Dinosaurs, Fossils, & the Prehistoric World
Age of the Dinosaurs - Articles on the history of dinosaurs, for middle school and up. (BBC)
Ancient Technology - Explains prehistoric methods of making pottery, forming tools from bone or stone, and using bows and arrows. (University of Iowa)
Archaeology in Depth 
- Learn about archaeological digs & techniques, and keep up with the latest archaeology news. Includes articles, 3D virtual tours of dig sites, quizzes, animations, and a special section on Stonehenge
. High school and up. (BBC). For elementary and middle school students, see Archaeology for Kids (American Museum of Natural History).
Cave Paintings of Lascaux - A virtual guide to the famous pre-historic art found in the paleolithic caves of Lascaux, in France, with background info and lots of photos. There is also a Flash version of the site. (French Ministry of Culture)
Dino Directory [UPDATED LINK!] - Great directory of dinosaurs, arranged A-Z, or by time period. Excellent pictures (but very little information) on each dinosaur. For all ages. (Natural History Museum, London)
Dinosaurs: Fact and Fiction - Answers basic questions about dinosaurs such as when they lived, what they ate, why they died out, and more. Middle school and up (US Geological Survey). Another good site answering basic questions about dinosaurs is Investigating Dinosaurs (Paleontological Research Institution).
Dino Trivia - Fun facts about dinosaurs. Use the menu bar to find more on dinosaurs, including a short
field guide and
video library . (California Academy of Sciences)
End of the Big Beasts - Explores theories about why the mammoths and other large prehistoric mammals became extinct. High school and up. (PBS: Nova)
Fossil Folklore - Detailed exploration of seven fossil types, with excellent illustrations. Also explains what fossils are and how they are formed, and discusses myths about fossils. Middle school and up. (Natural History Museum, London)
Fossil Gallery - Photos of vertebrate, invertebrate, plant, fungi, bacteria, and other fossils; browsable by fossil type, location (in US), and/or geologic period (Paleo Portal, University of California et al.). For more fossil images, see Virtual Fossil Museum (by an all-volunteer consortium).
Fossil Halls - Curator videos, charts & timelines help you explore vertabrate evolution, with info and pictures of exhibit specimens; high school and up. Elementary and middle school students should visit Paleontology for Kids , which includes fun facts, interviews, games, and other activities. (American Museum of Natural History)
Fossils, Rocks, and Time - Explains the way scientists study fossils and rocks to learn about geologic history. Middle school and up. (US Geological Survey)
Geological Time Machine - A chart showing the the different eras and their subdivisions. Click on any time period for information on that period. High school and up. (University of California)
Hadrosaurus - Learn about the first nearly-complete dinosaur skeleton ever discovered, which was found in Haddonfield, New Jersey in 1858. Middle school and up. (By editor / journalist Hoag Levins)
Human Beginnings - Describes the evolution of humans, with articles about cavemen, neanderthals, and the development of human intelligence; includes an interactive quiz. Middle school and up. (BBC)
Ice Age Life - Simple science activities on fossils, dinosaurs, and the ice age, great for classroom or homework projects. For ages 3 to 11. (Paleontological Research Institution)
Ichthyosaurs - An illustrated introduction to Ichthyosaurs, reptiles that swam in the ocean when dinosaurs walked on land; describes their features, size, behavior, diet, and more. High school and up. (By Ryosuke Motani, University of California Research Associate)
Journey to a New Land - Describes what North America was like when the first people arrived during the ice age, and explores how they might have come here. This site has separate versions designed for primary, elementary, middle school, secondary, and post-secondary students (Simon Fraser University). See also Ancient Americas (Field Museum)
Killer Dinosaurs Turned Vegetarian - The 2005 discovery in Utah of a previously unknown species, Falcarius utahensis, 'provides clues about how vicious meat-eaters related to Velociraptor ultimately evolved into plant-munching vegetarians.' For advanced students. (Utah Geological Survey)
Life has a History - An introduction to the history of life and how it results in the biodiversity of today. You'll learn about geologic time, fossils, ancestral relationships, natural selection, extinction, and more. Separate versions for grades K-4 (Level One) and grades 5-12 (Level Two) . (University of California)
Mass Extinction
- Entertaining video introducing Earth's greatest mass extinction, which occurred 248 million years ago at the end of the Permian period and wiped out 95 percent of all ocean- and land-dwelling life. The video suggests a likely chain of events leading to the Permian extinction, and presents the evidence supporting this theory. Middle school and up. (PBS Nova)
Mastodon - The story of the discovery of the first American Mastodon, plus Mastodon facts, links, and fossil photos. Middle school and up. (Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia)
New Jersey Paleontology and Geology - An overview of rocks, fossils, and dinosaurs in N.J., with information on each geologic period; includes selected links for each topic. Middle school and up. (Paleo Portal, University of California et al.)
Paleontology: Life of a Vertebrate Fossil - 'In this multimedia adventure, you will follow what paleontologists do in each stage in the life of a vertebrate fossil: Deciding whether they are worth collecting; getting permission to collect; digging them up and getting them back to the laboratory; preparing fossils for research and exhibition; understanding what they say about past life.' There is also a non-flash version. High school and up (Smithsonian). The Natural History Museum of London (UK) offers a short Interview with a Palaeontologist, with links to related resources.
Prehistoric Life - Information about fossils, dinosaurs, and Ice Age mammals. High school and up. (Museum Victoria, Australia; focus is on Australia)
Prehistoric Timeline - The earth has seen an incredible series of changes in its 4.5-billion-year history. Explore them with this interactive timeline (National Geographic, commercial site). On the graphically simpler Life Through Time Mural you can click any of the geologic eras along the bottom of the picture for a brief description of the era and additional information about the plants and animals that existed during that era. Click on a plant or animal in the picture for a fossil photo (Humboldt State University). Both sites for high school and up.
Prehistory - This website actually covers both prehistory and ancient history. Topics include Big Game Hunters, China, Egypt Greece, India, Japan, Latin America, Mesopotamia, North America (including Rock Art), Native American shelters (under 'Settlements'), and Vikings. Good overviews of each subject, with images. High school and up. (Minnesota State University)
Stone Age Toolkit - An illustrated guide to common Stone Age tools. Also includes related photos from the Fenn Cache of artifacts. Learn how America's Stone Age explorers made the weapon that was essential to their survival in Making a Stone Age Weapon . Middle school and up. (PBS: Nova)
Tiktaalik - Explains the 2006 discovery of a fossil, Tiktaalik roseae, thought to be the 'missing link' between fish who lived in water and fish-like animals who first began living on land (University of Chicago). There is also a New York Times article on the discovery (commercial site). High school and up.
Zoom Dinosaur Information - Read general facts about dinosaurs here (news section has not been updated since 2001), or click on List of Dinos to choose a dinosaur; includes basic information and pictures. For all ages. (Enchanted Learning)
