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The best aspect of the Internel
nothing.to do with technology.
as. Steven Levy
If 1995 was The "Year of the Internet"
(Newsweek, Jan. I , I 996), for educators it
is quickly becoming the era of informa-
tion-on-demand and collaboration-at-a-
distance. Among the Internet's many
resources is the World Wide Web, a glo-
bal network of information "servers" pro-
vided by individuals, organizations, busi-
nesses, and federal agencies who are of-
fering documents, data, images, and in-
teractive sessions. For teachers, students,
and parents, this means access to informa-
tion not in textbooks or the local library,
fast-breaking news, ideas for lessons and
activities, and, best of all, collaboration
with others on projects of mutual interest.
Here we provide an annotated listing of
Web resources relating to environmental
education. Though not an exhaustive list
of what is available, these sites represent
the range ofresources, and they are excel-
lent places to begin your own journey
through the web of interconnected sites.
Comprehensive Sites
Internet Directory for Environmental
Education
http ://www. nc e et. snre. umic h. edu
Sponsored by the National Consortium for En-
vironmental Education and Training (NCEET),
this site provides access to many environmental
education-related organizations and resources,
including NCEET's own materials, the EE
Toolbox for inservice providers, and activities
on many topics, including Agriculture and Sus-
tainable Development, Air Quality and Climate
Change, Water Quality, Ecosystems and Con-
servation, Energy, Ecology and Wildlife, and
Toxics and Waste Management. The site also
offers contacts, references, regional informa-
tion, and a directory. Useful to students, teach-
ers, and others in K- l2 environmental education.
The Environmental Education Network
http : //www. e nv iro link. o rg/env iro e d
The Environmental Education Network (EEN)
offers the world's largest on-line environmental
information clearinghouse with a search mecha-
nism that allows users to browse EE-Link to find
instructional materials, articles, funding sources,
networking opportunities, publications, confer-
ence proceedings, and more. A useful tool for
environmentalists, educators, parents, and stu-
dents. Sponsored by The National Consortium
for Environmental Education and Training.
has
It's
Environmental Education Resources
on the World Wide Web
Linda A. Milboume & David L. Haury
September 1996
Special Interest Sites
Rainforest Action Network
http : /www. ran. o rg/ran
The RainforestAction Network(RAN) works to
protect Earth's rainforests and support the rights
of inhabitants through education, grassroots ef-
forts, and non-violent direct action. Its outreach
program encourages young people (from first
graders to college students) to become involved
in saving rainforests. The Website includes an
abundance of materials foryoung people, educa-
tional resources for teachers, and information
about people indigenous to rainforests. RAN is
cunently producing a Kids' Action Guide and a
Tree-Free Action Packet to be distributed free to
teachers and chil&en nationwide.
World Wildlife Fund
hnp : //www. panda. o r g/kids/index. htm
One of the world's widest-ranging environmen-
tal organizations established this site to provide
information about global issues, from climate
changes and polluted seas to endangered forests
and animals. Resources include news updates
and action advisories, ideas on teaching earth
stewardship, and lots ofimages and sound clips,
such as ocean waves and bird sounds. Track
down pertinentpublications, links, research fi nd-
ings and reports, and sources to help the planet.
A detailed map shows where the various WWF
offrces, campaigns, and programs are headquar-
tered around the world. A new section, the Kids
and Teachers area" provides educational and fun
materials for all ages. Valuable to educators,
students, environmentalists, and naturaliss.
Sea World
hnp : //www. b ev. net/educ ation /
SeaWorld/
Sea World is famous for its dolphins and whales,
but you can also leam about vampire bats, polar
bean, gorillas, and manatees at this home page.
Read weird and interesting facts about creatures
in the sea and on land for your next science
project. If you like sea life, you can research a
careerin marine mammal science. There are also
fun games to play, pictures to color, and photo-
graphs of your favorite beass. Therc are lots of
great pictures at this site, along with movies and
soundclips, too. This site will appeal to students,
teachers, scientists, and animal lovers.
Hawaii Sea Grant Global Change
Education Home Page
hnp : //www. aloha. net/- e dh/gc e n. htm
How do you teach kids about greenhouse gases
or ozone depletion? What is sustainable devel-
opment and how will it affect your students'
lives in years to come? Teachers can make
environmental science accessible and under-
standable to young people with a few strategic
tools, all available here. This site links users to
hundreds of curriculum topics, online graphing
and manipulation, and downloadable data sets
for use in class. The Calendar of Evens liss
upcoming workshops, confercnces, talks, and
field trips for teachers and students on subjects
such as global change, sustainable development,
and marine science. Join the Global Change
Education Information List to chat with like-
minded educators across the USA. This site is of
particular value to educators, ecologists, envi-
ronmental scientists, and students.
