Introducing the Environmental Health Student Portal from the National Library of Medicine
New Resource Connects Middle School Students to Environmental Health Information
The National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world’s largest medical library and a component of the National Institutes of Health, announces the launch of the Environmental Health Student Portal. Created by the Specialized Information Services Division, this Web site introduces middle school students to environmental health science within the context of current middle school science curriculum standards. This newest edition to the family of NLM resources for students is a free, non-subscription- based Web site that contains links to government and other reviewed and selected sites and provides a safe and reliable environment for teachers and students to study the following topics and their impact on health:
- water pollution
- climate change
- chemicals
- air pollution
Middle school teachers from school systems in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Maine and the District of Columbia participated in focus groups to determine the need for an environmental health site, the content, including topics and subtopics covered, and ways in which they can incorporate the use of the Web site into their classrooms. Topics and subtopics highlighted on the Web site come directly from the data collected during this research. The Environmental Health Student Portal allows students to conduct research, play games related to environmental health, locate science fair projects, and view videos. Teachers can use the site to locate links to relevant content and lesson plans from resources like the US Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute of Environmental Health Science.
In addition to the Environmental Health Student Portal, the National Library of Medicine offers a wide variety of classroom resources:
Environmental Health Science/Chemistry
- Tox Town (Grades 6 -12+)
- TOXMAP (Grades 9 -12+)
- Household Products Database (Grades 6-12+)
- ChemIDplus (Grades 7-12+)
- ToxMystery (Grades 1-5)
Forensics and Medical Technology
- Visible Proofs (Grades 6-12+)
- Visible Human Project (Grades 6-12+)
- Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature (6-12+)
Genetics
- Genetics Home Reference (Grades 6-12+)
- Harry Potter’s World (Grades 6-12)
General Health Science/Biology
- MedlinePlus (Grades 6-12+)
- AIDSinfo (Grades 6 -12+)
- Changing the Face of Medicine (6-12+)
- Against the Odds: Making a Difference in Global Health (Grades 3-12+)
See the NLM K-12 Science and Health Education page for a complete resource list.
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