Earth’s H2O: Electronic Resources

This is a collection of Electronic Resources (websites, software, etc.) about the Earth’s water. Separate collections of Print Resources and National Academies Press e-Books are also available.

Key: E = Elementary (K–5), I = Intermediate (6–8), HS = High School (9–12), C = College, G = General Public

Starting Points

Vital Water Graphics (G)
Water Resources of the United States (E, I, HS, C, G)
Water Science for Schools (E, I, HS, C, G)
Adopt-a-Watershed, (E, I, HS)
Adopt-A-Watershed is a K-12 school-community learning experience. Adopt-A-Watershed uses a local watershed as a living laboratory in which students engage in hands-on activities, making science applicable and relevant to their lives. It weaves education with the community developing collaborative partnerships and reinforcing learning through community service.
American Rivers, from American Rivers. (G)
A nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring rivers nationwide.
Bridge: Ocean Sciences Education Teacher Resource Center, from the Virginia Institute for Marine Science. (E, I, HS)
This site links by topic to a large collection of environmental web sites that contain lesson plans and class activities.
Canada’s Aquatic Environments, from the University of Guelph. (E, I, HS, C, G)
A massive amount of information is partitioned into ten session-sized modules. Topics include: Rivers, Lakes, Physical Processes in Aquatic Environments, Chemistry of Aquatic Environments, Food Webs and Aquatic Plants, Zooplankton, Benthos, Fishes, Toxic Contaminants and Water Quality Assessment, Biodiversity and Exotic Species. A multitude of graphic data from real examples and “How to Measure It” sections give the material a practical dimension. Animation and interactivity encourage investigative learning, while crisp photos of aquatic habitats and humorous cartoons add to this educational experience.
Center for Water and Watershed Studies, from the University of Washington. (HS, C, G)
The Center for Water and Watershed Studies is a source of comprehensive aquatic resources and water management information to maintain and enhance the Earth’s watersheds. The research of the Center provides models for addressing both regional and global watershed issues, bringing together science and policy studies for publication and for discussion in courses, seminars, and workshops. CWWS is a broad, collaborative community of environmental scholars, achieving its goals through research, education, and information transfer.
Center for Watershed Protection, (I, HS, G)
Works with agencies, environmental consulting firms, watershed organizations and the public to provide objective and scientifically sound information on effective techniques to protect and restore urban watersheds.
Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE), from DLESE. (E, I, HS, C, G)
DLESE is an geoscience community resource that supports teaching and learning about the Earth system. It is funded by the National Science Foundation and is being built by a community of educators, students, and scientists to support Earth system education at all levels and in both formal and informal settings.
EarthDay.gov.
Other Government Earth Day Web Sites.
EarthDay Network. (E, I, HS, C, G)
Earth Day Network is an alliance of 5,000 groups in 184 countries working to promote a healthy environment and a peaceful, just, sustainable world.
EarthForce GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network), (I, HS)
GREEN is an innovative, action-oriented approach to education, based on an interdisciplinary watershed education model. A resource to schools and communities that wish to study their watershed and work to improve their quality of life. GREEN works closely with business, government, community, and educational organizations across the United States, Canada, & 135 countries to support local efforts in watershed education and sustainability.
EarthShots: Satellite Images of Environmental Change, from the U.S. Geological Survey. (G)
Earthshots is a collection of Landsat images and text, designed to show environmental changes and to introduce remote sensing. Images from other satellites, maps, and photographs are also included. Earthshots comes from the U.S. Geological Survey’s EROS Data Center, the world’s largest archive of earth science data. Topics covered include: agriculture, cities, deserts, disasters, forests, geology, water, and wildlife.
Earthwater Stencils — Storm Drain Stencils, from Earth Water Stencils, Washington. (G)
Storm drain stenciling is an educational, interactive tool to engage people of all ages in community involvement for watershed pollution prevention. It is an action project for students and community involvement for adults.
