Gainfield Elementary School

Animals

Frogs

•  Teach the Children Well
• All About Frogs for Kids and Teachers

Chicks

• The Story of an Egg Mini-Book - Pictorial story of an egg hatching into a chick.
• Journey to an Organic Egg Farm (Petaluma, California) - This family-owned organic egg farm was the first certified organic farm in California.

Bats

• The Big Nine Bat Facts

Owls

• The Raptor Center - Learn about birds of prey.
• NatureSongs - Hear the calls of various owls.
• The Owl Pages - An excellent site that will help you find out lots of information about owls.
• Owls of North America - Great photos and sounds.
• U.S. Forest Service - Information about a variety of owls.
• Owl's Hill Nature Center - Information on the following: Eastern Screech, Barred, Barn and Great Horned Owls.
• Yahooligans - A list of web sites about a variety of owls.
• All About Owls - Visit Enchanted Learning's web site.
• Owling.com - The largest US website totally dedicated to owls.

Endangered Animals

• Yahoo Kids Directory:  Endangered Animals
• WWF: Protecting Endangered Species
• Endangered Species Kids' Corner - from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Kids' Planet ESPECIES Animal Fact Sheets - Put out by The Defenders of Wildlife
• Earth's Endangered Creatures - by C. R. Glenn
• Animals - from National Geographic
• Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection Species Fact Sheets
• Massachusettes List of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species
• EEK!  Our Earth Threatened and Endangered Species - from the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

Atoms

• The Discovery of the Electron - Learn about the experiments of J.J.Thomson and the discovery of the electron.
• Chem4Kids - Everything explained from atoms to elements to the periodic table.
•  Chemical Elements - An online, interactive Periodic Table of the Elements.

Biomes & Ecosystems

• Biomes of the World
•  Virtual Ecosystems – Webquest Activity
•   Light
•  Biomes of the World 
• Tundra Biome 
• Biomes of the World - explore the 6 biomes of the world...location, basic facts, plants/animals, images.
•  Blue Planet Biomes
•  The World's Biomes 
• Enchanted Learning:  Biomes - Habitats
•  Tour of Biomes
•  NASA Earth Observatory - Biomes
•  Major Biomes of the World - Fact Monster website
•  Earth Science Explorer - Biome information, this site has a nice biome summary.
•  The Wild Habitat - Information about the wildlife of various biomes, including tropical rainforests, grasslands, woodland areas, polar and mountainous regions.

Rain Forests

• A Food Pyramid in the Temperate Rain Forest Biome
•  Tropical Rainforest Biome 
• Tropical Rainforest Biome
•  Introduction to Tropical Rainforests
•  Temperate Rain Forest Biome - Check out the food pyramid.
•  Rainforest Action Network 
• BrainPOP:   Rainforest Movie - Download a movie and learn all about the rainforest.   Take the online quiz.
•  The Rain Bird Rain Forest Curriculum for K-8 - Lesson ideas for teaching the rainforest.
•  The Rainforest:   People, Animals, and Facts
•  Check out Yahooligans page on rainforest information.
•  Introduction to Tropical Rainforests (Mt. Holyoke)

Characteristics of Living & Non-living Things

• Internet Field Trip: Living and Non-Living Things

Earth Day & Recycling

• HogBusters Training Camp - Learn about saving energy.
•  History of Earth Day (Scholastic) 
• Enchanted Learning: Earth Day Crafts and Projects - Find some fun things to make.
•  For Kids Only - Earth Science Enterprise - Learn about NASA earth science projects related to air, thunderstorms, the earth's crust, tropical rainfall and water. Sponsored by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise. A GREAT SITE!
• Kids Foot Print - Interactive site to help Bobbie Bigfood make sustainable decision.
• Measure your ecological footprint (very eye-opening!)
• EPA Environmental Kids Club

Earth Science

Geography4Kids - A site including the basics of physical geography and earth science with sections on earth energy, earth structure, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere, and climates.

KidsGeo.com - check here for info related to  astronomy, geology, geography, and biology.

