Curated OER
The Fear of Exploration Because of... Sea Monsters
Eighth graders examine the underestimated cause as to why exploration into the western hemisphere was not common before the 1400's. They reconstruct the causes/effects of exploration to North America.
Curated OER
Outdoor Seed Sowing
First graders identify vegetables and flowers that can be grown from seed. In this seed sowing instructional activity, student learn the correct spacing and planting of various types of seeds. Students label plants.
Curated OER
Arabian Camel or Dromedary
In this camel worksheet, students study the diagram for an Arabian camel otherwise known as a dromedary. Students read the characteristics of the animal and may click on associated links to learn more.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Microbial Life: Microbial Life in Extreme Environments
Here is comprehensive information about microbes living in extreme conditions. Explore the definition of extremophile, what makes an extreme environment, and types of extreme environments. Site includes pictures, information and other...
Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum: Eukaryotes in Extreme Environments
Extremophiles thrive in the most extreme environments that are inhospitable for humans. This resource breaks down each type and provides a brief description. A good list of references is provided at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Cbc: Human Odyssey: A World of Extremes
Immerse yourself in the nomadic worlds of people who live in extreme environments. The Badjao are sea nomads in the Philippines who still live a hunter-gatherer existence but they do it on water. The Bushmen are desert nomads living in...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Life in Extreme Environments: Who Is on Top in the Food Chain?
In this lesson, students will design experiments to gain some understanding of the feeding rates of Rotifers and/or Tardigrades. They will use organisms collected locally or provided by the teacher to explore differences between their...
Encyclopedia of Earth
Encyclopedia of Earth: Evolutionary Biology: Extremophile
Article describing some of the extreme environments where extremophile organisms can live, and giving examples from bacteria, archaea, flora, and fauna. (Published: November 26, 2010)
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Deadly Ascent
Learn about some of Earth's extreme environments and possible dangers they present. Identify ways to deal with potential dangers in extreme environments.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Extreme Global Makeover: Wide Angle: Lesson Plan
Modernization is an important issue in many places, including China and India. Students explore how it may impact such areas as society, politics, the economy, and the environment.
Extreme Science
Extreme Science: Amazon River
This Extreme Science article looks at the Amazon River and it is called the world's greatest river.
BBC
Bbc: Earth: Tardigrades Return From the Dead
Tardigrades are ancient, fascinating creatures that can survive conditions that would kill most life forms, including extreme heat and absolute zero, extreme pressure and a vacuum, and deadly radiation. They can even survive being...
Other
Path Finder Science: Tardigrades
This site displays information about a tardigrades research study that students were involved in. Tardigrades are fascinating, tiny creatures that can survive under the most extreme conditions. The structure of the project is there for...
Other
Illinois Wesleyan Univ.: Tardigrade Species Distribution Project: Lesson Plan
This lesson plan was for classes that participated in a research project on tardigrades that took place in 1999. Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are fascinating, tiny creatures that can survive under the most extreme conditions....
BiologyWise
Biology Wise: Types of Extremophiles and Where Are They Found?
Extremophiles are among the world's most fascinating organisms because they are able to survive in extreme conditions. Learn how extremophiles can thrive in highly acidic or alkaline conditions, under intense pressure or in extreme heat,...
Extreme Science
Extreme Science: Hottest Place on Earth: Lut Desert, Iran
A description of the climate in Lut Desert, Iran, which was documented as having repeatedly reached the highest temperatures of anywhere on Earth. Includes explanation of how extreme heat occurs.
US Department of Agriculture
U.s Department of Agriculture: Ain't Nothin' Like Lichen
View images of lichen, and learn what makes this microorganism able to live in extreme environments, how lichens are formed by algae and fungi, and how lichens might be able to benefit humans.
Fun Trivia
Fun Trivia: Tardigrades: The Living Gummy Bears Quiz
A ten-question quiz on tardigrades, tiny creatures that look like gummy bears and can survive under the most extreme conditions.
Other
Illinois Wesleyan University: Tardigrade Species Distribution Project
This was a research project on tardigrades that took place some time ago. The site contains information about the project and about tardigrades, including their taxonomy and a glossary. As this is an older site, the links to the...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Adapting Under Pressure
Students learn about James Cameron's Challenger Deep dive and about the marine animals that live in different layers of the ocean. They then study the characteristics of the hadalpelagic zone at the bottom of the ocean, and imagine and...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Why Neutrinos Matter
Elementary particles are the smallest known building blocks in the universe- and the neutrino is one of the smallest of the small. These tiny neutrinos can tell us about the furthest reaches and most extreme environments of the universe...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Could We Survive Prolonged Space Travel?
Prolonged space travel plays a severe toll on the human body: microgravity impairs muscle and bone growth, and high doses of radiation cause irreversible mutations. As we seriously consider the human species becoming space-faring, a big...
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole Oceanography Institute: Hydrothermal Vents
Explore actual photographs of the organisms and geologic structures of an oceanic hydrothermal vent. Additional links provide information about many of the physical properties of this extreme environment.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Low Temperature Physics
Why do physicists want to study things at temperatures so cold atomic motion almost comes to a halt? And how do they create such frigid environments, anyway? Read on for the what, how and why of low temperature physics.