Science Links to Support Inquiry-Based Learning
Essential Science Links for Teachers
Benchmarks for Science Literacy – Developed by the Project 2061, the Benchmarks look at adjusting science curriculum to essential elements with a goal of having all graduates scientifically literate by 2061.
Science NetLinks – From AAAS, a wealth of searchable standards-based lessons, resources and activities.
The Science Learning Network – Extensive science resources, links to international network of museums and more.
Center for Educational Resources (CERES Project) – On-line and interactive K-12 science education materials for teaching astronomy.
Exploratorium Online Exhibitions
Ask A Scientist – Ask expert scientists questions or review the archives for questions already answered.
OMSI’s Guide to Science Resources – Extensive links to science topics.
EDC Center for Science Education – Curriculum and instructional materials.
The Learning Web – USGS resource site for natural science.
U.S. Geological Survey – Comprehensive science lesson plans. Site has some interactive Playtime Wizard featured sites.
Student Science and Tech – From the National Research Council Canada, links to astronomy, space and biology resources including interactive tools.
Learn Genetics – From the Genetic Science Learning Center, a premiere site with interactive tools.
Collaborative Projects – Collecting and Sharing Data with Others
WISE – The Web-based Inquiry Science Environment; a comprehensive set of projects that support inquiry-based learning; not to be missed.
Down the Drain – Grades 4 to 8; how much water do you use?
International Boiling Point Project – Grades 6 to 12; what causes a pot of water to boil?
Human Genetics – Grades 6-12; looking for specific traits across the world.
Global Water Sampling Project – Grades 9-12; water quality world-wide.
The Global Sun Temperature Project – Grades 5 to 8; join schools from around the world as they try to figure out how proximity to the equator affects average daily temperature and hours of sunlight.
The Square of Life Project – Grades 1 to 5; this Internet-based collaborative project will allow your students to share information about the plants, animals and non-living objects found in their schoolyard environment with other students from around the country and the world.
Bucket Buddies – Grades 1 to 5; students around the United States and other countries will collect samples from local ponds to answer the question: Are the organisms found in pond water the same all over the world?
Take A Dip – Grades 6 to 8; students are teaming up around the globe to test fresh water. Join us in this collaborative project, comparing the water quality of your local river, stream, lake or pond with other fresh water sources around the world.
Noon Day Project – Grades 5 to 12; this activity is an opportunity for students to see how mathematics and science work together in explaining a real world phenomenon.
Wonderful World of Weather – Grades 3-6; collecting and sharing weather data.
The Stowaway Adventure – Grades 5 - 8; track and predict the arrival of a ship at sea.
Air Pollution - What’s the Solution? – Grades 6-12; explore the causes and effects of outdoor air pollution.
Gulf Stream Voyage – Grades 6-12; this project which utilizes both real time data and primary source materials to help guide students to discover the science and history of the Gulf Stream.
Weather Scope – Grades 5 to 12; study of weather and climate.
Musical Plates – Grades 5 to 12; study of earthquakes and plate tectonics.
Journey North – Widely considered a best-practices model for education, Journey North is the nation’s premiere “citizen science” project for children.
Universally Designed Science Websites
Windows on the Universe – A content-rich site on astronomy offering three levels of reading for the elementary, middle and high school students; also in English and Spanish.
The Brain from Top to Bottom – Offers a three-tiered level of information: beginner, intermediate and advanced.
Inquiry-based Learning
The Inquiry Institute – A set of inquiry activities from The Exploratorium.
Concept to Classroom: Inquiry-based Learning – A complete workshop on inquiry-based learning with explanations, demonstrations, lesson examples and a plan for implementation.
The Inquiry Page – Resources on IBL including a database of inquiry units and how to access student learning in an inquiry classroom.
Center for Inquiry-Based Learning – This site includes a set of downloadable science and math exercises that support inquiry-based learning.
Planning Guide for Inquiry-based Unit of Focus – A template to build IBL units.
Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning – Everything you wanted to know about inquiry-based teaching and learning; a must read for all science teachers.
Inquiry Based Science - What Does it Look Like?
All Content Areas – Interactive Skill Development
Internet for Classrooms, Grades 4-8 – Interactive websites that support standards skill development in all content areas.
Jefferson County Schools Interactive Science Websites – Comprehensive interactive science links including a collection of PowerPoint presentations for science.
Research Links
Internet Public Library – Two levels are located on this site: Kidspace and Teenspace.
American Memory – Photo Collection of topics from the Library of Congress.
Encyclopedia Smithsonian – Alphabetical directory of topics.
Encarta – Considered one of the best reference sites on the web.
Library Spot – Web portal to news, information, and libraries around the world.
Kid’s Click – Includes lessons on teaching students how to search on web and multiple ways to search for a topic. Websites are screened by librarians and each site indicates the reading level of the resource.
Wikipedia – Online encyclopedia created by users.
Answers – Provides multiple resources for topics.
PowerPoint Resources
PP Presentations for Grades 6-12 Teachers
Creating Online Presentations with PowerPoint – Microsoft’s tutorial help page offers clear directions for learning how to create a simple PowerPoint presentation and enhance it by adding graphics, spreadsheet data, and voice narration. It also explains how to save your presentation as a Web document and offers lesson plans and how-to articles.
Freeware – Readers and Dictionary/Thesaurus
ReadPlease 2003 – Free download. This basic reader can support fluency and reading comprehension with its highlighting feature as it reads. There are free voice downloads in British English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. ReadPlease Plus 2003 has additional features with options to purchase natural voices.
Natural Reader – Free download. This reader with highlighted text reads MSWord files, text files, Adobe PDF files, web pages and emails where you can change the voice, volume and speed. Natural Reader Professional and Enterprise versions can also be purchase that offer natural voices.
HearIt for the Mac – Free reader. This program uses the MacIntalk or PlainTalk voices to read highlighted text in almost any application.
Text Aloud – Would you like to take digital text and convert it to an MP3 or Windows Media file? Then take a look at Text Aloud, “The World’s Most Popular Text to Speech Tool.” A free download is available to try it out before you buy.
WordWeb – A free dictionary and thesaurus for Windows. It includes a comprehensive English thesaurus and dictionary, and can be used to look up words from within most programs and the web. WordWeb works from a small icon in your system tray.