Illinois Science Teachers Association

Welcome to the Online Resources section! Browse through the selected web sites with information for science educators.

Standards & Instruction | Classroom Resources | Resources within Illinois

Standards & Instruction

• Handbook of Engaged Learning Projects
  http://www-ed.fnal.gov/help/index.html
  An assortment of projects for elementary, middle school, and high school designed by classroom teachers to demonstrate engaged learning and effective use of technology.
• Illinois Learning Standards
  http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ils/
  Visit the Illinois State Board of Education website for details about Illinois Learning Standards, descriptors, and more!
• Institute for Inquiry
  http://www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/
  This site provides science reform educators with a deeply meaningful experience with inquiry, through workshops, on-line resources, follow-up opportunities, and an intellectual community of practice.
• Make the Link to Illinois Learning Standards
  http://www.stclair.k12.il.us/makethelink/
  Explore this site for quick, reliable, and credible on-line resources and lessons that "make the link" between the classroom teachers, students, and the educational standards of the State of Illinois - and beyond.
• Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education (MSTE)
  http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/
  Explore this site for lesson ideas, activities, online resources, and more for math and science education! Don't miss the Java Lessons area!
• McREL Standards Database
  http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/
  This site offers a compilation of content standards for K-12 curriculum. Be sure to visit the Hot Links section for science for lesson plans, activities, and curriculum resources addressing learning standards.
• Michigan Teacher Network - Best Practice
  http://mtn.merit.edu/best.html
  This page contains descriptions of reviewed Web sites that provide best practice information.
• National Science Education Standards
  http://books.nap.edu/books/0309053269/html/index.html
  National Science Education Standards offer a coherent vision of what it means to be scientifically literate, describing what all students regardless of background or circumstance should understand and be able to do at different grade levels in various science categories. Browse the online version of the book to learn more!
• National Science Teachers Association
  http://www.nsta.org/
  From the latest news in science education to reviews of educational materials and links, this site provides a wealth of resources for science educators!
• Project 2061
  http://www.project2061.org/
  Project 2061 is the long-term initiative of the American Association for the Advancement of Science working to reform K-12 science, mathematics, and technology education nationwide. Visit the site for resources, links, news, and other items of interest to educators. Don't miss the Benchmarks On-Line section!
• North Central Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Consortium (NCEMSC)
  http://www.learningpt.org/msc/
  The North Central Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Consortium (NCEMSC) is one of ten consortia funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the National Eisenhower Program. MSC works to advance systemic change in mathematics and science in a seven-state region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
• Project Based Learning Checklist
  http://4teachers.org/projectbased/
  Learn more about project based learning and discover tips to help you create your own PBL units.
• The Inquiry Page
  http://inquiry.uiuc.edu/index.php3
  The Inquiry Page is more than a website. It's a dynamic virtual community where inquiry-based education can be discussed, resources and experiences shared, and innovative approaches explored in a collaborative environment.
• The Shodor Foundation
  http://www.shodor.org/
  The Shodor Foundation is a non-profit research and education organization dedicated to the advancement of science and math education, specifically through the use of modeling and simulation technologies. Included on this site are instructional resources and software ready to be used in the classroom.