Ecolinks — Hydrosphere: Water, Water Everywhere, from the Miami Museum of Science. (I, HS, G)
Almost three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is covered in water. All living things depend on water for their survival. Think about the neighborhood where you live or go to school. Is there a body of water nearby, such as an ocean or river? That’s part of the hydrosphere. Water in the oceans, clouds, lakes, rivers, and even underground is connected through the water cycle. Water is used and reused again and again by living organisms. If you surf, swim, ski or snowboard, you come into direct contact with the hydrosphere. In fact, you could not spend more than 48 hours without drinking water. Without it you’d be sunk. Human beings can affect the world’s water supply. For example, in the USA we consume 300 billion liters (79 billion gallons) of water every single day. Can you think of other ways that we affect the world’s watery sphere? How could you conserve water in your home?
EcoPortal. (G)
An information gateway empowering the movement for environmental sustainability.
The Educators Toolkit, from Carolyn Bierworth, a teacher in Ontario. (E, I)
Check out the “Ecosystems/Biomes” and “The Environment” sections within Themes to see a great collection of annotated web sites and lesson plans on the water cycle, freshwater ecosystems, ocean ecosystems, acid rain, and pollution.
The Exploratorium: The Museum of Science, Art, and Human Perception, (I)
Online since 1993, the Exploratorium was one of the first science museums to build a site on the World Wide Web. This site now contains over 15,000 Web pages exploring hundreds of different topics. Fifteen million visitors use the web site a year. Search “water” to learn about online exhibits, activities, and experiments.
Exploring Earth, from TERC and McDougal Littell. (HS)
The investigations and visualizations on this site were designed to accompany Earth Science, a high school textbook authored by Spaulding and Namowitz and published by McDougal Littell. The Web site was developed by TERC, a non-profit educational research and development firm in collaboration with McDougal Littell. Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation. Visualizations and investigations on the site were designed to build students’ knowledge of Earth Science concepts described in the textbook, and to raise student awareness of Earth as a system of interconnected components and processes.
Freshwater UNEP.Net, from the United Nations Environment Programme. (G)
UNEP.Net, the United Nations Environment Network, is a global portal to authoritative environmental information based on themes and regions. The Freshwater portal covers key issues, resources, assessments, and announcements.
FreshWater Website, from Environment Canada. (G)
This web site covers the following broad topics about water: the nature of water, water policy and legislation, the management of water, water and culture, and information resources and services. The hope is that viewers will recognize the need to value the precious resource and will be motivated to take action to conserve and protect it in their homes, schools, industries, businesses and communities.
Geography Action! Habitats, from the National Geographic Society. (E, I, HS, C, G)
Geography Action! is an annual conservation and awareness program designed to educate and excite people about our natural, cultural, and historic treasures. Each year we celebrate a different topic related to conservation and the environment. The Geography Action! program features an activity-based conservation awareness program, lesson plans, games, and photo-galleries. The Habitats section covers Cities and Suburbs, Deserts and Tundra, Forests, Fresh Water, Oceans and Coasts, and Prairies.
Global Change Master Directory: A Directory of Earth Sciences Data, from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (HS, C, G)
This web site provides descriptions of Earth science data sets and services relevant to global change research. The GCMD database includes descriptions of data sets covering agriculture, the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and oceans, snow and ice, geology and geophysics, paleoclimatology, and human dimensions of global change.
The GLOBE Program, from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and Colorado State University. (E, I, HS)
GLOBE is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program. GLOBE provides students with the opportunity to learn by: taking scientifically valid measurements in the fields of atmosphere, hydrology, soils, and land cover; reporting their data through the Internet; creating maps and graphs on the free interactive Web site to analyze data sets; and collaborating with scientists and other GLOBE students around the world.
Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN), from the Great Lakes Commission. (G)
GLIN is a partnership that provides one place online for people to find information relating to the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region of North America. GLIN offers a wealth of data and information about the region’s environment, economy, tourism, education and more. Thanks to its strong network of state, provincial, federal and regional partner agencies and organizations, GLIN has become a necessary component of informed decision-making, and a trusted and reliable source of information for those who live, work or have an interest in the Great Lakes region.
Hydrology Web, from the U.S. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. (HS, C, G)
Hydrology Web is a site that hosts a comprehensive list of links to Hydrology and related Hydrology resources. Includes Sites for Kids.
