Hazard Zone

Airborne pollutants, chemicals, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index are the focus of this site, which offers versions for grades K–1 and 2–4. “Buster Butterfly’s” narration for K–1 will appeal to emergent readers, who’ll enjoy simple games, such as What Color Day Is It? The 2–4 site contains Flash-based games (check out the musical AQI Game Show). Included, too, is an air quality dictionary. Created by: The EPA, Washington, DC. Don’t Miss: A teacher’s section, with printable teaching materials, including student booklets, posters, and games.

Learn About Chemicals Around Your House–Home Tour

www.epa.gov/kidshometour

This “house tour” helps middle school students learn about common toxic and hazardous substances. Click on different “rooms” to reveal substances both safe and unsafe. In-depth, age-appropriate topical pages describe the potential health impact of various hazards. Created by: The EPA, Washington, DC. Don’t Miss: The home page’s navigation bar options, including “Puzzlers” and “Test Your Knowledge” (Shockwave required). How to read product labels and respond to accidents is also covered. Detour: High school students studying household chemicals will appreciate the EPA’s “Household Products Database” at hpd.nlm.nih.gov.

Tox Mystery

toxmystery.nlm.nih.gov

Narrated by “Toxie” the cat, this animated site designed for grades 1–4 covers hazards found at home. Kids select a “room” to view potential hazardous substances, then answer multiple-choice questions about each item selected. Once kids view all substances, they can print an “I’ve solved the ToxMystery” certificate. Created by: The National Library of Medicine, Washington, DC. Don’t Miss: The “For Teachers” home page link, offering printable quizzes, handouts, and games. Detour: High school students with assignments on environmental health and hazardous substances will find useful the NIH’s Medline Plus site at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/poisoningtoxicologyenvironmentalhealth.html.

Tox Rap

www.toxrap.org/index.html

Tox Rap is divided into sections for grades K–2, 3–4, and 5–6, which all contain stimulating lessons and activities. Younger kids will enjoy “Adventure in Pine Cone Park,” where they help “Chick Chock” avoid pollen and pollutants. Older kids can visit “Toxic Mansion” as junior CSIs (contamination scene investigators) and solve the mystery. Created by: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, NC. Don’t Miss: The grade 3–4 activity “Sail the Circulatory System” to learn how toxins affect the body. Detour: For another NIEHS site for older kids, “Environmental Health Science Education,” visit www.niehs.nih.gov/science-education/home.htm.