Animal Defenses
Why do animals have to defend themselves? What do they use to defend themselves? This Kit includes the parts of animals, which they use to defend themselves, such as a buffalo horn, an armadillo shell and African porcupine quills. Explore facts about each specimen using identification cards. Storybooks provide more information about the animals. The objects can be inspirational for language, art and science projects.
Grades Pre-K-2. Price: $25 a week. 8-10 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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Bones
The purpose of this Kit is to familiarize children with bones -- to help them learn how human bodies are put together and the similarity to other animals. Real animal bones, a hand model, a simulated backbone and child-sized cloth bones are included for use in the activities. The Teacher's Guide gives suggestions for the activities. Skeletons, a bone song and how humans use animal bones are depicted in a display panel.
Grades Pre-K-2. Price: $15 a week. 8-10 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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Butterflies and
Moths
What is the difference between a butterfly and a moth? This Kit includes 13 specimens of these lovely, winged creatures for students to examine. Eight large photographs magnify characteristics including color, patterns and shapes. Books and a video round out this beautiful unit. The discoveries that are made here will enrich children's appreciation of seeing these insects in the natural world.
Grades Pre-K-5. Price: $25 a week. 8-10 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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Electromagnetism NEW! (Winter 2008)
Using magnets, wires, batteries and bulbs, students learn the basic physics of electrical and magnetic energy. A series of challenges lead kids through the scientific method of asking questions, making predictions, posing theories, designing experiments and making observations. Activities offer opportunities for content and skill building, vocabulary and creative expression.
Grades 3-5. Price: $20 a week. 10-12 hours of activities.
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Estimating
This Kit presents ten different activities designed to engage students in the skill and fun of estimating quantity, distance, volume, speed, and time. "Lots of Flamingoes," "Your Body as a Ruler" and "Beat the Clock" are a few of the activities that will encourage participation and discussion. Teachers' Laboratory, Inc. says, "Upon opening this treasure chest, students and teachers will be treated to many varied and attractive manipulatives and excellent graphics carefully arranged for easy use and clean up."
Grades K-5. Price: $25 a week. 10-12 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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Food Power NEW! (Fall 2007)
The activities, games and objects in this Kit offer kids the skills to make healthy food choices along with information on creating a healthy balance of food intake and physical activity. The activities will allow kids to make personal food choices; to learn about various aspects of food, including origin and culture; to identify Superfoods; and to understand the relationship between power in (food) and power out (physical activity). Recipes, games and tools offer engaging activities for a variety of ages and skill levels.
Grades K-5. Rental: $20 a week. 15-18 hours of activities.
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Insects
Discover the beauty and characteristics of insects by closely viewing the specimens in the insect collection. The Kit provides insect embedments showing life cycles, metamorphosis and comparative elements. This could be just enough encouragement for budding entomologists to become astute observers of this Lilliputian world. Designed to augment a classroom curriculum.
Grades Pre-K-5. Price: $20 a week. 8-10 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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Prehistoric Life
This Kit emphasizes what the world was like when dinosaurs roamed, what they ate and how they became fossils. The basis is a collection of plant and animal fossils which students can enjoy handling, drawing, researching or just thinking about. Information on fossil formation, as well as books and labels for study and enjoyment are included. Designed to augment a classroom curriculum.
Grades Pre-K-5. Price: $15 a week. 8-10 hours of activities.
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Quilt Design: The
Right Triangle
Geometry is fun! This Kit teaches design using the right triangle. Six boxes filled with right triangle-shaped fabric samples of assorted patterns and colors assist in the recreation of traditional and contemporary quilt patterns. Visual outlines enable students to match patterns or create their own quilt design. The Teacher's Guide includes an abundance of information on the history of quilts and the origins of quilt designs.
Grades K-3. Rental: $15 a week. 6-8 hours of activities.
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Rocks
This Kit contains rock specimens, demonstration materials and activities to help students visualize what happens to rocks in nature. Students experiment and simulate natural processes to discover geological events. Study sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks; then, learn what fossils are and how they form in rock. While learning about rocks, students may realize that science is a life-long process of discovery.
Grades 3-6. Price: $25 a week. 12-15 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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Seeds
Filled with many different kinds of seeds, the material in this Kit emphasize that fruits and seeds travel in a number of different ways. The relationship between structure and method of travel is explored. Maps, specimens and books are included.
Grades K-3. Rental: $15 a week. 6-8 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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Shore Line
A day at the beach in your classroom! Use the shells in this kit to examine the diversity of sea life and the shoreline environment. Kids can learn to identify the shells, compare them, draw them and understand that animals lived in these shells. Use the field guide to identify the shells in the kit and play the Shell game to match shells to their pictures. The New England Shore is a collection of sand, shells and seaweed found on the beaches of New England. An extensive teacher’s guide offers lessons about the beach environment in science, math and literacy.
Grades Pre-K-5. Price: $25 a week. 12-15 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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A Slice of Pond
The aim of this Kit is to provide direct experience with living creatures. Three sections of study, each with activities and experiments, comprise the "Slice of Pond" Kit: collecting, sorting and observing of pond organisms. All of the materials except the pond specimens are included: collecting containers, sorting tools, magnifiers, two holding tanks, and identification and information books. Suggestions for integrated studies in curriculum areas other than science are included in the Teacher's Guide.
Grades 2-5. Price: $25 a week. 15-18 hours of activities. [Content List, pdf]
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Group Visits Information
The Boston Children’s Museum offers group visits in Science and Math for Grades K and up. Featuring: Raceways; A.G. Edwards’ Money Matters; Self-Guided visits and weekend drop-in activities. Please call (617) 426-6500 x405 or email groupvisits@bostonchildrensmuseum.org
for more information.
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Disability Awareness
Dear Kit Users, the disability awareness series Some Ways the Same, Some Way Different has been pulled from circulation due to old age, out of date information and general disrepair. Our plan to replace the series has been put on hold while we seek funding and discuss the viability of the series. We recommend the Disability Awareness Institute at http://www.understandingourdifferences.org to help you in the meantime.
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