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!
June 1 begins National Zoo and Aquarium Month. If a class trip to a local zoo is not on the agenda, why not take a virtual field trip instead? Here, presented in alphabetical order, are seven great zoo and aquarium Web sites. Which is your favorite? After reviewing the sites, vote in our readers' poll for your favorite! We'll report the results at the end of the month.
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The Marwell Zoological Park in Hampshire, England, frequently updates its Web site. In addition to news about the park and its programs, monthly content includes "Creature Features." A brief, easy-to-read article and photographs highlight a different animal each month. Visitors to this site can also view and print many beautiful animal pictures, research select creature fact sheets, download a free screensaver, send electronic postcards to friends, or assemble an online picture puzzle.
At Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, click on Kid's E-Q to see activities, live cams, and information about habitats. Activities include games, coloring pages, and crafts projects. This easy-to-navigate site also offers electronic postcards and FAQ sheets about sea animals.
Even if a field trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore isn't possible, their Web site's pre- and post-visit lessons and activities for teachers are still worthwhile. Activities range from connect-the-dots pages to building a model estuary. There are also interactive games and quizzes for children.
Washington, D.C.'s National Zoo is a great place to visit-- in person or online! Web cams offer both video and still pictures, a photo library has more than 150 pictures of different animals, and live online lectures cover a variety of topics.
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The Boston, Massachusetts, New England Aquarium offers a lot of online fun, including electronic postcards, a well-executed virtual tour of the aquarium, and a virtual whale watch. Click on Learn and then Kids' Space to find some simple home and school projects. One activity presently under development is Be a Penguin, which will allow visitors to assume the role of a penguin in a group.
Located in San Diego, California, the San Diego Zoo Web site offers plenty to see and do. Wild Ideas has several user-friendly sections, such as Teachers' Lounge, which offers classroom activities, and Kid Territory, which has science experiments, animal stories, and crafts projects. The site includes numerous pictures and videos, including videos of baby animals.
The Toledo Zoo in Toledo, Ohio, features Zoocams of polar bears and seals, and user-controlled 360-degree cams located in different zoo locations. If you can tear yourself away from the cameras, there are also dozens of beautiful photographs of different animals with a lot of information about them.
Lauren P. Gattilia
Education World®
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