.html
This site provides information that every level of science student can understand. The authors promise that students will be able to investigate the "frontiers of the nanoworld" and learn about everything from DNA to semiconductors. There are some great resources: You'll find a cineplex of movies, a nanoscale video lab manual, a nanoworld slide show library, a LEGO nanobricks booklet, and more. There is a section for K-12 students, K-12 teachers, college students and college faculty. One section for teachers is called "How can I incorporate this into my science classroom?" There are lots of good ideas.

Freeze Frame: Historic Polar Images
http://www.freezeframe.ac.uk/home/home
"The Scott Polar Research Institute in the University of Cambridge holds a world-class collection of photographic negatives illustrating polar exploration from the nineteenth century onwards. Freeze Frame is the result of a two-year digitisation project that brings together photographs from both Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. Here you can discover the polar regions through the eyes of those explorers and scientists who dared to go into the last great wildernesses on earth."

FT Exploring
http://www.ftexploring.com/
Look at the basic principles controlling how things work in nature. From photosynthesis to working catapults, the site uses stories and science to help you "follow how the energy flows."

Gizmo Catalog (ExploreLearning)
http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspResourceCatalog  
Browse for Gizmos (virtual manipulatives for math and science) by Grade and Topic, by State Correlations, by Textbook Correlations, or by a List of Collections. The Gizmos appear to be fully functional; although the site offers a for-fee membership which includes additional features such as assessment tools and document creation tools. Gizmos are flash-based and interactive. Each one has an Exploration Guide that contains specific instructions on how to use the Gizmo and a guided activity for students.

Grid on TryScience
http://www.tryscience.org/grid/home.html
What's "grid computing" and how can it solve huge problems like finding a cure for cancer? You'll learn through several online and offline activities available on this site.

Hoover Dam
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/hoover/
This comprehensive site about the Hoover Dam is the online companion to the PBS "American Experience" documentary film produced about the dam. It includes historically significant documents and photos, a timeline, maps, and more. The site covers the engineering challenges faced by the builders and explores the dam's cultural significance for a country struggling to come out of the Great Depression. It also looks at the environmental impact of large-scale construction projects.

Interactive Simulations
http://phet.colorado.edu/index.php
The University of Colorado at Boulder offers more than 80 simulations of physical phenomena ranging from elementary simulations on balloons and static electricity to university-level simulations of optical quantum control. These interactive simulations can be modified by the user, and many are accompanied by sample learning goals, teacher tips, and ideas and activities that have been created to use the simulations in lessons.

I Was Wondering...
http://www.iwaswondering.org/
This site is a project of the National Academy of Sciences intended to showcase the accomplishments of contemporary women in science and to highlight for young people the varied and intriguing careers of some of today's most prominent scientists. Follow Lia as she meets important women in science, plays fun games like Make a Robot and Gorilla Quest, and travels through the timeline of scientific breakthroughs.

LearningScience.org
http://learningscience.org/index.htm
This website offering free science resources was developed by learningscience.org, an organization dedicated to sharing the emerging tools of science education: real-time data collection, simulations, inquiry based lessons, interactive web lessons, micro-worlds, and imaging. Click on categories including Science Inquiry, Life Science, Earth and Space, The History and Nature of Science, Tools to do Science and more.

Learning Zone
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/index.htm
The Learning Zone features a great series of interactive lessons for kids on fossils, animals, insects, rocks and minerals. Various characters (such as "Megan the Megalosaurus") help to guide students through the learning proces. From the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Living Things
http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/
If it's alive, it's in here. Anatomy, classification, ecosystems, and life cycles. Sponsored by the Franklin Institute Science Museum.

Museum of Science, Boston
http://www.virtualfishtank.com/main.html

My Science Box
http://mysciencebox.org/
At My Science Box you'll find complete, scaffolded lesson plans to teach a 4-6 week middle school science unit through activities, projects, and field trips. Every lesson has been kid-tested with students at Archway School. Create a printable version of any lesson plan or even a whole teaching box by clicking the "printer friendly version" button at the bottom of any page.

Nature of Science Podcasts
http://vmsstreamer1.fnal.gov/VMS_Site_03/Lectures/NOSPodcasts/
This site offers a fascinating view of the world through the eyes of a young scientist and is great resource for anyone thinking about science as a career. It includes podcasts of eight scientists giving their opinions on what life is really like in their world.

Nova Online: Fireworks!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fireworks/
This PBS site presents the colorful history of pyrotechnics and reveals how hi-tech firing systems are transforming public displays into a dazzling, split-second science. Start your tour with Name That Shell, where you'll learn to differentiate various fireworks. Next is Anatomy of a Firework, which explains each firework component. The site concludes with a an interactive science lesson about combustion titled On Fire. A Teachers Guide for grades five through twelve is also included.

Park Net: The National Parks Service
http://www.nps.gov/
This is a great site, whether you want to visit a national park or do a report or some research. Sections include Visit Your Parks, Links to the Past, NatureNet, LearnNPS and Info Zone. The feature of the month in the LearnNPS section is Thomas Edison.

Rader's Kapili.com
http://www.kapili.com/topiclist.html
Looking for a specific topic? Chemistry? Physics? Everything on this site is broken down into categories. If you just want to learn about a topic for fun, try one of the guided tours!

