Meet Flip Switch
By Gail Junion-Metz -- School Library Journal, 11/1/1997
This month's column lists super science and math web sites for kids. There are so many good science sites that it was impossible to be anything but arbitrary in my selection. I decided, therefore, to list personal favorites, some which are buried treasures.
General Science
Bill Nye the Science Guy's web site is almost as good as his TV show. Here kids can find experiments, puzzles, and quizzes. Each day, there's a new science demo, complete with instructions. (The day I wrote this column the demo was called "Upside-Down Eyeballs.") The "Web Search" section has tons of great science links arranged by category.
Kids can find out "the science behind the news" by visiting The Why Files at the University of Wisconsin and funded by the National Science Foundation. Here kids can learn about stolen dinosaurs, ice fishing for neutrinos, mad cows, and more. There are awesome pictures (like a smoking galaxy) in the "Cool Science Image" section, and challenging brain teasers in the "Sports" section. It's my favorite because it links science to the evening news in a very appealing way.
Coming to the rescue of students who need information on inventors is MIT's Invention Dimension. Here kids can search for inventors or inventions. Try solving the ID Crossword Puzzle -- it's really tough!
Mother Earth
Dan's Wild Weather Page is an interactive site on tornadoes, clouds, lightning, radar, and plenty more. Dan Satterfield, a weatherman in Huntsville, AL, simplifies complex weather concepts for middle schoolers. Beyond facts, there are quizzes and awesome weather pictures. Be sure to visit the "For Teachers" section for lesson-plan resources.
The California Energy Commission has created a huge site called Energy Quest. Here kids can research energy and learn about conservation and safety. Be sure to check out "Percy's Puzzles" and "Watts That?," an online quiz show with host Flip Switch. This is a one-stop site for all things "energetic."
NASA's Observatorium is a virtual tour of the sky and earth. Check out the "Education" section and the feature on "Impact Craters." Before you leave, visit the "Image Gallery" and look at U.S. state capital cities as seen from space.
The Wild Kingdom
Looking for pictures of animals? Links to animal web sites? Then visit ZooNet and ZooNet for Kids. ZooNet's "Animal Pictures" section contains excellent photos. Visit "Golden Paw Awards" for the best animal sites. For younger kids, there's ZooNet for Kids. ZooNet should really be called "Animal Central."
Do your students need information on endangered animals? Endangered Species probably has the information and pictures they need. The site includes maps of endangered species and lists of threatened species by state and region. Teachers will find great lesson plans and curricular materials. Endangered Species is part of EE-Link, created by the National Consortium for Environmental Education and Training.
Math + Science Fairs
Houghton Mifflin's Brain Teasers are some of the best math and logic problems for kids on the Net. Each week new teasers are posted by grade level. (I stick with the ones for grades three to four. I can usually figure those out.)
Do your students struggle when science fair time rolls around? If so, visit the Internet Public Library's Science Fair Project Resource Guide. Here you'll find ideas and resources, plus sample projects that show what a good project looks like. Of all the science fair sites, this is the most complete and up-to-date.
Web Addresses
- Bill Nye the Science Guy
http://nyelabs.kcts.org - The Why Files
http://whyfiles.news.wisc.edu - Invention Dimension
http://web.mit.edu/invent - Dan's Wild Weather Page
http://www.whnt19.com/kidwx/index.html - Energy Quest
http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/index.html - The Observatorium
http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/core.shtml - ZooNet
http://www.mindspring.com/~zoonet - Zoonet for Kids
http://members.aol.com/zoonetkids - Endangered Species
http://www.nceet.snre.umich.edu/EndSpp/Endangered.html - Brain Teasers
http://www.eduplace.com/math/brain - IPL - Science Fair Project Resource Guide
http://www.ipl.org/youth/projectguide
