Organisms and their Environments (K-4)

* All animals depend on plants.   * An organism's patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism's environment, including the kinds &  numbers of other organisms present, the availability of food and resources, & the physical characteristics of the environment.   * All organisms cause changes in the environment where they live.   * Humans depend on their natural & constructed environments.  (NSES, 1996)

The name of this "learning tool" is called Habitats. 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 Plants and Animals in the Local Environment. 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 Great Salt Lake has a relatively simple food chain. This wonderfully clear learning tool is called the Great Salt Lake Ecology and does a great job of explaining the living factors and the non-living factors which keep this ecosystem running. This site comes to us from an amazing site for genetics called The Genetics Science Learning Center which is produced from the University of Utah.

Build-A-Fish is a learning tool provided by MARE.  Students must build a fish whose adaptations make it suited to its ocean environment. Students first choose from a selection of six ocean habitats, then select body parts and coloration that they think are suited to that environment.

The Watershed Game is a “learning tool” developed by The Bell Museum of Natural History.  Students learn about watersheds and factors that affect the quality of the water we rely upon. Students then make decisions in managing their watershed, examine the issues in each area of the watershed, and then see the impacts of their choices!

This "learning tool" is called Chain Reaction and allows students to construct a simple food chain from the sun, plants, grasshopper, frogs, snakes and an owl. Simple and elegant. Flash is required. This tool is brought to us by EcoKids,  Earth Day Canada's environmental education program for youth who care about the planet.

The name of this amazing "learning tool" and web site is Journey North. Data can be a wonderful gateway for inquiry. This tool allows students to follow the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, robins, gray whales, bald eagles and others. When you get to the site just click on the animal you would like to see the migration data of. You can even see who contributed the data. A tremendous site for students.

In Nowhere to Hide, there are green and orange bugs that live in green leafy trees. Located close to the bugs is a factory that spews out pollution that turns the trees orange. This affects how well the birds can see the different colored bugs, which impacts the survival of the bugs. This tool is brought to us by Science NetLinks.

The name of this interactive is called Amazing Reef.  In this movie-making interactive, you can make an animated film about life on a coral reef. Choose an exciting story, cast colorful characters, and animate the movie yourself. Then add music and titles to complete your movie. You can even keep it by downloading it to your own computer. This very coll interactive is brought to us by Shedd Educational Adventures.

Fun With Food Webs is a “learning tool” from Harcourt School Publishers.  Students choose from three ecosystems and then design their food web based on energy transfers between organisms and organisms and the sun.

Congo Trek come to us from National Geographic Kids. Each stop on the path in the forest has a left, center, and right view that reveal plants, animals, and natural settings. Immerse yourself in a virtual Congo River Basin and uncover video and audio from explorer Michael Fay.
 

The name of this "learning tool" is called Animal Attraction. It has been developed by TryScience. This is a tremendous site, filled with great home experiments, online interactive lessons, and more. If you want a site to introduce children to the fun of science, you can't go wrong with this one!

The name of this "learning tool" is called Journey to the Deep Sea Vents. Make sure you click the "All Aboard" button to begin your journey to the bottom of the ocean so that you can explore the deep sea vents and all the strange creatures that are there. This wonderful interactive comes to us from the American Museum of Natural History and is part of their Earth: Our World in Motion web site. A leader, as always, in science education.

One of the most innovative science education companies is Explorelearning.com, they call their simulations, Gizmos. They are a subscription site, but they allow you to see this Gizmo for 5 minutes. Just click on the Effect of the Environment on a New Life Form to see their wonderful "learning tool".  Shockwave is required.