Science

Adventure Science Center
Provider Information: Educators from this science center in Nashville provide educational and fun science activities for students that will engage them in active learning experiences.
Grades: K-12
Connection: IP or ISDN
Fee: 45 minute program $150 25 minute program $95
Topics covered: skeletal and muscular systems, dinosaurs, cow eye dissection, magnets, motion and space, matter.
Pre-Conference Materials: enrichment activities and instructions on making a test connection.
Contacts: For more information contact Becky Matthews at 615-401-5073. For reservations contact Ann Crawford at 615-862-5177

Akron Zoo
Provider Information: This zoo in Ohio offers programs for groups of up to 50 students.
Grades: K-12
Fee: First program $75, Consecutive programs $50, does not include line or bridge fees.
Connection: 384K or faster, first timers must do a test call, Sites must also be able to connect with the State of Ohio network and are responsible for any charges they incur while making that connection.
Pre-Conference Materials: Teacher's Packet containing a CD with digital activities and information, a program outline, pre- and post-program activities, and a teacher evaluation form.
Topics: Endangered Species, Animal Adaptations, Wildlife Trade, Genetics and Change
Contacts: Patty Villers (330) 375-2550

Aquatic Research Interactive
Provider Information: Aquatic Research Interactive, Inc. (ARII) is a non-profit public benefit distance learning corporation based in East Chicago that broadcasts live, interactive video-teleconferencing programs to grades K-12 classes nationwide. Subjects include math, physics, geometry, biology, history and aquatic sciences. Most programs are conducted underwater where instructors communicate in real time with students in remote locations around the country using ARII's videoteleconferencing facilities.
Grades: K-12.
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $195.00 plus line charge
Topics covered: Live virtual dive, geometry, Great Lakes shipwrecks, Lake Invaders, Physics, Pollution, Living and Working in Space, Wastewater, Water Quality. You can also arrange for custom events.
Pre-Conference Materials: fact/worksheets
Contacts: Jim Gentile, Cell:  (798) 703-1008 E-Mail:  fishmail@arii.org

Bronx Zoo
Provider Information: All Bronx Zoo Distance Learning Expeditions include several live animal "guests"—gorillas, alligators, owls and more. Programs are 45 minutes to an hour and all include extensive teacher support materials. These time-tested, teacher-endorsed programs are aligned with the National Science Education Standards and have received rave reviews from students and teachers alike.
Grades: K-12.
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $125.00
Topics covered: Animal Colors; animal movement; animals size and shape; food webs; adaptations; gorillas;
Pre-Conference Materials: Yes, teacher's guide with lesson plans, pre- and post-conference activities, and reproducibles.
Contacts: Erin Fitzgerald, Distance Learning Instructor
DistanceLearning@wcs.org or (718) 220-5131

Brownsburg Challenger Learning Center
Provider Information: The Brownsburg Challenger Learning Center is located west of Indianapolis, Indiana and is the 22 nd of 52 Challenger Learning Centers serving the United States, Canada, and Great Britain.
Grades: K-8
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $60.00-$130.00
Topics covered: Living and Working in Space; Journey Through Space and Time; Alpha Base One Simulation; Planetary Party; Eyes in the Sky: Satellites; Comets; Who Wants to Be an Astronaut (Kindergarten only); Destination Mars. You can also book special events. Brownsburg Challenger Learning Center can connect with all NASA facilities for special programs and you can talk to an astronaut, speak with the engineer who drove the Martian Rover or tour the International Space Station Model.
Pre-Conference Materials: ?
Contacts: Janet Krebs, Email: Jkrebs@brownsburg.k12.in.us Phone:  317-852-1008

Buffalo Museum of Science
Provider Information: Founded in 1861, the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences has been collecting, studying and providing learning experiences for the people of the Greater Niagara Region for 138 years. The Society operates the Buffalo Museum of Science which has collections in anthropology, botany, entomology, mycology, paleontology and zoology.
Grades: 1-6
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $125.00
Topics covered: Fascinating Fossils- Tracing the Tracks of the Past; Growing Up in Ancient Egypt; Mini-Beasts: Incredible Insects – Amazing Adaptations; Rock Riddles and Mineral Mysteries
Pre-Conference Materials: Informational Activity Packets and an Activity Box containing reproduction pieces, models, or other equipment relating to the topic. The Box must be returned!
Contacts: Phone: (716) 896-5200 extension 386, E-mail rtitus@sciencebuff.org