National Wildlife Federation
http://www.nw,f.org/
Find actionl Adventure ! Entertainment! Excite-
mentl Stuff for kids! All while promoting con-
servation. That's the promise of this peppy site.
Create a nature paradise in your backyard. Leam
about joint ventures with businesses, current
conservation campaigns, NWF sponsored out-
ings, TV shows, merchandise, and publications.
Resources include: Animal Tracks On-Line, a
collection of environmental education lessons
and activities for classrooms or youth groups:
the NatureQuest training program for environ-
mental educators; Schoolyard Habitas (invite
wildlife to school grounds); NWFFoT Kids with
a Cool Tour ofthe Environment; a quiz; games;
and more. Environmentalists, policy makers, edu-
cators, students, business professionals, andjour-
nalists will find this site valuable.
River Resource
http : //www. hi g hlands. c om/
RiverResource/
A place to study river resources, with connec-
tions to facts, books, and others sftdying rivers.
Resources of the site can be searched using
keywords, and there are links to classrooms with
information to share about specific rivers.
National Energy Foundation
http : //www. xmis sion. com: 80/-nef/
A nonprofit provider of educational materials
and prognms related to energy, natural resources,
and the environment, the NEF is supported by
businesses, government agencies, associations,
and the education community. This site offers a
catalog of materials, free natural gas education
materials, and links to related lWebsites.
For Parents and Kids
Kids Web-Environmental Science
http : //www. infomall. o rg/kidsw e b/
environment.html
Part of The Living Textbook Project, this site
provides links to government environmental
agencies from the United States, Canada, and
Australi4 as well as an online oceanography
exhibit from the Smithsonian. Some linked sites
Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education
ERIC/CSMEE . 1929 Kenny Road . Columbus, Ohio 43210-1080
ERIC/CSMEE Environmental Education Resources on the World Wide Web Page 2
focus on govemment policies, scientific research,
activism, or conservation. Spcial topics include
wetlands research and school projects. Students,
conservationists, ecologists, environmental sci-
entists, and teachers will find this site useful.
Junior Environments
hnp : //www.wwfc anada. o r
g/kiddk-
00l.html
The World Wildlife Fund Canada shows what
you can do to help make a differencc at school, at
home, andin the community. Find project ideas
and resources such as a complete list of Canada's
Endangered Species and other Wildlife at Risk,
fact sheets for many Canadian species (and some
international ones), and updates on wildlife is-
sues. Useful to students and teachers.
Kid's Stuff: Office of Ground Water
and Drinking Water
http : //www. epa. gov/OWOGW Dwkids/
Activities at this site include: Children's Project:
Build your own Water Cycle ! Teach Kids About
the Water Treatment Process; Word Scramble;
Word Search (English and Spanish); Bloopers:
Embarrxsing moments in the life of a water
drinker; and The Water Cycle at Work (Ani
mated!). Sponsored by the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency, the site offers practical eco-
information and ideas for kids and teachers.
Ecology Channel
http : //www. e co lo gy. c om/
This site is the Web version of a cable-TV show.
The educational magazine-style site strives to
include information and articles from as many
sources as possible so as to be unbiased. Features
include Captain Seaweed and Crew, who keep
kids informed about the ocean; oped articles
from environmental activists; an image gallery
ofsatellite photos taken from around the globe;
and updates on endangered species rescue ef-
fors. Links are provided to Greenpeace and the
Nature Conservancy, among others. Ofspecial
interest to environmentalists, ecologists, conser-
vationists, educators, parents, and kids.
For Teachers and Classrooms
Education Resources for Educators
http : //www. edu- s ourc e. c om,/
This "virtual nature center" conains a growing
archive of natural history materials that support
environmental education. You will find several
free mini poster lessons---often supported by an
"in hands" activity thatkids can do-free natural
history clip art samples, fund raising items, and
desktop publishing tutorials. Of particular value
to educators and interpreters.
Classroom Connect on the Net
hnp : //www. c las s room. net
Site visitors can use an extensive meta-index of
educational resources or they can get informa-
tion about products Wentworth Worldwide Me-
dia has for educators. The site provides numer-
ous connections to other resources, primary and
secondary schools on the Int€met, and links to
primary and secondary education newsgroups.
Also described here arc newsletters, videotapes,
prcpackaged lesson plans, and more. K- I 2 teach-
ers and students will find this site very useful.
