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BioKIDS: Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species addresses both inquiry and life science content standards through exploration of local biodiversity, collection of animal species, and the investigation of individual animals and how animals interact with one another. Through these activities students will gain a clearer understanding of how organisms meet their basic needs and the role the environment plays in supporting a variety of organisms. In this curriculum, students use CyberTracker, an animal-tracking program that runs on hand-held computers (PDAs), to log animal sightings in their schoolyard. Students then analyze the data for class and team experiments. Another salient feature of the curriculum is the Critter Catalog, an on-line animal species database developed by the BioKIDS team. Students use this as the main resource when they write species accounts (conduct research on individual animals).

Animal species all follow the same rule for how common they are in an ecosystem, scientists have discovered. And the rule is simple. Everything from birds to fishes, crabs to snails to worms, and the parasitic animals that live inside or on them, follows it. "You can predict how common something might be just by knowing its body weight--how big an individual is--and how high up the food chain it is," says biologist Ryan Hechinger , lead author of a paper in this week's issue of the journal Science.

This animated special report by NSF profiles how scientists are using technology to track wildlife ranging from zebras to dragonflies.

A quiz of weird animal sounds assembled by Wired Magazine using recordings from Cornell's Macaulay Library

"Young children are able to recognize every single specimen of the 493 Pokémon "species" (e.g., a value three times greater than our number of "priority protection species"), but they face great difficulties when asked to recognize common animal species... Natural attractiveness of children towards animals should not focus only on few iconic species but must be also directed toward common and local organisms by engaging children with practical experiences with nature. Our study simply adds another call to push the children outside and away from the screens."

National Geographic Channel's groundbreaking series Great Migrations explores the massive movement of animal populations around the planet. The project chronicles these inspirational, often harrowing journeys that are marked by unforgiving odds, and what it means to move like your life depends on it. Wildebeests, zebras, red crabs, Mali elephants, walruses, monarch butterflies, jellyfish, and whale sharks will all be on display, and the production crew traveled some 420,000 miles, filming hundreds of stories in more than 20 countries. Using new science and technology, the series reveals how animals make death-defying journeys to survive. Great Migrations is the largest undertaking of its kind in the National Geographic Society's 120-year history. The seven-hour miniseries premieres globally in fall 2010. National Geographic's net proceeds support vital exploration, conservation, research, and education.

"More Animals Are Dying, but the Causes Have Not Yet Been Determined: As of Aug. 16, more than 7,000 birds, sea turtles and dolphins have been found dead or debilitated in the gulf since the oil spill began. A majority of the dead were not visibly oiled, and officials have yet to determine why they died. But they have confirmed that many more animals are dying than during the same time period in previous years."

Animal Diversity Web is an online database of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology at the University of Michigan

Information about a variety of animals

"Ocean Tracks provides access to authentic data collected by migrating marine animals, drifting buoys, and satellites, along with tools that allow you to display and analyze these data to investigate current and important scientific questions about animal interactions with the ocean environment. "

Animated dots represent moving ships, paths show routes, and filters focus on areas of interest. Narration guides you from area to area.

Great connection to "Bird's Eye View of Changing Landscapes." "China's Pearl River Delta has experienced massive urbanization since the early 1970s. Derived from Landsat imagery, this animation shows urban expansion between 1973 and 1999."

New York Nature Explorer is an online tool for finding out about the animals, plants and habitats in your neighborhood or area of interest. As a gateway to biodiversity information, it is intended for landowners, land managers, citizens, municipal officials, planners, consultants, project developers, researchers, students, and anyone else interested in the natural world. Nature Explorer currently contains information on birds, reptiles, amphibians, rare animals, rare plants, and significant natural communities.

Nature Explorer currently contains information on birds, reptiles, amphibians, rare animals, rare plants, and significant natural communities.

New York Nature Explorer is an online tool for finding out about the animals, plants and habitats in your neighborhood or in your area of interest. Users may choose a county, town, or watershed, or they may specify their own location on a map. They will then receive a list of the animals, plants, and significant natural communities that have been found there, as documented in databases maintained by NYS DEC.

"Explore 15,000 of the world's endangered species. With over 100,000 photos and videos, discover what these animals, plants and fungi look like, what makes them special and why we should protect them."

"Global, zoomable time-lapse map... View stunning phenomena such as the sprouting of Dubai's artificial Palm Islands, the retreat of Alaska's Columbia Glacier, the deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon and urban growth in Las Vegas from 1984 to 2012 Using Google Earth Engine technology, we sifted through 2,068,467 images-a total of 909 terabytes of data-to find the highest-quality pixels (e.g., those without clouds), for every year since 1984 and for every spot on Earth. We then compiled these into enormous planetary images, 1.78 terapixels each, one for each year. As the final step, we worked with the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University, recipients of a Google Focused Research Award, to convert these annual Earth images into a seamless, browsable HTML5 animation. Check it out on Google's Timelapse website."

Google's global, zoomable time-lapse map illustrates land use change phenomena such as the sprouting of Dubai's artificial Palm Islands, the retreat of Alaska's Columbia Glacier, deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon, and urban growth in Las Vegas. "Using Google Earth Engine technology, we sifted through 2,068,467 images-a total of 909 terabytes of data-to find the highest-quality pixels (e.g., those without clouds), for every year since 1984 and for every spot on Earth. We then compiled these into enormous planetary images, 1.78 terapixels each, one for each year. As the final step, we worked with the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University, recipients of a Google Focused Research Award, to convert these annual Earth images into a seamless, browsable HTML5 animation."

"With soaring human populations and rapid climate change putting unprecedented pressure on species, conservationists must look to innovative strategies - from creating migratory corridors to preserving biodiversity hotspots - if we are to prevent countless animals and plants from heading to extinction."

Nearly 100 endangered species should be on track to meet federal scientists' recovery goals, according to a new analysis by a national nonprofit organization that seeks to protect the planet's biological diversity. The Center for Biological Diversity's review examined population trends of 110 endangered plant and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in every state across the USA, including Florida's American crocodile, the gray wolf of the Rockies, and the black-footed ferret, which once existed from southern Canada to Texas. The group found that 90 percent of the species listed are on a positive trajectory toward recovery - and some are even doing better. Source: redOrbit (http://s.tt/1cmi1)

"Centered around an interactive Web site that features more than 75 videos, scores of audio recordings of birds and animals, and photos and text that are an elegy for lost and threatened species, Lin's "What is Missing?" project has the same arresting, unsettling qualities that are a hallmark of her Vietnam memorial."

This free downloadable report addresses the question of how can we expect to tackle poverty and climate change if we don't look after the natural wealth of animals, plants, microorganisms and ecosystems that make our planet inhabitable? The articles look at the scientific, social, economic and cultural case for keeping diversity, showing how biodiversity supports our health and physical security, food production, medical research, livelihoods, tourism, artistic expression and cultural life.