HydroWeb, from the International Association for International Hydrology. (G)
IAEH is a worldwide association of environmental hydrologists dedicated to the protection and cleanup of fresh water resources.
International Rivers Network; Linking Human Rights and Environmental Protection, from the International Rivers Network. (HS, C, G)
IRN supports local communities working to protect their rivers and watersheds. We work to halt destructive river development projects, and to encourage equitable and sustainable methods of meeting needs for water, energy and flood management.
International Year of the Ocean (1998). (G)
Great images and links to key resources.
It’s All in the Watershed: A Collection of Stories About Your Ecological Home, from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. (E, I, HS)
LakeNet, (I, HS, C, G)
LakeNet is a global network of more than 900 people and organizations in 90+ countries working for the conservation and sustainable management of lakes. The LakeNet Secretariat is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing together people and solutions to protect and restore the health of the world’s lakes. Contains an extensive set of links to other organizations.
Let’s Not Take Water for Granted — A Resource Guide, from Environment Canada. (I)
To provide information about the properties of water and the importance of water to life, and to focus on water being around for over 4 billion years.
Liquid Planet: Exploring the World of Water, from the National Geographic Society. (G)
Water is the essence of life, and of the Earth itself. Oceania would be a more appropriate name for our planet. Early life is believed to have evolved in a liquid environment and the oceans remain home to the great majority of all living things. Life cannot exist on land without access to water. While Earth’s freshwater resources are increasingly under pressure from human population and environmental degradation, the oceans remain mostly unexplored. Liquid Planet is a weekly television series produced by our U.S. cable television program National Geographic Today in partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The series airs on Tuesday nights on the National Geographic Channel. The segments take viewers into the field and under the waves for an up-close look at the latest exploration and research into the oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes.
Magnificent Ground-Water Connection, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (E, I, HS)
Compilation of some of the best ground water-related activities from previously existing curricula, seasoned with a collection of original materials and geared specifically to New England. The activity guide is applicable to a wide range of subject matter and the ground water theme is integrated into stories, songs, math, social studies, art and writing. The topics include basic concepts on the water cycle, water distribution, treatment and stewardship. Also includes five sample lesson activity plans.
National Snow and Ice Data Center, from the University of Colorado. (HS, C, G)
Established by NOAA as a national information and referral center in support of polar and cryospheric research, NSIDC archives and distributes digital and analog snow and ice data. They also maintain information about snow cover, avalanches, glaciers, ice sheets, freshwater ice, sea ice, ground ice, permafrost, atmospheric ice, paleoglaciology, and ice cores.
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, from the U.S. National Park Service. (G)
In the 1960s, the country began to realize that our rivers were being dammed, dredged, diked, diverted and degraded at an alarming rate. To lend balance to our history of use and abuse of our waterways, in October of 1968 Congress created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. See what rivers have been designated in your state.
River and Water Facts.
Includes a great collection of trivia about rivers and water.
Ocean Planet, from the Smithsonian Institution. (G)
Ocean Planet, premiered at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History from April 1995 to April 1996, where it attracted nearly two million visitors. The web site is presented as an archival version of “Ocean Planet,” a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. The content reflects the state of knowledge at the time of the exhibition, and has not been updated. This electronic online companion to the exhibition contains all of the text and most of the panel designs and images found in the traveling exhibition.
Ocean Science Education Teacher Resource Center. (G)
This site links by topic to a large collection of environmental web sites that contain lesson plans and class activities.
Oceans Alive! The Water Planet, from the Science Learning Network. (E, I, HS, G)
If you look down at our planet from outer space, most of what you see is water; 71% of the planet’s surface is covered by ocean and it is because of this that the Earth is sometimes called “the water planet”. Only about three-tenths of our globe is covered with land.
Our Earth as Art, from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics. (G)
Here you can view our planet through the beautiful images taken by the Landsat-7 satellite — and most recently, the Terra Satellite’s Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). This gallery of images uses the visceral avenue of art to convey the thrilling perspective of the Earth that satellites provide to the viewer.
