Web sites offer environmental education for kids

WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 25, 2000 -- In an effort to communicate environmental news and research in a way children can understand, a number of organizations have created imaginative web sites with such features as Star-Trek-like simulation, coloring books, puzzles and guides for teachers, according to a report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The agency has put together a sampler of web sites that are designed to be fun and informative for kids as well as for teachers and parents. A few are listed below.

EPA Explorer's Club: http://www.epa.gov/kids/

The EPA Explorer's Club is designed like a clubhouse with various rooms. The art room has artwork by kids, coloring books and activity books. The game room has games like the Environauts Mission to Earth and Detective Training Activities. The science room has fun ways to learn about the ozone layer, endangered species and water pollution. There are pages where kids can learn about air, water, garbage and recycling, and plants and animals. The EPA Student page is found at http://www.epa.gov/students/. The EPA Teacher's page is located at http://www.epa.gov/teachers/.

Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment: http://www.globe.gov/

Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) is a worldwide network of students, teachers, and scientists working together to study and understand the global environment. Students and teachers from over 8500 schools from more than 85 countries are collaborating with scientists to discover more about our planet. Students make environmental observations at or near their schools and report their data through the Internet. Scientists use GLOBE data in their research and provide feedback to the students to enrich their science education. Global images based on GLOBE student data are displayed on the Internet, enabling students and other visitors to visualize the student environmental observations.

Center for Global Environmental Education - Hamline University: http://cgee.hamline.edu/

The Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) combines environmental education with distance learning technology. It uses hands-on learning to teach important concepts of environmental preservation. The site offers educational programs for K-12 students, such as "Rivers of Life, " "A Thousand Friends of Frogs" and "Self Expressing Earth". There are also excellent teacher's guides, games and puzzles, and maps, as well as coursework and workshops for teachers and students.

Kids for the Environment: http://www.kids-for-the-environment.com.au/html/index.html

Kids for the Environment

Kids for the Environment is published by "The Foster Foundation, The Gardens, Business Centre for Sustainable Growth and Development" from Victoria, Australia. It shows kids in primary school and secondary school what they can do to improve the state of the environment. The "Carbon-Busters" program is designed to teach kids how to reduce auto emissions. Also provided are games and projects to raise awareness of environmental issues.

Captain Olin's Odyssey - An Environmental Journey: http://www.kcpt.org/olin/

Captain Olin's Odyssey is a fun site for kids that leads them through a Star-Trek-like voyage to a deserted planet. This planet had been environmentally pristine for millions of years until polluters arrived and damaged the ecosystems to such a point that the original inhabitants and the polluters perished. In the scenario, it is hundreds of years after these events, and the planet has been healing itself. As the ship's officers explore the planet, kids are challenged to think about how the environment becomes damaged and what can be done to prevent or reverse such damage.

EPA's disclaimer: The information provided in Internet Newsbrief was correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of publication. It is important to remember, however, the dynamic nature of the Internet. Resources that are free and publicly available one day may require a fee or restrict access the next, and the location of items may change as menus and homepages are reorganized. Viewpoints expressed in the summaries do not necessarily reflect EPA policy or views. For more information, visit the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov.