Featured Resources
Internal University Resources
External Resources outside of UNL
Astronomy Atmosphere Biosphere Data Earth Science Geosphere Hydrosphere NASA
Astronomy Resources
Planet Earth
- Discovery Education Lesson Plans Library for Astronomy (NEW) - Lesson plans and activities for grades K-12. Also available for a wide range of other topics.
- Earth and Moon Viewer - See real time satellite pictures of the earth and moon showing day and night regions, or view the Earth from the sun, the moon, above any location on the planet specified by long/lat and altitude. Same for the moon.
- Earth Observing System Project Science Office - A site provides an overview with a broad sampling of images from various NASA programs as well as images/video and detailed pages, intended for the research community and advanced user. Check out the Educational Button which contains free materials.
NASA
- Hubble Photographs - Has links available that provide educational resources related to the Hubble Space Telescope as well as lesson plans and activities for Astronomy, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Life Sciences, Physical Science, and Physics.
- Measuring Distance and Area in Satellite Images - Earth Exploration Tookbook, SERC, this Earth Exploration Toolbook chapter describes how to set a scale and make measurements from digital satellite images. Users analyze NASA images of the Aral Sea, making distance and area measurements to characterize changes in the size of this freshwater lake over time.
- NASA - An abundance of earth and planetary science information from the folks at NASA. Links with free materials, lesson plans, activities, etc.
- NASA's Planetary Photo Journal - The site is designed to provide you with easy access to the publicly released images from various Solar System exploration programs. The system database is currently populated with approximately 2780 images; more are being added every day.
(The) Nine Planets
- Cassini - Neat stuff about the Cassini mission to explore Saturn. Live footage, short video clips, and info on all aspects of the mission.
- Exploring Planets in the Classroom - Exercises for grades 6-10 from the Hawaii Space Grant Consortium.
- A Journey Through Our Solar System - Explores the components of our solar System regarding planets, constellations, and sky wonders.
- Galileo - Page devoted to the Galileo exploration of Jupiter. Facts, flyby's and general info about Jupiter.
- Lunar and Planetary Institute Slide Sets - Images of terrestrial and non-terrestrial geologic features. From the Universities Space Research Program.
- Mars Pathfinder - Mars science and photos. Also contains an educational button with student project ideas, teacher activities and opportunities to link with other classrooms from around the country.
- National Geographic - Our Cosmic Neighborhood.
Other (Aliens, EUVE, NEAR, Solar Eclipses)
- Astrogeology Research Program - USGS: Study and map extraterrestrial bodies.
- Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) Satellite Dataflow Demonstration - For middle school students. Hands-on "lab" with documentation shows how data get from satellite to scientist.
- Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) - Really neat video footage, animations, pictures and info relating to asteroids, comets and other near earth objects. Contains lesson plans and activities for K-12 teachers.
- Wolframalpha for Astronomy - Website that computes and explores properties and locations for objects and events in our solar system. Contains a complete catalog of over 14,000 officially recognized and named solar system features maintained by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
*Astronomy Examples from Wolframalpha*
Atmosphere Resources
General Atmospehere
- Atmosphere Cycles of the Earth and Atmosphere - Find several modules relating to weather and the atmosphere.
- Discovery Education Lesson Plans Library for Weather (NEW) - Lesson plans and activities for grades K-12. Also available for a wide range of other topics.
Climate/Clouds
- (The) Cloud Catalog - A page with pictures and descriptions of the different types of clouds and general cloud information.
- Earth Climate Course - What Determines a Planet's Climate? includes various activities from NASA.
- The Ultimate Guide to Clouds- A page with descriptions, activity ideas, and diagrams about clouds.
Other Weather
- Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters, 1980-2005 - The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) is the "Nation’s Scorekeeper” in terms of addressing severe weather events in their historical perspective. This website reports on weather events that have had a great impact on the U.S. Check the U.S. map in the "Narrative/Map” section.
- Global Warming Frequently Asked Questions - From the NOAA.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - The FEMA homepage continues to be one of the best sources for emergency management information on the Web.
- Into To The Electromagnetic Spectrum - Find a brief, rich illustrated primer to the electromagnetic spectrum.
- National Geographic - Make Lightning Strike.
- National Severe Storms Laboratory - A well designed easy to use site devoted to the severe side of weather. See the Weather Room for lessons and Q & A about weather phenomenon.
- National Weather Service Precipitation Analysis - NOAA, these pages from an experimental product show in map form the short-term observed and climatic trends of precipitation across the lower 48 United States (CONUS) and Puerto Rico.
- Weather World 2010 Project - From the University of Illinois.
- (The) Wild Nor'easter. (NEW) - What causes the East's winter storms? An interactive tool from MSNBC.
Tornados
- What Causes Tornados? - An interactive tool from MSNBC
Biosphere Resources
Environment
- Discovery Education Lesson Plans Library for Ecology - Lesson plans and activities for grades K-12. Also available for a wide range of other topics.
