New exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. The website has visuals and descriptions for each station of this exhibit.  ... more

New exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. The website has visuals and descriptions for each station of this exhibit.   less

Interactive IEEE Virtual Museum tour on electricity. The site has historical images and an animation of a DC motor. Excerpt: "When people realized what electricity and magnetism were they took the first steps towards putting t  ... more

Interactive IEEE Virtual Museum tour on electricity. The site has historical images and an animation of a DC motor. Excerpt: "When people realized what electricity and magnetism were they took the first steps towards putting them to work. The very first machines hardly seem useful compared to the stuff we use today, but 200 years ago, when the industrial revolution was getting under way in Europe, they were major breakthroughs. In the 19th century inventors began looking for ways to use electromagnetism to run machines, which was being done at that time by steam engines, water wheels, horses, or even people. Henry Magnet Joseph Henry’s large horseshoe shaped electromagnet from 1831. Henry used it in experiments. Courtesy: Smithsonian Institution. One of the first to think about using electricity for practical purposes was the American Joseph Henry. In 1829 he used a large battery to build a powerful electromagnet. It was not just a scientific instrument—it could do heavy work, such as lifting hundreds of pounds of metal. With his demonstration, Henry really began to transform electricity into something that people could use every day. Along with the generator came much more powerful ways to put electricity to work. A key technology was the electric motor. By the 1800 inventors had already harnessed the power of steam to run locomotives and factory machines. Many thought that electricity could be tapped to do the same kind of work, especially after Michael Faraday demonstrated a tiny electric motor. In 1834 Thomas Davenport designed a motor that was strong enough to run a small printing press. He patented the motor in 1837. But progress was slow—it wasn’t until almost 50 years later that electric motors were used commercially." Image caption: oseph Henry’s large horseshoe shaped electromagnet from 1831. Henry used it in experiments.   less

The Global Volcanism Program (GVP) seeks better understanding of all volcanoes through documenting their eruptions. This site documents worldwide activity and provides weekly reports of events, a list of volcanic regions, and link  ... more

The Global Volcanism Program (GVP) seeks better understanding of all volcanoes through documenting their eruptions. This site documents worldwide activity and provides weekly reports of events, a list of volcanic regions, and links to other volcano websites. There is also a gazetteer that includes volcano names and regions, and in some cases details such as volcano type, location, coordinates, volcanic history, elevation, descriptions, and seismic readings. A listserv is available for announcements or inquiries about any aspect of volcanology.   less

Website with traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center. The site is organized around Centerpieces, Events, Curricular Resources, Video & Audit, Search and Invention at Play. The tagline is" Behind every invention t  ... more

Website with traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center. The site is organized around Centerpieces, Events, Curricular Resources, Video & Audit, Search and Invention at Play. The tagline is" Behind every invention there's a story . . . "The Lemelson Center’s mission: • To document, interpret, and disseminate information about invention and innovation • To encourage inventive creativity in young people • To foster an appreciation for the central role invention and innovation play in the history of the United States Through public events, programs for students, publications, research opportunities, exhibitions, and this Web site, the Center: • Records the past, by preserving and increasing access to records and artifacts • Broadens our understanding of history, through research, discussion, and dissemination of ideas • Looks towards the future, by engaging young people in the study and exploration of invention and innovation."   less

"Smithsonian Networks (SNI/SI Networks L.L.C.) is a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution. It was formed to create new channels that are both entertaining and informative. It is inspired by t  ... more

"Smithsonian Networks (SNI/SI Networks L.L.C.) is a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution. It was formed to create new channels that are both entertaining and informative. It is inspired by the work and assets of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex. Smithsonian Channel HD features innovative and groundbreaking programs in HD. The content is largely inspired by the Smithsonian Institution’s rich resources – and has original features and series in subjects including Air and Space, Pop Culture, History and Mystery, Smithsonian Kids™, Science, Natural Wonders, and More Smithsonian™. "   less

Website of Miningusa.com that lists educational sites in mining and mining engineering. In addition to educational programs, the site includes links to the Smithsonian's gem and mineral collection and an electronic field trip to a  ... more

