"Learning by doing' is the motto of this web-based science education site created by a group of educators, scientists, artists, and Internet experts. True to its word, Whyville actively engages its visitors (largely children and teens) and encourages them to participate in fun, educational events that give kids "hands-on" experience with science projects (in a virtual way, of course). Whyville games include ion football, where citizens play a team game to learn about electric charges; Mimi's dance studio, where they use vector arithmetic to design a dance; and SmartCars, where they design robot cars based on neural circuitry.
Coastal Population Trends www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/programs/mb/supp_cstl_population.htmlCoastal areas in the U.S. are home to a wealth of natural and economic resources and include some of the most developed areas in the nation. Although population increase and coastal development produce numerous economic benefits, they also may result in the loss of critical habitat, green space, and biodiversity. A new publication from the Special Projects Office of NOAA's National Ocean Service presents an overview of coastal population trends from 1980 to 2003 and projected change in coastal population by 2008.
Protect Your Backyard Pond www.habitattitude.netThis site was created for aquarium hobbyists, backyard pond owners, water gardeners and others who are concerned about aquatic resource conservation and the expansion of harmful plants, fish and other animals throughout our country. The site promotes responsible behavior and provides information on invasive aquatic species and their adverse impacts on natural waterways. The site, which also provides guidance for the safe disposal of unwanted aquatic plants or fish, was created by NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Sea Grant College Program, and other organizations.
NOAA nowCOAST Mapping Portal nowcoast.noaa.govnowCOAST is a web mapping portal providing spatially-referenced links to thousands of real-time coastal observations and NOAA forecasts of interest to the marine community. The portal is designed to be a planning aid to assist recreational and commercial mariners, coastal managers, HAZMAT responders, computer modelers, and marine educators to discover and display real-time information for their particular needs and geographic area of interest.