The Characteristics of Organisms (K-4)

* Organisms have basic needs. Animals need air, water, and food; while plants need air, water, nutrients, and light. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs are met.   * Each plant or animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.   * The behavior of individual organisms is influenced by internal cues (such as hunger) and external cues (such as a change in the environment. (NSES, 1996)

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The name of this "learning tool" is called Helping Plants Grow Well. Use the blue arrows in the upper right hand corner to go through the simulation. This tool has been developed by the bbc.co.uk and their Science Clips program. These are very clear, concise, and effective lessons for young students. Flash is required.

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The Amazing Human Body is a “learning tool” from Harcourt School Publishers.  Students can explore and learn more about the human brain, digestion, the skeleton, the senses and teeth through a series of interactive lessons.  Shockwave is required.

My Life as an Elk is a learning tool brought to us by the National Museum of Wildlife Art.  It is an interactive story that teaches students about elk life. Students take on the identity of a newborn elk calf and make choices throughout the story about what the calf does.  Flash is required.

The name of this "learning tool" is called Ourselves. Students learn the different structures of different organisms; an ant, a human, a horse and a fish. Use the blue arrows in the upper right hand corner to go through the simulation. This tool has been developed by the bbc.co.uk and their Science Clips program. These are very clear, concise, and effective lessons for young students. Flash is required.

The name of this "learning tool" is called Seafood Surgery. In this clever interactive lesson students will dissect either a perch or a crayfish. They become aware of external and internal structures. This is brought to us by a tremendous site called TryScience. This site is a well done combination of home and online experiments, field trips, and lots of other fun stuff.

 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. Developed by 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 themselves—the kids propose experiments, explore insect specimens at high-magnification, and discuss what they see with our scientists.

A pioneering leader in science education, San Francisco's Exploratorium, produced this "learning tool" called Cow's Eye Dissection. Conceptually clear, cleverly designed, and visually dramatic this web site is a real fun way to do a virtual dissection.

Owl Pellets is a “learning tool” by Kid Wings.  Students can perform a virtual owl pellet dissection, view a Flash movie showing how pellets form, or examine an actual pellet from 11 different species of birds.

  The Adventures of Herman (the Worm) is a fun and well designed web site about worms. Every aspect is covered in this well done learning tool: The History of Worms, Worm Anatomy, Places that Worms Live, the Things Worms Eat, Worm Facts, and much more. This tool comes to us from the Urban Programs Resource Network of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The have lots of other programs for young students. Great work!

The name of this "learning tool" is called Variation. Different forms of life appear on a conveyor belt and students must sort them into mammals, insects, plants, or birds. This tool has been developed by the bbc.co.uk and their Science Clips program. These are very clear, concise, and effective lessons for young students. Flash is required.