Our writers recommended these independent websites as background information and content supplements for Habitats lessons.

Stewardship Project

http://nature.org/joinanddonate/adoptanacre/

This web site outlines information about the Nature Conservancy’s Adopt an Acre program and gives background information on the two or three critical sights they focus on each year.

http://nature.org/joinanddonate/rescuereef/

Use this website to find information about the Nature Conservancy’s Rescue a Reef program. The site offers background information on the specific area they are targeting and how successful their preservations attempts have been.

http://www.earthfound.com/participate/index.html

This website provides information about a fundraising program to support the Nature Conservancy’s Adopt an Acre and Rescue a Reef programs. Instead of making a straight donation, children can sell environmental t-shirts and other products to support the environment. Every 10 items purchased will save one acre/meter in the schools name.

http://www.nacdnet.org/pubaff/backyard.htm

This website offered by the National Association of Conservation Districts provides information about how children can incorporate conservation in their schoolyards, community gardens, public places, or their own backyard.

http://www.savenature.org/

The Center for Ecosystem Survival website offers a list of projects children can participate in to help preserve their habitats. The nice thing about this site is that it includes a wide range of projects.

http://www.enature.com/

Use this website to gather information about how to create a backyard habitat and/or establish bird feeders and nesting boxes to attract local birds

http://www.arborday.org/join/index2.html

The National Arbor Day Foundation website provides information about how to join the Arbor Day Society and receive ten free trees to plant in your area.

http://www0.un.org/cyberschoolbus/planet/pages/index.asp

This website, developed by the United Nations Cyberschoolbus, provides an "Atlas of Student Action for the Planet" that lists what other schools around the nation are doing to protect their environment. It is a great place to search stewardship ideas.

http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/habitatprojects.cfm

Developed by the National Wildlife Federation, this website lists a variety of habitat projects that children can do to help the environment.

http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/habitatstewards.cfm

This National Wildlife Federation website offers information on how to enroll in the Habitat Steward program, one of the NWF’s national volunteer programs. Volunteers receive training that enables them to help others develop wildlife habitats in backyards and schoolyards.

http://www.uga.edu/botgarden/GEPSN.html

This website offers information about the Georgia Endangered Plant Stewardship Network which started a school site endangered plant propagation project 1996. The information gathered on this website can be used to generate class ideas of possible stewardship activities in other geographic locations.

http://www.epa.gov/adopt/network.html

Use this Environmental Protection Agency website to locate local watershed organizations. The links provide contact information for watershed organizations that conduct activities such as monitoring, cleanup and restoration projects.

Animals’ Characteristics

http://www.fonz.org/education/sciandtech/birds/birdsv3.htm

This web site offers a short "bird beak matching game," with which children use drop-down boxes to select the right food for each type of illustrated bird.

http://fen.com/studentactivities/CCCNet/sciencelab/Animals/AnimalAdapts.html

Called "Animal Adaptation E-Safaris," this web page on the Family Education Network links five "electronic safaris" to other websites suitable for children in grades 2-5. It provides an introduction, "think first" questions, and then "wrap up" questions for each e-safari.

http://www.uen.org/utahlink/activities/view_activity.cgi?activity_id=3803

Use this website, developed by the Utah Education Network, to learn about unique physical and behavioral characteristics that organisms have that help them to survive. Be certain to scroll down the page to see links to a wide variety of organisms.

Desert Characteristics

http://www.desertmuseum.org/index.html

This is the home page for the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, a zoo, natural history museum, and botanical garden. The web site includes information about desert animals and plants, including a "Kids Connection" section written especially for children.

Plant Walk, Plant Talk

http://www.reeusda.gov/1700/statepartners/usa.htm

Use this web site to find volunteer Master Gardeners who serve as educators in their communities. The site lists the state partners of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service through which Master Gardeners are trained.

http://www.acorn-online.com/hedge/h-socs.htm

This web page provides updated contact information for state Native Plant Societies.

http://www.acorn-online.com/hedge/h-socs.htm

This website is a compilation of the Native Plant Societies in Northern America. Listings provide contact information for states and provinces in both the United States and Canada.

http://www.audubon.org/states/

Use this website to find contact information on chapters of the Audubon Society both inside and outside of the USA

http://www.aabga.org/mgSearch.htm

This website, developed by the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta, can be used to locate Botanical Gardens, Arboreta, Nature centers, Zoos and youth programs in the United States and abroad.

http://www.gardenclub.org/

The National Garden Clubs Inc. website includes a variety of links including one link geared specifically towards youths and how they can be involved in gardening and learning about horticulture.

Researching a Biome

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/index.htm

This website, developed by Missouri Botanical Gardens, is a grade appropriate site children can use to research the major terrestrial and aquatic biomes of the world. The drop down menus on the left hand side of the screen lead children to more in depth answers regarding certain topics about a particular biome.

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomes.html

Children can use this kid friendly website to find information about Earth’s major terrestrial biomes. The site is set up like a natural museum for the children to explore. The prompts on the right hand side of the screed lead the children to specific biomes and topics.

http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/index1.html

Use this website to find links to information on the major terrestrial and aquatic biomes on the Earth. All links are geared towards elementary aged children and provide good research information. There are generally three different links for each biome.

http://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/

This fun website not only has information about the major terrestrial biomes, but once the children have investigated each of the biomes, they can test their knowledge by playing some educational games based on the biomes.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

This website can be used for higher level readers to research the major terrestrial biomes on Earth. This website also provides an excellent map depicting where all of Earth’s major biomes are located.

http://worldbiomes.com

Use this website to research both the terrestrial and aquatic biomes on Earth. The reading level may be advanced, but there are pieces the children should be able to extract from the text.