Buffalo Zoo
Provider Information: The Buffalo Zoological Gardens, established in 1875, is the third oldest institution of its kind in the United States. All videoconference programs are interactive, use multimedia, and employ the use of live animals and live exhibit footage as needed. Class size is limited to 25-30 students and program length is 45 minutes.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN
Fee: $85.00
Topics covered: How zoos work; habitats; animal senses; animal behavior; the rainforest; conservation; gorillas;
Pre-Conference Materials: Pre and post program information and materials provided
Contacts: Rebecca Russo Phone: (716) 837-3900 ext. 143 or E-mail: rrusso@buffalozoo.org

Camden Children's Garden
Provider Information: 4-acre interactive garden in Camden, New Jersey. 30-45 minute lessons are available on a variety of topics ranging from butterflies, trees, soil and weather to genetics and tropical rainforests.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN
Fee: $45.00-$75.00
Topics covered: Caterpillars; trees; seeds; soil; butterfly habitats; composting; photosynthesis; germination; pollination; DNA Typing; Mendel and Genetics; biodiversity; bird adaptations; carnivorous plants; chocolate and vanilla; grass; The Lorax and conservation; nutrition; ocean floors; rainforests; weather; water; whales; edible plants. Some sessions are also available in Spanish.
Pre-Conference Materials: pre-activity and a post-test
Contacts: (856) 365-8733 ask for Garden Educator E-mail: bpayne@camdenchildrensgarden.org

Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Provider Information: One of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. The museum provides interactive videoconferences with Museum staff.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN
Fee: $125.00
Topics covered: bats; owls; Groundhog Day; Birds as Builders; insects; dinosaurs; ancient Egypt; Inuit; Seneca; rocks and minerals. The museum also hosts a series of Meet the Scientist sessions, some designed specifically for AP classes.
Pre-Conference Materials: pre-videoconference lesson materials
Contacts: Pat McShea Phone: (412) 622-3292 E-mail: IDEA@CarnegieMNH.Org

Cincinnati Zoo
Provider Information: Programs are designed to engage students in active learning and complement classroom study of a variety of biological and earth science topics. All programs are delivered live by Zoo educators.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $90.00 plus bridge fee
Topics covered: Animal adaptations; Endangered Species I - The Hippo Dilemma; Endangered Species II - The Elephant Solution; amphibians, bats, and snakes; bugs; classification; zoo careers; rainforests
Pre-Conference Materials: pre-videoconference lesson materials
Contacts: Ken Freeman Phone: (513) 475-6130 E-mail: ken.freeman@cincinnatizoo.org.
Cleveland Metropark Zoo
Provider Information: Museum staff provide sessions for up to 30 students. Schedules are pre-set.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: Free plus line fees to dial into Ohio Network
Topics covered: bats; sharks; elephants; octopus; koalas; wolves; migratory birds; rainforest; Australia; Africa
Pre-Conference Materials: online
Contacts: Phone: (216) 635-3391 E-mail: vc-zoo@clevelandmetroparks.com

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium
Provider Information: The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium broadcasts 40 minute videoconferencing programs directly from animal exhibits, and incorporates a variety of hands-on activities into every class.
Grades: 1-12
Connection: ISDN
Fee: $100.00
Topics covered: Nocturnal Animals; Backyard Animals; Magnificent Manatees; Amazing Adaptations; Animal Classification; food webs; Endangered Species; coral reef habitat; I Want to Work at a Zoo; Marine Biology; Animals in Jeopardy
Pre-Conference Materials: packet containing information and materials for session, as well as ideas for pre- and post-activities
Contacts: Phone: (614) 724-3578 E-mail distance.learning@columbuszoo.org

COSI Columbus
Provider Information: COSI Columbus, located in Columbus, Ohio, is one the country's most highly respected science centers. 
Grades: 2-12
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $195 and line charges for simple machines; open heart surgery $245 per school connecting, knee replacement surgery $205.00
Topics covered: Simple Machines; Surgical Suite (open heart or knee surgery) COSI also offers sessions with math, science, and technology specialists.
Pre-Conference Materials: Learning kits for 30 students,
Contacts: Phone: 1-888-819-COSI email: electroniceducation@mail.cosi.org

