Discovery
Boxes
Free loan program for educators
The Discovery Box program is a free loan program of boxes with
information about animals and their habitats. Each box contains
background information, visual aides, classroom activities, student
worksheets and touchable specimens. Correlation of the box to
the Illinois Standards is included. Discovery Boxes may be checked
out for a period of two weeks. Call the Jurica Nature Museum
at 630-829-6546 for more information or to reserve a box.
Ecosystem Boxes:
Introduction to Biodiversity - What does the word biodiversity
mean? Why is biodiversity important to all of us? The excellent
Windows on the Wild curriculum developed by the World Wildlife
Fund is featured and the many specimens in the box help students
understand biodiversity.
Northern Illinois Biodiversity - Introduce your students
to the variety of species found in Illinois. This box contains
a wealth of written information and activities to lead your class
through a discovery of glacial northern Illinois to the modern
day Chicago Wilderness. An Atlas of Biodiversity is highlighted
along with the Illinois Natural History Survey video: Illinois
A Study in Diversity. The Illinois Biodiversity Basics curriculum
guide is included along with a large number of specimens for students
to touch.
North American Desert - This box introduces students to the deserts
of the southwestern United States. What are the adaptations of
the animals in this environment? Specimens include the scorpion
and other small animals and insects of the desert.
Prairie Field Trip - Visit the prairie with slides, posters
and a life-size drawing of big blue stem grass. Prairie issues
such as restoration, fire, roots, and animal life are presented.
Specimens include the prairie chicken, fox and coyote skins, and
red shouldered hawk talons.
Tropical Rainforest -This box was organized around the
themes of people, plants and animals of the rainforest. Specimens
include small animals and insects of the rainforest.
Wetlands Metaphor - The wetlands metaphor box introduces
students to the many valuable functions of a wetland using slides,
posters, activity sheets and other written information. Issues
such as preservation, flooding, animal diversity and food webs
are introduced. Specimens include a duck and other small wetland
animals.
Woodlands -This box has information and activities about
the Northern Illinois Woodlands. Topics include Animal Tracks,
What's In a Log?, Seasons, and The Functions of Trees. Specimens
include a chipmunk, gray squirrel, flying squirrel, downy woodpecker,
Eastern cardinal, striped skunk as well as the Walk in the Woods
kit with additional specimens and activities.
Bird Boxes:
All About Birds - This box features the hands-on activities
developed by Louise Huffman for a workshop given in Feb.1996,
for elementary teachers. Her creative activities are supplemented
with background information, additional resources and many specimens.
This box has been combined with the Backyard Birds box with additional
information about common birds of Illinois.
Bird Migration - This box introduces basic information
about the mysteries and facts of bird migration through the use
of questions: who? what? why? when? where? how? Several examples
of usual and unusual bird migration are provided along with maps,
posters, activity sheets and specimens.
Bird Nests - How does a bird choose where to make its
nest? How does it make the nest? How long does it take? There
are nests and birds and a variety of exercises and worksheets,
many suggested by the Illinois Department of Conservation "Kids
for Conservation" materials. A short video, "Understanding
Birds: Nesting", is also included.
Birds of Prey - Raptors, their adaptations and the problems
they encounter in their position at the top of the food chain
are discussed through posters, activity sheets, videos and specimens,
including a hawk, an owl and the smaller vireo.
Feathers - Topics such as feather types, use, care and
color are presented along with flying and flight information.
Transparencies, feathers, and suggested classroom activities help
students understand the complexities of feathers.
Great Horned Owl and Snowy Owl - Each box contains an
owl, owl skull, owl feathers, and background information. There
are also posters, activities for class use and suggested topics
for discussion. The Snowy Owl Box includes information about the
Arctic Tundra and a lemming.
Wetlands Birds - Focusing on birds that inhabit freshwater
marshes and their environmental problems, this box has information
about marsh inhabitants and extends the Wetlands Metaphor Box.
Specimens include a bittern and a sora.
