Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Designed specifically for students, this site is a collaboration between several parks and schools in the Washington, DC area. The goal: explore ecological issues through field trips to the various parks and sharing data and observations. Unregistered users can examine and download the various data. We assume the volume of data available will increase in the coming months.

tag(s): data (151)

This is by far the best web-dissection site we've seen. The site lets students do a hands-on dissection, complete with detailed explanations of each step. Better yet, this site is available in either of two forms - a straightforward dissection or an expanded version that includes pretests and quizzes intermixed with the dissection content. If you have more students than frogs, this one's for you.

tag(s): dissection (6)

Though this page is no longer maintained, the links are working. The companion site to the PBS series of the same name boasts a huge information archive, and more importantly, suberb images showing various regions of the brain and the functions they control.

tag(s): brain (56)

While this exercise is from a site on science and optics, the KWL strategy - a structured form of questioning and answering - is applicable to the study of many topics other than science. Teachers will like this one because it outlines multiple strategies for both inquiry and presentation, giving examples from science, literature, and art.

tag(s): inquiry (24), inventors and inventions (80)

This site offers a look at the common issues and problems that major fresh-water lakes face. Teachers will find the site interesting background reading for lesson planning, but the content may not be particularly helpful for students. This site is a web resource for the TeachersFirst interactive Biomes of the World Unit. Requries FLASH.

tag(s): biomes (110)

Explore ocean life at this fabulous site. Peruse the menu tabs at the top, expecially Animals and Education to find Curriculum, Video Courses, Crafts and Printables, Live Cams, and more.

tag(s): animals (295), biomes (110), oceans (149), virtual field trips (128), webcams (19)

This tundra cam, operable by remote control over the web, is a web resource for the TeachersFirst interactive Biomes of the World Unit for grades 4-8.

tag(s): biomes (110)

A page of facts about taigas, this site is a web resource for the TeachersFirst http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes interactive Biomes of the World Unit.

tag(s): biomes (110)

This is a lesson from Genentech's Access Excellence collection, which contains several hundred detailed lesson plans for high school level biology topics. Each lesson includes objectives, instructions, methodology, and outcomes.

tag(s): dissection (6)

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)

This is a lesson from Genentech's Access Excellence collection, which contains several hundred detailed lesson plans for high school level biology topics. Each lesson includes objectives, instructions, methodology, and outcomes.

tag(s): biomes (110)

The Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah provides a collection of information and other resources on genetics and genetic engineering for students and their teachers. This is a particularly well-organized academic site.

tag(s): dna (43), genetics (81)

This is a Primer on Molecular Geneticsand the Human Genome Program from when the program first began. It includes Mapping and Sequencing, and the Human Genome Project, Model Organism Research, Informatics: Data Collection and Interpretation, and Impact of the Human Genome Project.

tag(s): dna (43), genetics (81)

A Primer on Molecular Genetics was created by the Department of Energy to provide an introduction to molecular genetics for teachers and students. This document is also available as an Adobe Acrobat file which can be printed and used in class.

tag(s): dna (43), genetics (81)

These resources from the National Human Genome Research Institute offer a series of modules for secondary students that deal with genetics, genome sequencing, and the ethical implications of genetic research and development. Find links to Journals, Resources, and Databases. This material assumes some level of prior experience on the part of both teacher and student. The site also provides a number of links to additional web resources. This is challenging content for faculty and students willing to make the effort. Students will find the glossary, found here, helpful.

tag(s): dna (43), ethics (21), genetics (81), sequencing (17)

Here's a collection of educational resources for teachers and students interested in the human genome project. The listings include scientific content, career information, glossaries, and a variety of other information drawn primarily from government and academic sources.

tag(s): dna (43), genetics (81)

This site offers user-friendly tools to launch DNA database searches, statistical analyses, and population modeling from a centralized workspace. These tools may be of particular use to AP students working on biology projects, or for teachers interested in developing simulations for use with their classes.

tag(s): dna (43), genetics (81)

This is a lesson from Genentech's Access Excellence collection, which contains several hundred detailed lesson plans for high school level biology topics. Each lesson includes objectives, instructions, methodology, and outcomes.

tag(s): assessment (147), collaboration (93)

This is a lesson from Genentech's Access Excellence collection, which contains several hundred detailed lesson plans for high school level biology topics. Each lesson includes objectives, instructions, methodology, and outcomes.

tag(s): cells (83)

Inventors didn't just live in the past! This site from Smithsonian introduces several dozen men and women whose inventions - in science, biology, engineering, etc. - have made major contributions to their fields. Students working on inventor projects will find these bios a welcome change from the standard fare.

tag(s): inventors and inventions (80)