Educational websites

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Educational Websites > Science > Biology

Active Science
An entertaining Flash-based site from Glaxo-Smith Kline (the drug company), with interactive quizzes, simulations and teacher's notes that support human biology and ecology. Suitable for Standard Grade science courses.

Adept Scientific
Scientific supplies, computing hardware and software, with some free materials to download.

Association for Science Education (ASE) - Scotland
Links to science websites and meetings; details of events for teachers; science books for sale; subscriptions to journals.

BBC Education Scotland
The secondary school section is packed with subject materials for learners and teachers. See Standard Grade Bitesize for revision help with 12 subjects and Higher Bitesize for nine subjects, now including Gàidhlig. There are also plenty of interactive resources in the 14+ section for English, history, modern studies and geography.

BBC Learning
Wide range of subject areas and resources for schools, colleges and adults, with online learning courses in many areas and plenty of useful web links.

Becoming Human
This site, from the Institute of Human Origins, tells the story of human evolution through an interactive documentary. It also provides a number of resources and links to relevant websites.

Biology Online
Highland Council has made an online digital Biology course available, covering the whole of Intermediate 1. The website comprises a series of digital video lessons. Each lesson is supported by worksheets and Powerpoint presentations. There are also online activities and end of topic tests.

BioMedNet
Online store for laboratory equipment and books, links to 3500 websites, subscription to biomedical journals.

BrainPOP
BrainPOP is a subscription-based provider of animated educational videos for pupils and teachers that may be suitable for use by Support for Learning staff. The movies explain concepts (science, maths, English, social subjects and technology) in a voice and visual style that is accessible and entertaining to both children and adults. There are some free movies to try out, and a two-week free trial subscription. It’s also available in Spanish.

Brainteasers and Puzzles
These exciting interactive games and puzzles are designed to stimulate, develop and strengthen the thinking skills of 11-18 year olds by appealing to their natural curiosity and ability to explore and question. There are two levels of learning (11-14 and 15-18) with instructions on how to play the games. For example, you can design a roller coaster, breed a super flower, crack the enigma code, or take a tour of France. There are teacher resources to support each activity. The games have been designed by CARET - University of Cambridge's Centre for Applied Research in Educational Technologies.

Cells Alive!
Colourful images of cells, bacteria, parasites and crystals through the microscope. Try the animated bed bugs and dust mites! The site covers cell biology, microbiology, immunology and microscopy. Video clips and CD-ROMS of images can be purchased online.

Centre of the Cell
Centre of the Cell online is packed with facts, pictures, games and films to help you get to grips with cell science and how the latest developments in medical research affect you and your community.

Cool Cosmos
This lively website explains infrared astronomy to all age groups. Try the experiments, puzzles, videos and images of stars (including the rosebud cluster of newborn stars). The 'zoo' has infrared images of animals so you can see the differences between warm and cold-blooded animals. There are also links to the NASA website with pictures of Mars from the Spirit probe.

EnrichUK
An online gateway with culture, history and community resources from museums, libraries and galleries from around the UK. Thousands of digital images are brought together from over 150 websites. Try EnrichScotland (currently under development) for resources for Gaelic, archaeology, music, science, environment, nature, social and oral history.

Field Studies Council (FSC)
FSC is an educational charity committed to bringing environmental understanding to all. As well as resources and data sets, the website has details of its 'outdoor classrooms' in Kindrogan, Scotland, for students of biology and geography at Standard Grade, Higher and Advanced Higher. FSC also runs professional development courses for teachers.

FirstScience
Information for teachers and learners on wide range of science topics, good pictures, video clips, science cartoons, games, crosswords.

Fisher Science Education
US online store for science products, plus daily science news.

Fisher Scientific
Science products relating to life sciences, clinical trials, safety equipment, servicing and delivery, with international links.

Food Safety Campaign
This Australian website aims to raise awareness of safe food handling practices, especially food safety requirements for meat. There are attractively presented fact sheets, food safety tips and a ‘bug bible’. It is probably most suitable for Foundation and Intermediate level students.

Food Standards Agency
UK Government agency with information and advice on healthy eating, safer eating, food labelling and topical food issues.

Genetic Futures News
This new resource helps students, teachers and the public to understand ethical issues raised by current biomedical research. There are 6 fictionalised news stories (seen through the eyes of young people and their parents) with video, audio and background information, dealing with the topics of GM food, xenotransplantation (animal to human transplant), stem cell therapy and genetic selection.