Other Boxes:
Animal Adaptations and Skin Structures- This box was developed
as a result of the winter 2000 workshop for teachers given by
Louise Huffman and Nancy Pearson. Their activities are included
along with many specimens of the different kinds of adaptations
that allow animals to survive. Samples of different skin structures
are included for students to examine: deer antler, shells, fur,
feathers, claws, porcupine quills, and others. There is written
information about each specimen and an article on mammal fur that
is excellent background material.
Bats - Learn about bats and their importance to an ecosystem.
Specimens of a brown bat, a Mexican silver hair bat, and a bat
skeleton encased in plastic are included for study. Bat Conservation
International curriculum materials are included.
Chicago Wilderness Materials Box - This box contains lesson
plans and materials for three problem-based scenarios based on
successful restoration, stewardship, and education efforts in
the Chicago area. This box and the educator's guide are a Chicago
Wilderness project.
Endangered Species - Learn about the various endangered
and threatened species of the United States and Illinois. Posters,
specimens and the video, Going, Going, Almost Gone: Animals in
Danger and activities developed by the World Wildlife Fund in
their Windows on the Wild series are highlighted.
Exotic Species - What is an exotic or alien species? Zebra
mussels are one focus of many activities designed to teach about
the environmental and economic threats posed by exotic aquatic
species. This box was developed using activities and information
from the National Sea Grant programs. A smaller box that focuses
on terrestrial exotic species is also available.
Fish - This box contains information about the anatomy
and physiology of fish as well as habitat information. Information
about the reintroduction of the smallmouth bass to the DuPage
River is included. Specimens include a fish skeleton and a dissected
fish in plastic.
Fossils - Specimens of both plant and animal fossils are
included along with written materials and suggested activities.
Fossils from Mazon Creek in Illinois are featured. Directions
for making fossils are included along with other hands-on activities
developed by Tim Brinker.
Illinois Fossils - A new box from the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources that provides the opportunity for students
of grades 4 - 8 to work with actual fossils and fossil molds.
Also included are posters, books and replicas.
Frogs and Toads - Learn about amphibians with the information
and specimens in this discovery box. Information about common
Illinois amphibian species also includes salamanders and newts.
An Atlas of Biodiversity, published in 1997 by Chicago Wilderness,
provides valuable and interesting information about the Chicago
area.
How Do They Eat? - Students can manipulate and compare
skulls of herbivores, carnivores, insectivores, and omnivores.
Activity suggestions and worksheets are included for classroom
use along with specimen information.
Illinois Wild Mammals Trunk - This trunk was developed
by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and contains skulls,
furs, rubber tracks, rubber scat, field guides, activity books,
CD-ROMs, DVDs and other resources about mammals in our state.
Insects - Samples of insects embedded in plastic and butterflies
in glass can be studied for similarities and differences. Written
information about each insect is included along with activities,
posters and worksheets. Many teachers who have used this popular
box have added ideas and transparencies.
Lewis & Clark Expedition - Teachers interested in
studying the Lewis & Clark Expedition requested information
and specimens of animals the explorers encountered. The box contains
6 pelts and the corresponding skulls along with books and a video
about the Lewis & Clark expedition.
People and Animals from Illinois' Past - A new Illinois
Department of Natural Resources trunk that includes many items
relating to Native Americans and to wild mammals that once lived
in Illinois. The Native American section has posters, activities,
pottery samples, Native American games, a video, samples of natural
products used by the Native Americans and much more. Learning
about the Ice Age and other mammals that once roamed what is now
Illinois will be easy with the models, tooth replicas, books,
video, posters, activities and other items representing these
animals. This trunk is targeted to grades 1 - 3.
Plants - Foam models of seed to plant and a flower are
featured in this box along with seeds, posters, the Eyewitness
Video: Plants, transparencies and many plant activity suggestions.
Rocks and Minerals - Various rock and mineral samples,
posters, written information and suggested activities are in this
box. This box includes the Eyewitness Video: Rocks and Minerals.
