Living+World

Underwater Astonishments
In [|this short TED Talk] David Gallo shows off some marvelous adaptations fish, squid, octopuses to their underwater environments. The video may be of particular interest to teachers of marine biology or anyone trying to show students examples of animals adapting to their environments. media type="custom" key="5311413"

for K-12 students. Bugscope provides classrooms with free access to a scanning electron microscope (SEM) that can be used to study insect specimens at high-magnification. What's cool about the Bugscope project is that it is available to everyone in the world. The SEM isn't brought into the classroom. Instead, the classroom is brought to the SEM through a live one-hour web session. During the session, students have full control over the interactive microscope. They can magnify, adjust contrast and brightness, control the focus, and explore preset views setup by the Bugscope team.

Bugscope sessions can be displayed on multiple computers, projectors, and interactive whiteboards. Only one user can operate the microscope at a time, but students can login and view the session on up to 20 different computers at once.

The Bugscope team, which includes several microscopists and an entomology student, are available online via instant messaging so that students can ask questions throughout the session. When the session ends, images and chats are saved and can be viewed later by both students and teachers. There is no cost to participate in a Bugscope session. However, you must schedule a session prior to participation. You can do this by filling out the [|application form] on the Bugscope site. If you are interested in seeing how a Bugscope session works before you apply, you can login as a guest and view an [|upcoming Bugscope session].
 * Scheduling a Bugscope Session **

Once your application has been accepted, you can setup a Bugscope session and mail in the specimens you want your class to examine (That's right--it's up to you to send in the bugs!) The Bugscope team will then schedule a demo that allows you to get a feel for the microscope controls before the actual session begins. 

Secret Language of Elephants is an interesting story that aired on 60 Minutes on Sunday evening. The video profiles the efforts of researchers to understand the communications of elephants. The researchers are trying to decode the meaning of the sounds elephants make. The video is embedded below.

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This video may be of interest to anyone that teaches zoology and or lessons about African wildlife. National Geographic has a couple of lesson plans ([|here] and [|here]) that could be supplemented by this video.

Huge selection of links on various biomes

[|Marine Fisheries Food Webs]
=[|Marine Biome - Marine Biology]= Covering about 70 percent of the earth, the marine biome is the largest biome on the planet. It comprises of the Antarctic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean, plus smaller Bays and Gulfs. Also, the marine biome consists of 80 percent of all the earth’s habitats, making it the largest habitat on our planet. The 36,200 feet deep Mariana Trench, which is deeper than the height of Mt. Everest, is the deepest point of the marine biome. The marine biome can also be divided into oceans, estuaries, and coral reefs, with the oceans representing the most diverse and largest of ecosystems. The water of the oceans evaporates and turns into rain, which nourishes the land where it falls.

[|Interactive Earth]
has a long list of environmental science lessons that can be used online and offline. In fact, the list is divided into online activities and classroom activities. The activities in the list cover a wide range of environmental science topics including river ecology, forest ecology, and animal identification. To aid you in selecting activities for your classroom, [|Interactive Earth] notes the general content areas to which each activity can be applied. For example, just by looking at the notes in the list I know that the [|Flowing Waters] activity addresses topics in geography, mathematics, and science.

[|Earth Touch.com]
Earth-Touch is a wildlife documentary company. Our passion is to put people back in touch with nature, and so encourage us all to take better care of our natural heritage. At any moment in time, a complex cycle of natural wonder is playing out somewhere on this planet: while a butterfly flits about in the Amazon, a lion roars in the African night, a great white shark moves silently through the Indian Ocean, a polar bear hunts in an icy landscape. Earth-Touch strives to capture the best of this activity every day – quickly, simply, and in the highest quality possible, and to relay it to audiences worldwide, within 48 hours of it being filmed whenever possible. Our video clips are only lightly edited and we never script storylines. We strive to convey the truth and beauty of life on Earth, and to put people in touch with our natural heritage.

[|Discover the Forest]
[|Discover the Forest] is a site that has fun games and activities for students to complete online and a great booklet to print out full of activities to complete outside. After travelling through the UPM Virtual Forest, students can head over to the [|Discover the Forest] website and listen to animal sounds, create leaf rubbings, learn how to use a compass, and match animal tracks.