GreenHouse Gas Online
This site has information about climate change and greenhouse gases. It has links to numerous news articles and hundreds of scientific abstracts from greenhouse gas related papers. Would be useful for biology, human biology, managing environmental resources and geography from Standard Grade/Int 2 upwards.

Highland learning
Learning materials for Intermediate 1 Biology and Maths and Advanced Higher Geography and Physics.

Inclusive Science and Special Educational Needs Resources (ISSEN)
Information, resources, best practice and links for teaching science education to students with special educational needs. Although the terminology may be unfamiliar, the activities can be adopted at Access levels. Some of the exemplary materials require literacy skills.

Ingenious
If you are looking for images to illustrate a lesson, a presentation or a project, this must-see website has over 30,000 images to browse. Created by the National Museum of Science and Industry, it covers topics such as science, nature, society, trade and the media. You can save the images and create your own web galleries (but do check the terms of use). It also has debates on many topics and illustrated features – try 'The Beauty and Utility of Maths' for a start!

Institute of Food Research
The IFR carries out research into food safety, nutrition and food materials science. See the information sheets on food safety, quality and health.

Interactive Body
Try these interactive games from the BBC to learn more about the structure of the human body. See if you can put the bones, organs, muscles and senses in the right place! Each activity takes only 5-10 minutes and would work well on an interactive whiteboard. Activities would be suitable for Access 3 and Intermediate 1 Biology.

Internet Directory for Botany
A gateway to a wealth of information on plants.

Kevin's Playroom
An education portal produced and maintained by children! It is arranged by subject and has links to hundreds of useful websites. There is a special 'WB' symbol on resources that work well on interactive whiteboards.

Loch Ranza Field Studies Centre
The Loch Ranza Field Studies Centre on Arran provides a spectacular location for field studies for school students from 10 to 18 years old. It specialises in offering courses in geography, geology, biology and environmental science at all levels including Standard Grade to Advanced Higher.

Making the Modern World
This innovative website brings you powerful stories about science and invention from the eighteenth century to today. There are learning modules for biology, psychology, chemistry, history, English, geography and mathematics, aimed at 14-to-18-year-olds.

Marian Koshland Science
This US Science Museum website has activities explaining how DNA can be used to detect diseases, improve crops and catch criminals, plus teaching resources on global warming.

Marine Conservation Society
This charity is dedicated to the preservation of the marine environment and its wildlife. The site describes its major projects, e.g. to protect turtles, sharks and beaches, and provides plenty of background information.

Medical Ethics - A Living Literature
This site has details of novels that deal with moral issues such as assisted reproduction, abortion, surrogacy, decision making on behalf of minors and the mentally incompetent. Coming soon are two more novels dealing with euthanasia and assisted death, and saviour siblings. There are educational materials relating to each novel dealing with the ethical principles, as well as questions to stimulate discussion and useful links.

Microbes.info
This microbiology information portal has a wealth of web links, news and features on topics such as disease, immunisation, food and plant microbiology, ecology and genetics.

My Study Guide
This website provides key resources, revision aids, textbooks, study guides and many web links to support learning, revision, coursework and exam performance. Suitable for Standard Grade, Intermediate 1 and 2, and Higher levels.

Natural History Museum
Archives of natural history, dinosaurs, biodiversity, photographer of the Year, School Education Service.

Nature
Articles from the journal with news, features and downloadable resources for education e.g. human genome sequencing; links to science websites.

Oxford Scientific Films
Natural history and wildlife film resources, some free; film and photo library.

Perfect Papers
Supplier of practice papers for teachers and lecturers. Materials for Int 1, Int 2, Standard Grade, Higher and Advanced Higher can be ordered online and downloaded

Planet science - Get Clobbered!
This interactive games website from Planet Science makes health and safety fun! The aim is to get your character ‘clobbered up’ in the correct gear for performing a variety of scientific jobs. Are safety goggles required? What about a hard hat? Latex gloves? The choices will roll past you on the squeaky conveyor belt, and all you need to do is select what you need. It might sound easy, but it’s harder than it seems.

Plant Cultures – Exploring Plants and People
This website has been designed by Kew Gardens and partner organisations to explain the links between Britain and South Asia through the story of plants and people. It has high quality pictures of herbs, spices, tea, cotton and rice, with information about their cultivation and uses. It may be suitable for use with Access learners in science, RMPS and home economics.

