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Educational Links
The information we provide through our online educational
materials and facility tours are just the tip of the iceberg. There is
a great deal of information about environmental science, geology and world
resources available through the Internet. Some that we have identified
are listed below.
Links
The Smithsonian Institution Rocks Gallery
The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History offers an interactive and
printable web site called "The Dynamic Earth". The site contains a variety of information
about rocks and mining, including an interactive rock gallery and a video about how rocks are
made into usable products. You can visit the site by following the link above:
A focal point of the exhibit is the "Rocks Build Cities" exhibit, with samples of sand, crushed
stone and gravel and descriptions and illustrations of how the materials are used to make asphalt
and concrete for roads, sidewalks, buildings and other purposes. The
Vulcan Materials Company Foundation was a major
contributor to an industry fund-raising effort for the Rocks Gallery.
Mineral Information Institute
The Mineral Information Institute is a national not-for-profit organization located in Golden, Colorado.
Founded in 1980, MII's goal is to educate youth about the science of minerals and other natural resources.
MII works with professional and scientific association and various government and education agencies to help
classroom teachers develop materials that are directly usable by teachers in a variety of subjects
and grade levels. These materials are distributed free to classroom teachers to supplement existing
curricula.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
The USGS site offers an array of information that covers monitoring programs,
natural hazards, and environmental sources. It is also a great source
for maps and other data.
National Wildlife Federation (NWF)
The NWF is one of the nation’s largest conservation education organizations.
For more than 60 years NWF has been a leader in environmental education.
Explore NWF’s educational pathways to understanding and appreciating
the natural world.
Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF)
The Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) is the oldest and largest nonprofit
conservation organization in Alabama. Established in 1953, AWF promotes
the conservation and wise use of our wildlife and natural resources. It
works closely with corporations, scientists, educators and government
agencies on numerous conservation and education projects across the state.
The Vulcan Materials Company foundation helped sponsor
AWF’s "Discovering Our Heritage" (DOH) statewide teacher
workshop program during the summer of 2001. DOH is an environmental
education program that organizes existing materials into a comprehensive
format and provides pre-planned lesson guides for teachers.
Additional information about the program can be found at www.alabamawildlife.org/conservation_education/heritage.asp.
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
The NSTA is a professional organization that provides mentoring and professional
growth opportunities for science teachers. NSTA has excellent resources
such as Sci-Links, a program that expands textbooks with current topics.
They also sponsor many professional development, publishing and subject
area links. The NSTA also works in partnership with governmental, public
and private organizations for curriculum development.
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is well known for its attention to detail
and quality. They provide educational services, lesson plans, media services,
grants, project adoptions, distance learning, maps, and publications.
World Resources Institute (WRI)
WRI is a research and policy institute helping governments, the private
sector, environmental, and development organizations. They address the
main problem of how societies meet human needs and nurture economic growth
while preserving the natural resources and environmental integrity that
make prosperity possible. WRI aims to generate accurate information about
global resources. They publish books, reports, educational materials,
seminars and more.
Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (ENC)
The ENC is a vital part of the professional development of all teachers,
providing growth and development opportunities. It is a national clearinghouse
for science and math education and is funded by the Department of Education.
This site provides K-12 teachers with a central source on information
on math and science curriculum materials. The site is searchable by grade
level, topic, and cost of materials.
Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program
The GLOBE program guides students through real hands on science projects
in their own backyards. These activities and long term monitoring create
a sense of ownership and responsible planning. The GLOBE Program goals
are to enhance the environmental awareness of individuals, to increase
scientific understanding of the earth, and to improve student achievement
in science and math. Students and teachers gather data from their locations
and share the data online with hundreds of sites internationally. The
data provides real life experience to teachers and students. They can
be used as presented or adapted to train students in the process of inquiry.
We hope these links are useful to you. If you know of
others and would like to share them with us, please contact us at
learning@vmcmail.com.
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