Busy Teacher's Website: Ecology/
Environment
http : //www. g at e c h. e du/lc c/idt/
StudentdCole/Proy'K- I 2/eco. html
This site provides K-I2 teachen with rapid ac-
cess to quality source materials which are orga-
nized in a familiar way. Materials include lesson
plans and classroom activities which require a
minimum of site+osite linking.
The GLOBE Project
hnp : //
g lo b e.fs l. no aa. g ov
The Global Leaming and Observations to Ben-
efit the Environment (GLOBE) project offers a
worldwide nehrork of students, teachers, and
scientists working together to study and under-
stand the global environment. GLOBE students
make a core setofenvironmental observations at
or near their schools and report their data via the
Intemet. Scientists use GLOBE data in their
research and provide feedback to the students to
enrich their science education. Each day, images
created from the CLOBE student data sets are
posted on the World Wide Web, allowing stu-
dents and visitors to the Website "visualize" the
observations. By participating in GLOBE, teach-
ers guide their students through daily, weekly,
and seasonal environmental observations, mea-
suring variables such as air temperature and
precipitation. This is an excellent opportunity
for K- I 2 teachers to integrate computers and the
World Wide Web into classroom activities.
Voyage - Bringing the World To Your
Classroom
http : //www. c ais. ne t/p ub lis h/
voyage.htm
Reprinted articles and lively images from a vari-
ety of sources are offered for downloading
through this online magazine. Well-organized
into categories such as biodiversity and wildlife
conservation, altemative energy and fuels, health,
population, agriculture, clean air and water,
marine ecology, waste management, and cli-
mate, the articles are useful to ecologists, scien-
tists, students, and teachen. Students can use the
articles for science projects and teachers may use
articles in lesson plans. There are links directly
to sources referenced in the articles.
ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Math-
ematics, and Environmental Education
hnp:www.ericse.org
Supportedby the U.S. Departmentof Education,
this site offers ERIC Digests online, publications
for sale, links to other sites in the ERIC system,
and access to the world's largest database of
education-related materials. Useful to anyone
interested in education topics.
Directories
Environment and Society Index-An
Internet Resource Guide
h ttp : //w w w. rp i. e du/d e
p t/
e nv i ro rd
gu i d e
Find information on environmental subjects, or-
ganizations, regional issues, or research. The
Index covers subjects such as biodiversity, edu-
cation, environmental justice, indigenous cul-
tures, natural resources, recycling, wetlands, and
wildlife. There are links to environmental jour-
nals, treaties, discussion groups and resource
guides. This site provides unique resources of
value to environmental scientis8, ecologists, edu-
cators, students, researchers, and activists, but is
of limited appeal to the general public.
Environmental Sites on the Internet
http : //www. lib. kth. s e/- I g/env s ite. htm
Provides an extensive collection oflinks, search-
able alphabetically by subjectorby region, orga-
nization, etc. A good sarting point for anyone
seekng environmenal information or resources.
Yahoo! Environment and Nature
hnp : //www.yahoo. c om,/Env ironment _
and_Nature/
Links to many sites related to topics such as:
conservation, ecology, energy, environmental
studdies, ozone depletion, pollution, sustainable
development, and more. Useful to all.
World Wide Web Virtual Library:
Environment
http : // e c o sy s. d rdr.v i r ginia. e du/
Environment.html
Large collection of links searchable by topic,
including biodiversity, energy, forestry, ocean-
ography, sustainable development, and more.
Galaxy Jewels: Environment
http : //www. e ine t. net/GJ/
environment.html
Hotlist of environmental sites, including several
online library collections.
Earth and Environmental Science
http : //info. e r. us gs. gov/netw orA
s c i e nc e/e an Minde x. html
This site provided by the U.S. Geological Survey
offers an extensive collection of Intemet re-
sources that can be viewed by topic or searched
by keyword. Useful reference site.
About the Author
Linda Milbourne is Associate Director of
the ERICI Clearinghouse for Science, Math-
ematics, and Environmental Education.
David Haury is Director of the Clearing-
house.
sE 058 991 D This digest is in the public domain and may be freely reproduced. <EDO-SE-96-l I
OERI
This digest was funded by the Office ol
Educational Research and lmprovement, U.S.
Departrnentof Education under contract no. Rl-
93002013. Opinions expressed in this digest
do not necessadly refl ecttie positions or policies
of OERI or the Deparfnent of Education.
TFHrEI The Educational Resources lnlormation Center
is a nationwide information system initiated in
1966 by the U.S. Department of Education.
ERIC has developed the largest and most
frequently used education-related database in
the world. For information. call 1 -800-538-3742.