Rainforest Rescue: The Earth Foundation Project
Its important that our youth understand the impact of rainforest destruction and become part of the solution. The Earth Foundation project is one way they can do that.

Coding and Quilting the Elements
This multi-stage classroom project combines chemistry, technology, the arts, and more to teach students discipline, problem solving, and the sense of pride that comes from a difficult job done well. Included: Five teacher-created for your own classroom project.

ExploraVision Contest Sparks Students' Imaginations
From household helpers to intricate medical technology, the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards program has inspired student research teams to develop some amazing creations.

The Prop Box: Setting the Stage for Meaningful Play
Dramatic play is an essential mode of learning for young children, and "prop boxes," play materials grouped by theme, make this activity even more effective. Find out how you can use these educational tools to guide your students toward meaningful role-playing and creative exploration.

Educator Astronaut Program Continues
Undeterred by the tragic loss of the space shuttle Columbia February 1, teachers are continuing to apply for NASA's Educator Astronaut program, which is designed to select and train three to six teachers for future space missions.

Science Sites to See
The Web offers thousands of science sites on every imaginable scientific subject. The sites below represent some of the most recent additions to online science education -- and a few of my all-time favorites. Whether youre a science teacher or a science enthusiast, youll want to check out these online science treasures.

Helping Kids Deal With the Space Shuttle Tragedy
On Saturday, February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas, only a few minutes before its scheduled touchdown. Today, Education World offers resources to help you help your students deal with the Columbia tragedy, and to help them understand the history and goals of the space program.

Sheila Tobias on Re-Thinking Teaching Math, Science
In an Education World e-interview, author and educator Sheila Tobias talks about her approach to teaching math and science -- and about teaching in general.

Educating Students to Fight Hunger
Hunger is not the condition caused just by a lack of food; hunger is an issue tied to food access, distribution, and utilization. These are among the lessons of Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger, a curriculum about hunger issues tied into World Food Day, October 16. Sponsors of the program hope widespread awareness of hunger will lead to widespread efforts to eliminate it.

Students' Inventions Combine Creativity, Science, Technology -- and Earn Rewards
The Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) ExploraVision Awards program, now in its 10th year, has become one of the nation's largest K-12 science and technology competitions. The program allows students to be creative as they use research and scientific principles to design inventions.

Lab Work Demystifies DNA
Cutting, manipulating, and matching DNA molecules usually is the work of forensic scientists -- not middle school and high school students. However, a program at the State University of New York at Stony Brook allows students to spend a day conducting experiments.

Teacher Promotes Blood Donation Education
Stephen Socolosky, who teaches sixth grade in East Hartford, Connecticut, recently was honored by the governor of Connecticut, John G. Rowland, for his commitment to blood donation. Socolosky has also helped create activities about blood -- including a Jeopardy-style game -- to accompany classroom units on the circulatory system. His students have written a skit about blood donation and organized a community blood drive.

Web Site Tracking Everest Ascent
STEPOnline.com, a Web site that promotes healthful choices for teens, turns an Everest expedition into a mountain of lessons about facing personal challenges.

Lessons from the Himalayas
Nevada teacher Claudia Berryman-Shafer is part of a group planning to climb Cho Oyu, a Himalayan mountain on the Nepal-Tibet border. Her husband, also a teacher, has prepared a Web site to keep her students and teachers and students around the world updated about her trip.

There's a Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On: Earthquake Lessons on the Net
The February 28 earthquake in Seattle is stirring a lot of discussion in classrooms around the country. Education World compiled this list of resources to help teachers help kids learn about the science of earthquakes. Included: Links to lesson plans, WebQuests, and more!

Science Teachers at Home on the Web
Whether showing off student projects, directing young travelers to the best of the Web, or organizing Web sites around a specific classroom theme, many science teachers are establishing "homes" on the World Wide Web. They have discovered that other teachers and kids also enjoy their work! Building a Web site is an effective and rewarding task for these teachers, who say that they are having fun! Included: Seven science teachers talk about the special Web sites they have created!

School Gardens Sprouting in Chicago
Through the Garden Initiative, a three-year-old program in Chicago, horticulture experts collaborate with schools to start gardens in the inner city. Teachers use the gardens to teach lessons in science, mathematics, art, and literature. Students gain hands-on experience caring for plants and learn responsibility.

Online Science Site Teaches Students to Solve Real-Life Problems
The WISE Web site -- created by scientists, researchers, classroom teachers, and technology experts -- guides students and their teachers in investigating scientific problems. The goal of the site is setting students on a course of lifelong scientific learning. Included: A teacher and his students who have used the WISE approach offer their thoughts.

Educate Kids Outdoors!
Today, Education World looks at the wild, wonderful world of education in the great outdoors! Come along as we talk with outdoor educators about a handful of programs. Included: Links to information about a wide variety of outdoor education programs and tips for setting up a program of your own!

Summer Science Is for Girls!
Are girls interested in science? Just ask biotechnologist Dr. Sylvia Oliver and environmental engineer Dr. Kauser Jahan! These scientists -- and science mentors -- can hardly keep up with the applications pouring into their girls-only summer science camps. Today, they tell Education World how they inspire middle school girls to reach for the stars in math and science. Included: What the campers say about the camps and learn how to find a program near you.

It's a Zoo Out There!-- The Best Zoo Sites on the Web!
June is National Zoo and Aquarium Month, so why not visit some of the best zoo and aquarium sites on the Web? Then vote for your favorite online zoo. We'll announce our readers' favorite zoo site at the end of the month!

How to Put on a Great Science Fair!
Kids learn by doing, and a science fair gives them that chance. How can schools put on a good science fair? How can schools avoid having a parent fair? And how can science fairs incorporate a cross-curricular approach? Included: Tips from the former chair of the California State Science Fair on how to put on a good science fair!