COSI Toledo
Provider Information: COSI Toledo offers forty-minute sessions were developed using established National Science Standards as a framework for fun interaction! Prior to the sessions, teachers are mailed a package of materials, curriculum, and extensions for their classes to participate in during their upcoming lessons. These live sessions present science concepts featuring a COSI WOW! introduction, followed by group explorations between the COSI Team and your classroom. These learning modules complement classroom curriculums, and all sessions are personalized with the format adjusted according to the ages and ability levels of the participating sites.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $170 plus line charges
Topics covered: motion; electricity; energy; matter; sports physics; lights, lasers and optics; roller coaster science; sound; simple machines; space science; polymer science; nutritional chemistry; gross body functions; human body; heart; atmosphere; rocks and minerals; dinosaurs; probability.
Pre-Conference Materials: Learning kits for 30 students
Contacts: Andy Campbell at (419) 244-COSI, ext. 150 E-Mail:  campbell@cositoledo.org

Discovery Center
Provider Information: The Discovery Center of Springfield, Missouri is an is an interactive, hands-on museum that offers 45 hands-on labs with a science specialist. that are aligned to National Science Standards.
Grades: K-12.
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $100.00, bridge fee for ISDN, additional fees may apply for materials
Topics covered: digestive system; forces; chemistry; biodiversity; genes; Nervous system & sheep brain dissection or Vision & cow eye dissection; space exploration; simple machines; animal characteristics; owls; raptors; snakes;
Pre-Conference Materials: Depending on session
Contacts: Mindy Bowen Phone: 417-862-9910 ext. 710 email: mbowen@discoverycenter.org.

The Elephant Sanctuary
Provider Information: The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, is the nation's largest natural-habitat refuge developed specifically to meet the needs of endangered elephants. Field trips can be scheduled Wednesdays and Thursdays, year round, between 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Central Time.
Grades: K-12.
Connection: ISDN
Fee: 45 minute program $100, test call is included in fee
Topics covered: A sanctuary educator hosts a live view of the elephants.
Pre-Conference Materials: None
Contacts: carol@elephants.com

Health Space Cleveland
Provider Information: The Health Museum of Cleveland was founded in 1936 by the president of Cleveland's Academy of Medicine and a dedicated group of physicians, dentists and community leaders. The museum opened its doors to the public in 1940 and since that time has provided health education and information in a museum setting. The museum offers a series of 45 minute programs for up to 35 students
Grades: K-12.
Connection: ISDN and IP
Fee: $135
Topics covered: Senses; nutrition; germs; genes; birth; cells; growing up; sports nutrition; infectious disease; STDs; teen relationships; HIV/AIDS; dental care
Pre-Conference Materials: None
Contacts: Phone: 216-231-6900

NASA Digital Learning Network
Learners at all levels have the opportunity to interact directly with NASA scientists to gain a new appreciation for the importance of science and education. There are over 60 topics available, including: Space Basics 101; Asteroids; The Moon; Spacebots; and History of Rocketry. The web site features a searchable events catalogue.

NASA Center for Distance Learning
More free K-12 distance learning resources from NASA, including NASA Live, a collection of free video conferences from NASA Langley Research Center.

SeaTrek
Swim with the fishes! SeaTrek brings science programming right into the classroom using videoconferencing and Internet technology. Their programs feature real scientists working in the field with interviews showing how their interests led them to their careers. Each program is supported by a free, downloadable, companion curriculum, aligned with National and Education Standards. Program topics include: Sharks; Manatees; Sea Turtles; Coastal Habitats; Marine Careers; and Dolphins. There is a fee of $145 for most of these offerings.

   The Arts

Albany Institute of History & Art
The Albany Institute's videoconferencing is intended for individual grade 3-12 classes or groups of 30 students or fewer.  Lessons run for 45-60 minutes. Connection: ISDN or IP, at speeds up to 384K Fee: $100.00 plus connection fee Topics: Colonial Life in America, Mummies in Ancient Egypt, Artists and Nature: The Hudson River School, Facing Portraits, and America After the Civil War.

Amon Carter Museum
Provider Information: The Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas house the collection of western art amassed by Fort Worth publisher and philanthropist Amon G. Carter, Sr. Videoconferences form the museum are intended for individual classes or groups of up to 30 students. Lessons run for 45–60 minutes.
Grades: 3-12
Connection: ISDN at 384K
Fee: $100.00 plus line fees
Topics: Art of the American West, Erwin Smith: Cowboy Photographer
Contact: Suzanne Mewborn (817) 989-5039

