**Webliography of Science**

Educational Resource Guide to Various Science
Related Websites For Kids



1. National Geographic
(URL: www.nationalgeographic.com)
Summary: This multi-faceted educational website is directly correlated to the magazine that is sold around the world. There is an endless amount of information for browsers to view on major topics, such as: animals, maps, history, photography, etc. There is an interactive section designed specifically for kids with games, quizzes, animal videos, timelines, interesting facts, and even fun jokes. This website integrates more than just science, which makes it an excellent educator’s resource. This site has so much to offer students of all ages, as well as adult educator’s.
Commentary: I love this website because there is always something new to hook your interest. There is even a link for educators that provides standards based lesson plans for various subjects. The educator’s section also provides an area with various discussion boards, in addition to information on various workshops and conferences.

2. Net Frog
(URL: frog.edschool.virginia.edu/Frog2/)
Summary: This highly interactive website allows visitors to participate in an online frog dissection without actually having to come into close contact with the materials associated with an often putrid science experiment. There is everything from setup to cleanup, and there is even a quiz included at the end. There are plenty of visual steps, as well as written steps on how to complete each phase of the dissection. This site is definitely centered toward a somewhat older population of students that are in high school.
Commentary: I very much like this science site because it is a great alternative for students who have weak stomachs or who need a more detailed description of the process of a science frog dissection. I think this would work well for students with learning disabilities, as well.

3. Cool Science for Curious Kids
(URL: http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/)
Summary: This site is hosted by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, so right away visitors know what to expect from the basic website. The sub-page for kids has some interesting links about everyday things that kids might not know about, such as the dust in the air that we breathe. There are also several interactive “games” for kids that teach them about particular animals and plants. I think this site is focused toward the younger population of students.
Commentary: I really like this site because it has an attention grabber in the very title of its website. There is a lot to “investigate” on this website and I think kids have a lot to learn with the information here. I just wish there was a lot more to this site that touched upon other various topics. I think this website would be a great supplement to a unit on amphibians or plants.
4. Discovery
(URL: discovery.com)
Summary: This is the main site for the Discovery Channel and there are literally hundreds of different links to explore that will take visitors off in different, yet always interesting, directions. There are educational video clips, stories, articles, journals, puzzles, and even interactive atlases if you are interested in a bit of the social sciences. This site is aimed toward students of all ages and adult educators.
Commentary: I think this website offers as much information as the National Geographic website. There is so much to explore and I think this could be used as an excellent site for a webquest for students in the classroom. There is also a link for educators called Discovery School where one can find lesson plans, a teacher’s store, homework help, and even teaching tools.

5. The Yuckiest Site on the Internet
(URL: http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/flash/index.html)
Summary: This very interesting, and very colorful, website is sure to gain some attention from kids who love all the icky things about science. The name alone suggests an interesting adventure and it doesn’t disappoint. There is an area for games, as well as an area where kids can ask Wendell, an informative worm, questions about science. There is also a section with a few quizzes on the human body and the “yucky” things that it does. Kids are also free to learn plenty about worms, roaches, and their beneficial purposes in life. I think this site is aimed toward a younger audience, perhaps elementary aged students.
Commentary: I like this site because it has the potential for getting kids who lack motivation actually interested in science. The title pulls kids in and gets them exploring the website to find the “yuckiest” of all information. Once the kids are there, they can learn a lot about the physiology of the human body.

6. Science News for Kids
(URL: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/)
Summary: This site offers visitors a wide variety of information from agriculture to weather. There are numerous articles, puzzles, games, teacher resources, and photographs that would hold a lot of interest for kids. There is even a newsletter that anyone can sign up for that provides subscribers with updates and site events. This website seems to focus on kids of all ages and has many different leveled activities for various ages and grade levels.
Commentary: This is one of the most organized sites I have found on science on the internet. The major topics are listed alphabetically on the left hand side of the homepage and it is easy to navigate back and fourth through the site. The colors and graphics aren’t as captivating as the other websites, however.
7. Sci4Kids
(URL: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/)
Summary: This website focuses on, “bridging the gap between science, agriculture, and you,” by, “solving agricultural problems with science.” This colorful and inviting website is a source for younger students and adult educators that offers plenty of science project ideas and science fair ideas. There is a clever link for Spanish speaking students and visitors too. Educators have many resources for planning and the actual materials for many activities. The information, activities, and simplicity of the website seem to be focused on a younger population of elementary aged students.
Commentary: I like this site because its purpose is different than many of the other science sites for kids. It isn’t overloaded with information and its purpose it to connect science with agriculture. I love the idea that it provides a connection to ESL students. I think it would be more useful for teachers than students, however.

