Biology - Middle School
Updated: April 8, 2002
Audubon's E-Nature Resources - Grades 3-12 - The Audubon Society has created an elegant, responsive, information-packed site for students and adults interested in learning about habitats, species, and the environment. Don't miss this important new resource. Key starting points include:
Field Guides - On-line versions of the Audubon guides for birds, mammals, amphibians, and many more. Complete with photos, descriptions, and more.
Classroom Species Lists - A special section which lets teachers create a "classroom species list" so that students can add their own bird or animal sightings to the class list from any computer with web access.
Habitat Guides - Illustrated guides to a series of major habitats: arctic, desert, wetlands, eastern forests, shorelines, and more.
Bird Song Central - Grades 6 and up - This site offers recordings of seasonal bird calls and sounds, along with a wealth of other bird-related information. Download the Real Audio player from the TeachersFirst Toolbox to listen to the birds sing.
Bug Bios - Insects on the Web - Grades 4-12 - Here's a web site about insects that's as complete as it is visually appealing. The site provides insect classifications, information, and great images, all organized in a way that makes the site easy to use for students at various levels. If your curriculum includes insects, this site is well worth a visit.
Bugs in the News - Grades 6-12 - This is a site about microorganisms, not insects. There are concise explanations of a variety of organisms and genetic issues, most listed in a "what the heck is a..." format. It's informal, but easy to use and informative.
Cloning: A Special Report - Grades 6 and up - A journalistic report on Dolly, the cloned lamb born in 1997 near Edinburgh, Scotland. The information is presented in a clear and concise manner, and uses graphics to enhance students' learning of the material. This site could be used as required reading when studying genetics. The site is best suited to middle and high school students. From "New Scientist" magazine.
Contrasts in Blue - Grades 6-9 - This site, from the Smithsonian Institution's "Art to Zoo" series, contrasts two marine ecosystems: the coast of Maine and the reefs of the Carribean. The entire unit, including teacher guide, discussion questions, and lesson plans, is available as a series of downloadable Adobe Acrobat PDF files which can be printed and used in the classroom. (A color printer works best, of course.) You can download the Adobe Acrobat reader from the TeachersFirst Toolbox.
Cow’s Eye Dissection - Grades 6 and up - The Cow's Eye Dissection site offers middle and high school students a chance to take a virtual walk through the dissection process. Science teachers can also use this site to guide a lab through the actual dissection process. In addition to clear instructions and explanations, the site offers a glossary of terms, and an introductory video. From the San Francisco Exploratorium.
Are Dolphins Whales? - Grades 6-12 - This site uses this question and a good deal of humor to introduce students to dolphins, whales, and the way in which taxonomy is used to help classify species. There is a lot of content wrapped around this narrative, with good images, and lots of places to go for more information. Students will enjoy exploring with this one.
Electronic Zoo – Grades 6-12 - This site is a Veterinary Guide to the Internet developed by Ken Boschert, DVM, through Washington Univ. in St. Louis. This site is very complete. It includes links to literally hundreds of sites dealing with animals. Some sites are serious, appropriate for professionals dealing with animals, and some are children’s sites. It is a good resource but may be intimidating for young children to navigate.
Endangered Species - Grades 6-12 - This site from New York's American Museum of Natural History provides information on severael dozen endangered species, their habitats, and efforts to preserve these species and increase their numbers. Each species is really a case study, with significant detail on the plight of that species. Good site for a student interested in some serious research on one or more species.
Flowerbase - Grades 6 and up - Developed in the Netherlands, the Flowerbase web site is a searchable database offering over 7,000 pictures of flowers, plants, and garden plants. Middle and high school students could use this site for research.
Frogs - Grades 6-12 - Forget all the cutesy froggy sites. This site from the San Francisco's Exploratorium offers a visually impresive exploration of frogs and how they have survived through many millennia. The site includes visuals and frog sounds, as well as extensive scientific content. Good resource for any study of amphibians.
Froguts - Grades 6-12 - This is by far the best web-dissection site we've seen. The site lets students do a hands-on dissection, complete with detailed explanations of each step. Better yet, this site is available in either of two forms - a straightforward dissection or an expanded version that includes pretests and quizzes intermixed with the dissection content. If you have more students than frogs, this one's for you.