Website of Miningusa.com that lists educational sites in mining and mining engineering. In addition to educational programs, the site includes links to the Smithsonian's gem and mineral collection and an electronic field trip to a coal mine.   less

This professional development videotape, the third video in the MATHEMATICS: WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA series, explores the relationship between three-dimensional objects and their two-dimensional representations. The series presents e  ... more

This professional development videotape, the third video in the MATHEMATICS: WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA series, explores the relationship between three-dimensional objects and their two-dimensional representations. The series presents eight programs in a workshop format; each program exposes teachers to a mathematical topic taught in new and exciting ways, suggests how to teach mathematics in these ways, and shows classrooms that are changing, so that viewers can learn from observing the teachers in these classrooms. The videotapes include guest teachers engaging in group discussion, activities and questions for the viewers, and suggested classroom activities for students. In this videotape, the classroom clips show students, at a range of grade levels, investigating the relationship between two- and three-dimensional objects as they build models, make perspective drawings, and fold paper into solid shapes. The guest teachers discuss development of mathematical vocabulary, assessment, and visualization skills as a central part of mathematics. A guide for the series is available and contains outlines of the themes, activities, and supplies needed for active participation in the videotape workshop format. Each workshop is correlated with specific standards from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematic CURRICULUM AND EVALUATION STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL MATHEMATICS (1989). (Author/JRS)   less

"A website featuring highlights of scientific research at the Smithsonian Institute. Welcome to Science at the Smithsonian – a new Web site from the Smithsonian Office of Public Affairs featuring highlights of our scientific re  ... more

"A website featuring highlights of scientific research at the Smithsonian Institute. Welcome to Science at the Smithsonian – a new Web site from the Smithsonian Office of Public Affairs featuring highlights of our scientific research around the Smithsonian Institution. Science plays a critical role in the daily life of the Institution. More than simply display science in a glass case, the Smithsonian does science. Our scientists probe millions of years deep into the past and imagine the future at the edge of the universe. Every day, Smithsonian science examines many of the world’s most complex and time-sensitive problems. Our scientists apply what they learn to improve the quality—and quantity—of life on Earth. They protect imperiled natural resources, assess the consequences of climate change and help keep aircraft safe from bird strikes."   less

Digital videos to enhance understanding and teaching of K-12 Learning Goals. Search by grade level is divided by K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The Science Media Group, part of the Science Education Department at the Harvard-Smithson  ... more

Digital videos to enhance understanding and teaching of K-12 Learning Goals. Search by grade level is divided by K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The Science Media Group, part of the Science Education Department at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and producer of A PRIVATE UNIVERSE, has built an extensive collection of digital video materials supporting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics(STEM) education reform. HS-Digital Video Library Features: • Clinical Interviews of Student Ideas • Demonstrations of Phenomena • Case Studies of Instruction or Research • Interviews with Experts • Correlations to state and national curriculum standards. Benchmark chapters for search include: 1. The Nature of Science, 2. The Nature of Mathematics, 3. The Nature of Technology, 4. The Physical Setting, 5. The Living Environment, 6. The Human Organism, 7. Human Society, 8. The Designed World, 9. The Mathematical World, 10. Historical Perspectives, 11. Common Themes, and 12. Habits of the Mind.   less

This site hosted by AAAS has lesson plans, tools, benchmark science standards/goals. Providing a wealth of resources for K-12 science educators, Science NetLinks is your guide to meaningful standards-based Internet experiences  ... more

This site hosted by AAAS has lesson plans, tools, benchmark science standards/goals. Providing a wealth of resources for K-12 science educators, Science NetLinks is your guide to meaningful standards-based Internet experiences for students. At the heart of Science NetLinks are standards-based lesson plans that incorporate reviewed Internet resources, and can be selected according to specific benchmarks and grade ranges. Each lesson is tied to at least one learning goal and uses research-based instructional strategies that support student learning. The lessons are written for the teacher, but include student-ready materials such as student sheets (student reproducibles) or E-Sheets (online worksheets that enable students to engage directly in Internet activities).   less