The BioEd Online site, created by the dedicated staff at the Baylor College of Medicine, is a veritable cornucopia of material for science educators. The lesson plans are all classroom tested and high-quality. This particular corner of the site focuses on the world of microorganisms. The site includes lessons, complete with video clips, slideshows, and .pdf files. The offerings here include...

While the more notorious food microbes like E. coli and Salmonella may hog the spotlight, we shouldn't neglect all the lovely microorganisms that bring us such life-affirming foods as wine, cheese, and even chocolate. The following collection of Web sites presents a small sample of what these beneficial bugs do for us. In the first site, offered through the University of Wisconsin-Madison, readers...

This Web site from the American Museum of Natural History (last mentioned in the October 4, 2002 NSDL Life Sciences Report) provides an introduction to microbes, covering the three major types -- bacteria, viruses, and protists (protozoa). The site contains very brief but colorful and effective descriptions of each type of microbe. The use of animation in the Size-O-Meter feature help relate the...

This educational Web site is provided by the American Society for Microbiology. Microbes live all around us; this site focuses on what they are, where they live, and how they both help and harm people. Several experiments are featured that allow students a hands-on opportunity to learn about microbiological principles, most of which can be completed using normal household items. Recent news...

The Microbe Zoo is a product of the Digital Learning Center for Microbial Ecology (DLC-ME), a collaboration between Comm Tech Lab and Michigan State University to make tools for learning about microscopic organisms more readily available to students and teachers. This Web site is a fun way to learn about these communities of microbes, where they live, and how they help support life on earth....