Animals: Sea Life
The ocean covers 71 percent of the Earth's surface and contains 97 percent of the planet's water, yet more than 95 percent of the underwater world remains unexplored. Start your classroom's journey of exploration with these sites.
Sea Turtle Conservancy
Located in Gainesville, FL, this organization provides in-depth information on Sea Turtles.
Coral Reef Alliance
Coral Reef Alliance offers a beautifully designed display of the ecology of a coral forest.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the premiere aquariums in the U.S. Its wide variety of resources includes an extensive teacher programs section.
Jonathan Bird's Blue World: Sponges!
A sponge might not look like much, but these simple animals with no brain or ability to move have lived on Earth for hundreds of millions of years.
They can hunt prey and spawn, and Jonathan demonstrates how in this fascinating video about the biology of sponges!
- YouTube URL
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8a0oNsDEx8
Sea Turtle Restoration
The Sea Turtle Restoration Project has made a video, Last Journey for the Leatherback, free to teachers.
JASON
The JASON project emphasizes interactivity in marine observation. The Jason project is well-endowed and also uses satellite capabilities. JASON has led real and virtual expeditions to Belize and rainforests. A study on squids has been attracting interest.
World Aquarium in Missouri
World Aquarium in St. Louis, MO is an example of educational resources provided by aquariums across the country.
Virtual Silurian Reef
425 million years ago most of North America was covered by a Silurian reef. This distance learning project Virtual Silurian Reef encompasses geology and ecosystems.
Deep-Sea Bestiary
For a display of deep sea life look at NOVA's Deep-Sea Bestiary. The descriptions of adaptation to this life are especially interesting.
WhaleNet
Simmons sponsors WhaleNet, an amazing project in which data is collected about virtually every aspect of an ocean environment influencing whale life.
Just a reminder--software publishers have developed some amazingly rich CD's about sea life. As you preview them, you will be able to sort the well-supported from the poorly conceived products. And that medium is certainly less costly than online, underwater learning.
The sites above, however, represent the best of the telecollaborative projects. In other words, both the content and teacher and student learnings are worthy of an online investment.
Other Areas To Check Out...
• Marine Worlds
• Animals: Wildlife
• Virtual Schools Sampler
• Mathematics in the Real World
• Virtual Community
• Observatory