The Gorilla Foundaton - Grades 6 and up - Information on how gorillas, their habitat, and efforts to help preserve the species in the wild. This site is the home of Koko, who participated in an Internet chat session in the Spring of 1998. The site provides good information while promoting its cause.
Great Backyard Bird Counts - Grades 6 and up - Check out the results of Cornell University's Feederbird counts held in February, 1999. Lots of data, maps, and related bird information sorted by location and species. An excellent starting point for a unit on migration, populations, and habitats.
The Heart: An Online Exploration - Grades 6-12. This popular site from the Franklin Institute of Science includes interactive resource materials, enrichment activities, and text-based explorations. Students will like the clearly written explanations and graphics.
Innerbody - Grades 5-8 - This is a tutorial on the inner workings of two distinct "engines"- the human body and the automobile. It appears to be created by a graphics company. The tutorial uses humor, animation, graphics, and brief descriptions to educate students on anatomy.
Insects Hotlist - Grades 3-6 - This list from the Franklin Museum is a collection of insect-related links ranging from specific species, to facts and teacher resources. The site is suitable for grades 3-6. The " Insect Species" section would be useful to students creating reports, or comparing species. Using images at this site as examples, have students design their own insects.
Honeybee Anatomy - Grades 6-12 - This interactive page from the PBS Nature series allows students to highlight parts of a honeybee's internal and external anatomy and receive brief explanations of the function of each part. A nice tool for reinforcing insect anatomical terms or introducing insect anatomy. You can also venture inside the beehive.
The Hummingbird Site - Grades 4-12 - This "all hummingbirds" site offers information, pictures, and links to third paty resources dealing with hummingbirds and their habitats. Lots of good information, and even more details on some of the sites to which this site links.
Insect Records Catalog - Grades 6-12 - The University of Florida has compiled a listing of insects holding the record for the biggest, fastest, smallest, etc., etc. A good collection of insect trivia, as well as a potential starting point for a more serious exploration of insects and the way they live.
Internet Resource Guide for Zoology - Grades 6-12 - This site from by Biosys publications includes searchable animal databases. A search results in a list of links. This site would be very helpful when completing a research report.
J.J.’s Adventure: A Baby Gray Whale’s Rescue and Release - Grade 4-8 - Your students will learn about Gray Whales and more in this interactive site created by students. The Note to the Teacher page gives specific, helpful advice on how to use both online games and quizzes and paper activities to reinforce new knowledge. A Links page will lead you to more about whales. Thinkquest Junior Winner Best of Contest.
The Journey North - Grades 4-8 - Follow the migrations of birds, insects, and mammals as they head northward through South and North America. Our link takes you to current site news. Included are many different collaborative activities, classroom lesson plans, and a teacher discussion area. A great site for teachers new to Internet projects.Funded by the Annenberg Foundation.
The Living Lagoon - Grades 6-12 - This site from the Environmental Protection Agency shows how the lagoon ecosystem along the Florida coastline has been threatened as the result of increased human pressure and construction. The site also shows how the ecosystem can be preserved and maintained in the face of increasing population. Good illustration of ecological management over a large geographic area.
The Mad Scientist Network - K-12 - This site has a lot of research available for viewing. The research is detailed and in plain text. There is also a tutorial of the human body that better explains the functions of organs and how they work together. A great research tool for biology students! Teachers of younger students will find material useful for background to their teaching. Nice animation, including a guided tour of the human body with key points outlined. From Washington University Medical School.
MicroAngela's Insect Image Gallery - Grades 6-12 - Here's a collection of colorized electron microscope images of common insects, as well as a number of other creatures. Use them to give a new perspective to insect anatomy, or just because they're great images! From the University of Hawaii.
Nick and Sam’s Bird Page - Grade 3-8 - Science - Learn all about birds, birdwatching, bird feeders, birdseed, and more in this site. Use it to plan activities for feeder making, watching, making lists of birds seen, etc. Use then information to teach or have your students navigate the site themselves. Thinkquest Junior Winner: second place junior, interdisciplinary.