Global/Planet Earth
- Earth Guide - From the University of California at San Diego
- Global Change Master Directory - A directory to Earth science data and services - sponsored by NASA.
- Your Planet Earth (NEW) - Aiming to take the basic science involved in understanding the world to school children of all ages.
Museums
- Franklin Institute Science Museum - Exhibits, resources and fun of a museum right at your desktop.
- Nebraska State Museum's Vertebrate Paleontology Research Collections - A virtual discovery of some of Nebraska's important fossil discoveries.
- Smithsonian Museums - Extensive information about the Smithsonian.
Plants/Trees
- (The) Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone - This is part of the Microbial Life Education Resources of SERC.
- (Three) 3D National Parks - Park photos from the USGS (need 3D glasses).
- Tree of Life Web Project - A collaborative effort of biologists from around the world to provide information about the diversity of organisms on Earth, their evolutionary history and characteristics.
Data Resources
USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program
The National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) provides an understanding of water-quality conditions and how those conditions may vary locally, regionally, and nationally; whether conditions are getting better or worse over time; and how natural features and human activities affect those conditions.
Earth Science Resources
- American Geological Institute - Earth Science News Releases
- Environmental News Network - Environmental, Energy, and Technology News Articles
- Geology.com - Current Geology and Earth Science News
- Universe Today - Space Exploration and Astronomy News
Geosphere Resources
Earthquakes
- Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research - The Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research is a national center of excellence in advanced technology applications. It seeks the reduction of earthquake damage and losses through research, development and application of new knowledge.
- National Earthquake Information Center - Good place to find maps on earthquake sites, online publications, and computer generated simulation models.
- Putting Earthquakes in Their Place: A New Map of Global Tectonic - Using a number of global databases, hundreds of research reports, satellite photos and modeling technology, a group of NASA researchers has constructed a complete tectonic map of the globe.
- Southern California Earthquake Center - Go to Outreach for educational materials, lesson plans, movies, slideshows, etc.
- USGS Quake Information - United States Geological Survey's News on Earthquakes.
Geology
- KidsGeo - An indepth geology and geography textbook online for kids.
Minerals
- (The) Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom - The Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom is a free, interactive, educational guide to minerals and gemstones. Extensive information has been researched and categorized. The content is geared for both amateurs and experts.
Natural Disasters
- Disaster Preparedness Guide - A guide to protecting your home and health from natural disasters.
- Safety Insurance - Contains information about how to prepare for natural disasters and weather emergencies.
Planet Earth
- Discovery Education Lesson Plans Library for Earth Science (NEW) - Lesson plans and activities for grades K-12. Also available for a wide range of other topics including Physical Science.
- (The) Earth Through Time - Check out these wonderful historical geology resources from Wiley.
- How Does Radioactive Decay Work? - This page from Teaching Quantitative Skills in the Geosciences helps faculty communicate essential quantitative ideas that students struggle with in terms of radioactive decay.
- Jason Project 6: Island Earth - Great site for ACTIVITIES and LESSONS. Great for teacher and students.
- University of Nebraska Vertebrate Paleontology - A site devoted to vertebrate paleontology in Nebraska. Great pictures and general information about Nebraska fossils.
- Earth Explorer - A magazine dedicated to covering the ideas, people and companies that contribute to the success of earth exploration.
Plate Tectonics
- ODSN Plate Tectonic Reconstruction Service - In this site, you can calculate platetectonic reconstructions of any age back to 150 My.
- PALEOMAP Project - The site illustrates the plate tectonic development of the ocean basins and continents, as well as the changing distribution of land and sea during the past 1100 million years.
- Plate Tectonics - The progress of the earth sciences and the advancement of technologies associated with the understanding of our planet during the 1940's and 50's have led geologists to develop a new way of looking at the world and how it works.
Soil
- Dr. Dirt Soil Lessons - Lessons with hands-on activities for soil horizons made of pudding, plowing implements, soil as a filter and sand castle engineering.
- Natural Resources Conservation Service Soils Site - Lesson plans and teaching tips from the USDA.
Volcanoes
- Volcano Explorer Game - Fun and interactive game that invites you to explore the inner workings of volcanoes.
- Volcano Fun Facts for Kids - Contains information about how volcanoes are formed, how they erupt, and much more.
- Alaska Volcano Observatory - Contains FREE and LOW COST materials. Great for pictures, satellite images, and maps.
- Cascades Volcano Observatory - Good general volcano info. Great pictures, definitions, facts, figures on volcanoes worldwide. Has educational outreach button with links to ACTIVITIES and LESSON PLANS.
- Volcanoes: Can We predict volcanic Eruptions? - Contains Information about how to predict volcanic Eruptions.
- Volcano Problem Solving Modules - Five activities on volcanoes which allow students to interact with the WWW to help complete the activities.
Hydrosphere Resources
Avalanches
- National Geographic (NEW) - Unleash and avalanche! A fun, interactive tool provided by National Geographic.
Groundwater
- Groundwater Foundation - The Groundwater Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to informing the public about one of our greatest hidden resources, groundwater. Since 1985, our programs and publications present the benefits everyone receives from groundwater.
