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Text on the Exploring Nature Website
All the information on this site has been researched and written by the site creator and science coordinator, Sheri Amsel.
Illustrations on the Exploring Nature Website
The more than 5,000 illustrations on the site were illustrated by Sheri Amsel, who holds the copyright for each.
Sheri Amsel Credentials
Sheri Amsel has degrees in Botany and Zoology from the University of Montana 1980, a Master's Degree in Anatomy, Physiology and Biomedical Illustration from Colorado State University 1987. Ms. Amsel interned at the Smithsonian Institute in 1983 in Scientific Illustration, taught anatomy and biology at three colleges from 1990 - 1997.
In addition, Ms. Amsel has published more than 15 nonfiction children's books, two field guides for adults, and illustrated a myriad of books and interpretive displays on nature and science topics. Ms. Amsel has done science programming at more than 300 schools nationally, developed more than 20 educational nature trails in New York State, and coordinates school visits to local nature trails for environmental education programs for the Eddy Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conservation and habitat preservation. For more specific information about Ms. Amsel's background go to Sheri Amsel's resume.
Ms. Amsel created the Exploring Nature Educational Resource website with the hopes of sharing her science and environmental education knowledge and experience with science educators and students worldwide.
Other contributors to the site
Dr. Scott Amsel is the website's animal consultant and answers questions for the "Ask the Zoo Vet" database. He has also contributed some animal movies and photographs.
Dr. Amsel is an exotic animal veterinarian having received his veterinary degree from Davis Veterinary School in 1984. Dr. Amsel has worked as veterinarian at the Los Angeles Zoo, Disney's Wild Animal Park in Orlando, and the Aviculture Institute. He contributes his expertise to big cat rescue facilities throughout the country, speaks at conferences on tiger care and has worked for the Orangutan Foundation and Earth Trust to help promote the protection of exotic animals around the world.
The site was developed and is maintained by Grayslake Webmasters, Grayslake, IL.
What is Exploring Nature Educational Resource?
Exploring Nature Educational Resource is an organization that provides educational resources, programs and activities about natural science and nature studies for students, teachers and librarians/media specialists.
What age is the target audience of the website?
The website is primarily written for grades K-8 students, but is slowly expanding to include High School natural science resources. The site is also meant to provide educational materials for science and environmental educators.
How often does new information get added to the website?
The Exploring Nature Educational Resource naturalist adds new information weekly in response to teacher requests and our ongoing curriculum expansion.
Who can join the site?
Site membership is open to anyone, but is targeted for K-8 media specialists and science teachers who can offer the resources to their students. It is also ideal for home schoolers and science educators in general.
How can you get more information about products in the science store?
You can ask for it by emailing: sheri@exploringnature.org
How can educators ask for specific topics, animal info or activities that they would like to see offered on the site?
Email us at: sheri@exploringnature.org
How long does it take to have requests fulfilled?
Exploring Nature Educational Resource will try to post requested items on the site within ten days, but sometimes they can come up the next day!
Can I look at the site before I commit to sign up?
The sample section shows a sampling of everything available on the site. It is just a small glimpse, of course, but will give you an idea of what the site is like.
Online
Wildflowers & Plants:
USDA Plants Database
eNature Wildflower Field Guides
Amphibians:
USGS Amphibian Species and Identification Guide
Turtles:
Nearctica Natural History -- Turtles
Snakes:
University of Pittsburgh -- Snakes of North America
Reptiles & Amphibians In General:
eNature Reptile & Amphibian Field Guides
Insects:
BugBios: Entomological Database of Very Cool Bugs
BugGuide.net
eNature Insect & Spider Field Guides
Birds:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds
eNature Bird Field Guides
Butterflies:
Butterflies and Moths of North America /
eNature Butterflies Field Guide
Trees:
National Arbor Day Foundation
eNature Trees Field Guide
Mammals:
eNature Mammals Field Guide
Environmental Science:
Environmental Protection Agency
Some Great Reference Books
Wildflowers & Plants:
Newcomb's Wildflower Guide
Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, Little Brown and Company, 1977
Reptiles and Amphibians In General:
A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians
Conant, Roger. A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians. Houghton Mifflin 1998
Insects:
A Field Guide to Insects
Borror, Donald J. and White, Richard E. A Field Guide to Insects. Houghton Mifflin, 1970
Birds:
Birds of North America
Robbins,Chandler S., Birds of North America, Golden Field Guides, St Martin Press, 2001
Butterflies:
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies. Knopf; Chanticleer Press Ed edition 1981
Trees:
Trees of North America
Brockman, Frank C. Trees of North America, Golden Press, 1979
Mammals:
A Field Guide to Mammals
William H. Burt and Richard P. Grossenheider. A Field Guide to the Mammals of all North American, Houghton Mifflin, 1976
Anatomy:
Elaine N. Marieb. Human Anatomy and Physiology, Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc. 2003
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