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| "Delight," said Charles Darwin, "is a weak term to express the feelings of a naturalist who, for the first time, has wandered by himself in a Brazilian forest." |
And on that opening note, visitors are encouraged to wander themselves through Passport to Knowledge’s Live From the Rainforest, now online at here
Guided by some of the world’s leading biologists, students and educators are invited to follow in Darwin’s footsteps to the heart of our planet’s largest rainforest – a cyberjourney that employs live broadcasts, real-time interactions, the Internet, and hands-on science activities.
"This may be the year when teachers and students all across the United States will travel with Passport to Knowledge (PTK) to visit rainforests in Brazil and elsewhere around the planet," according to Geoffrey Haines-Stiles, the project’s leader.
Through the wonder of the Internet, classrooms everywhere can enjoy PTK’s unique model of providing educational materials and learning experiences which are, according to Haines-Stiles, "100% video, 100% hands-on, and 100% online."
Live From the Rainforest’s Web site debuted in February 1998, well in advance of the live April videos – set for April 7, 14, and 21. For six weeks surrounding the live programs, the Web site was a study in online interactivity, allowing students to meet and e-mail researchers, participate in online discussions, view a gallery of images…and much, much more.
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Among Live From the Rainforest’s many online offerings:
GEOsystem. What’s a rainforest, and why are they found where they are? Maps, graphics, and animations set rainforests in a planetary perspective in this section.
ECOsystem. A gallery of images and information on the trees, plants, birds, animals, and insects of the rainforest can be found here. It’s also a place to find out about the indigenous peoples and issues you’ll encounter on this virtual expedition.
Teams. Meet researchers in the field and the multimedia production crew who use satellites and online connections to erase the miles between you and the rainforest. Biographies and field journals from scientists and special student correspondents take you "behind the scenes" in this section.
Interact. Send e-mail to the researchers and receive individual answers; collaborate with other students and fellow teachers and post exemplary student work; participate in online discussions and "The Great Backyard Biodiversity Survey."
Resources. This section offers a MultiMedia Guide to books, articles, videos, CD-ROMs, and online resources, with mini-reviews from educators, and an index of all the images, video clips, and sounds found on Live from the Rainforest.
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Educators. This is a special section for teachers and lifelong learners. Register for the project, sample lesson plans and order the Teacher’s Guide and MultiMedia Kit, connect with online mentors and PTK’s advocates, and link to an assessment site that provides a customized checklist of science standards your student can achieve through Live From the Rainforest.
Live From the Rainforest "will continue to push the envelope in the development of educational Web sites," said Haines-Stiles.
Educators and students can see for themselves the wonder of nature – through the magic of the Web – by visiting http://www.passporttoknowledge.com/ptk_lfrf.html today.
Passport to Knowledge’s Live From the Rainforest is part of NASA’s Learning Technologies Project, a national initiative that brings US space agency technology to classrooms via the Internet.
Curator: Randolph Kim
Responsible NASA Official: Mark
Leon
Last Updated: 07/02/2002
