Teacher's Edition
Environmental Websites
The following are a selection of environmental websites. All of these sites have important information, but many are not specifically oriented to middle school students. However, we encourage students to explore sites that have either a professional or an advocacy orientation.
We have marked with an asterisk the sites that we feel are particularly good for students.
** About Earth
Science for Kids
http://kidscience.miningco.com/kids/kidscience/msubmenu2.htm
Online resources, links, and information about geology, environment, geography,
and natural disasters.
Air Quality
Lesson Plans and Data
http:/
www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/air/monops/lessons/lesson_plans.html
A huge catalog of lesson plans on air quality arranged by grade level.
CBEP-Community
Based Environmental Protection
http://www.epa.gov/ecocommunity/
This government web site integrates environmental management with human needs,
considers long-term ecosystem health, and highlights the positive correlations
between economic prosperity and environmental well-being.
Center for Global
Environmental Education
http://cgee.hamline.edu/
CGEE specializes in combining environmental education with distance learning
technology.
Centre for Computer
Based Learning in Land Use and Environmental Sciences
http://www.clues.abdn.ac.uk:8080/
Information, case studies, and techniques for advanced high school students.
The web site originates from Scotland.
** Discovery
Channel School
http://school.discovery.com/teachers/index.html
Large collection of teacher materials that augment their television shows.
** E-Patrol
http://www.sprint.com/epatrol/
Web site with information about ecology, endangered species, and energy usage.
Earth Dog
http://www.earthdog.com/entrance.html
Online children's book about the environment.
Ecological Society
of America - Education Section, ESA-EdWeb
http://www.science.widener.edu/~grant/esa/edweb.html
Information and curriculum ideas for teachers of elementary through high
school on ecology.
** Ecoregions
of the World
http://ecology.about.com/science/ecology/library/weekly/aa102598.htm
This site discusses world ecology by regions, biodivesity, endangered species,
and human impacts.
Education for
a Sustainable Future
http://csf.concord.org/esf/index.cfm
This site has curriculum that encourages interdisciplinary life-long learning.
Energy Quest
http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/index.html
Fun, colorful information about energy consumption and alternatives to fossil
fuels.
** Envirolink
http://www.envirolink.org/
Educational materials and resources that discuss a wide variety of environmental
issues.
Environmental
Education Resources on the Internet
http://eelink.net/ee-linkintroduction.html
Materials, classroom resources, and grant opportunities for the K-12 educator
on the environment.
** Fantastic
Forest
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/96/forest/index.html
This is a site maintained by National Geographic. It is a cyber walk through
the forest.
Finding Your
Way with Map and Compass
http://mapping.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs07999.html
A web site designed to increase the students' understanding of using topographical
maps.
** GREEN-Global
Rivers Environmental Education Network
http://www.earthforce.org/green/
GREEN has an interactive program based at the University of Michigan to assess
watershed health for middle school and high school students.
Green Teacher
http://www.web.ca/~greentea/
An online magazine for teachers to enhance environmental and global education.
Internet Public
Library Youth Division
http://www.ipl.org/youth/
A huge resource of information and ideas.
Institute for
Global Communications
http://www.igc.org/igc/gateway/index.html
Progressive organization that tracks women's issues, peace issues, anti-racism
issues, and ecological issues world-wide.
** Kids Corner:
Rainforest Action Network
http://www.ran.org/ran/kids_action/index1.html
Colorful web site of activities, educational materials, action alerts, and
information on the rainforest habitat.
Kids for a Clean
Environment
http://www.kidsface.org/pages/toc.html
Information, resources, and connections to other children world-wide who
are interested in the environment.
** Kids World
2000
http://now2000.com/kids/index.shtml
Web based index of tours of art museums, natural history museums, and trips
around the world.
Learning for
a Sustainable Future
http://www.schoolnet.ca/learning/about/index_en.html
A Canadian site organized to integrate the concepts and principles of sustainable
development into the curricula at all grade levels.
** LearningPlanet.com.
http://LearningPlanet.com.
A Web site of fun, interactive, learning activities on the environment.
New Jersey Sustainable
Schools Network
http://community.nj.com/cc/sustainableschools
Discussion of community projects that could be replicated in Michigan.
Ocean Planet
from the Smithsonian
http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/search_educational_materials.html
Educational materials and information about the ocean ecosystem.
Office of Ocean
and Coastal Resource Management
http://www.nos.noaa.gov/ocrm/pcd/outreach.html
Information and links regarding Ocean and Coastal ecosystems.
** Planet Earth
http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/mtr/
Online material for teaching ecology in the K-12 classroom.
Ranger Rick
Kids Zone
http://www.nwf.org/kids/
Ecology web site with games, curricula, and an online journal for the early
elementary school aged child.
School Energy
Doctor
http://solstice.crest.org/efficiency/sed/
A multimedia production designed to lead high school students through a water
and energy audit of their school. It provides students with easy calculations
to see how efficiency and renewable energy can save energy, water, and money,
as well as, reduce pollution right at their own school.
** Science and
Nature for Kids
http://kidscience.miningco.com/kids/kidscience/
Online newsletter and resources for children.
** Secondary
School Environmental Web Based Kit from the United Nations
http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/bookstor/kits/english/oceans/page1.htm
A nicely organized web based curriculum from the United Nations.
Sierra Club
Critical Ecoregions Program
http://www.sierraclub.org/ecoregions/
A multifaceted plan for land and water systems in the United States and Canada.
** Smithsonian
Magazine's Kids' Castle
http://www.kidscastle.si.edu/
Web site for ages 8-16. Kids' Castle features articles written about issues
that interest kids today: sports, history, the arts, travel, science, and
air and space, all with great photos.
Solstice-Energy
Efficiency
http://solstice.crest.org/efficiency/index.shtml
Online resource of energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, lighting,
and general energy efficiency.
SUNetwork-Sustainable
USA Org.
http://www.sustainableusa.com/
An online newspaper featuring issues regarding U.S. sustainability, education,
and a list of nation-wide events.
Sustainable
Communities Network (SCN)
http://www.sustainable.org/
The site is designed to link people to resources and each other in the areas
of education policies, agriculture, and growth.
Sustainability
Education Center
http://www.globaled.org/sustain/update.html
Warehouse of sustainability information, teacher training, and links
U.S. Geological
Survey
http://www.usgs.gov/
This site has topographical maps that show natural disasters, land usage,
water usage and minerals.
** World Resources
Institute
http://www.wri.org/wri/index.html
Educational resources on the environment and ecosystems throughout the world,
including power point slides.