[|Dr. Saul's Biology in Motion]
features fantastic interactive activities and animations for students to use to learn human biology concepts. The activities and animations seem to be targeted toward a middle school audience there is a lot of value in [|Biology in Motion] for high school students too.

[[image:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TkhlSyyP58U/Sce_TdMJf2I/AAAAAAAADfo/SbznkRr2D4Y/s320/Picture+16.png width="176" height="84" link="http://www.biologyinmotion.com/"]]
===[|Arkive]=== is a great website for biology teachers and students. [|Arkive] has thousands of images and videos of threatened plants and animals. [|Arkive] also has a Google Earth layer that students can use to view marine species habitat. The education section of [|Arkive] has complete [|lesson plans] including video clips and slideshows that teachers can download. There are [|lesson plans] appropriate for use in elementary school, middle school, and high school. If you're looking for a short educational activity, Arkive has [|educational games] that students can play independently.

[|The Wild Classroom] Videos on Biology, biodiversity, animal kingdom plus lesson plans

[|BugCatcher]

[|Bug Bodies - The 12 Most Wanted] Click on a picture to see a mug shot and rap sheet [|WildEarth TV] Live wildlife webcam!

[|CritterCam] wears Crittercam// ||     
 * [[image:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/crittercam/images/1.jpg align="left" caption="Image cutline: A Hawaiian monk seal wears Crittercam"]] ||
 * //A Hawaiian monk seal

[|WildCam Africa] with liks to other wildlife cams!

[|Top 10 Amazing Animal Videos] Animals have inspired countless people to study biology. Their unique behavior and amazing abilities are the impetus for fascinating research. And who doesn't love a good animal video? Here are some of the best clips.

[|Pest World for Kids] Think of them as animals out of place. Out in nature, they're just doing their jobs. But when they move into our homes and yards, then we call them pests. So come explore the world of pests. Then use your new knowledge to outwit the pests in your world.

[|Monsters of the Deep Sea]

[|Bugscope] //The Bugscope project provides free interactive access to a// [|//scanning electron microscope (SEM)//] //so that students anywhere in the world can explore the microscopic world of insects. This educational outreach program from the// [| //Beckman Institute's//] [|//Imaging Technology Group//] //at the// [|//University of Illinois//] //supports K-16 classrooms worldwide.// //Bugscope allows teachers// [|//everywhere//] //to provide students with the opportunity to become microscopists//

[|Anatomy Arcade] Anatomy Arcade makes basic human anatomy come ALIVE through awesome free flash games and interactives. Anatomy Arcade is perfect for the novice teenager in the classroom, right through to students and professionals of health care looking for a fun way to revise.

[|Visible Body 3D Human Anatomy]

Argosy's Visible Body is the most comprehensive human anatomy visualization tool available today. This entirely Web-delivered application offers an unparalleled understanding of human anatomy. The Visible Body includes 3D models of over 1,700 anatomical structures, including all major organs and systems of the human body. Register for FREE

[|Blood Typing - Game]
In this game you have to blood type each patient and give them a blood transfusion. Are you able to do that? If not, maybe you should read the introduction to blood typing before you start, otherwise you will put the patients' lives in danger!

[|Brain Rules]
How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget—and so important to repeat new knowledge? Brain Rules is about what we know for sure, and what we might do about it. media type="youtube" key="lahaS6CzNgc" height="344" width="425"
 * //The brain is an amazing thing.//** //Most of us have no idea what’s really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should know.//
 * Brain Rules in the Classroom**

[|Human Footprint] When you eat an egg, you're not just eating an egg....

[|Ask a Scientist - Environment and Earth Science Archives]

[|Ology] [|Ology] is an outstanding free website from the American Museum of Natural History where students can learn about archaeology, astronomy, biodiversity, earth, Einstein, genetics, marine biology, water, and paleontology. Each subject has polls, inside stories on the subject, experiments, book lists of related books, interactive games and activities, “make it” ideas, interviews, a snapshot of scientists at work, and more.

[|Aquatic Ecosystems WebQuest]
A wealthy philanthropist is donating money to create an experimental aquatic ecosystem in a biodome here on earth that will be a prototype for later colonization in outer space. Specialists are needed to help design and maintain this unique environment. In order to be selected for this special biodome project, teams of specialists must first work together to demonstrate their knowledge by designing, creating, and presenting a model of an aquatic ecosystem to the philanthropist and the scientific community.