This is a commercial site sponsored by SeaWord and Busch Gardens for use by the general public. As stated on the sited SeaWorld/Busch Gardens ANIMALS exists as the virtual representative of Busch Entertainment Corporation's zoological and educational resources. As such, we are committed to bringing the excitement, wonder, and awe of the natural world into your home, school, business, or place of recreation. We strive to provide an ever evolving kaleidoscope of animal and environmental information.
Type of Material:
Lesson Plans, database of animal information and animal sounds, and a wealth of commercial programs costing from $15 to $500 per program.
Recommended Uses:
This is a very rich resource for people of all ages and can be used to teachers from kindergarten to 12th grade.
Technical Requirements:
An updated web browser with Java capabilities is required. Sound plug-in is required to listen to the animal sounds. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view some documents.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The site gives the following goals
Based on a long-term commitment to education, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove strive to provide an enthusiastic, imaginative, and intellectually stimulating atmosphere to help students and guests develop a lifelong appreciation, understanding, and stewardship for our environment. Specifically the goals are:
To instill in students and guests of all ages an appreciation for science and a respect for all living creatures and habitats.
To conserve our valuable natural resources by increasing awareness of the interrelationships of humans and the environment.
To increase students' and guests' basic competencies in science, math, and other disciplines.
To be an educational resource to the world.
Target Student Population:
K-8
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
none
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
There is a wealth of accurate and educational information on the site. The focus on conservation and environmental education is excellent.
Thourough, complete, accurate and current.
Concerns:
There are a number of grammatical errors in some of the text. The greatest numbers of errors were found in the question and answer sections.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The articles on the various animals are excellent and very useful to instruction. The site does have a special section just for teachers with a few lessons to be used in the classroom.
Peer reviewed teaching materials for instructors. Interactive games for students. Lots of graphics, sound files and information for students to study different animals.
Concerns:
It appears that the most valuable teaching tools are programs that have specific fees. The lesson materials site with free materials for teachers to use is limiting.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Professionally designed. Searchable. Excellent index with cross referencing.
The site is easily navigated and the links all work and the pages are displayed
quite rapidly.
Concerns:
It would help to have a return link on many of the side pages so that the reader can return to the previous page without having to click on the back button. Some pages do not have a link back to the main page. The SeaWorld and Busch Gardens links take the reader back to the same home page.
Creative Commons:
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