Classroom Resources

• Academy Curriculum Exchange
  http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/
  The Curriculum Exchange is an area where teachers can find a variety of lesson plans for science and other subjects. These lessons were done by a consortium of teachers from 14 states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, particularly the quality of math and science education.
• Access Excellence - Activities Exchange
  http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/
  Visit this site for an assortment of great lessons and activities for junior high and high school biology!
• Actionbioscience.org
  http://www.actionbioscience.org/
  This site provides lessons for high school and undergraduate levels to accompany its peer-reviewed articles examining bioscience issues. Lessons are written by educators and correlated to NSES standards. Articles and lessons focus on issues in biodiversity, environment, human genome, biotechnology, evolution, new frontiers in the sciences, and education.
• Blue Web'n
  http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/
  Browse the content table for an assortment of lesson plans, projects, and online resources for astronomy, chemistry, life science, and much more!
• Chicago Botanical Gardens (Located in Glencoe)
  http://www.chicagobotanic.org
  This is one of the top Chicago locations for visiting and learning about flowers and plants. Go to the Education link and there is a wide variety of information on field trip and teacher workshops.
• Connecting Outdoor Instruction to the Illinois Learning Standards -COIILS
  http://web.stclair.k12.il.us/splashd/schlyrd.htm
  The Online Schoolyard and Classroom Investigations web page offers teachers and students an opportunity to conduct any of over thirty different science investigations and then submit and share their data online with others doing the same investigation.
• Education World: Science Center
  http://www.education-world.com/science/
  A collection of lessons, activities, and links to online resources for elementary and secondary science educators.
• Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plans: Science
  http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Science
  A large collection of lesson plans and activities for K-12 organized by topic!
• Eduscapes
  http://www.eduscapes.com/
  One of the best resources for incorporating technology into your classroom!
• ENC Lesson Plans & Activities: Science Topics
  http://www.enc.org/weblinks/lessonplans/science/
  A large collection of lesson plans and activities organized by topic! Also visit their Curriculum Resources area for information about thousands of teaching materials for K-12 math and science.
• Fermilab For Educators
  http://www-ed.fnal.gov/educators.html
  This page provides links to an assortment of resources for educators from Fermilab, such as the Teacher Resource Center, Fermilabyrinth, or SIMply Prairie.
• FREE - Federal Resources for Educational Excellence: Science Resources
  http://www.ed.gov/free/s-scienc.html
  A large collection of educational resources supported by agencies across the U.S. organized by topic area!
• Inquiry-Based Science Project Challenging Problems
  http://web.stclair.k12.il.us/splashd/chllgepg.htm
  This web page offers students an opportunity to experience inquiry-based science that challenges them to design and conduct an investigation after receiving only the problem and the data to be collected online. Teachers of this approach become guides on the side.
• The International Wolf Center
  http://www.wolf.org/
  The International Wolf Center provides online curriculum including an interactive wolf quiz for students, scientific wolf articles and research, and educator resources. The Wolf Center also offers workshops and adventure learning vacations across North America.
• JASON Project:See the new look
  http://www.jasonproject.org/
  JASON XIV is ready and offers even more new features than previous expeditions. How may I help you learn more about this award winning multimedia, multidisciplinary program. The Foundation would like to help you get the best pricing. We also are interested in doing staff development in more areas. Your inquiry will bring a quick response. I will fill your requests quickly and supply ONLY what you request. Thank you for your continued support of the JASON Project and/or the JASON Academy.
• Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators
  http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/
  Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators is a categorized list of sites useful for enhancing curriculum and professional growth. It is updated often to include the best sites for teaching and learning!
• Middle School Science
  http://www.middleschoolscience.com/
  This site provides an assortment of great lesson ideas and activities for middle school students. Also visit the Middle School Science Teacherspage for a collection of links to sites by middle school science educators.
• NASAexplores
  http://nasaexplores.com
  Every week this site provides two new articles about a current NASA Aerospace Technology or HEDS project. The NASAexplores educators adapts the articles for three grade levels: K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 and provide lesson plans/activities to support the concepts related in the article. Also visit the Resources area for a list of links to other NASA sites for educators!
• N.E.R.D.S.
  http://scied.unl.edu/pages/mamres/pages/demos/demo.html
  Visit this site from the University of Nebraska for Dr. Demo's Science Demonstrations and other great ideas to add excitement to your classroom!
• PDC Science Center
  http://www.luc.edu/schools/education/csipdc/science2.htm
  The Science Center offers a wide range of information designed to meet the needs of today's science teachers. Browse their offering of lesson plans and activities.
• Pharmacology Education Partnership
  http://www.thepepproject.net
  Provides 6 modules of basic biology and chemistry using pharmacology themes.  All free.  Wonderful animations and graphics!
• ProQuest K-12 Education Solutions
  http://www.proquestk12.com
  ProQuest offers a growing family of classroom-focused, subscription-based educational resources that support the 21st Century information literacy needs of teachers and students across all curriculum areas, including eLibrary, SIRS, CultureGrams, ExploreLearning Gizmos, Voyager Expanded Learning, Reading A-Z, and more.
• Science Connection
  http://student.biology.arizona.edu/sciconn/lessons.html
  An assortment of lesson plans developed by Science Connectors or modified by Science Connectors from existing activities. These activities cover a range of grade levels, but most of them may be easily modified to fit individual classroom use.
• Science NetLinks
  http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/
  Science NetLinks strives to be a comprehensive "homepage" for K-12 science educators. Search their library of reviewed web sites and lessons by selecting a science benchmark topic.
• SpaceWander
  http://www.spacewander.com/USA/english.html
  Bob Antonovich of the JASON Project recommends this Website. The Hubble Telescopic photos are simply awesome!
• Teacher's First
  http://www.teachersfirst.com/
  Teachers First is a rich collection of lessons and web resources for K-12 classroom teachers. Materials are arranged by subject area and grade level, making it easy to locate lesson plans and associated web resources quickly. Don't miss the Content Matrix and Mind Stretchers!
• The Gateway
  http://www.thegateway.org/
  The key to one-stop, any-stop access to high quality lesson plans, curriculum units and other education resources on the Internet! Use their site search to find the resources you need at the click of a mouse!
• The Science Spot
  http://sciencespot.net/
  From lesson plans to links to great sites for teachers and students, this site offers a wealth of resources for middle school science educators! Don't miss the Science Classroom with lessons aligned with Illinois Learning Standards and links to online lesson plan collections organized by topic!
• The Solution Site
  http://www.thesolutionsite.com/
  The site contains K-12 lesson plans that give the students more active involvement in their learning. Use the Find A Unit section to see all they have to offer for science and other subjects!
• Web for Teachers
  http://www.4teachers.org/
  This site provides a variety of resources to help you integrate technology into your classroom! Don't miss TrackStar and RubiStar!
• Wisconsin Society for Science Teachers
  http://www.wsst.org/
  This is Wisconsin's Science Teachers homepage. Check it out for information about the society's exciting convention in March, located in the Wisconsin Dells!

