This OLogy activity introduces kids to the concept of biodiversity by helping them discover the diversity of their local bird population. To begin, students create a simple bird feeder from a milk/juice carton or a plastic soda bottle. They then fill the feeder with black-oil sunflower seeds, popular with a range of birds. In addition, they are given a list of additional foods to experiment with, such as millet, raisins, and breakfast cereal. Students track the birds that visit their feeder in field journals, making note of the kinds of foods used and the number of birds from each species that visit. Along with step-by-step directions for creating and hanging the feeder, the activity also includes tips for attracting more or fewer visitors.

This classroom activity gives students an appreciation for the difficulties deep sea researchers must face in order to find hydrothermal vents. Working in small groups, students can complete this Web investigation in a single class period. The printable handout includes a series of inquiry-based questions that prompt students to use what they already know about mid-ocean ridges to hypothesize about how scientists locate deep sea vents, detailed directions for a Web research project that takes them on a virtual deep sea journey investigating hydrothermal vents, and a worksheet that helps students apply their building knowledge to locate a vent in the northern Pacific Ocean.

This article provides science content knowledge about forces that shape the Earth's surface: erosion by wind, water, and ice, volcanoes, earthquakes, and plate tectonics and how these forces affect Earth's polar regions.

In this classroom activity, middle school students simulate a "dinosaur dig." The activity opens with background information for teachers about fossils. Working in groups, students excavate fossil sites created in advance by the teacher, or other group of students, and try to reconstruct a chicken skeleton. The activity closes with a two-page student worksheet that directs students to diagram the fossil site and includes probing questions to help them decode their findings.

This article provides links to web sites about geologic time, fossils, and the archaeology and culture of the Arctic for elementary teachers.

This article illustrates the question how and why blowfish can pump themselves up to more than double their volume. It provides details about the scales which have turned into spikes that so that the fish can turn it into ball in situations of danger. The article also mentions that the fish is very poisonous but yet considered a delicacy in Japan with the poisounous parts cut out. The article is written for native speakers age 8 and up.

This article is divided into four parts. The first parts explains the structural features of bones and their role to physically support an organism. The second part focuses on the self-healing ability of bones and how broken bones are medically attended. The third part exemplifies how the sceletal and muscular system are connected with the example of the shinbone. The last part explains the astonishing fact that the number of bones shrinks with growing age, since separate bones during infantry grow together later in life into one bone. The text is written for native speakers age 9 and up.

This article provides information about the adaptation of cacti to drought and protection, as well as basic facts about age, distribution, and varieties. Pictures support the text that is written for native speakers age 8 and up.

This scientific article illuminates the adaptation of chameleons to their environment. The text starts with basic facts about the geographic distribution and number of varieties of this species. It then explains how the color pigments in the skin become visible and invisible by cell contraction and how its tongue is adapted to catching prey. The last sections refer to camouflage and the size of the smallest chameleons. The text is child-friendly and written for native speakers 8 years and up.

This article starts with interesting facts about corn. The two next sections focus on the history of corn as a cultivated plant and the multitude of corn varieties and adaptations. The text is written for native speakers age 8 and up.

This scientific article provides information and picture material to discuss the four functions of feathers: to fly, to protect from water, to protect from cold, to attract females. The text is written in child-friendly language for readers 8 years and up.

This scientific article illuminates different features of owls: silent flight as an adaptation to night hunt, food, European varieties, social life, adaptation to night sight and hearing as well as the turning head. An audio report provides additional information. The text is appropriate for children age 10 and up.

This scientific article discusses several aspects of blood. It explains how to calculate the typical amount of blood by bodyweight, the channel system of veins and arteries, medical conclusions from blood exams, the reasons for bleeding nose and black spots. In the last part, the different components of blood are explained, such as red and white blood cells. Links to additional pages provide more detailed information on some of the sections. The text is written in child-friendly language for native speakers age 8 and up.

This article describes why the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears are located where they are. The first focuses on the paired organs for spatial perception. Further links lead to articles that elaborate on the topics, first perceived sounds as a baby, uncomfortable noises, and water in the ear. The last part describes the phenomenon that we are breathing through two nostrils. The text is written in child-friendly language for children 10 and up.

This scientific article touches several different flower features and functions. It starts with the color and the attraction to different pollinators. It then explains how colors are produced in flowers and how scents attract insects. It also discusses how the scent emission varies throughout the day and how different animals perceive different odors. The text is written in child-friendly language for native speakers of 8 years and up.

This scientific article describes the different adaptations of flies to their environmental challenges. It explains the funtion of legs as taste and movement sensors, the spead of processing in a fly brain, and territorial behavior. Additional links provide supportive information for each of the sections. The text is written for native speakers age 8 and up.

This article describes the features, adaptation, nutrition, hybernation habits of one of the most typical German animals: the hedgehog. It also explains how to take care for hedgehogs that would not survive the winter and how to provide natural winter shelter for wild hedgehogs.The text is written for natural speakers age 8 and up.

This scientific article focuses on the adaptive capabilities of animals using the example of the Ichtyosaur. It first explains how the Ichtyosaur found a new territory with better survival chances in the sea and, thus adapted its bodily features to life in the sea. It then explains how the Ichtysaurus eventually lost the competition over food to a new species, which was better adapted and of comparable size. In consequence the Ichtysaurus died out long before the mass dying of dinosaurs.

This scientific article highlights a multitude of aspects about the tropical rainforest: global location, ethymology, fauna and flora, famous jungle researchers like Jane Goodall, consequences and reasons for jungle destruction, and suggestions that everybody can do to prevent jungle destruction. A link provides more information about the life and work of Jane Goodall. The text is written in child-friendly language and appropriate for readers age 8 and up.

This scientific article gives a detailed overview over the structure and function of leaves. It explains which nutrients are being exchanged with the help of chlorophyll through process of photosynthesis. It also visualizes with picture support how, during fall, the green component is eventually being extracted from the leaves resulting in yellow, brown, and red color components becoming visible. The text is written for German native speakers age 10 and up.