Always a Teacher: An Education World e-Interview With Teacher-Astronaut Barbara Morgan
Barbara Morgan -- a third-grade teacher from McCall, Idaho, and Christa McAuliffes backup in NASAs 1986 Teacher-in-Space program -- is currently an astronaut at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. She recently took time from her busy schedule to share with Education World her thoughts about her role as NASAs first education mission specialist, and about what the space program has to offer students and teachers throughout the world.

Education Resources Help Kids Give Water a Hand
Every teacher knows how much students love to get their hands dirty --- but how about wet? Finding pristine waters in the United States is becoming more difficult, but two organizations are helping teachers bring the plight of national waterways into the classroom. Give Water a Hand and River Watch Network offer support and information for organizing projects that offer meaningful learning experiences for students.

Schoolyard Soil Dwellers: Whats Living in Your Schoolyard?
As a part of an online project called Schoolyard Soil Dwellers, students are digging up their playgrounds to uncover critters that make the land their home. Participants in this creative online project are discovering the rewards of getting their hands dirty and comparing data across the miles! Included: Teachers and students share their experiences with the project!

Learn About the Lunar Eclipse!
Next week, on the night of January 20 to 21, 2000, observers throughout North America, South America, western Europe, and western Africa will be able to see a total eclipse of the moon. This week, Education World helps you prepare your students for that astronomical event. Included: Five astronomically great sites!

A Study of Inventions Promotes Thinking 'Outside the Box'!
An inventive-thinking unit will challenge your students to think "outside the box." They'll employ creativity and imagination as they apply the facts and skills they've learned. And they'll be learning skills -- such as cooperative planning and problem solving -- that will serve them well as they become productive members of society. Included: Some of the best inventive-thinking sites on the WWW, offering hands-on projects that tap a wide range of intelligences!

Endangered Species Thrive (In Cyberspace)!
While many animal and plant species are in short supply, there is no shortage of Web sites that teachers and students can use to explore this popular classroom topic. This week, Education World explores some of the most valuable "endangered species" sites for teachers and sites for students. Also included, endangered species activities and online projects for students of all ages!

'Down to Earth' Web Sites -- Resources to Help Students Learn About Our Planet
If you are determined this Earth Day to teach your students about their planet -- and digging a hole to the center of Earth is not an option -- let the resources of the Web take you on a tour from the mesosphere to the inner core. Through diagrams, charts, and pictures, your students will discover that Earth is alive with motion!

David Willey: "Mad" Scientist, Stunt Man, and Physics Instructor
Labeled the "Mad Scientist" on the NBC television program "The Tonight Show," David Willey is part scientist, part stunt man, and all physics instructor. Few educators go to such extremes to prove the fundamental principles of their disciplines, but Willey says it's worth it! Included: Links to other "Mad Scientists" on the Web!

"Harvesting" the Web for Farm Resources
Fall is the traditional harvest time. Leaves are falling, pumpkins are ripening, and apples are just waiting to be picked from the trees. With many crops ready to be gathered, it's the perfect time to "farm" the Internet for agricultural resources! Included: Web sites for students of all ages!

It's a Zoo Out There!
June is National Zoo and Aquarium Month! What better time to take a tour of some of the best zoo Web sites around? Included: Eight quick activities!

Iguanas and Komodos and Skinks -- Oh, My!
Iguanas and Komodos and Skinks -- Oh, My! ... We're not talking Wizards of Oz here. We're talking Lizards and "Godz"! Build on the excitement of Godzilla's arrival in movie theaters! Come with Education World as we scamper through Web sites full of lizards.

A "Sea" of Resources on the Internet!
Education world explores a sea of Internet resources -- at primary, intermediate, and upper grade levels -- that will bring the ocean into your classroom! Come surf with us!

Grow a Garden of Opportunity!
Classroom gardens, whether outside or indoors, provide the perfect opportunity to bring life to lessons in science, history, math -- even poetry!

A Feast of Nutrition Ideas on the Internet!
If you're looking for "fresh" ideas to squeeze into your classroom nutrition lessons, you'll find a "feast" of ideas on the Internet!

Monarch Butterflies: Join the Migration!
Millions of monarch butterflies are on their way to Mexico, part of one of the world's most spectacular migrations. And there are almost as many Web sites devoted to these extraordinary insects! We check out a few of the best.

Kids "Tune In" to Weather Curriculum
Linda Tripp's Colorado second and third graders are avid weather watchers---and weather forecasters. "Tune in" as they explore TV weather. Also included: A flurry of Internet weather connections to supplement your weather curriculum.

NASA Spacelink Gets a New Look
Have you checked out NASA Spacelink's new look? Spacelink, designed for teachers and students, is better than ever. It's faster, more efficient, and boasts a powerful new search engine.

Germs "Spread" Into School Curriculum: Handwashing Saves the Day!
Operation Clean Hands teaches children (and adults) about the importance of handwashing. Special school-based projects are getting out the message in Lubbock and Baltimore -- and in points in between.

HIV/AIDS Education Isn't Only for Health Class! (It's for English, Math, Science, Spanish)
A special multidisciplinary curriculum has transported HIV/AIDS education out of it relegated position in America's school health classes and moved it into other areas of the curriculum where it belongs!

Have You Heard? Noise Can Effect Learning!
A handful of research studies confirm that noise has a negative effect on a child's ability to learn. Also, "noise education" should be part of the school curriculum; kids should know how to protect their ears from harm.

On the Lighter Side: "Simple Science"
Ann Landers recently published student responses to some simple science questions.