Resources for Illinois Science Teachers within the state of Illinois

The following are resources that are available for our Science Teachers throughout our state. If you have additional resources that you would like to share and have added to this list, please email KearneyT@comcast.net

• Adler Planetarium (Located in Chicago near the Shedd Aquarium)
  http://www.adlerplanetarium.org
  Some outstanding activities for your class field trips. Visit the Education link for a wide variety of teacher workshops, field trip planning, and online activities.
• Brookfield Zoo (Located in Brookfield, a southwest suburb of Chicago)
  http://www.brookfieldzoo.org
  Visit the “Education” link to find educational resource programs that are available for field trips with your students, and different workshops that the zoo has for teacher education and enrichment. Also be sure to click on the interactive online education games “Adventure Trail”
• Burpee Museum of Natural History (Located in Rockford)
  http://www.burpee.org
  Some very good dinosaur exhibits. Great place for school field trip activities. Visit the Education link to find a variety of programs designed for teachers.
• Cernan Space Center (Located on the Triton College Campus in River Grove)
  http://www.triton.edu/cernan
  Wide variety of Space Science exhibits and displays. Great for Field trips and class activities.
• Chicago Children’s Museum (Located in Chicago)
  http://www.chichildrensmuseum.org
  A great interactive museum for students preschool age to 10 years old. Visit the Education link for field trip information and teacher workshops.
• Dickson Mounds Museum (Located in Lewistown in West-Central Illinois)
  http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/dickson/
  A museum that highlights archaeology studies in Illinois. Guided field trips are available.
• Environmental Education Association of Illinois
  http://www.eeai.net
  This is a great site for resources on Environmental Education in Illinois. Go to the link “Available Resources” for a variety of links to resources for teachers. This site has also put together a comprehensive list of locations of environmental resources that are available for teachers that live in the “west central” portion of our state.
• Fermilab (Located in Batavia)
  http://www-ed.fnal.gov/ed_home.html
  Some very good educational activities available here. Go to the Teacher Resources Center for some great ideas for the classroom and links to Teacher Networks. Visit also the Lederman Science Center for links to other great education activities.
• The Field Museum of Chicago (Located in Chicago)
  http://www.fieldmuseum.org
  Great field trip location for a variety of natural history and dinosaur exhibits. Go to the education link for some very good teacher resources. There are also some excellent online interactive activities that students can use.
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources
  http://dnr.state.il.us
  There are links to a wide variety of teacher education and enrichment programs, publications, and FREE posters and materials for the classroom.
• Illinois State Museum (Located in Springfield)
  http://www.museum.state.il.us
  This is a great site for natural history in Illinois. Visit the Teachers link and there are a number of great lesson plans as well as some online interactive lessons for your students.
• The International Museum of Surgical Science of Chicago (Located in Chicago)
  http://www.imss.org
  Visit the Education link for field trip planning.
• Lakeview Museum of Arts and Science (Located in Peoria)
  http://www.lakeview-museum.org
  A variety of educational programs available for field trips and teacher workshops.
• Lincoln Park Zoo (Located along the lake front of Chicago)
  http://www.lpzoo.com
  Visit the “Education” link to find educational resource programs that are available for field trips with your students, and different workshops that the zoo has for teacher education and enrichment. Also be sure to click on the interactive online education games “ZEBRA Online”.
• McHenry County Department of Conservation (Located throughout McHenry County)
  http://www.mccdistrict.org
  The McHenry County Dept. of Conservation has 22 different areas that are available for school field trips and educational programs on plants and animals.
• Museum of Science and Industry of Chicago (Located in Chicago)
  http://www.msichicago.org
  One of the best Science Museums in the country. Wide variety of exhibits and interactive exhibits. Visit the education link for a wide variety of field trip information and also Teacher Development activity information.
• Peggy Notebaert Museum Chicago Academy of Science (Located next to Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago)
  http://www.chias.org
  A very good site for interactive field trips. A number of science activities that your students will love, and do not forget to visit the free-fly butterfly exhibit.
• SciTech Hands on Museum (Located in Aurora)
  http://scitech.mus.il.us
  A very good hands on interactive museum to get your students involved in real science experiments and activities. Visit the Experiments link for some great online activities and science links.
• Shedd Aquarium (Located along the lake front of Chicago)
  http://www.sheddaquarium.org
  Visit the “Teach and Learn” link to find the educational resource programs that are available for field trips with your students, and different workshops that the aquarium has for teacher education and enrichment. Also be sure to click on their interactive online education games.
• Volo Bog State Natural Area (Located about 50 miles NW of Chicago)
  http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R2/VOLOBOG.HTM
  This is the only “quaking” bog in Illinois that has a open water center. Great location for field trips, trails, and Interpretive Programs.
• Water CAMPWS Education Programs and Inquiry Page
  http://www.inquiry.uiuc.edu/index.php
  This site is from the University of Illinois-Champaign and it promotes a variety of Inquiry Based Learning Programs.
• Wildlife Prairie State Park (Located in Peoria, Illinois)
  http://www.wildlifeprairiestatepark.org
  This is a great location for seeing native Illinois wildlife. Educational programs are available for field trips as are Interpretive Naturalist Programs. Great chance to see how Illinois looked during the “Pioneer Days”.