Center for Puppetry Arts
Provider Information: The Center for Puppetry Arts is a 25-year-old organization dedicated to the art form of puppetry. Hands-on puppet building workshops are conducted via videoconferencing and are tailored to specific classroom topics and curriculum. The arts are infused with science, social studies, language arts and other disciplines to create a dynamic, interactive virtual classroom for a virtual field trip experience.
Grades: PreK-12
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $130.00
Topics covered: Gingerbread Boy, Dinosaurs, Butterflies, Spiders; plants; Rainforest; exploring Africa; Native Americans; puppetry in other cultures; Don Quixote, Faust, or A Midsummer Night's Dream; Edgar Allan Poe
Pre-Conference Materials: Online
Contacts: Deborah Bowman E-mail: distancelearning@puppet.org
Phone: (404) 881-5117

Cleveland Institute of Music
Provider Information: The Cleveland Institute of Music is a premiere provider of music instruction, interdisciplinary programs, professional development programs and community service. Videoconference offering include single sessions, master classes, courses, and professional development
Grades: PreK-12
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: Rates vary
Topics covered: The Jazz Age; Ella Fitzgerald; Beethoven; Math and Music; Science of Sound; Musical Geography of America; Cole Porter; Intro to Instruments; Music Theory; 19th century music; musical theater; opera; careers in music.
Pre-Conference Materials: Depending on session
Contacts: (216) 791-5000

Indianapolis Museum of Art
Provider Information: The Indianapolis Museum of Art offers interactive video distance learning sessions to schools throughout the United States. Program topics are varied and cover Impressionism, China, Hoosier artists, Japan, contemporary art and much more. Most programs can be adapted to any grade or interest level, including elementary, middle and high school students, educators and community members. Standards and disciplines addressed are listed with individual program descriptions.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $95.00 and line fees
Topics covered: Eye Wonder: The Art of Science; Dream Big: Art and Dr. Martin Luther King's Vision; What's Your Sign? Decoding Medieval Imagery; Royal Riddle in African Art
Pre-Conference Materials: Yes
Contacts: 317-923-1331, ext. 218 email: distancelearning@ima-art.org

Smithsonian American Art Museum
The museum will tailor a real-time video conference to meet your needs led by a museum docent. Topics: Visual and Language Arts, The Spirit of '76, Life in America, Latino Art and Culture, Native Americans, and America's Signs and Symbols.

Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art offers a wide-variety of videoconferences that use art to help students explore history, language arts, science, math and the visual arts. Programs are designed for grades K-12. Learning packets with extension activities are supplied with most lessons. Fee: $95 for each videoconference. Topics: African Art; America's Story Through Art; Egyptomania; Aztec, May and More; and Knights, Castles; and Kings; medieval Masterpieces; and Native Americans and Settlers.

  Multicurricular

Michigan State University Museum Free Virtual Field Trips
The Virtual Outreach Program at the Michigan State University Museum offers virtual field trips for grades K-12. MSU Museum's field trips are conducted by professionals recognized in their disciplines and experienced in presenting content to students with a range of educational needs. Most programs last 45-60 minutes followed by time for questions. Fee: $75.00 per field trip fee.
Available field trips include:
So You Wanna Be a Paleontologist? Gr. 5-12
The Dish about Dinosaurs Gr. 2-3
Clues from the Past: Fossils Tell a Story Gr. 3-5
MSI: Museum Scene Investigation - The Fur Trade Gr. 4-8
Votes For Women Gr. 4
Native Cycles, Sacred Circles Gr. 1-12

  Social Studies

Albany Institute of History & Art
Provider Information: The Albany Institute's videoconferencing is intended for 30 students or fewer. 
Lessons run for 45-60 minutes.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN or IP, at speeds up to 384K
Fee: $100.00 plus connection fee
Topics: Colonial Life in America, Mummies in Ancient Egypt, Artists and Nature: The Hudson River School, Facing Portraits, and America After the Civil War.
Contact: Rebecca Rich-Wulfmeyer, 518-463-4478

American Labor Museum
Provider Information: The American Labor Museum, housed in the Botto House National Landmark in Haledon, NJ, offers a number of 45 minute lessons exploring the history and contemporary issues of working people, workplaces and the labor movement with special attention to immigrants.
Grades: 3-12
Connection: ISDN
Fee: $75.00 plus line fees.
Topics: American Textile Industry; Botto House: An Immigrant's Home in 1908; Child Labor, 1900 - Present; Women at Work:  Paterson Silk Strike of 1913; Solidarity Forever:  Organized Workers, 1900 - Present; Workers' Struggles Which Led To Strikes, 1900 - Present; Paul Robeson (1898 - 1976):  American Hero; and A. Philip Randolph, the Pullman Porters & the Civil Rights Movement. The Museum also offers a series of hands-on visual and performing arts lessons for grades 3-5 and virtual tours of temporary exhibits for grades 4-12.
Pre-Conference Materials: Available on request
Contact: (973) 595-7953 or labormuseum@aol.com