Paleomap Project, (G)
From the birth of Earth to the present, this site chronicles our planet’s past 1,100 million years. Terrific animations show giant tectonic shifts; beautiful full-color paleogeographic maps reveal ancient mountain ranges and shorelines; new 3-D images and animations depict the changing planes of Gaia’s face. Other sections review climate history in depth and predict what the world may look like 50 million years from now. Source: 2002 Sci/Tech Web Awards: Earth and Environment
PBS Teacher Source — Science and Technology, from Public Broadcasting System (PBS). (G)
Find 4,500+ free lesson plans and activities.
PBS Teacher Source — Science & Technology — Water and Air. (HS)
PBS Teacher Source — Science & Technology — Water and Air. (I)
Planet Diary. (E, I, HS, C, G)
Though meant to accompany publisher Prentice-Hall’s textbooks, this site stands on its own. Here the events that affect Earth and its inhabitants — tornadoes, oil spills and disease outbreaks, among others — are recorded and updated each week. A simple world map dotted with icons shows the locations of noteworthy occurrences; clicking on an icon takes readers to a brief news piece describing that particular event. The site also provides superb links for further reading. Source: Sci/Tech Web Awards 2001: Earth and Environment
A Primer on Fresh Water: Questions and Answers, from Environment Canada. (I)
Round & Round It Goes! The Water Cycle (Environmental Education for Kids), from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Water Wonders — The Water Cycle. Comprehensive look at the components of the water cycle.
SeaWeb. (I, HS, C, G)
SeaWeb is a project designed to raise awareness of the world ocean and the life within it. The ocean plays a critical role in our everyday life and in the future of our planet. We believe that as more people understand this and begin to appreciate the earth as a water planet, they will take actions to conserve the ocean and the web of life it supports.
Square of Life: Studies in Local and Global Environments , from the Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education (CIESE). (E)
Elementary school curriculum that allows classes to compare their inventory of a 1-meter outdoor square in their school yard with another class across the country or the globe. Registration to participate is twice a year in spring and fall. Site contains lesson plans, activity instructions, reference materials, discussion area, standards comparison and a help contact.
Student Training in Aquatic Research (STAR), from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. (HS)
Student Training in Aquatic Research (STAR) is a multi-week program in which high school students develop and implement their own Chesapeake Bay-related research projects. The students use state-of-the-art research methods and equipment.
Surf Your Watershed, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (I, HS, C, G)
Service to help you locate, use, and share environmental information about your state and watershed.
Surfing the Net With Kids > Science, from Barbara J. Feldman. (E, I)
Topical directory that includes a few key web sites and related games on the water cycle and acid rain.
U.S. Department of Commerce. Coastal and Marine Resources. (G)
Overview of resources and activities in support of stewardship of coastal and marine resources.
U.S. Drought Monitor, from the National Drought Mitigation Center. (G)
Updated weekly, the data cutoff for Drought Monitor maps is Tuesday at 8 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The maps, which are based on analysis of the data, are released each Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (G)
EPA Browse Topics. (G)
EPA Kids’ Stuff.
EPA Environmental Education. (G)
Environmental Kids Club. (E)
EPA Student Center . (I)
EPA High School Environmental Center. (HS)
EPA Researchers and Scientists. (C)
EPA Teachers’ Center. (G)
EPA Teachers — Water Background Information. (G)
EPA Teachers — Water Curriculum Resources. (G)
Regional Environmental Education Programs. (G)
EPA’s Office of Water. (G)
Recommended EPA Water Web Pages. (G)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (G)
National Wetlands Inventory. (G)
Web Site: Resources for Environmental Education. (HS, C, G)
U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Explorers — Water.
USGS Water Resources of the United States. (E, I, HS, C, G)
U.S. Global Change Research Program, from the U.S. Global Change Research Program. (I, HS, C, G)
Provides information designed to help understand, assess, and predict changes in the global environment. Topics include atmospheric composition, climate variability and change, ecosystems, global carbon cycle, global water cycle, land use, and human contributions and responses.
U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (G)
NOAA gathers worldwide environmental data about the ocean, earth, air, space, and sun and their interactions to describe and predict the state of the physical environment. NOAA also maintains a national environmental data base, in which the agency’s data are combined with selected environmental information collected by other agencies in support of their respective missions.
NOAA Education Resources.