Electricity

•  Time for Kids 
•  The Tech/Web Learning - Great videos to watch on electricity.
• Energy Ant: Different Forms of Energy and their uses 
• Energy Quest - Wonderful adventures in energy education from the California Energy Commission.
•  Theater of Electricity 
• Electricity 
• Understanding Electricity
•  Beakman's Electric Motor - Simple directions on how to make an electric motor out of ordinary household items.
•  Electricity - Vocabulary, Resources, Activities
•  Frankenstein's Lightning Laboratory

Environments

• What's It Like Where You Live?
• Animals (Time for Kids)

Forces and Motion

• Inventor's Toolbox: The Elements of Machines 
• Edheads - Simple Machine Activities 

Insects

General Insects

•  Entomology for Beginners - Entomology is the study of insects. This page provides some basic information on insects. First a quick look at the anatomy of adult insects. Then a short story about the metamorphosis of insects.
• Let's Talk About Insects -  A great video about the structure of an insect.  This site is part of the Teach the Children Well site.
• Scholastic: Classify Insects
• Bugs and Insects Research Tools from Scholastic

Ants

•  Enchanted Learning: Ants - Nice information here
• All About Ants - a great site with pictures.
• Ant Anatomy - See the names of each part.
• Ant Life Cycle

Butterflies

•  Monarchs and Migration
• Enchanted Learning: All About Butterflies
• The Butterfly Web Site
• Frequently Asked Questions About Butterflies
• The Monarch Migration
• Club Caterpillar

Ladybugs

• The Grouchy Ladybug (a web quest)

Life Cycles

• Ladybug Life Cycle
• Animal Life Cycle Print-outs
• Grow Up - Play a movie and watch an animal grow.

Light & Sound

• Electromagnetic Spectrum
• Optical Illusions
• Changing Sounds  - from BBC Schools Science Clips

Matter

The Senses

• The Senses (Teach the Children Well)

Matter

•  Matter (Teach the Children Well)
• Matter (Grade 4) 
• The Phantom’s Portrait Parlor (all grades)
• The Phantom’s Portrait Parlor - Mighty Molecules
• Chem 4 Kids
• What is Matter?
• 3 States of Matter
• Phases of Matter
• Methods of Changing Matter
• Pod's Mission - an interactive "Hotter of Colder" game
• Solids, Liquids and Gases - A great interactive website
• Solids, Liquids and Gases - An interesting video!  Click on the blue screen at the bottom of the page when you get to the link.
• States of Matter - Your science place in Cyberspace
• States of Matter Activity - Another interesting video. 
• What Are Materials Made Of?
• What is Matter? - You might want to try this experiment.

Nutrition

Nutrition

• Cool Food Planet
• Healthy Choices for Kids

Digestion

• Digestion Movie from BrainPop - Download a movie and learn all about digestion.  Take the online quiz.
• The Real Deal on the Digestive System

Plant Properties and Soil

Plants

• Science for K-1 Students (McGraw-Hill)
• The Great Plant Escape - Help Detective Leplant and his partners Bud and Sprout unlock the amazing mysteries of plant life. 
• All About Plants
• Plants & Our Environment
• Biology of Plants - Play games, watch video clips, view animated diagrams, and sing songs to learn about plant parts, photosynthesis, pollination, seed dispersal, and plant adaptations. (Missouri Botanical Garden)
• Cool Science: Plant Parts - Match plants to the names of the plant parts in a salad that includes delicious stems, leaves, fruit, flowers, and roots.
• "What On Earth?" - What plants need to help them grow (Scholastic's Magic School Bus)
• FOSS Website
• Enchanted Learning: Plants
• Sunflower Germination
• Kidsgardening (Teacher site) - The National Gardening Association provides parents and educators with ideas, resources, and information.  Check here for grants for school garden projects.

Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis Movie from BrainPop - Download a movie and learn all about photosynthesis.  Take the online quiz.

Trees

• Exploring the Secret Life of a Tree
• What Tree is It?
• Mystery Tree  (Scott Foresman Science)Fantastic Forest - Walk through this interactive forest and discover the importance of plants and animals in this environment.
• Educational in Nature - Topics include:   A Forest is..., Birds & Forests, From the Forest, and the Forester's Job. (Georgia-Pacific)

Rocks and Minerals

• Time For Kids
• Teach the Children Well
• Smithsonian Gem & Mineral Collection
• Rocks and Minerals from "inQuiry Almanack" (The Franklin Institute) provides a lot of rocks and minerals information, as well as links to other good sites.
• Tu-Clausthal Mineralogy Mineral Pictures Museum - Pictures of 93 different minerals.
• How Amber Forms  (National Geographic World's site) 
• Info & Photos of Rocks - check out this site for some great pictures!