Playing with Time
This project looks at how the world around us is changing over many different time periods. Fascinating video clips are accompanied by written descriptions of what's happening and the 'activities' section has interactive materials. There is also information on creating your own time lapse movie. To start with, try watching a water balloon bouncing on a table to learn about forces, or see the Wisconsin countryside over the space of a year showing plant growth speeded up a million times.

Revision World
Revision World is a free resources for pupils and teachers providing revision notes, questions and downloads across a range of subjects.

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
The 'education' section of the Kew Gardens website provides a wealth of information on plants, fruits and flowers.

Scenta
Scenta has science, engineering and technology information, ranging from an excellent set of web links to sector news, careers advice and teaching resources. It has been produced in partnership with over 30 organisations including the Science Museum and BNFL.

School Science
Interactive resources designed for Standard Grade, Higher and Advanced Higher biology, chemistry, physics. Each topic includes text, pictures, animations, questions and a glossary.

Science and Engineering Encyclopaedia
A handy reference tool with science, computing and engineering definitions, equations, interactive conversions, calculators and material data. You can search by subject or browse the A-Z listing.

Science and Plants for Schools
This website aims to promote exciting teaching of plant science and molecular biology. It has practical activities such as 'Supermarket Science'with ideas for using discarded items to produce equipment for experiments. It also has details of CPD workshops for teachers.

Science Live
Science Live is the online guide to science presenters and outreach shows. It has been designed to assist teachers and youth group to arrange classroom visits from science presenters. It can be searched by topics and location.

ScienceaGoGo
Information on science topics, experiments, feature articles.

ScienceOneStop.com
Produced by the Association for Science Education, this website has a listing of products and suppliers, plus useful web links to a range of science topics for 14-19-year-olds.

Scientific American
Website of the popular US magazine which has tracked key changes in science and technology during the past 150 years. It contains news and research and an online version of the current issue.

Scottish Natural Heritage
SNH works with Scotland's people to care for the natural heritage: the wildlife, habitats, rocks, landscapes and natural beauty of Scotland. The natural heritage is one of Scotland's biggest assets. The role of SNH is to look after the natural heritage, help people to enjoy and value it, and encourage people to use it sustainably . Information about and images of Scotland's wildlife, habitats and landscapes. The website also offers posters, factsheets and resources, including 'Data Support Sheets' for secondary teachers of geography and biology.

Scottish Schools Equipment Research Centre (SSERC)
Membership is open to local authority teachers and technicians in Scotland, who can use this site to purchase equipment and to find information such as events and downloads for science subjects.

Scottish Science and Technology Network (SSTN)
SSTN promotes science and technology education in primary and secondary schools for the 10-17 age group. It is an online project, requiring registration, enabling pupils to use a range of industry-related information.

SFEU Information Gateway
The Scottish Further Education Unit offers a good range of subject-related web links that are useful for both staff and students in colleges and schools. All resources are practitioner-reviewed and have star ratings.

Show Me
A collection of interactive science resources for schools from museums around the world. There are links to Hunkin's entertaining science experiments and optical illusions from Exploratorium. Also try the link to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, which has an online exhibit case of specimens.

Society, Religion and Technology Project (SRT)
Set up by the Church of Scotland, the SRT project examines some topical issues such as GM crops, cloning, stem cell research and sustainable development. It aims to provide informed comment for technologists, educators, the media, the Church and the public on how technology is affecting our lives and the issues it raises. Factsheets and position papers can be downloaded free.

The Royal Society
The Royal Society, the national academy of science of the UK and the Commonwealth, is at the cutting edge of scientific progress. It supports many top young scientists, engineers and technologists. It influences science policy, it debates scientific issues with the public and much more. It is an independent, charitable body which derives its authoritative status from its 1400 Fellows and Foreign Members.

The Scholar Programme
Scholar is a virtual college, an online learning initiative pioneered by Heriot-Watt University. Learning and teaching materials for Higher and Advanced Higher level classes.

US Geological Survey
Information about earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and landslides, with a volcano-watch and photo gallery. Suitable for use from Standard Grade to Advanced Higher.

Web Reviews 4 Teachers
This new resource has links to over 1000 educational websites for many subjects, selected and reviewed by teachers working in Scotland. Each website has a full description plus a teacher's review and usage comments. In addition, websites are mapped to subject, course and unit for NQs, and subjects and elements for Standard Grade.

Xplora
A European science education portal has now launched for schools. It is aimed at teachers, pupils, scientists, science communicators and science educators. Funded by the European Commission, it offers experiments, news, ideas, web links, and resources.

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