Cool Sites: Oceans and Coasts. (E, I, HS, C, G)
U.S. Water News, (G)
Current water and wastewater news for the professional. Check out section called “Other Watering Holes” for links to state, federal, international, professional, non-profit, and general web pages related to water.
Visible Earth: A Searchable Directory of Images, Visualizations, and Animations of the Earth, from the U.S. National Atmospheric and Space Administration. (G)
For the best view of Earth outside of a window seat on an orbiting spacecraft, this NASA site is the place to go. A stunning collection of photographs, animations and visualizations reveals our ever-changing planet’s landmasses, oceans and atmosphere. It also documents human impact — dramatic images capture city lights, forest fires and population density, to name a few. A detailed description accompanies each image, and a well-organized directory enables easy searching. Source: Sci/Tech Web Awards 2001: Earth and Environment
Vital Water Graphics, from the United Nations Environment Program. (G)
An overview of the state of the world’s fresh and marine waters.
Links to Websites Related to Water Issues.
Water Cycle, from Kidzone.ws. (E)
Run and get a glass of water and put it on the table next to you. Take a good long look at the water. Now — can you guess how old it is? Find the answer to this question and learn more by visiting this web site.
Water on the Web (WOW), from the University of Minnesota. (HS, C)
WOW helps college and high school students understand and solve real-world environmental problems using advanced technology. WOW is a complete package containing two sets of curricula, data from many lakes and rivers nationwide, extensive online primers, data interpretation and Geographic Information System Tools, and additional supporting materials.
The Water Portal (UNESCO), from the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization. (I, HS, C, G)
The UNESCO Water Portal is intended to enhance access to information related to freshwater available on the World Wide Web.
Water Resources of the United States, from the U.S. Geological Survey. (E, I, HS, C, G)
Presents real-time and historical water data from across the country, as well as technical information and details about water quality and water research programs. The site links to local resources and up-to-date information on current flood conditions and water levels throughout the country.
Water Science for Schools, from the U.S. Geological Survey. (E, I, HS, C, G)
Offers information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you share ideas and test your water knowledge.
Water Supply of the World, from the Information Please Fact Monster. (E, I, HS)
WaterInfo.org, from . (G)
The Water Information Program is a public information program sponsored by the water districts, organizaitons, and agencies in the San Juan and Dolores watersheds of southwestern Colorado.
Watershed Atlas of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, from the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. (I, HS, C, G)
What is a watershed? Get an overview of watersheds and learn more about two rivers in Pennsylvania. Also includes many links in the Resource section.
The Watershed Game, from Bell Museum, University of Minnesota. (E, I)
The Watershed Game is an interactive watershed-planning game. It was developed by the Bell LIVE! program at the Bell Museum of Natural History. Bell LIVE! provides science-based learning adventures for students and teacher grades 4-8 throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Watershed Information Network, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (G)
Roadmap to information services for protecting and restoring water resources.
WaterWatch, from the U.S. Geological Survey. (G)
Maps and graphs of current water resources conditions.
The WaterWeb Consortium. (G)
The WaterWeb consortium has been created to promote the sharing of information concerning water and the Earth’s environment. Our organization seeks to create a global community, bringing together educational, governmental, nonprofit, & commercial entities interested in water research, conservation, and management. WaterWeb’s goals are to advance water related issues, promote the use of quality information, and share information with water use stakeholders and decision-makers.
Wetlands Education, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Everything you need to help your student understand wetlands and how they fit into the water cycle and the environment. A portal site of links to activities, curriculum, education programs, resources and teaching tools to assist you in wetlands and habitat education.
World in Our Backyard, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (E, I)
This guide is a resource of information and activities about wetlands, including ways to study wetland characteristics, why wetlands are important, and how students and teachers can help protect a local wetland.
World Meteorological Organization. (G)
The UN system’s authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources.
World of Fresh Water (PDF), from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (E, I)
Use these activities to help your students understand the effects of pollutants on lakes, rivers, and streams.
Yahooligans! The Web Guide for Kids > Science and Nature > The Environment > Water, from Yahoo!. (E, I, HS, G)
Web sites on aquifers, bodies of water, hydropower, oceanography, water cycle, water pollution, watersheds, and wetlands.

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