Atlanta History Center
Provider Information: The Atlanta History Center is one of the Southeast's largest history museums and includes a research library and archives that annually serves more than 10,000 patrons; two historic houses illustrating over a century of Atlanta's history; a two-acre midtown campus which houses the Margaret Mitchell House & Museum; and a series of gardens.
Grades: 3-10
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $150.00
Topics: Who Was Here First, the Creek and the Cherokee; The Tuskegee Airmen: African American Pilots of World War II; The Gullah People: A Coastal Community; Tullie Smith Farm: A Pioneer Homestead; Reporting the War: A Journalists' View of World War II
Pre-Conference Materials: Available on Web site, supplemental classroom materials can also be requested
Contact: (404) 814-4126

Conner Prairie Museum
Provider Information: The Conner Prairie Museum in Fishers, Indiana is a large, open-air living history museum made up of five distinct historic areas , a modern museum center and over 1,400 acres of natural beauty. Conner Prairie's mission is to serve as a local, regional and national center for education and activities exploring the lives, times and values of the 1800s in America.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN or IP
Fee: $110.00-$130.00 plus line charge
Topics: 1836 School Days; 1886 Liberty Corner School; Creating Communities; Fall Creek Massacre Trial; Follow the North Star; Healing Hands: Medicine in Early Indiana; Maple Sugar Magic; Sheep to Blanket; The Woman’s Domain; Woodland Indians: Art and Culture
Pre-Conference Materials: Available on Web site, supplemental classroom materials can also be requested
Contact: Tara Lagana Phone: (317) 776-6000 ext. 261 or email distancelearning@connerprairie.org

Historically Speaking
Provider Information: Paul Stillman has been performing his first-person, historical programs for over 20 years. His unique style has brought "history to life" for thousands of students and adults in New York State and beyond. Complete with visual aids and many props, he enhances historical fact and makes history fun!
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN though Steuben-Allegany BOCES (607) 962-3175, ext. 250 Contact: Linda Knowles Lknowles@saboces.org
Fee: varies
Topics: Benjamin Franklin, Theodore Roosevelt; Nasty Ned the Frontiersman; Byron Scott, Civil War Soldier; Thomas Stillwell, Revolutionary War Soldier; Galileo; Ethyerhode of Pyggewhystle, Medieval Craftsman; 17th Century Samurai warrior; Colonial Craftsman
Pre-Conference Materials: No
Contact: 607-695-2656

Historic Cold Spring Village
Provider Information: Historic Cold Spring Village is a non-profit educational institution in Cape May, NJ established primarily as an open-air living history museum. Its purpose is to function solely and exclusively as an historical, educational, artistic, and literary foundation. This is carried out by presenting, conducting, and sponsoring interpretive programs, displays, publications, live performances, films, traveling and loan exhibits representative of the Early American period in history.
Grades: K-12
Connection: ISDN
Fee: varies
Topics: A Child's School Day in the 1800s; A Father's Day in the 1800s; A Mother's Day in the 1800s; open-hearth cooking; From Horses to Horsepower; day in the life of a typical Union Army soldier; The Story of Old Glory
Pre-Conference Materials: No
Contact: Jim Stephens Phone: (609) 898-2300, ext 17 E-mail: jstephens@hcsv.org

Indiana State Museum
Provider Information: As a division of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana State Museum provides a series of one hour videoconferences using museum artifacts in a variety of curroculum areas.
Grades: 2-12.
Connection: ISDN
Fee: $95 - $155 plus line charges
Topics covered: Genetic Odyssey; African American Pioneers; Communications: Past, Present and Future; Formation of the Earth; From Field to Museum: The Story of a Prehistoric Bone; Horseless Carriages and the Track Made of Bricks; Images of Women: True or False?; Investigating the Past with Project Archaeology: Artifact Classification; Native Americans of North America; Native Americans: Stereotypes vs. Reality; Reading Topography; Sports and Science; The Heart and Soul of Baseball; WWII on the Homefront
Pre-Conference Materials: None
Contacts: Leslie Lorance at 317.233.8980 or by e–mail: llorance@dnr.in.gov?cc=museumcommunication@dnr.in.gov

National Archives Digital Classroom
The National Archives provides a series of free video conferences for teachers and students designed to show the the power of primary sources in the study of history. Topics include: The Constitution; Introduction to the National Archives and Records Administration; and Teaching With Documents.

  Language Arts