The Panama Puzzle - Grades 6-12 - In this web detective hunt from the University of Leicester (England) students help a scientist figure out what's making the construction workers on the Panama Canal project ill, and work to develop a cure for yellow fever. Plenty of scientific backup to explain how the cure was developed!
Reviled and Revered: Toads, Turtles, Snakes, Salamanders, and Other Creepers and Crawlers - Grades 3-8. Starts with an essay including an overview to help students better understand these creatures that are often misunderstood. This lesson also has a section titled "What you can do to help." Offers grade levels and educational standards. Five lessons and loads of resources with links. From the Smithsonian's lesson collections.
The Sea - Grades 4-12 - This site, part of the larger Sea and Sky site, offers a collection of images and facts about the oceans and the creatures living in them, along with a set of Java animations. These animations are grouped by level of difficulty. Excellent image quality throughout.
Seeing, Hearing, Smelling - Grades 6-12 - This site from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers new insights into the science behind our senses, as well as undertandable explanations of why we perceive the world in the way we do. There are extensive sections on each sense. Some middle schoolers may find the writing a little too challenging, but this is a great site for students who really want to know. Much of the information could also be useful as a lesson planning resource for teachers.
Snakes in Massachusetts - Grades 4-6 - This site, developed by the University of Massachusetts, provides facts and illustrations on snakes found only in that state. The graphics are well done, and the information is suited to students in grades 4-6. This site could be used in a research report, or serve as an example for making a web site on a species specific to a region.
Life in Tide Pools - Grades 6-12 - This student-developed site describes the various life forms found in the different tidal zones - sray area, high tide, low tide, etc. The site's information is indexed both by zone and by organism type, and there is an abundance of photos and other information. This is a surprisingly thorough presentation.
Tide Predictions - Grades 6-12 - This site from NOAA offers information on tides and tidal changes on the U.S. east and west coasts, and provides resources for predicting tides at various points along the coast. Good site to help students understand the factors that contribute to variations in tides from place to place.
Time Life Complete Gardener Encyclopedia - Grades 4-8. A searchable database that contains almost 3,000 species of plants. A search results in a picture of the plant, advice, and facts. Students must choose plant attributes in order to use the search feature.
The Tree of Life - Grades 6-12 is a collection of data about the evolutionary history and characteristics of organisms using branches of a tree to link data. Very extensive database.
USGS Biology Resources - Grades 6-12. The U.S. Geological Survey maintains this registry of Earth and Environmental Science links. A wide list of topics is covered, excellent resource for research projects.
The Virtual Body - Grades 6 and up - Animations and narration about the heart, brain, skeleton, and digestive tract. Provides links to additional subject information. Requires Macromedia's Shockwave plug-in. (Plug-in download instructions are included.) From Columbia/HCA.
Virtual Galápagos Expedition - Grades 6-12. Students can become virtual explorers by following along on this scientific expedition. The site details the scientist's discoveries. This site would work well in a one-computer classroom.
Virtual Botanical Garden - This "virtual" Missouri Botanical Garden web site is geared to grades 5-8. The "Education" link on the menu contains several online projects relating to the study of plants. The "Other Links" option includes Horticulture, Gardening, and Botany links that may assist students in their research.
The Whole Frog Project - Grades 6-12 includes an Interactive Frog Dissection Kit as well as frog data and 3D constructed images. Images could be imported into presentation software.
Year of the Ocean - Education - Grades 6-12 - This page, part of the larger Year of the Ocean site, provides links to information on endangered marine habitats, conservation issues, and other resources which show how the finite ocean resources are being depleted. Useful information for studies of marine biology, ecology, and their roles in interational relations and economics.
Your Genes - Your Choices - Grades 6-12 - The American Association for the Advancement of Science offers this site to introduce some of the issues raised by genetic research. Based on issues raised by the Human Genome Project, the site offers a set of "what if..." case studies designed to start discussions of issues related to genetic research. What can genetic testing reveal? Who should know the information? Does the fact that we can clone an animal mean that we should? Lots of great discussion starters here, along with sound scientific explanations.
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