This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Studies page focuses on cyanobacteria, single-celled organisms thought to be the origin of plants. Cyanobacteria live in fresh, brackish, or marine water and are of concern to the CDC and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because some can form harmful blooms that deplete the oxygen and block sunlight that other organisms need to live. They can also produce powerful toxins that affect the brain and liver of animals and humans. This website links to an informational page about cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (including impact to public health), general information, CDC activities, links to relevant websites, publications, and additional CDC topics.

This Great Moments in Science radio transcript describes the three types of bioluminescence (bacterial, extracellular, and intracellular) and associated medical applications. The audio version of this program can be downloaded and requires RealPlayer.

This Great Moments in Science radio transcript describes photons of light (not to be confused with bioluminescence) that can be seen only with the most sensitive photodetectors. Scientists believe that this light might be used by cells to communicate with each other. The audio version of this program can be downloaded and requires RealPlayer.

This website describes HABHRCA, a legislative Act that authorizes funding for research on harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia to advance scientific understanding and our ability to detect, assess, predict, control, and mitigate events. The site discusses the Act, gives an overview of The Interagency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia, and features links to past plans and reports called for by HABHRCA 1998. It also serves as a jumping point to conferences and workshops, pertinent documents, and other informational resources.

The Harmful Algae Digital Library contains a collection of Sea Grant documents in digital format (primarily PDF) arranged by subject area: red tide/PSP, brown tide, ciguatera, killer algae, and Pfiesteria. This collection is part of the National Sea Grant Library (NSGL), which maintains over 36,000 searchable records dedicated to environmental stewardship, long-term economic development and responsible use of America's coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources.

This NOAA sponsored website offers a collection of hyperlinks to red tide related articles, distribution maps, photographs, news, and meetings. Links include basic information about red tide, how red tide affects humans and ecosystems, the latest news about red tide and other harmful algal blooms (HABs), and information about red tide-based meetings and conferences.

This website offers a brief overview of Red Tide and the toxic algae responsible for it. Several words and phrases within the summary are hyperlinked to more detailed explanations on remote sites. A data activity in which students in grades 9-12 can analyze graphs with real data from 1997-2000 is included at the bottom of the site. This activity conforms to national science correlation standards for grades 9-12 (as indicated on the website).

This NOAA computer-based activity is designed to teach students in grades 9-12 how satellite imagery and remote sensing can be used to monitor harmful algal blooms (HABs). This lesson teaches students how to read and interpret satellite images and how to use GIS maps and satellite images to interpret the relationship of HABs and manatee deaths. The activity features a lesson plan and a step-by-step activity containing hyperlinks that connect the student to the relevant images and maps.

This Smithsonian K-12 Education website provides a brief overview of mahogany tide (also known as red tide) events. These events are caused by dinoflagellates, a special type of phytoplankton, and can harm sea life. This website also features links to other related red tide sites.

This website features the NFSC Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) Program, which works cooperatively with other NOAA agencies and provides information concerning HABs and marine biotoxins to the public, state and federal agencies, tribes, university, and others in the Eastern Pacific region. A 20 minute video: "Science at Sea - The Hunt for Killer Algae"
is presented with a classroom curriculum for download.

This is the website of the Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) partnership, which was organized to develop collaboration and cooperation among federal, state and local management agencies, coastal Indian tribes, marine resource-based businesses, public interest groups, and academic institutions. The ORHAB partnership investigates the origins of blooms of toxic algae, monitors where and when the blooms occur, assesses the environmental conditions conducive to blooms and toxification of intertidal shellfish populations, and explores methods that can be used to reduce HAB impacts on humans and the environment. Information in this website is organized into the following categories: Home, About ORHAB, HAB impacts, project plan, partnerships, benefits, meetings, gallery, sustaining ORHAB, education, and outreach.

This Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) website provides comprehensive scientific information about Pseudo-nitzschia, an important toxin-producing species associated with Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning. Information is organized into the following categories: taxonomy, morphology and anatomy, chemistry, toxin production, reproduction and life history, motility, ecology and natural history, identification methods, field work, and acknowledgements. The website also has a link to general information about diatoms.

This Nova Scotia museum informational web page represents the Red Tide section of an online collection about poisonous plants. The page reviews several microscopic marine algae that are notoriously poisonous to humans, featuring links to images and descriptions of each. The page also discusses a typical poisoning scenario and briefly reviews the pathology and toxicology of these toxins.

Welcome to Making Waves, a multimedia approach to learning that offers teachers and students an insider's view of current, relevant ocean science research efforts. This University of South Florida web site contains links to the article "Tiny Toxic Terrors: Harmful Algal Blooms" and four computer-based activities that teach students about various aspects of red tide. Activities include: "Where could they be?," "Is it a plant or animal cell?," "What is bioluminescence?," and "How does plankton shape affect plankton movement?" Each activity contains hyperlinks to pertinent materials, maps, and information to complete the activity.

This lesson plan provides an activity in which students can learn about how algae is used in the food they eat. The lesson plan includes background information as well as instructions for in-class and take-home parts of the activity.

These activities, in conjunction with Bigelow Laboratory's “Toxic and Harmful Algal Bloom" web site, will help your students gain a better understanding of toxic and harmful algal blooms. Each module below consists of background content material and related standards-based activities. Each module is independent of the others; however, some background knowledge is required to complete the lessons.