Science Netlinks: Resource

Send us feedback

Print Page

The USGS and Science Education

http://education.usgs.gov/

Target Audience
Grades - 6-8 9-12

The USGS and Science Education site, designed for K-12 education and lifelong learning, is a component of the United States Geological Survey website and is maintained by USGS. The homepages include privacy policy statements, disclaimers, site maps, contact information, and a help page. Federally financed, this site has current, reliable information produced by the survey's own scientists as well as other American and international museum and university scholars.

There are three major learning units listed on the homepage: Students (project ideas, homework help, etc.), Teachers (lesson plans and activities), and Explorers (resources on natural science). A sidebar has basic and advanced search functions, and Fun Stuff, plus eight major topics: earth hazards, water, plants and animals, maps, rocks, real-time information, ecosystems, and natural resources.

The homepage has extensive links to geology, biology, geography, and hydrology that link data and syntheses on a great variety of related topics. Among the latter is climatic history, cave formation, herbicidal contamination, amphibian deformities, topographic mapping, acid rain, earth hazards, and weather forecasting. Downloadable glossaries, virtual field trips, information packets, games, and lesson plans contain compelling narratives and stunning visual aids. Real-time information documents natural disasters, satellite weather images, and "live" views of volcanoes from around the world. Maps, diagrams, booklets, manuals, and much scientific information are available to the public (for example, X-ray powder diffraction manuals).

The site loads quickly and navigates easily; the vast majority of the links are quickly accessible (graphic-laden scientific papers are slower). There is something for every age group at this well-designed, dynamic Internet sit and it is highly recommended.

Reviewer Name:	Charles C. Kolb
Reviewer Affiliation:	National Endowment for the Humanities
Site Title:	The USGS and Science Education
Site Owner/Developer:	USGS
Date of Review:	11/13/2002
Technical Environment used for testing:	Memory: 16M+ Browser: Internet Explorer Internet Connection: 56