Resources for Science Learning
http://www.fi.edu/learn/
Visit this site from The Franklin Institute for science activities, science headlines, and other resources. It includes separate sections for Learners and Educators. Read the daily Braindrop to improve your science vocabulary!

Robot Obstacle Course
http://www.omsi.info/visit/tech/RobotActivity/index.htm
Students use logic to program a robot to either walk or jump over each colored shape in the educational website Robot Obstacle Course. Program the robot to walk over the shapes with keys, and jump over the shapes that are traps, or your robot will fall into the trap. Collect all the keys to move on to the next level. The robot is programmed using if then statements with is/is not and and/or switches. Robot Obstacle Course is a good interactive introduction to logic.

Sci4Kids
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/
This is a fun, busy site for kids to explore. Every picture tells a story. Students will enjoy the interactive visuals that lead to colorful information and facts. They will quickly become engaged in learning by clicking on a bee for info on insects, clicking on the pumpkin for facts about nutrition and clicking on the germ for facts about Weird Science. Find more simple facts on soil, the environment, animals, small towns and the role of scientists.

Science For Kids
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/whatischemistry/scienceforkids/index.htm
"Everything you see and touch has the ability to change. Sometimes substances change to form new substances. This is called a chemical change. Other times substances change but keep the same identity. This is called a physical change. Try these activities to learn more about chemical and physical change."

Science Museum of Minnesota
http://www.smm.org/explore/
The Science Museum of Minnesota’s site lets you check out mystery objects, ask experts questions, read science news, and more. Lots of great activities!

Science Mystery Stories
http://www.smithlifescience.com/SciMysteryStories.htm
Solve six mystery stories online. Read the stories and test your scientific sleuthing.

Science Nation
http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/science_nation/index.jsp  
This is an online magazine examining the breakthroughs and the possibilities for new discoveries about our planet, our universe, and ourselves. Each week, Science Nation takes a dynamic, entertaining look at the research--and the researchers-- that will change our lives.

Serious Arctic
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/wild/arctic/
One of a series of BBC-sponsored sites (others include Serious Amazon, Serious Desert) this site focuses on a 2004 Arctic expedition made by 8 teenaged explorers. The site offers their written diaries, video reports, plus facts aboout Polar Bears (now an endangered species due to global warming), and an amusing-but-noisy game.

Siemens Science Day
http://www.siemensscienceday.com/
The Siemens Foundation and Discovery Education have unveiled a new Web site that aims to engage students in science education. "Siemens Science Day" provides standards-based videos and hands-on activities for earth, life, and physical science for fourth through sixth graders. You must register to use this site.

Sightseer’s Guide to Engineering
http://www.engineeringsights.org/
The National Society of Professional Engineers created this site to help students understand how engineering affects their lives. Click on a state to find the sites listed (there are just a few for each state). Learn why a particular site was chosen, whether for architectural design, manufacturing processes, or geologic formations. Think of a site in your area that might qualify; you and your class can suggest new additions. This is a perfect introduction to engineering that ties in with 5th grade Social Studies.

Silicon Zoo
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/creatures/
This site was set up to show microscopic images found on silicon chips created around the world. But then, go into the microscopy section to see what other things look like when viewed through a microscope. This site is a great resource for students to explore before their own work on microscopes, or after using microscopes to figure out how the images are captured.

Skyscraper Page
http://skyscraperpage.com/
By learning about skyscrapers, students can integrate the use of athematics (comparing heights), mapping skills (chart the location of skyscrapers on a world map), and design. Students can see if a city in their area has a skyline photo on the site, or draw the skyline in their community.

Sport Science
http://www.exploratorium.edu/sports/
Check out this Exploratorium site for the science behind home runs, skateboarding, surfing, cycling, and hockey. Click on Hands-on Activities for many activities in a variety of categories.

Strange Matter
http://www.strangematterexhibit.com/
Learn about the Strange Matter that makes up the world around you by investigating four critical areas of materials science: structure, properties, processing and performance. Strange Matter also features experiments that can be done at home or in the classroom, resources for further exploration and video interviews with the people behind materials science.

Supersonic Dream
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/concorde/anatomy.html
Examine the features of the Concorde that were designed and engineered for high-altitude, supersonic flight by exploring this detailed, interactive cross section.

Under the Microscope
http://www.underthemicroscope.com
The Feminist Press at the City University of New York recently launched UnderTheMicroscope.com in conjunction with IBM in an effort to increase public awareness of the need for women in science-related fields. The site aims to celebrate the achievements of women in science, while openly discussing the challenges they face, and also inspire more young women to pursue science careers by providing a social-networking forum for students, working scientists, teachers, counselors, and parents.

Walk in the Woods
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/woods/
At this site from the University of Illinois Extension, students can take a virtual walk in the woods and listen as someone describes what they are seeing. There is also a Spanish version of the walk. Be sure to check out the Index, Teacher's Guide, Nature Notes, Getting Ready, and Fun Place.

Women in Science
http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/smithsonian/show_women_science.do
The Smithsonian Channel provides access to video clips from its "Women in Science" broadcast. The women profiled study animals, such as wolves, bats, and condors, in their natural habitats. Learn about their academic training, research interests, and more.