When Dr. Jess Parker, head of SERC's Forest Ecology Lab, walks through a forest, he looks up. The forest canopy is a microclimate of its own, one that absorbs sunlight and rain, removes particles like dust and pollen, and even affects the pH of rainwater as it makes its way down to the forest floor. The forest ceiling houses the machinery of photosynthesis, controls the growth of the entire forest, and provides habitat for many organisms.

Discover a whole new world beneath your feet and under the prairie. Based on the exhibit, "Underground Adventure" from the Field Museum in Chicago, IL, this program allows students to watch museum staff shrink to a half-inch tall and walk through a soil environment and stand face-to-face with the organisms that live there.

Many students are familiar with the feats of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Mickey Mantle, but what about the accomplishments of baseball stars such as Minnie Minoso, Sam Jethroe, and Masanori Murakami? Their courage as Latino, African-American, and Asian athletes helped make baseball one of the first great melting pots in professional sports. As a result, diversity and athleticism remain time-tested teammates on the field of excellence.

What an exciting time we live in! Just as one President inspired a generation to dream about going to the moon, so has President Bush called for a new generation to take the next step. Imagine what your students will see in their lifetimes - mans return to the moon, more exciting rovers to Mars and beyond, and the first human to set foot on another planet! Inspire the next generation of explorers by taking an out-of-this-world look at planetary exploration. Enliven you students with information about exploration vehicles from experts at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Find out what it will take for humans to survive on the Moon or another planet from engineers and scientists from NASA's Johnson Space Center, the home of human space exploration. Get caught red-handed with educational activities designed to excite the mind and ignite the spirit. Learn what the discovery of ancient bodies of water means for the history of the Red Planet and out own. We may be closer than we think to finding the little green men! Possibly one of your students will be the one to take the next giant leap for mankind!

Join Smithsonian scientists and explore coastal ecosystems in Central America, along the coast of Belize. Here thousands of small islands, called cays (pronounced keys) lie in the lagoon between the mainland and barrier reef. Mangrove forests dominate this coastal zone, along with sea grass beds and coral reefs. Discover how these three ecosystems are inextricably linked, and how the distribution of mangroves parallels the distribution of coral reefs worldwide.

Join Smithsonian scientists and explore coastal ecosystems in Central America, along the coast of Belize. Here thousands of small islands, called cays (pronounced keys) lie in the lagoon between the mainland and barrier reef. Mangrove forests dominate this coastal zone, along with sea grass beds and coral reefs. Discover how these three ecosystems are inextricably linked, and how the distribution of mangroves parallels the distribution of coral reefs worldwide.

Explore where the salt water from the ocean and the fresh water from the rivers meet and mix. This unique occurrence produces a semi-enclosed body of brackish water known as an estuary, and the Chesapeake Bay is the nation's largest and most productive. Join Smithsonian scientists and educators as the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) as they investigate the physical and biological environment of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystems, focusing specifically on the Rhode River, a subestuary of the Bay south of Annapolis, MD.

This week UEN Homeroom welcomes Chris Jones and Nadia Pflaum, from KUTV's Beyond the Books series. We discuss the role of media in education, how citizens can get involved in education oversight, and where all the great stories about education originate. We're lucky to Jared Fawson sub for Dani for this conversation.

Understanding the amazing phenomena of life requires an intimate acquaintance with living things. This program introduces students to four organisms we call the Biology Classics: Paramecium, Hydra, Planaria, and Daphnia. An in-depth look at how these organisms move, reproduce, obtain food and operates in its tiny world will give viewers a deeper understanding of biology basics and a broader grasp on life processes in general.

Arteries have thick walls so that they can handle the large force of blood being pumped through them by the heart. Blood in arteries is oxygen-rich.

Blood in veins contains less oxygen than blood in arteries. It also contains waste gases, such as carbon dioxide.

The liquid part of blood is called plasma, which is made up of water and important substances, including vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

Oxygen mixes with blood in the lungs and is then pumped throughout the body.

Depicts millions of aluminum atoms. An atom is the smallest part of an element that still has all the properties of that element.

Lead and gold atoms differ from one another because they have different numbers of neutrons, protons, and electrons.

Two hydrogen atoms form a simple covalent bond. Each atom has a single electron. When the atoms bond, they share electrons and fill their outermost energy level.

Atoms bond in ways that make their outermost energy levels complete with electrons, which stabilizes atoms.

A chemical compound is made up of two or more elements that are chemically combined or bonded. The combining of atoms to form new substances is called chemical bonding.