Natural History
These individual objects are also available:
- Moose jaw
- Caribou antler
- Dall Sheep horn
- Sea otter skull
- Sea otter pelt
- Beaver pelt
- Beaver skull
- Arctic fox pelt
- Red fox pelt
- Lynx pelt
- Whale baleen
- Alaska mammal toys (various plastic figures)
Compare the Bear Kit
Are there any differences between a Grizzly bear skull and a Polar Bear skull? Do the differences tell us something about their diet or the environment they live in? Using observation and measurement skills, students will compare two bear skull replicas. From a simple comparison activity to a more complex skull & jaw measurement activity, this kit can be used in a variety of ways.
What’s in the Kit?
o Grizzly bear skull object
o Polar bear skull object
o Polar bear fur object
o Polar, Grizzly & Black bear claw replicas object
o Measure and Compare activity
o Skull & Jaw Comparison activity
o 4 Calipers tools
o Grizzly and polar bear info sheets
o Alaska’s Bears book
Recommended Grade Levels: 2-12
Key words: Grizzly bear; Polar bear; Black bear; Skull; Measurement; Claws
Camouflage & Natural Selection Kit
How many insects can you see and eat?
Can you spot the fish?
Why do hares and ptarmigans change color?
In this kit you will find games and artifacts to support discussions about camouflage and to introduce the concept of natural selection and adaptation.
What’s in the Kit?
- Natural Selection Game: “Eat them all” activity
- Hide-and-Seek Cards activity
- “Master of disguise” Butterfly activity
- Willow Ptarmigan wings & foot
- Fall colored wing
- Winter colored wing
- Winter foot
- Pictures (laminated)
- Snowshoe Hare pelts
- Summer pelt
- Winter pelt
- Info sheet (laminated)
- Adaptation and natural selection info sheets (laminated)
- Animal Disguises book
Recommended Grade Levels: 2-5
Key words: Camouflage; Natural Selection; Adaptation; Mimicry
Fish & Salmon Kit
What makes a fish a fish? Is a “starfish” a fish? What are the different parts of a fish? How do salmon live? Through hands-on activities and art, this kit offers an introduction to fish. Students will learn to identify a fish and learn about the life cycle of Pacific salmon.
What’s in the Kit?
- Build a fish activity
- Find the fish activity
- Sea Star object
- Fish and sea animals plastic replicas
- Fish print activity
- Ident-I-Cards activity
- Pacific Salmon Life Cycle activity
- Salmon Stages poster
- Pacific Salmon Life Cycle display
- Alaska’s Wild Salmon book
Recommended Grade Levels: K-6
Key words: fish identification; salmon; fish print; gyotaku
Tree Ring Discovery Kit
Learn about how trees grow and what tree rings can tell us.
Challenge your students to apply scientific reasoning and mathematical skills to analyze patterns of growth in trees and identify evidence of environmental conditions such as fire or drought. Included are enough tree rounds for each student (class of 30) from Western North American trees. Developed by Acorn Naturalists.
What’s in the Kit?
30 tree rounds objects:
o 5 Ponderosa Pine
o 5 Fremont Cottonwood
o 5 Black Walnut
o 5 Emory Oak
o 5 Velvet Ash
o 5 Salt Cedar
6 laminated pictures of the trees info sheets
30 magnifiers tools
1 activity manual (includes student sheets and activities)
Field Guide to Trees book
The Tree Rings’ Tale book
Recommended Grade Levels: 2-8
Key words: trees; dendrology; climate; tree ring
Alaska Whale Kit
What kinds of whales live in Alaska? What does krill look like? Look at the differences between baleen whales and toothed whales. Play a whale food chain game and learn about scale using whale models.
What’s in the Kit?
- Whale Models (Beluga, Grey Whale, Killer Whale, Humpback) objects
- Piece of Baleen object
- Orca Tooth Replica object
- Krill preserved in a jar object
- Toothed Whale vs. Baleen Whale info & activity
- What’s for dinner activity
- "Krill" card game activity
- Whale laminated sheets picture and info
- A whale of a scale activity
- Alaska Whales and Whaling book
Recommended Grade Levels: K-6
Key word: whale; food chain; scale; marine mammal
Tracks & Scats Kit
Looking at tracks is a great way to detect many animals. Learn about indirect sign and practice reading the stories left behind by animals. Become familiar with the tracks and scat of some Interior Alaskan animals through hands-on activities.
What’s in the Kit?
- Ptarmigan and snowshoe hare feet objects
- Tracking board object
- “Track it out” cards activity
- Animal track story sheet activity
- “What do they reveal” activity
- 12 Alaskan animal track casts objects
- North American animal track rubbing plates activity
- 11 Alaskan animal scat replicas objects
- Poop book
- Field Guide To Tracking Animals In Snow book
Note: Borrow our snowshoes and/or binoculars for an outdoor tracking experience!
Recommended Grade Levels: preK-12
Key Words: Tracks; Sign; Scat; Animals; Field Study
Insects Kit
Explore the definition of an insect, learn about arthropods, and discover the life cycle of some insects. Through play and activities, see the different parts of an insect, match butterflies and learn about some unique insect adaptations.
What’s in the Kit?
- Is it an Insect? activity
- Arthropods vs Vertebrates Ratio activity
- Life Cycle Models (Ant, Ladybug, Monarch) models & activity
- Make an Insect Spinner activity
- Insect Rubbing Plates activity
- Patterning Butterflies activity
- Leggy Exhibit Videos DVD-video
- Assorted pinned insects specimens
- The Insect Class book
Recommended Grade Levels: preK-5
Key Words: Insects; Arthropods; Life Cycles; Taxonomy; Adaptation
