A team of scientists from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) is studying the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Antarctic. During January and February 2002 an educator travelled there to participate in the study, and posted daily reports. In addition, this site contains learning activities that you can use to find out how scientists think and work. These include research ... Full description.

This is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) sponsored website that includes a variety of resources for educators and students. Oil spills are defined by scientists and further explained using photographs and questions previously submitted by students and teachers. Experiments for students and teachers are categorized by grade level and information on how to obtain instructional kits ... Full description.

Visitors to this resource will find information about U.S. marine sanctuaries - their history and current management, their scientific and educational programs, and their continuing efforts to conserve our nation's ocean and coastal treasures. A national calendar provides information on the many exciting events that take place in the sanctuaries throughout the year. Within the 13 sections of the site, ... Full description.

This is the education section of a larger site about the Aquarius underwater habitat in the Florida Keys. It includes classroom activities exploring concepts of buoyancy, pressure and light; a series of classroom activities exploring the biology of corals; and an on-line book about coral reef biology. Full description.

Students can view these television programs about a variety of ocean science topics right in their classroom. They are presented by real scientists and feature a call-in question and answer session to end the lesson. Teacher packets containing information pertaining to program topics, activities to do with students, pages for students' individual use, and vocabulary and reference lists, are available ... Full description.

WhaleTimes will take young users on an adventure to the ocean. This resource provides a wealth of information and pictures on popular sea life, such as whales, seals, sea lions, sharks, penguins, and walruses. It helps the user to find out how animals survive in the sea, what they eat, where they live and much more. There are several computer activities for young kids, and a list of books that focus ... Full description.

NeMO studies the dynamic interactions between submarine volcanic activity and seafloor hotsprings at an observatory called Axial Seamount. The research activities at NeMO provide an extraordinary educational opportunity, both from the daily reports from expeditions at sea and from creative learning materials based on NeMO results. The site features curriculum materials designed for high school and ... Full description.

Ocean Planet's six lesson plans are adapted from several themes in the Smithsonian Institution exhibition created to share with the public what recent research has revealed about the oceans and to encourage ocean conservation. "Sea Secrets" explores ocean geography; "Sea Connections" looks at the plants and animals that live in different marine ecosystems. "Ocean Market" identifies and values many ... Full description.

For ecologists, the horseshoe crab is an important creature- a vastly adaptable organism that predates most species on the planet, with a lifecyle that is interlocked with other animals. Users can view information, photographs, and diagrams that explain the anatomy, range and habitat, lifecycle, ecological niche, reproductive cycle, and medical uses of the horseshoe crab. Full description.

This description of the El Nino pattern in the eastern Pacific is from NASA's Earth Science Enterprise. In addition to text and diagrams, it provides three weather related activities for lab or classroom. Full description.