Web Sitings: Earth Day
Help kids learn about, conserve, and protect the planet with these earth-friendly links.

By Francine Cabreja

EPA Environmental Education Center
www.epa.gov/teachers/
Teachers who may feel a little timid about their environmental education knowledge must visit this site. By clicking on "Background Information," you will find resources on subjects such as Air, Ecosystems, and Waste & Recycling, all of which will simplify teaching about environmental issues. Also provided on the kids' page is The Explorers' Club, which contains useful games and interesting art activities. If you have an innovative environmental education program that you would like to develop and share, the EPA provides a grant-writing tutorial, plus information and resources for environment/education grants.

EcoKids Online
http://ecokids.earthday.ca/pub/
This animated, interactive site provides information about the environment, science and nature, wildlife, and energy. Children can visit "Eco-Info" to find out the latest environmental facts. There are interactive and printable games galore in "Fun n' Games." All of the games contain Find Out More links; for example, after solving the Underwater Puzzle, kids can read about how acid rain affects underwater life. Please note that both Flash 5 and Shockwave are necessary to play the games on this site, but they're well worth downloading.

Rainforest at Night @ National Geographic
www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/rainforest/index_flash.html
With exquisite illustrations and realistic forest noises, this site makes you feel as if you are actually in the rainforest. While bats fly by and frogs hide in the trees, kids can travel from the forest canopy to the forest floor. Drag the mouse across the screen and click on the animals and plant life to discover specific information, such as what an epiphyte is. To extend the adventure, read the related article, "Night Shift in the Rainforest." Included in "More to Explore" are links, a photo gallery, and a map of Borneo.

Treeture Web Site Trail
www.treetures.com
The Treeture program uses 36 adorable characters to teach children important facts about forest life. The Treetures "are a community of tiny tree friends that represent the spirit of the tree." Each Treeture has a specific job to accomplish in order to care for the forests-some are doctors, while others spread pollen and perform tasks to keep the Earth's forests safe and healthy. Included are narrative stories that explain how the characters work together to help trees function, activities with each character, printable coloring pages, songs, and lesson plans. Other great features include a glossary, a list of state trees, and "Best Picks," which suggests some terrific books and Web links.

Earth Day Grocery Project
www.earthdaybags.org/
Looking for an easy Earth Day activity that can make a big statement? The Earth Day Grocery Project is just for you! This project spreads awareness about the environment through messages on paper grocery bags. To get started, teachers collect paper bags from a local grocer and ask students to decorate the bags with messages about recycling, conservation, or how to protect endangered animals. Then return the bags to the grocery store, which will give them to customers on Earth Day. This site contains all the necessary information on how to get started, progress reports from other schools, and related educational resources.
 

Francine Cabreja is the publishing coordinator of Instructor.