- Hydrologic Cycle - Browse succinct sections on the earth`s water budget, evaporation, condensation, transport, precipitation, groundwater, runoff, and transpiration.
Hurricanes
- El-Nino and La-Nina - Information about the famous oscillations in ocean temperature and height that affect global weather patterns. Photos and satellite images are available.
- Hurricane Briefing (NEW)- What you need to know about hurricanes, their origins, and their effects. An interactive tool by MSNBC.
- Hurricane Watch: Studying a Storm From Many Angles - This site offers images captured by NASA’s satellites showing ocean wind speed and sea surface height as they related to the development of Hurricane Floyd in September 1999.
- NASA educational tools on hurricanes - Including posters, visualizations and graphics, and classroom activities.
Oceans
- Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence - Is a new collection providing access to ocean sciences education materials with particular emphasis on K-12 audiences and instructional materials from DLESE.
- Discovery Education Lesson Plans Library for Ecology (NEW) - Lesson plans and activities for grades K-12. On this page there are quite a few lesson plans for oceans. These lesson plans are also available for a wide range of other topics.
- Ocean Explorer Site - Visit NOAA's redesigned site and solve the ocean challenge puzzle.
- Sea Level Viewer - The NASA Sea Level Viewer provides users with an up-to-date look at recent ocean topography data, allowing them to explore a global view or watch videos explaining the impact of sea surface height on Earth's climate. The Sea Level Viewer is accessible through NASA’s Global Climate Change website, http://climate.jpl.nasa.gov.
- Vent's Acoustic Monitoring Program - NOAA, “Low-frequency sound in the ocean can be "viewed" in the form of time versus frequency "spectrograms" (warm colors represent strong energy) or "listened to" if the natural sound is raised to human hearing by "speeding up" the original signals. These sample sounds represent seismic and biological sources, as well as sounds of unknown origin.”
Other (Environment, Wetlands, Water Center)
- Coastal Wetlands Study - Find material to use in developing a comprehensive study of coastal wetlands. The site includes background information, suggested activities, glossary, references, and reading list. Activities can be demonstrated by the teacher or performed by students. Emphasis is on Gulf Coast wetlands.
- Exploring the Environment: Water Quality - From Wheeling Jesuit University, Center for Educational Technologies section uses a case studies approach.
- IMRivers Jr. - IMRivers Jr. is a program dedicated to educating students on how to conserve precious water resources using state-of-the-art Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. IMRivers Jr. allows youth groups across the nation to create and run online, interactive mapping websites geared toward protecting local water sources from contamination. FREE.
- Water Center - The Water Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Precipitation
- Investigating Stream flow - Precipitation Relationships - From the Science Education Resource Center.
- Mystery of the Megaflood - Companion site to the episode of NOVA on PBS which detailed geologic features in Washington State created by a flood.
- Search for Ice and Snow - This is an online lesson module that uses an Earth Image database (Space Shuttle images) to try to find places on Earth where there is ice and snow.
- Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission - A few educational resources that explore tropical rainfalls role in the global warming and water cycles. Resources of satellite images and information on how to interrupt these images.
NASA Resources
NASA HOMEPAGE - NASA explores outer space through scientific and aeronautics research.
MY NASA DATA - Live Access Server (LAS) is used to create your own microsets. There are over 700 sets and are escorted by lesson plans.
EARTH OBSERVATORY - This website Control shows information on current Earth observing missions.
OCEAN COLOR WEB - Learn about the events of earlier years that happened before webcasts came about, but are now posted.
PLANETARY PHOTOJOURNAL - Attain some new knowledge on the nine planets along with countless other scientific topics.
THE EARTH OBSERVING SYSTEM (EOS) - This mission includes a better understanding of Earth as a mixed system.
Science Fair Resources
Science Fairs
Project Ideas
Teaching Tools Resources
Organizations
- Earthweek from Universal Press Syndicate is a weekly log of events with a map of world locations.
- Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that runs summer professional development travel programs designed for teachers.
- Facts and Information All About Energy- from EasyApplianceParts.com, defines energy and its alternative uses.
- Earth Systems Connection - Elementary School Curricula
- Campus Based Learning from the Science Education Resource Center shows you how to turn your school campus into a laboratory.
- Teachers Domain from the WGBH Educational Foundation has a new Earth and Space Science Collection with over 200 media rich resources and 20 lesson plans for K-12 classrooms.
- Constraints, Units, and Uncertainty; guidelines for expressing uncertainty in measurements. For High school or above from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
- Indigenous Science Resources from DLESE explores ways indigenous cultures teach science.
- Earth Science Review Games from Regentsearthscience.com.
- Guide to Energy Resources, Lesson Plans.
- Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence is a new collection providing access to ocean sciences education materials
- How hydrogen fuel cells work
- Standard - Conversion between Universal Standard Time (UTC) and the four major time zones of the United States for Standard Time.
- Daylight Savings - Conversion between Universal Standard Time (UTC) and the four major time zones of the United States for Daylight Savings Time.