Baby Weddell seal lying on the ice.

Under the Ice

Can you imagine living your entire life on—or under—a shelf of sea ice? Weddell seals do. Explore the life of this Antarctic seal to learn what it takes to live in this extreme environment. (Highlights, online. September 2012)

Download classroom activities: Under the Ice supplement (Grades 1-5)

Sleeping dormouse

Champions of Hibernation

You may think dormice hang out with the Mad Hatter, but in real life they’re some of the longest-hibernating mammals. Find out more about these super sleepy critters. (Highlights, May 2014) Download pdf: Champions of Hibernation

Download classroom activities: Champions of Hibernation supplement (Grades 1-5)

Frame of honey comb covered in bees.

Why are bees vanishing?

Scientists find a combination of threats, from pesticides to climate change, may explain declining bee populations.   (Science News Explores, online. January 10, 2014)

Classroom discussion questions (Grades 6 and up)

Purple sea urchins and a red sea star

Caught in the act

How do species adapt to a changing environment? Scientists observe species  in the process of evolving. (Science News Explores, online. December 11, 2013)

Classroom discussion questions (Grades 6 and up)

Yellow and black swallowtail butterfly perches on pink milkweed flowers.

Pollinator Gardening: A little goes a long way!

You know pollinators are important. You know we depend on them for much of our food. So why not create a space that’s just for them? (Trail Tales, online. Spring 2014)

Download classroom activities: Pollinator Gardening supplement (Grades 1-5)

Clump of plastics washed up on shore

Tiny plastic, big problem

Scientists find that tiny pieces of plastic travel great distances and wind up inside marine animals, threatening the ocean’s ecosystems. (Science News Explores, Online. April 10, 2015)

Classroom discussion questions (Grades 6 and up)

Koala munching on eucalyptus leaves

At the Animal Clean-Plate Club

Are you a picky eater or do your tastes tend toward the adventurous? Meet some of nature’s pickiest—and most adventurous—eaters and learn how such particular appetites can be advantageous. (ASK Magazine, May/June 2015) Download pdf: At the Animal Clean-Plate Club

Download classroom activities: Classroom discussion questions (Grades 1-5)

Common marmoset sits on a branch.

Cool jobs: Getting in your head

Psychology isn’t just about lending a sympathetic ear. Come meet a trio of experimental psychologists who study the brain and behavior in everything from dogs to monkeys to people. (Science News Explores, Online. December 8, 2015)

Classroom discussion questions (Grades 6 and up)

Black and yellow flower fly perched on a yellow dandelion.

Bee? Wasp? Flower Fly!

Ever have a feeling something is hovering near your head, watching your every move? There’s a good chance it’s a flower fly. (Highlights, May 2019)

(Grades 1-5)

Conservation dog Jax wears a red vest as he works in a field of dried grass.

Conservation is going to the dogs

Detection dogs are the newest tool in the conservation toolbox. These high-energy, ball-crazy dogs seek out scents that help biologists study otherwise hard-to-find critters, plants, and even diseases. Learn more about these conservation canines and how they’re helping ecosystems around the world. (Science News Explores, Online. April 2, 2020)

Classroom discussion questions (Grades 6 and up)

Western meadowlark singing from its perch atop a fence post.

Around the world, birds are in crisis

The world’s birds are in serious trouble, with an estimated three billion gone missing in the United States, alone. Scientists are on the case, learning what’s harming birds and figuring out how to help them. (Science News Explores, Online. December 3, 2020)

Classroom discussion questions (Grades 6 and up)

Bronze statue of two fighting barrel-bodied rhinos in front of a stormy sky.

Rhinos, camels, and bone-crushing dogs once roamed Nebraska

Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park in the rolling hills of northern Nebraska reveal an ancient world that looks a lot like today’s African savanna. New methods of research allow scientists to peek through the ash before digging, so they know where to target their efforts. (Science News Explores, Online. May 13, 2021)

Classroom discussion questions (Grades 6 and up)

Tasmanian devil walking through tall grasses

Rewilding returns lost species to strengthen ecosystems

Scientists are turning to animals to help them restore ecosystems. Returning species to areas where they once lived can restore ecosystem health, slow climate change, improve water quality, protect against wildfires, and more. (Science News Explores, Online. January 6, 2022)

Classroom discussion questions (Grades 6 and up)

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