I picked this as my first website because Encyclopedia Britannica would provide a good baseline for my students when starting out their research. I also believe that Encyclopedia Britannica would serve as a nice example of what a quality website looks like when searching for credible sources.
Like Encyclopedia Britannica, Khan Academy provides a great resource in describing a little more in depth on what makes up an ecosystem. I also believe that the illustrations are a bit more kid friendly, which is useful when looking out for your students that need a little more differentiation.
The National Geographic website was chosen due to the amount of detail that was put in to explaining the food web. Once the focus of my unit scaffolds to the food web and its contents, this website will become an asset to my students to use outside of the classroom. National Geographic also supplements spectacular photography to help explain the topic at hand.
The Scholastic Study Jams website was chosen mainly because of the differentiation it provides for students through the use of interactive technology. Not only will the students be able to watch a video explaining the food web, but they will also be able to play a fun interactive game to test their knowledge in what they have learned. The website itself may be simple, but the content it provides is imperative to success.
The BiomeViewer provided by BioInteractive has to be one of the coolest resources that I have come across. Using the provided interactive map on the website, you are able to pick any location on the Earth and view the biome, climate, biodiversity, and human impacts of the selected location. As we begin scaffolding to our essential question of the unit, I believe that the BiomeViewer will become a valuable tool in greater understanding.