Seashore - Learn about waves, sand, sea stars, shells,
and sponges as well as many plants and animals found along the
ocean beach. There are many specimens for children to handle and
lots of activities to use in the classroom.
Snakes - Does a snake feel slimy when you pick it up?
What do snakes do in winter? How do snakes eat? These are some
of the questions that can be answered through use of the specimens,
books, and the Eyewitness video: Snakes.
Spiders - Students can look closely at a black widow,
garden spider and other specimens as they learn about spiders.
Books and activities for learning about these arthropods are also
in the box.
Stream Monitoring - This box was developed from teachers'
suggestions during a summer 2000 workshop about biological, physical
and chemical monitoring of a river. There is a wealth of information
about the benthic macro invertebrates that scientists study and
count to determine the health of a river or stream.
Stone Tools - This is a box with stone tools made by Native
Americans for their daily activities. It is a basic box with tools
and identification cards. Students will be challenged to add to
this box with their observations and research.
Turtles - Learn about turtles with this discovery box.
How do they breathe? Where do they go in the winter? What do they
feel like? Specimens are included for students to study turtle
development, shells, and skeletons. Read the story Minn of the
Mississippi and learn about the travels of a turtle down the Mississippi
River. Illinois specimens are highlighted and An Atlas of Biodiversity
is included along with other valuable Illinois information.
Watershed Information - This box includes the sand tank
groundwater model for classroom use. Background information about
the watersheds in DuPage County has been added along with many
excellent student activities. There are several maps and resources
to help you determine where your school is located in the watershed
and why this information is important.
Wolves - Factual information about wolves and their reintroduction
and recolonization in national parks provide a background for
student discussions about the problems involved in this project.
There are also literary lesson plans for Julie of the Wolves and
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. A wolf skull is included
for students to study. Information about other large mammal predators
is included.
Renewable Energy Boxes
Solar Energy - Primary Grades - This Discovery Box has
information about solar energy and activities to introduce solar
power to students. Activities and materials in this box were suggested
by teachers who participated in a series of renewable energy workshops
at Benedictine University. Activities are aligned with the Illinois
state standards. Materials were developed and purchased through
a grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation. Consumable
materials include sun print paper, UV beads and a solar balloon.
Other materials include solar ovens, solar cars, and many other
materials to help you teach this topic.
Solar Energy - Middle School - This Discovery Box has information
about solar energy and activities to introduce solar power to
students. Activities in this box were suggested by teachers who
participated in a series of renewable energy workshops at Benedictine
University. Materials were developed and purchased through a grant
from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation. The box includes solar
ovens, solar cars, solar cells, UV beads, and the Patrick Technologies
kit about solar energy along with many other materials and books
for your use.
Exploring the Power of Wind - This Discovery Box contains
materials for students to use as they explore the wind as a renewable
energy source. Teachers who participated in three renewable energy
workshops suggested the activities. The binder contains basic
information about wind as an energy source and many activities
that can be used at different grade levels. This discovery box
was developed with funds from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation.
Materials in the box include anemometers, wind tubes, a wind powered
generator, voltmeter, and compasses.
Magnetism - This Discovery Box leads students through
activities about magnetism to help them understand how a maglev,
magnetic levitation, train works. Students can explore the properties
of magnets and decide if magnetism could be considered a renewable
energy resource. Students in the Physics Club at Benedictine University
developed this box in the spring 2004 semester using the Illinois
State Standards. Funding for the box is part of a grant from the
Illinois Clean Energy Foundation for exploring renewable energy
resources. The box includes a Levitron Antigravity Top with instruction
tape and starter, many different kinds of magnets, a Magnaprobe,
and a Magnetic Field Demonstration Model.
Development of these boxes was made possible by grants from the
United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Helen V. Brach
Foundation, the DuPage Community Foundation and the Illinois Clean
Energy Foundation. Three boxes were created by the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources Division of Education.
Boxes may be scheduled via email. Contact mmickus@ben.edu or
call 630-829-6546 to reserve a box or if you have any questions.
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