Small wonders
What do bacteria, archaea, fungi, and protists have in
common? They're all microbes, and they're all evolutionary success
stories -- plus, they're all stars of an engaging educational
web site developed by the American Society for Microbiology. Called
Microbe!
the site features easy-to-follow explanations and information,
illustrated with colorful electron micrographs in addition to
the obligatory cartoon-style illustrations. A delightfully messy
experiment in handwashing shows just how hard it is to rid yourself
of these multitudinous and omnipresent little critters.
The old college try
Am I Harvard material? Can my folks afford
Berkeley? To help your high schoolers answer such questions, point
them toward Xap,
a college-planning site. Kids can take virtual tours of campuses,
research available financial aid, and submit paperless applications
to the colleges of their choice. The site, which features information
on all the two- and four-year colleges and universities in the
United States, also offers a planner timeline that begins in eighth
grade and tools for planning a career.
In their own words
"The Governor fell into great dumps to see
how hard it was to get to the sea; and worse, because his men
and horses every day diminished, being without succor to sustain
themselves in the country: and with that thought he fell sick."
Thus begins an account of the death of explorer Hernando DeSoto
in 1542, written by one of his companions. This is just one of
more than 400 primary source documents on History
Central, which bills itself as history's home on the Internet.
The site boasts a timeline of world history, a section devoted
to America's wars, and a snappy nation-by-nation gazetteer. But
the real gems here are the documents, which can give students
an authentic feel for the events that have shaped America's past.
If you build it ...
Warning: This site is seriously addicting, so don't
let your physics students log on unless you want them to spend
the next few hours in creative play that just happens to teach
them a lot about the laws of physics. Described as a combination
digital erector set, physics lab, and interactive puzzle, Sodaplay
gives you a chance to see how changes in gravity, friction, and
spring stiffness affect animated constructions of lines and dots.
Choose one of Sodaplay's 12 soda-straw creatures or create your
own, then change their shapes and movement or even their environment.
(Ever wonder what happens to a centipede when gravity's turned
upside down? Here's your chance to find out.)
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