8. For Kids Only: Earth Science Enterprise
(URL: http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/)
Summary: This site, courtesy of NASA, focuses on Earth Sciences and provides visitors of all ages information on 5 major topics: people, land, air, water, and natural hazards. There are plenty of games, interactive activities, such as sending postcards, and teacher guides for educators. A link to an “Earth Observatory” provides visitors with a daily updated photograph of the Earth’s surface.
Commentary: The pictures and display make the website welcoming to guests of all ages, especially middle school and high school students. I love the idea that it offers many “factoids” for visitors to read and discuss with other fellow students.

9. The Science Spot: A Resource for Junior High Teachers and Students
(URL: http://sciencespot.net/)
Summary: This site has an endless amount of information for junior high school teachers and students on all types of science, such as biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, Earth science, and many others. An easy to follow menu offers links to lesson plans, activities, projects, games, puzzles, and even a nature center. There is also a “Kid Zone” link that offers even more fun, games, and even a forensic science link that provides a detailed list of websites correlating to that particular type of science.
Commentary: This is a great site for teachers and students alike that are interested in media dealing with more of the higher aged science topics. Students and teachers can gain a lot by using these sources.

10. Brain Pop Science: How the World Works
(URL: )
Summary: This site requires a membership, but it is fairly inexpensive. What you get for a subscription is what seems to be an unlimited amount of information, not only on science, but on social studies, math, English, health, technology, arts, and music, as well. The science section in particular has roughly 200 various subcategories of information for students to pick from. Without a subscription, students can still click on a few of the subcategories without having to pay for a membership. Some of these include: natural disasters, penguins, electromagnetic spectrum, and eclipse. There is so much for kids to explore too. Activity pages, timelines, and other fun activities are also offered. I think this page could reach kids of all ages.
Commentary: Out of all of the sites I have discovered on science, this is definitely my favorite. I love the simplicity of the layout of the homepage and there is just so much information to learn about. The fall back is having to pay for the site, but you are paying for a huge database of information. The fact that it is interactive makes it even more inviting.

11. ZoomSci: Mix Hot Science With Your Cool Ideas
(URL: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/)
Summary: This site has a lot to do with actual hands-on activities that kids can participate in, some of which even help the environment. There are 9 categories of information at this site, which include: chemistry, engineering, the five senses, forces and energy, life science, patterns, sound, structures, and water. Each category offers varied leveled activities with clear sets of directions, the materials required, and even pictures of the activities. Many of these activities could easily be tied into science lesson plans of any age or level. Educators could also find many uses for this site.
Commentary: I really like this site because it gives visitors an extensive list of real science experiments that you could do at home or in the classroom. I love the fact that people have left some of their results on the bottom of each of the activity pages. They provide tips and suggestions to make the experiment even more productive for future “scientists.”

12. American Museum of Natural History Presents Ology
(URL: http://www.ology.amnh.org/)
Summary: This colorful and inviting website focuses on various “ologies,” such as archaeology, astronomy, biodiversity, Earth, Einstein, genetics, marine biology, and paleontology. Each of the categories serves as a link into a world of learning. For each individual “ology,” there is a word study, fun activities, polls, quizzes, and plenty of other informative and meaningful facts to explore. I think this site focuses on late elementary levels to middle school levels. It’s also very useful for teachers of these various science topics.
Commentary: I like this particular website because there are so many interactive things to do with each of the “ologies.” I also like the fact that each of the individual words is taken apart and studied. This site has a lot of motivating and interactive activities for students who may find it hard to get interested in science.