Group items tagged

Faster way of assessing food webs (than them drawing all their own pictures).

There are a couple of things about this one that I think need some careful attention. For one: "A [food]chain will always start with a plant (a primary producer)." That isn't really true for the largest ecosystem on the planet, for example: the oceans. Not only are most algae not considered plants, a large number of these are unicellular and prokaryotic... the "blue green algae/bacteria" or cyanophytes. In fact, there are even deep sea hydrothermal ecosystems, for instance, that do not even rely upon photosynthetic organisms at all. These primary producers are chemosynthetic in the blackness that is the sea floor. So yes, "primary producer" is accurate... but not so for "plant." I'm also anxious to see what kids will place in between the snail and the bird (as pictured) on food chain "B" to complete the "missing link." I honestly had to work the Google to find out that spider-eating snails do exist. I feel like that is pretty obscure.

This web site accompanies an exhibition at the National Museum of American History exploring the process of invention. The story is told in two parallel sections comparing Thomas Edison's light bulb invention with several electric lighting inventions of a century later.

Animated video that explains the importance of coral reefs in the food web. Narrated by Celine Cousteau, the video is ideal for school kids and an great tool for teachers to introduce them to ocean biology, environmental issues and social activism.4.1.B.a; 4.1.B.c; 4.1.D.a; 4.2.A.a

students visit various websites to learn more about rocks and minerals

Quick article helping to explain insects roles in our environment. 

Lower reading level.

On grade level reading.