Science Fair Projects

• Science Fair Ideas - (Teach the Children Well)
• Home Science Tools - Science Fair Projects for elementary
• All Science Fair Projects
• Crystal Clear Science Fair Projects

Science News

• Science News for Kids 

Scientists and Inventors

Scientists

• Super Scientists - A Gallery of Energy Pioneers  
• Yahooligans website  
• Biographies

Inventors

• Invention Facts and Myths - Learn the history of some silly, but successful inventions.
• Invention Web Links
• Index of Inventors
• Learn about what it takes to be an Inventor
• How Stuff  Works    
• The Franklin Institute Science Museum
• The Invention Dimension
• Inventors and Inventions Theme Page        
• Totally Absurd Inventions - Take a look at some hilarious patented inventions.     
• National Inventors Hall of Fame - Check out the searchable database of biographies of over 150 Hall of Fame inductees and their inventions.
• Nikola Tesla and the Electric Motor
• Wireless Electricity of Nikola Tesla
• Inventors - Information on historical inventors and inventions.
• A Century of Inventions - 1900-1999
• Internet Field Trip:  Inventions - From Ideas to Reality
• African-American Invention Express - Visit this site for a quick list of inventions, issue dates, and patent numbers by African American inventors.
• American Experience:  Technology in 1900 - PBS Online presents a look back at the history of American technology as it was breaking new ground 100 years ago.
• Leonardo's Mystery Machines - You will be introduced to one of eight "mystery
  machines" invented by Leonardo da Vinci. After careful observation, you must then choose one of the buttons on the bottom that corresponds most closely with the invention. Careful though, you're in for a few surprises.

Shadows 

• Write an instant "Me and My Shadow" poem

Soil and Erosion

Soil and Dirt

• Better Dirt (Scott Foresman Science)
• Composting for Kids
• Ask the Answer Worm
• Life Cycle of Seeds
• SK Worm Answers Your Questions About Soil and Stuff
• Underground Adventure - discover the rich world of soil and the tiny creatures who call it home. Check out all the videos, photos, and experiments. There's a virtual terrarium too! 
• Kids and Conservation – soil, water, wildlife
• The World of Soil

Worms

• Worm World at Yucky.com - Everything you would ever care to know about worms.
• The Adventures of Herman the Worm – The Autobiography of Squirmin’ Herman the Worm!  

Solar System 

• Field Guide to the Universe - from the Children's Museum of Indianapolis
• StarChild --From the Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at NASA
• NASA for Students
• Solar System Exploration - from NASA
• Welcome to the Planets
• National Geographic Society: Virtual Solar System
• Astro-Venture – Search for and design a habitable planet. (NASA)
• Amazing Space
• Exploring the Planets -  From the National Air and Space Museum.
• Solar System Trading Cards 
• Student Science Education Center
• NASA's Kids Science News Network  -  uses the Web, animation, and video to introduce science, technology, engineering, math, and NASA concepts to children in grades K-5.     

Study of Science 

• Branches of Science - from FactMonster

Water Cycle 

• Kids and Conservation: soil, water, wildlife 
• BrainPop - Original animated movies that explain science, biology and technology topics.
  Museum of Science in Boston - has great shows for viewing.
• Franklin Institute - Visit the ocean, forecast weather, learn the physics of flight.  Check out online exhibits on volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, tsunami, and avalanches in "Earthforce."  Make a light bulb and create lightning.
• Check out Yahooligans page on the water cycle.
• Water Cycle Diagram Diagram of the water cycle.  (Enchanted Learning)
• The Water Cycle - Another great diagram of the water cycle with information too

Weather 

Weather Activities

• Time for Kids
• Edheads -  Learn how to report and predict the weather at the underground W.H.E.D. weather caves
• How the Weather Works - includes information about the weather.
• World Weather Education - Find the weather and climate of any place in the world.
• The Weather Channel
• Weather Songs - Learn about weather basics with these thematic songs and poems. 
• Extreme Weather Safety Tips - This National Weather Service site provides information on weather safety for students.

Hurricanes and Tornadoes

• Hurricane Storm Science - Interactive activities related to weather instruments and storms.  (Grades 4-5)
• Hurricane Trailhead - Take a virtual field trip and learn about hurricanes.
• Hurricane Field Trip - Take another virtual field trip and learn more about hurricanes.
• Inside a Hurricane - Take an interactive tour inside the eye of the hurricane, and learn what makes these severe storms happen.  You will also learn how to make a hurricane spiral and 3D glasses.
• Tornado Trailhead - Take a virtual field trip and learn about tornadoes.
• Tornado Field Trip - Take another virtual field trip and learn about tornadoes.
• Tsunamis
• TimeForKids:  Asian Tsunami
• USGS:  Earthquakes for Kids

Weather Activities to Try

• Weather Recipes - A creative approach to your study of extreme weather recipes... for blizzards, mudslides, avalanches and more. 
• Measuring Rainfall - Create your own rain gauge and then graph the results of rainfall on an observation chart.
• Wind Direction - Which way does the wind blow?  Make a weathervane out of paper plates, clay, pencils, and construction paper.

Snowflakes

• SnowCrystals.com - What a great site that teaches about snowflakes.