Websites of interest
SLEEP AND DAILY RHYTHMS
The National Space Biomedical Research Institute
has a guide called Sleep and Daily Rhythms: Activities Guide for
Teachers. This guide involves a three- to
six-week unit that can help students understand how the body's biological
clock adjusts during space missions as well as the
problems we face when adjusting to jet lag, night work, or even
the shift from standard time to daylight savings
time. The book contains group activities that teach students about
the
Earth's rotation, the importance of regular sleep
patterns, and the factors that affect the quality of our sleep. The
guide
can be obtained free of charge at the Web site www.nsbri.org
or by calling 800-798-8244.
ASK DR SCIENCE
A group of science and engineering professors at
Penn State have launched a Web site called Ask Dr. Science. This
site for elementary, middle, or high school students
provides expert answers to student questions on science topics
ranging from astronomy and biology through nuclear
engineering, psychology, and zoology. Not only can you ask your
own questions and see an answer posted 2-10 days
later, but you can also see past questions and answers. The
URL for the site is askdrscience.phys.psu.edu.
THE SCIENCE EXPLORER
The Science Explorer is a Web site that contains
descriptions of science activities appropriate for both school and
home. It contains modifications of at least
three experiments that we use regularly. Two more were of particular
interest. In Geodesic Gumdrops students build
amazing architectures with only candy and toothpicks. In Go with
the
Flow students spin a bottle to see beautiful swirling
shapes. Check out this site at
www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/index.html.
POPULAR SCIENCE ONLINE
An article from Popular
Science Online that discusses the 50 best science and technology Web
sites for the year 2000 can be viewed at www.popsci.com/features/bow00/index.html.
TRYSCIENCE
One very useful Web site for
hands-on activities, found through Popular Science Online, is TryScience.
Check it out at www.tryscience.org/experiments.html.
Under Science Learning, highlight Try Science, and then Experiments.
The experiments change regularly and cover topics such as biological science,
chemistry, earth science, mathematics, medicine and health, physics, social
science, space science, and technology and engineering. For example,
under Chemistry, there is one experiment called Pepper Scatter which we
use occasionally to illustrate surface tension of water. Under Projects,
the question, What is static electricity?, is posed, and three projects
are provided that give evidence to answer that question. Some other
questions asked are Why do leaves change color in the fall?, Why is the
sky blue?, and How do animals spend the winter?
NUTRITION
The Web site for The American Food Service Association
features lesson plans and a list of books related to nutrition,
science, and health. Explore this site at
www.asfsa.org/childnutrition/education/.
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
Scientific American awards a limited number of complimentary
subscriptions both to gifted students and to
distinguished educators. If this offer is
of interest for your classroom efforts, contact Scientific American by
email at
education@sciam.com.
You can also obtain back issues and reprints of Scientific
American articles at low cost. Articles may cost as little as
$5. Send your requests by email to reprints@sciam.com
or backissue@sciam.com, or visit the Web site
www.sciamarchive.com
to download issues in digital format.
Finally, Scientific American offers two quarterly
publications for teachers or parents. Scientific American Presents
features single topics in depth on subjects such
as space, oceans, health, intelligence, and others. A one-year
subscription is available for $19.80 by calling
800-403-9009. Scientific American Explorations is especially for
families. A one-year subscription is available
for $15.80 by calling 800-285-5264.
BACKYARD CONSERVATION
The National Resources Conservation Service, the
National Association of Conservation Districts, and the Wildlife
Habitat Council offer a 28-page booklet that teachers
can use to show students how to improve the environment, help
wildlife, and make their own schoolyard more attractive
and enjoyable. The book features tips on backyard ponds,
wetlands, composting, mulching, and tree planting.
It can be obtained free of charge by contacting the National
Resources Conservation Service, Federal Bldg, 2
Madbury Rd, Durham, NH 03824-2043; FAX 603-868-5301;
www.nrcs.usda.gov.
CRYSTALS or SNOWFLAKES
Teachers who are discussing Crystals or Snowflakes
may find the following Web sites helpful:
galleries.com/default.htm,
snowflakesbentley.com/begin.htm,
www.lpsi.barc.usda.gov/emusnow,
and
www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals.
FUN SCIENCE GALLERY
Simple low-cost science experiments can be found
on the Fun Science Gallery Web site www.funsci.com.
TOPOZONE
The Webís first interactive topography map of the
entire United States can be found at www.topozone.com.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY WORLD
Florida Power and Light Company teaches kids about
the dangers associated with electrical current on the Web site
Electrical Safety World. Visit this site at
www.fplsafetyworld.com.
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